Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. Sound of Music. Amazon, Chili's, Home Depot, Wal-mart, Target, MetroCentre, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Lego Store and Legos, Heads Up game...etc.
Warning: Some profanity. Some stereotypes. Some OCs for sake of plot. Some inevitable inaccuracies (historically, culturally, and grammatically). I have not visited this particular Pizza Hut, but I imagine it has restrooms. Shout out to the implied mention of John White: pioneer, artist, governor, and brave soul who endured a LOT. Read up on him and you'll know why the loss of Roanoke was so devastating for him. Inappropriate reference to a person with a limp. Light exploration on gender, childrearing, and societal expectations. Arthur reflects-while not connecting the dots and seeing his own hypocrisy. Stepping on Legos-the ultimate torture.
Special Warning: Features an anxiety attack.
AN: Thank you for your continued interest in this story. Your reviews help keep me focused, enthused, and optimistic. Important things considering this has been a very rough span of days nationally and internationally. Stay safe everyone.
Chapter 36: Someone's Lurking
Canada nodded absently as Texas went on and on about his last rodeo.
"Oh yeah, poor sonuvabitch got gored-there was blood everywhere. I mean absolutely-"
Mathieu winced as he watched Texas take a hearty bite of pretzel and continued on with an enthusiastic: "Like when a garbage disposal in the sink spits up, ya know?"
Thank you Texas. Mathieu won't be sleeping tonight. Really. Merci.
"Oi Tex," Jet tapped him on the shoulder with Jamaica a half step behind him.
"Yeah?" Tex answered through a mouthful.
Jamaica made a face.
"Sooo…" Jet began "Where's Alfred? I mean...it's kinda hard for the lot of us to be Team USA when he keeps avoiding us!"
Mathieu nodded. It was hard to try and make amends or show support when Alfred actively stayed out of reach. Every time Mathieu tried to sit next to him, he'd announce he had to go fetch something. By the time he'd return, all the spots in the room would fill and he'd be sitting with Arthur, Reilley, or Tex. Sometimes, he didn't come back and you'd have to wait until a mealtime to glimpse him.
Texas swallowed, "Relax Jet. Al just goes lone wolf sometimes. Means he's gotta recharge."
At their blank stares, Tex elaborated: "Don't worry. It's not bad. If it was bad he'd be on the roof. When he goes on the roof he's pretty much declaring to the world: I DON'T WANT SOCIAL CONTACT!"
And all these years, Canada thought that was his eyes playing tricks on him because he'd internalized that the roof was one of Alfred's favorite hiding spots when they were little.
"But that's not what he's doin.' Lookee there. He's just window shopping."
Sure enough, Alfred was ogling a display. At which point Arthur approached and ruffled his hair and gestured to the entrance.
Mathieu sighed. He could've done that. Could've walked up and...why was he having so much trouble reaching out?
He'd discussed it with Texas-confessing that he thought it had something to do with how Alfred always seemed to be center stage and it was hard to get near him because of that.
Texas had nodded knowingly and then said "Yup, and he'll keep performing until you show him he can sit in the audience with you."
"Pourquoi?"
"Cuz you guys are always nagging him to perform some goddamn miracle when he's around. You know what I'm talkin' bout. The whole 'you think you're so great, well prove it!' mentality. And so he tries. And when he does succeed y'all will want it bigger, better, and more entertaining the next time around. He knows I don't need all that."
Mathieu couldn't help feeling a stab of envy at that remark. Things seemed so simple for them.
He shook his head in rebuke. No, they both worked to keep things simple between them. So they didn't end up in messes like Alfred and Mathieu were in now.
He sighed-watching from afar as Alfred grinned, grabbed Arthur's hand, and jubilantly led them in.
"Quick!" Texas hissed-startling the nations around him "There's your chance Team. Go! Go! Go! Al loves the LEGO store!
Australia and Jamaica sprinted to it-dragging Jake, who'd just arrived with a frozen yogurt cup, with them.
Mathieu hesitated between following them or staying with Tex, "Aren't...you...?"
"Nah, I hate Legos" Texas declared as he dipped his pretzel into a little cup of nacho sauce.
Mathieu's jaw dropped "But-but-but-"
"You ever stagger downstairs at 2 am and step on one? Because Al and Molossia decided it was a good idea to recreate New York City in the kitchen? It was bad enough stepping on the one. Then I tripped and fell and got shanked by the Empire State Building…in the eye. Yeah...guess who got to go on a hap-hap-happy trip to the ER? I hate Legos!"
