A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update guys! I've been super busy with homework and stuff, and I was down in Manchester yesterday seeing a play that I'm doing for GCSE and I didn't get back until late and I just-

Okay, I'll stop now.

Wow... just... wow! I never expected you all to love this story so much! Thank you so much for all your kind reviews! It really means a lot to me!

The song last chapter was NOT written by me! It was written and sung by the-doctors-sexiest-companion on tumblr, and you should all go check her out!

Disclaimer: I wish I wish with all my heart that I could own hetalia! [checks legal documents] no... still don't own...

"Speaking."

'Signing'

'Thoughts.'

Also, I think you should know by now that sentences... like... this... mean that Arthur isn't getting everything

Chapter 11

"Deaf...?" Francis wondered. Then it all clicked.

Why he needed subtitles. Why he sometimes missed out on details. Why Arthur sometimes zoned out. Why the Brit didn't concentrate in class then just got handed the notes afterwards.

'He was deaf? And he didn't tell me?'

Francis felt betrayed. He would have thought that by now the two of them had become good enough friends for him to know that Arthur was fucking deaf.

"Why... why didn't you tell me?" He asked. The Brit didn't reply, just carried on sobbing, tears streaming from his green eyes.

All rational thoughts vanished from Francis' mind. He grabbed Arthur by the shoulders and started shaking him.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" He repeated, much angrier this time.

"I can't hear you!" Arthur yelled, squirming in his grasp.

"Why. Did. You. Not. Tell. Me!" The Frenchman spoke slowly, enunciating every word.

The Brit stared blankly at him for a few seconds.

"Answer me!" He cried, shaking him again.

Out of the corner of his eye, Francis spotted Antonio and Gilbert running over. He ignored them and focused on the green eyed teen.

"Because if I told you then you wouldn't treat me the same!" Arthur yelled, voice rising to a high pitched scream. "I'd be the stupid deaf boy! You wouldn't look at me the same! I just wanted to be treated like everyone else! I just wanted to be normal!"

The next thing he knew, Francis was being pulled off the Brit. He couldn't find the energy to struggle, he couldn't find the energy to do anything. Arthur himself had broken down in tears and was emitting a weird moaning sound.

Gilbert was shouting at him, Antonio was trying to calm him down. It was all too much.

Slowly but surely, Francis rose from where Gilbert was restraining him. He pulled away from the Albino's grip and ran. He ran out of the field and away down the street.

He was aware of Gilbert chasing after him, but still he did not stop.

He needed to be alone.

~oOo~

Everything was blurry.

He couldn't focus.

It was all too much.

He knew.

He knew.

He'd never be looked at the same again.

It was nice while it lasted.

'What did I tell you?'

He should have listened to the voices in his head.

He was being gripped and shaken.

He was aware of Francis in his face, asking him why he didn't tell him.

Then he was screaming.

It was all coming out. All his pent up emotions, every last one since he was twelve years old, it was all being let out.

Then Francis was being pulled away, and in a messed up way he didn't want him to let go. He craved the touch, he craved physical contact.

He needed it.

He needed Francis.

It was all too much.

The darkness welcomed him as he fell into it.

'I love you.'

~oOo~

His mother was knocking on his door, but he didn't so much as look up.

He needed to think.

Right. Calm. Think.

'Lets sort all the facts into a list.'

A list. He could do that.

Arthur was deaf

He didn't tell him

This explained a lot of the puzzling things about Arthur

He still didn't know whether Arthur liked him that way or not

'That's good! Now, what do you love about Arthur?'

What did he like about him?

He liked his blond hair that seriously needed a cut and looked like straw but felt like silk and suited him the way it was.

He liked the way he stuck out his tongue when he was concentrating.

He liked the way his school uniform was always neat and tidy, no matter what he had been doing.

He loved the way his forest green eyes shone with happiness.

He loved his huge caterpillar eyebrows.

'Does any of that have to do with Arthur being deaf?'

Does it?

No.

Because Arthur only told him half an hour ago.

'So? What's the problem?'

The problem is that he didn't tell him.

He thought that Arthur had trusted him enough. This was a big fucking secret.

Why didn't he tell him?

'He told you why.'

He just wanted to be normal.

'Did you fall in love with him because he was deaf? No, you fell in love with him for him. Arthur being deaf has nothing to do whether you love him or not. It doesn't even matter. You fell in love with Arthur.'

Oh.

'You done fucked up.'

Francis leapt to his feet. He flung open the door, almost causing his mother to fall into his room. Ignoring this fact, he ran down the stairs three at a time and opened the door so fast it almost fell off its hinges.

He needed to find Arthur.

Now.

He'd caused enough damage already.

He needed to fix what he'd done.

Before it was too late.

He almost crashed into Gilbert running the other way.

"Francis!" The albino exclaimed, throwing his arms around the Frenchman. "What happened back there dude?" He asked once they'd broken apart. "One second everything was going perfect, then he started crying and you started shouting and Toni and I came over then you ran away and I ran after you and I don't know what Antonio did but knowing him he ran after you too and left Arthur all alone and I called Birdie but he didn't pick up and I checked his house but his mum said he wasn't in and I was running to yours and now I've found you and here we are and I was worried!"

"I screwed, up that's what." Francis sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"So are we going to find Arthur or what?" Gilbert smirked.

"Oui." The Frenchman agreed. "I think we should check his house first. If he's not there, we'll look in the surrounding area."

The albino nodded. The two set off running in the general direction of Arthur's house.

~oOo~

Arthur wasn't in his flat.

He wasn't in the liquor store.

He wasn't in the run down park near his apartment block.

He wasn't anywhere.

"Now what?" Gilbert asked, sitting down on a bench. He popped a stick of chewing gum in his mouth and frantically chewed it.

"I don't know." Francis said truthfully. Just then, Antonio came strolling up.

"Hey guys!" He called, flopping down on the bench next to Gilbert.

"Toni! Where's Arthur?" The Frenchman put his face so it was right in front of Antonio's. The Spaniard just smiled.

"Oh, he fainted for a little bit! I got a bit worried, but then he woke up. As soon as he saw me, he gasped and scooted away! I tried to get him to calm down, but he ran away. I tried following him but he was too fast. Then I saw you guys so I came over here!"

As soon as Antonio had finished, Francis was running back towards the apartment building again.

'I'll find you Arthur. Just you wait.'

A/N: That took a surprising amount of time to get started.

I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review! It makes me super happy every time I see one!

Also, just so you know, I have a tumblr! I don't often post things about my fanfiction, but I sometimes post some that I don't post on ! I'd love to follow some of the people who like this story, so you can message me if you want! (It might also pester me into not updating late) My url is misha-collins-ships-destiel if you're interested!

See you next water time!