Matthew walked slowly back the hall towards his room, his mind curiously blank but spinning nonetheless. As he passed Alfred's room though he noticed the door was cracked. Now, usually his brother didn't care enough and just left his door wide open. Curious, Matt swung the door open and saw Alfred's bags sitting on his bed, packed.
Matthew felt his heart sink. He backed out of the room and left the door back where he found it. Quietly he moved to his own room. He stripped off his shoes and sweatshirt then slipped under the covers of his blankets and slipped off his glasses. It was only then did he allow every twisted and knotted feeling he's recently accumulated swamp him. In his usual quiet fashion, he allowed the tears to spill down his cheeks.
~X~
Alfred withdrew from his position of just peeking into his brother's room. With a silence his brother would have admired, the American moved back to his own room. He moved his bags from his bed to the floor before he too sat on its surface and attempted to untangle the knot of red string that he now seems to be entangled in.
~X~
Alfred found very little sleep that night. He was awoken from a light, fitful slumber by the sound of the front door closing. He glanced at the clock, his brother was leaving early. So he felt it too.
Alfred sighed lightly to himself. He really knew no one else to ask. But…
Perhaps Arthur would know what to do.
~X~
Matthew had fallen into a nightmarish sleep. He got up early and quickly and silently went about preparing for work. He skipped breakfast.
Hoping he could busy himself in work, Matthew arrived to find there was very little for him to do. He'd finished much of it the day before. Maybe Francis has something I could do. He never seems to get much done.
He'd just exited his office when he literally bumped into someone. But, while he nearly fell onto his ass the only other move the other made was to grip something in the pocket of her skirt. Immediately, Matthew went on the alert, "Natalia1 I apologise, I wasn't watching where I was going."
Her expression neutral, she nodded, "I was coming to get you. You have some forms to fill out. A couple of your tourists decided to get on the bad side of the Belarusian government."
Matthew nodded, "Yes, I heard about that. You would have thought they'd be American," he shook his head, "We do have a few of those types here." He began to follow her.
"Speaking of American," Matthew stiffened and noted that her hand was still in her pocket, "Is your brother still around?"
Best not to lie to Nat. "No. He's not here." Not exactly a lie. "Look Natalia, your brother and mine are over. I'm pretty sure the split was clean."
She was quiet a moment before she answered, "I only wished to thank him for not clinging to my brother. I know it's hard, I would have killed myself if he dumped me like that," Matthew wisely said nothing, "But if you could just carry my message to him, I have other things to focus upon."
As she was walking away Matthew blurted out, "Are you really in love with your brother?"
She stopped on a dime and spun around, indigo eyes blazing, "Are you questioning my love to my dear, beautiful brother?"
"I-In a manner of speaking, yes," she stepped towards him and Matthew saw a flash of metal. He quickly explained, "How? How can you tell? How would you know?"
Here eyes softened and whatever knife she was holding returned to its place in her pocket, "I was suspicious but—"
"Suspicious? Of what? There's nothing to be suspicious of. I was merely asking—"
"You love Alfred."
Finally hearing the works out loud he was stunned quiet, only to stammer, "What… I… who…?"
She moved back closer to him, her platinum hair shimmering behind her, "It's hard, and it hurts. Yes, it hurts like hell. Incest is forbidden now, isn't it? But, as that Francis would put it, love is love. I figured one had only about two options. One, confess. This is risky but would achieve the quickest, though not clearest, results. That's what I did. Ivan's still coming to terms with it.
"Or, option to, you get as far away from each other as possible," with a pang Matthew recalled the luggage, "This is the safest option, but it doesn't ease the feelings. I couldn't do it, even after brother rejected me the first time. That most surely would kill me. Every time he pushes me away is another cut, but it doesn't kill me. And brother doesn't want me dead, he said so. So I can't die."
She paused, thinking, "I guess there is a third option. You could do nothing. You can always do nothing. But not only is that the coward's way out, but it brings on excruciating drawn-out torture. Nothing is accomplished or decided and the tension would probably build up and eventually drive you apart anyway. No, you're smarter than that," she looked straight at Matthew. "It really is a curse and a blessing. But you can make of it what you will.
"… You really are intelligent. I have faith in the both of you. Papers are right on top of my desk." With that she turned and walked away.
Matthew stood in stunned silence. Mixed emotions still turned his stomach but now he realised he needed a plan of action, eve if just a vague one. He went in to sign the papers.
~X~
"Arthur Kirkland speak—"
"Hey Arthur! I—"
"Bloody hell Alfred! Haven't I told you to leave me alone already? And where are you calling me from? I don't recognise the number."
"Mattie's phone. Look, Artie, I—"
"Don't call me Artie! Who is Mattie? Did you have a falling out with—"
"Yes, Arthur, that's not the point, I—"
"Weren't you in Canada? What time is it there? Seven? You never get up this bloody early."
"Arthur—"
"If you're just here to pester me I will get—"
"ARTHUR! Please. Is that position at the university still open?"
"Yes, why? You pissed him off, didn't you? I told you—"
"Arthur just listen to me! It's not Ivan; the break-up was clean. Look, I just… I need to get away from someone—I mean from here. Yes, I just really want to go back to London. Not to see you, I mean. I mean, I'd like to see you but not like that, you know…"
"Al, just tell me what's going on."
"… I fell in love with someone I shouldn't have."
"So you're running away? That's not like you Alfred. Who was it?"
"…"
"Was it a straight guy? Because you know—"
"No just a straight guy. Look, Arthur, could I crash at your place until I get set up? Then could you find a really freaking cheap motel thing by the school?"
"… Alfred, what are you running away from?"
"Can you do it?"
"Yes, but—"
"I'll be on the next flight to England."
"Alfred, that's not nearly enough time for me to do all that and you know it."
"… How about the end of the week?"
Arthur sighed and Alfred knew he'd won, "Fine. But you will explain this to me when you get here."
"Ar—"
"As payment."
Damn. Arthur was always good at getting at least a little something out of any situation, "Fine. I'll call when I get the flight."
"Honestly, you needn't bother. Francis is coming this Friday. You could find a seat on his flight."
"Thank you so much Arthur."
"… The truth. That's all I need in return. It sounds like you need it too."
"Of course. I'll see you then."
"Good-bye." Alfred hung up, an unusual feeling of depression filling him. Sitting in the kitchen he went to a corner, curled into his knees, and wept.
Oh, the drama!
Hey! My first time writing Belarus! Of course, someone needed to offer some incestual advise.
... She may not be the best person to listen to. But whatever.
Drop a review!