Canada took a deep breath of relief when Tex changed gears (his volume had been steadily increasing as he trash talked the toy-earning them odd stares from passersby). He then started talking about Christmas traditions and how they'd need to find a diner with good pie and Mathieu was pretty sure he knew a place that could work.
"Sooo...cash, card, hold-my-hand-and-point-it-out-to-me, or roulette wheel?" Alfred asked Tex as he leaned over the table to pull an extra cheesy slice of pizza courtesy of Pizza Hut.
Ya know for a British Mall, there sure were a lot of American fastfood places! Not that Alfred was complaining. It was nice having little pieces of home scattered here. He sure wished there more Christmas decorations though. Way too conservative in his opinion.
Still, British Pizza Hut did not disappoint. So yummy.
Arthur said he wanted them to have an easy lunch at the mall and then that night he'd made a reservation for them at some fancy French restaurant Alfred couldn't pronounce the name of (and didn't want to try for fear of getting it wrong in front of everybody). When Alfred asked why they were doing French food (since it would no doubt inspire grumbles of 'That blasted frog' all night long, Arthur surprised him by explaining without rancor that many of his wards had French influences and it was only right and fair to acknowledge it now and then.
Unfortunately, Alfred was fresh out of eloquence at the moment and responded with a short "Oh. Um. Okay."
Arthur just smiled and ruffled his hair.
He could've easily turned that into a lecture moment-could've raised a bushy eyebrow and condemned him for a lack of geographical and historical knowledge and Al would probably have deserved it but...but he didn't.
And that combined with the photo shoot, and the LEGO store, and how he didn't freak out when Alfred got bored earlier and started playing hot lava with certain tiles on the floor. The girls just took for friggin' ever looking at clothes and Tex kept hanging with Canada-he had to do something to keep himself entertained!
Arthur just drew the line at him hiding in clothes racks and even then...he'd been more amused than angry. And he sat him on his lap and had them play Heads Up with their phones.
He kept being so nice...and it made Alfred's heart balloon with a dangerous amount of hope.
He risked a glance his father's way and flushed when Arthur caught him looking.
His father smiled and his insides went as gooey as the cheese on their pizzas.
Personally, Alfred was really relieved for an easy schmeezy fast foody lunch. Cuz he didn't think he could handle two uptight places with white table cloths and fine porcelain plates and hushed conversations and-ugh.
It made his nerves buzz just imagining it.
He just...wasn't at his best. He wasn't hurt. He wasn't sick. But nonetheless he felt...off. Like rushing up an unstable staircase during a high risk infiltration mission that was slowly detaching from the wall and there wasn't anything to grab onto. He took a deep breath. It was just anxiety. All day he'd been having clusters of little anxiety attacks. Nothing bad was gonna happen, he promised himself. Calm down, he ordered himself, but the feelings persisted.
"What's easier for you?" Texas asked.
Alfred took a gloriously cheesy bite and tried to focus on the tasty food and not on the swirl of feelings going on inside him, "Card."
"Kay. How 'bout...Amazon, Chili's, Home Depot or Target. Any o' those are good. What about you? Whatchuwant? We aren't goin' to a musical. Card or Roulette or-"
He shrugged a shoulder "Wal-Mart card is fine. They got tons of stuff."
Arthur scoffed and muttered something that sounded like "rather impersonal."
"Nuh uh" Alfred refuted "I just wanna make sure that when he gets something for Christmas, it's something he really wants. And not something I think he should want, ya know?"
Arthur's frown conveyed disapproval and yet Alfred felt glad this conversation was happening now. It let him know without a doubt that Arthur definitely wanted something more sentimental and that he hadn't appreciated the gift cards he'd sent him in the past. A pity cuz those were just so easy to pick up and send. Postage costs could be a real pain in the butt.
Though what he should give the old man eluded him. He pretty much already had everything neat under the sun, and the new technology that Alfred could give him with television and phones and stuff wasn't always appreciated. Cuz he was one of those old geezers that didn't want to read the owner's manual and would complain that a device "didn't work." Alfred had lost track of all the times he'd spent in meetings, having to help the old man troubleshoot his laptop or phone. Or he'd have to make a house call to straighten out Arthur's fax machine or dishwasher or whatever. Sometimes the stuff had looked downright sabotaged-leading him to wonder what Arthur did to them in his spare time.
So...he had to pick something sentimental...but what?
