"W-what?" Alfred asks. "Why are you…?" Why would Arthur be calling him? Could Alfred have been wrong about all this? Does he actually remember him? He knows he shouldn't let himself hope, but he does anyway.
"We need to discuss which topics to bring up at the next meeting," Arthur explains. And just like that, Alfred's hopes are dashed.
"Oh… right. I'm not sure this is a good time... m-maybe later?" All he wants to do is sit in bed and stare at a wall. It feels like a freight train ran over his heart. Twice. How could he be so stupid as to let himself hope?
Feeling more depressed than ever before, the American climbs into his Superman footie pajamas, turns on the giant flatscreen to some random cartoon channel, and stares at it, not really paying attention, even when his favorite show comes on. I just want him to remember me, he thinks sadly, I don't care if he likes me for being there or hates me for leaving, I just don't want him to forget. An awful thought strikes him. What if he does remember me, he just doesn't care now? That would be… that would be horrible! Just let him hate me please! After this, his thoughts go in circles for a while, until the noise in his head blocks out even the blaring TV.
Eventually, he works himself up so much, his forehead starts to get warm with a slight fever. He doesn't care. Nothing matters anymore.
oOo
Meanwhile, in the outside world, Arthur is beginning to get worried. He's noticed Alfred has been less than his usual happy-go-crazy self, but this is the worst he's seen. Whenever Arthur comes to America, they always meet up at McDonald's to discuss things. Alfred wouldn't turn it down for anything; he scarfs hamburgers like Russia downs vodka: by the ton. Something must be really wrong for him to want to stay home…
While Arthur sits there brooding, three redheads walk up and sit down next to him. "What's up?" Connor asks.
Arthur frowns. "It's Alfred. He just… he just turned me down for hamburgers. At McDonald's." Saying it out loud makes it even more unbelievable.
The boys' eyes widen, and they look at each other. "Do you think he could…" Dylan asks, and the other two shrug.
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asks, confused. They stiffen, and turn to him with fake smiles.
"Do you remember that guy from when you were little?" Allistor asks.
"The guy who visited you for a few months when you were a kid living with Francis?" Connor asks.
"The guy who's the reason you don't hate us right now?" asks Dylan.
Arthur nods. "Yeah, Alfred. America. I know this Alfred is the same one; I've known it since the first time I saw him as a little boy… but what does that have to do with anything?"
Allistor asks, "Do you remember the year he told you to wait till to talk to him?"
Arthur shakes his head. "I was only about four at the time, and it seemed so far away…"
Connor facepalms. "I think it was last year, the year he went missing. We got confused about it for a while, so we didn't say anything, but him being with you was probably the reason he was missing!"
"B-but he wasn't with us for a whole year!" the Englishman protests.
"Exactly," Dylan says, "That's why we were confused. But your spell must have been messed up or something. He probably remembers you now."
Arthur's face lights up. He's been waiting for this day almost his entire life! But just as quickly, the smile is wiped off his face. "Are you saying that he remembers me, but thinks I've forgotten him?" They nod. "Oh crap…" he mumbles, before sprinting towards the rental "American" car, which he's not particularly good at driving, wrong side of the road and all that.
"Hey, wait!" Allistor says, and the three redheads run after their brother. "We've gotta be there, too!"
"Then you had better hurry it up!" Arthur yells, starting the engine. Everyone piles in just before he slams his foot on the gas and squeals away.
"What are we gonna do?" Dylan asks from the passenger seat, which he somehow managed to snag in all the commotion.
"We're going to Alfred's house. I'll think of something when we get there," he says.
"That's reassuring," Connor mumbles.
The four brothers arrive at Alfred's house ten minutes faster than they would have if Arthur hadn't been driving like a madman. "Promise me you will never drive anything that way ever again," Dylan asks, clutching the handle on the dashboard.
"No time to talk! Come on!" the Brit exclaims, running up to the front door and banging on it as hard as he can. No answer. "Open up!" he screams. After a couple more tries, he gets impatient and starts looking for a spare key, finding one… under the welcome mat. In different circumstances, Arthur would have taken a moment of silence in memory of his American kin's common sense, which died with his journey to adulthood, but he's kind of in a hurry right now. So, he jams the key into the lock, shoves open the door, and dashes around the house, searching for where Alfred might be hiding.