He racked his brain. He could probably get him a fancy blank book for pressing flowers, but that might be too gushy. Arthur might interpret that as an invitation for them to go wander fields like "Sound of Music" style and that everything between them was hunky-dory when…
When…
While things were definitely improving...
Alfred reached to for more parmesan cheese packets when-
"Alfred, you can't just keep reaching across my plate every time you want seasoning or extra cheese" Seychelles frowned and snatched his wrist-holding it firmly, "Ask me and I'll pass it to you. I-"
"Dyami" Osha sighed-her grip on his wrist tightening. He frowned up at her-squinting against the sunlight filtering through the trees.
She held out her free hand-gesturing for him to hand over the string of white beads. Roanoke: Cheap beads crafted from white shells. They were only good for trade if you had a bulk of them.
"Dyami" her voice lowered in pitch warningly when he refused to comply.
But he liked making necklaces and bracelets out of them. White. As white as the flesh on his underarms and belly. And they shared a name!
She gripped his other elbow tightly and pulled him forward-tutting when he struggled, "How disobedient. Do you want Oniate to come after you?"
Seychelles gently released him, "Alfred? Are you alright?" She rested a hand against his forehead, "You look a little-"
He flinched away at the sudden contact and whatever Seychelles said next was drowned out.
"What an ill-tempered scamp!" England declared-grabbing his young colony around his middle and hefting him from the room for making Barbados cry.
He set Alfred down hard on the bed.
"I'm NOT sorry!" little Alfred hissed-still feeling victorious for smashing Olivia's precious porcelain doll. She was so mean to him! She deserved it! Making fun of him for only having tobacco and insisting it made him smell bad and pinching him when the adults weren't looking!
"Is that so? Then you can stay in here until you are. Let us hope you are sorry by breakfast."
Tears gathered in his eyes. He'd have no dinner then. No desserts either. No tarts or pastries.
"Bad things happen to badly behaved children, you know? Bogeymen like them best."
The door closed with an authoritative click.
But that wasn't true. Not really. Because bad things had already happened...already ...happened…
His head twinged.
...and he hadn't even done anything to deserve them!
Sarah's grip on his throat tightened-her fingers were cold and knobbly and wet with rain.
And he knew then-could feel it in her hands. Hands that used to hold him so gently...
She didn't love him anymore.
All those hours they'd spent together and...just...like...that...her love ended...
"May God have mercy even for monsters."
Alfred pushed his chair back from the table with a loud scrape.
Away. He needed-away. Away. Away.
His heart pounded loud in his ears.
"Alfred?"
Away.
"Baby bro?"
"Sweet, what's wr-"
Away to somewhere safe.
Green eyes stared down at him coldly as Alfred touched his stinging cheek in shock.
Not allowed to question the Empire. Not allowed to distrust their-no-his-king.
He stared blankly at Arthur's hands-they were...they were s'posed to be different...those hands weren't supposed to...hurt him…
And the hurt spread-connecting to other hurts and sowing itself deep in the dark cold void and-surely there had to be a way to take that hurt away?
Surely someone knew how? Someone knew how to keep his world from ending?
His old nightmare from months ago flickered in front of his eyes and his surroundings turned hazy.
Don't...the frail lisping whisper of a shy child floated on the breeze. Pwease don't…
Don't! Don't! The plea became a wail.
Tugging on a daffodil-no! Tugging on a-a-a memory...and...
As he pulled, the world around him began to crack into shards.
He gave a mighty heave and the roots came up-
Alfred bumped hard into someone who crashed into a table during the American's desperate attempt to get to the men's restroom.
Guilt seeped in at the sound of glasses and plates and cutlery falling and the cumulative cries of dismay.
Stop. For your own sake, Alfred, just stop. Let it alone.
But how could he fix what he didn't understand?
And there was Arthur and Rhys to think of! And their sad faces when he didn't remember things he was supposed to.
Back in the bus, Rhys...his face seemed so...
Nononono, Alfred needed to remember! He had to be brave!
...then do so...at your own peril...
"Ah me. So yeh know what I am? Do yeh boy?" the old man chuckled. "I wondered."
"I may not…see so well anymore…but I can still hear" Alfred assured holding the barn lantern somewhat defensively as he descended into the cellar. "And if you would listen…I…I would-"
"The gift o' sight must run in your family. Even if it's faded in you."
His family…
Alfred's jaw tightened. His family was the reason he was here.
"I've…a wish" he heard himself say as he nervously adjusted his uniform.
"'Course you do" the old man scoffed "Don't you all? And in great numbers!"
He couldn't quite remember what happened next.
Only the old man's incredulous voice...
"Are yeh sure ya know what yer doin'?" the old man asked from the darkness. He almost sounded afraid. "What yer askin' me for?"
The stench of burning wood and flesh and land and-
He was close! He was so damn close and-and-and he barely made it to a urinal-retching violently in it.
England jumped over the fallen human man with a soft and somewhat insincere "sorry."
America had barely touched the human, if anything it was the man's own momentum (he'd been afraid of crushing a child) that caused his tumble and-oh bugger it all, he didn't have time to worry about him!
Alfred was having another panic attack (far worse than the one he'd had in McDonald's) and concern flooded every fiber of Arthur's being. Their bond was practically electrifying the Briton.
He pushed into the Gent's room and found Alfred sniffling and muttering to himself.
Arthur wrinkled his nose at the puddle of sick in the nearest urinal. Clearly, the boy just couldn't make it over to a toilet. He'd tell management about it after he had the boy calmed down.
"Sweet?"
The child rubbed a sleeved arm across his eyes, "I..I'm s-sorry-I-"
"Wha-no need to be sorry" Arthur hastily assured.
"I tried not to make a mess. I didn't get any on me. I just...I started remembering and-and-I just need a minute and I'll-"
Arthur's mouth went dry, "W-what did you remember?"
Was he remembering segments of his imprisonment with Iroquois and Yamasee? Just thinking on it abstractly for any length of time, could easily inspire a desire to spew as far as Arthur was concerned.
"Well, I remembered what my name meant and I re-remembered…"
Alfred's lips trembled and his eyes filled up and he twisted the bottom of his shirt, "I remembered...that she...and it shouldn't matter. Cuz it was so long ago and I feel like a big baby for being so...it was forever ago but-but-"
Arthur calmly unrolled some toilet paper and used a wad of it to gently wipe at the child's mouth before tossing it.
"...she…"
He rested his hands on Alfred's shoulders, slid them down to the elbows and then back up. It was an action his mother had done long ago and it always seemed to help calm her children. His little ones were no different. When little Barbados and little Jamaica had one of their squabbles, he'd often found himself having to soothe them until they could articulate their point of contention.
He mmhmmed thoughtfully as he rubbed the boy's shoulders. When Alfred was ready to speak, he was ready to listen.
"...she...didn't...love me…"
His hands froze as a wave of shock and sympathy crashed through him with almost frightening intensity.
Good God.
Iroquois.
His child had the dreaded epiphany. The one Arthur had been bracing himself for each time Alfred started to question his experience.
It hit. It finally hit.
He knew eventually it would all add up and overwhelm the poor child.
Her malicious plan. Her objectification of Alfred. Her willingness to sacrifice the boy's physical and emotional health for her own benefit.
"Why...why couldn't she love me?"
His heart twisted.
"O Sweetheart-" he cupped the boy's face.
"How could she d-do that to me? She talked and played and fed and cared and-and-and-"
He immediately picked the little one up and swayed gently from foot to foot, "It will be alright."
"I...I dunno what I coulda done differently!" the boy's voice wavered pitifully.
"Oh my Sweet, Sweet boy don't think that way. You did nothing wrong. Not a thing."
"...threw me away" he blubbered into Arthur's collar.
Arthur hugged him tightly.
He'd known. He'd known for a while now that Alfred weeding her out would have serious consequences.
It was one thing to decry her as estranged and dangerous.
It was another thing entirely to actively remove her from the pedestal of parental figure and role model. He knew it would leave a hole in the boy's heart.
But Father was here. Father was here and he had every intention of mending his poor little lamb's heart.
"I'm here" he murmured "I'm right here."
"I don't understand" Alfred hiccupped "why it hurts so much, when it-it-it happened so long ago."
Gracious, it was barely a month! Alfred was expecting far too much from his coping abilities.
Alfred pulled back to look him in the face, "W-why couldn't Sarah love me?"
Oh...
He blinked.
That was what this was about? That woman. That damned woman. Who was so fucking lucky to have died centuries ago or England would've dropped her arse off a cliff himself.
"Cuz she was crazy Little Brother" Tex declared as he entered the men's room.