Finally, he finds him in his bedroom, staring at a TV with a pained look on his face. Arthur checks the show. Spongebob. Nothing remotely painful about that, unless you can understand all the adult humor. "Alfred!" he yells as Dylan, Connor, and Allistor run up behind him.
The American turns to Arthur in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asks, sounding like his heart had died. The Englishman pales at the sound of the ever-cheerful man's dead voice.
"I-I'm here for… do you actually… have you…" He pauses. "You kept the soldiers all this time?"
Alfred looks down, mortified. "How do you know about that? I never let you in my storage roo-" His blue eyes widen, and he looks up at Arthur. "You… you…?" He sounds like he doesn't want to believe it.
Arthur smiles softly and answers his unspoken question. "Yes."
Alfred asks, "Then why didn't you say anything? Why did you just let me think you forgot?"
The Brit blushes. "I sort of forgot which year you said you'd remember… we all had to put two and two together…"
The American's goes from deadened, to shock, to anger, and finally a smirk. "You know, I did you all a huge favor," he tells them, changing the subject a bit. "You guys hated each other before I went back and fixed your brotherhood!"
Arthur's eyes widen. "Things weren't always like this?" he asks. This is certainly news to him.
"No," Alfred states, "Well, you and Francis are still the same, and nothing else really changed, but you were a real loner in the other future… past… thing. Always going on and on about 'magical creatures' that no one else could see."
Arthur yells, "Hey, they're real!"
"Whatever. The point is you're happier now. It's nice to see," Alfred smiles.
"Right, well… th-thank you for that, I suppose," Arthur mumbles.
"No problem!" Alfred says, "Hey… my appetite is back! Let's go to Mickey D's and catch up, 'kay?"
Arthur grins. "Sure."
Epilogue:
"Hey Arthur! Have you found the spot yet?" The five boys had been trying for months to find the exact spot in England where they met as children, but to no avail. Now, things still aren't looking much better.
Arthur sighs. "No, not yet. Shame. It's so hot out; I would love to go swimming."
"Yeah, we'll just have to deal with the local pool for now, I guess. But don't worry, we'll find it. I just wish you'd let Francis help," Dylan tells him.
"I will not let that frog help me find a precious memory of my childhood!" the Englishman insists.
"He was there, he was part of the memory! Just let him help!" Allistor yells.
"Not on my life," he says, "I don't want to recount the past with someone like him."
Alfred scoffs. "What did he ever do to you? You used to get along so well."
"That was before he became a disgusting pervert," Arthur hisses.
"Fine, fine. We'll find it without him!" Alfred relents, "But I may have to invite him to swim once we do…"
"WHY YOU!" Arthur screams, and Alfred laughs as he attempts to attack him. Another happy day for this strange little family…
Aaaand... DONE! Hi~! It's applechan53! And this completes my first-ever published fanfiction! I'm already working on thinking of another idea, plus I have a Russia x reader oneshot I have been DESPERATELY trying to make work, and I'm gonna write a few more Days in the Life of a Country ones to finish that up! Also, I REALLY wanna try a crossover... so yeah, I'm busy.
Also, writing this has gotten me obsessed with the relationship between Iggy and his brothers, so I'm gonna write something else that centers around them sometime... and also a NA brothers one, since I love their relationship... but don't be surprised if I end up not doing most of this! I tend to switch from topic to topic a LOT.
Random guest reader who wondered why I made the amount of time Alfred was gone a year, do you understand now? I had to make everyone confused to add drama! *laughs evilly*
Oh... HAPPY NEWS! The England and Germany character songs came out today~! Everyone go look 'em up! Iggy has My Friend and Let's Enjoy Today, and Germany has Vorwarts March and Ich Liebe... (for anyone who has never read a Germany x Reader fic, that means "I love...").
Thank you so much if you read this all the way to the end! You are so good to me!
Hasta la Pasta~ (=_=)7 (SALUTE WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND ITALYYYY! XD)