"D-don't say that. I knew her! She-she wasn't a bad person; she just made a bad decis-"
"Uh…" Texas raised an eyebrow, "She kinda chucked a baby off a cliff. That's kinda the definition of a bad pers-"
"-sounds really bad when you phrase it like-"
"I mean, she didn't try to eat you. So I guess we can't say she was a wholly evil baby-eating creepster...like someone else we met...but she was pretty damn clo-"
"-it was a different time then and-"
"-and it's made worse by the fact that you saved her ungrateful colonial ass and-"
"Daddy, do you think she was bad?"
Blue eyes stared intently at him.
It took so much restraint not to unleash a tidal wave of profanity. Victoria would've been proud of him.
"..."
"...Dad?"
Blue eyes went wide with realization.
"Oh…"
He stopped struggling and let his hands fall from his neck.
Woman and child shared one last look as she held him over a turbulent sea.
Alfred gave a small, sad smile.
And she let him go.
"...She hurt you."
And he'd never forgive it.
He hit.
Headfirst...on a dark rock protruding from the water. Blood splattered everywhere as the
little head flattened. And then the waves crashed over him and he was gone.
Never.
"See?" Texas insisted "Even England's on my side. And that just doesn't happen any old day."
"Dude...y-your face looks all scary..." Alfred informed him-hesitantly poking at his cheek. "Are you...mad?"
Not quite dear, he thought, but at this rate…
"No...I'm not angry, I-I-rather-" He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to force himself to relax. "…no…I...I AM angry, appalled really…but-but it's on your behalf. I will never condone her behavior-I-I..."
"O-oh," Alfred rested his head against Arthur's collarbone. "So...you don't think I could've done anything different and gotten a different res-"
No; they were NOT going to play the 'What If' game.
"You did nothing wrong."
He was a child who'd trusted an adult who, up until that point, he'd felt safe with. The blame lay with her for not living up to that great amount of innocent faith.
Alfred nodded and exhaled, "I still feel...my insides are all…"
"Alfred, you've gone through...quite a lot. Anxiety is a perfectly natural respon-"
Little fingers curled into Arthur's shirt, "And now I'm gonna have to go back out there...and I'm getting all...panicky again. Geez, I'm gonna have to pass that guy I bumped into and...gah! It's sooo embarrassing! Why'd I have to freak out?! And everybody at the table was...there and I...I-in front of ev-and-what if something really bad happens now? What if I go out there right now and everybody's watching and they-they've-"
"-Somehow got pitchforks in the five minutes you've been in here?" Tex asked wryly.
"Stop teasing me Texas! I do not appreciate your lack of-"
"And in France they're burnin' cars! Cuz you dared to throw up in this fine establishment! You fiend! Cuz we know this place has never encountered such a phenomena before and-"
"Stop it! I mean it or I'll-"
"Well let's just address the worst-case scenario then shall we?" the brunet levelled a completely serious look at his younger brother "A wendigo is gonna spring outta that there toilet over yonder with a brochure on Communism and a jar of marmite."
"..."
Arthur was blissfully grateful for the loud unplanned laughter in his ear, even if it was at the expense of one of his favorite foods.
Texas watched the drama unfold with a bored eye.
He gave a sideways glance to the gaggle trailing just behind him-all clucking like a bunch of hens during feeding time.
Seychelles bit her lip and tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear, "I just-I feel terrible I mean if I had known, I wouldn't have-did you see, how he looked at me? I just...I mean, I read Arthur's email but-"
"I know mon! Gender wasn't disclosed! Makes me wonder: what else did he leave out?"
"Iroquois was a woman" Barbados murmured "I wouldn't have-"
Reilley frowned and cut in, "So yeh thought it had to be a man, hm? I mean yes, the other one involved was a man, but-"
"It's just unusual" Seychelles replied "Mothering...er nurturing instincts are usually considered an ingrained part of the female sphere and for her to just...bypass them...Canada said he was kept sedated! And restrained-with belts!"
There were murmurs of disgust and disapproval.
"Nature versus Nurture" Hong Kong commented. "How much is the result of evolutionary incentive, how much is the result of societal pressure?"
"Well, it's just a fact that men are more aggressive" Seychelles insisted to the nods of the other women "Women are communicators. We're better in touch with our emotions which in turn allows us to network with others. It makes us successful caregivers and-"
Reilley raised a bushy eyebrow, "You're seriously going to argue that? When you've got that right in front of your eyes!?"
Tex along with the rest followed the Irishman's pointing finger to where Arthur was carrying a sleeping Alfred and looking like a poster boy for domesticated male-dom.
"When ya lived that?" Reilley insisted.
"Well, my upbringing wasn't all roses" Seychelles argued.
Barbados shrugged. "Michelle...you were older when-you know, and India wasn't a child either. But Pip and I were raised practically since infancy and we can-"
From what Tex observed, Arthur had a tendency to baby all of his wards-particularly the ones he'd taken in as ankle biters.
Arthur smiled as he spoke with Jet and Jake. They'd paused beside the bottom of a staircase, so the rest of their group could catch up.
Arthur nodded at whatever Jet said, and then rested his head atop of Alfred's.
Maybe there was some truth to that belief about first impressions and the way you first met someone was how you thought of them no matter what.
The ones Arthur met as children, remained children in his eyes.
Hell, if Tex was honest, he wasn't so different; Al would always be a gungho, baby faced sixteen year old to him.
And so they just had different expectations of Alfred…
While he supported his brother, always, he just didn't feel the need to nag and coddle him.
England thought differently.
After throwing up his lunch, his brother had been reluctant to eat again despite Arthur's many attempts to get him a new meal. Heck, his apathy wore the old Brit down until he was promoting McDonald's. But even Mcnuggets weren't enough to entice Alfred.
Tex had let it go after two turn downs. Arthur needed twelve.
Gradually, Alfred exhausted himself as their group wandered in and out of stores. He started bumping into stuff which prompted Reilley to give him a piggyback ride. When Alfred dozed off, Arthur demanded Reilley to hand him over.
Tex would have just given Al the keys and let him sleep it all off in the bus, but...Arthur insisted on toting him around himself.
Earlier in his European vacation, he'd complained about England's bossy behavior to Spain. But his father waved it off.
"It's as much for his own sake as for Alfred's" Spain explained as he muted the volume of the television and turned away from the soccer match-shocking Romano and Feliciano. He was pretty hardcore when it came to the sport.
"But!"
"Mijo. He's establishing an environment: Protector y Protegido."
"But Al doesn't need him to play Prot-"
"Everyone needs to feel safe, mijo. If child does not feel safe with Padre, Padre has failed."
Tex's cheeks heated up. THAT had segued into a very awkward public conversation regarding Tex's childhood. Spain had started getting so damn emotional, it was a relief when Romano cut it short.
"Anomaly" Alistair barked-harshly enough it startled Tex.
"Lys" Reilley sighed.
"Nope. I don't want the likes of him being taken as a representative of mankind. We can do better, I know it."
"But why weren't we told?" Barbados asked "We were left to just assume-"
"Yeah, well you know what happens when you 'assume' ?" Tex remarked flippantly "You make an ass out of you and m-"
"You've been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to say that" Barbados rolled her eyes.
"Hell yeah, I was. All o' you only thought you knew what an obnoxious American was like. Al's polite. I'm gonna show you the real deal-"
"Please don't."
"Too late!"
Alfred came to just as Arthur told Rhys in a hushed voice: "Mr. White should arrive with the car any time" He readjusted his hold on Alfred. "It's just too much for him right now, poor little fellow. I'm going to take him home. Hopefully, he'll regain his appetite in a more relaxed setting."
Alfred was a little disappointed because there'd been a tiny sliver of possibility that he might've made it through without humiliating himself.
But he mostly felt relieved he wouldn't have to go, though it didn't seem fair that Arthur now seemed to feel he wasn't allowed to go either.
"That's unnecessary" Rhys replied "Go to the restaurant. I can take Alfred-"
"No. It's what I've been waiting for. He's started remembering things; Sarah par example. Wretched woman. Who knows what'll come next? And I've yet to approve your methods. You're much too harsh with him."
He carefully held Alfred while pulling out his wallet, "Here; that should be more than enough. If not, I'll repay you."
Alfred blinked at the rustling sound of money changing hands.
Arthur pocketed the wallet and changed the subject to Boxing Day.
Alfred listened curiously; he knew of it, but had never really attended one. If he remembered right, he started hearing about it in the tail end of the 19th Century.
December 26 was usually known to him as the dreaded "Holiday Over" day...and he had to head back into work...where stacks of paper were waiting to ambush him.
He yawned and rubbed his eye.
"Oho. Look who's rejoined us? Feeling better, poppet?"
"Little bit…"
He was tired and sluggish and sad…
Sarah…
She'd been the first to welcome him. Had sewn his gown by altering a man's shirt. The man who'd given it had been very interested in him-often drawing Alfred's portrait along with the natives of the area. But Sarah was the one who talked and cooked and played with him.
The man was nice.
She was nicer.
Until she wasn't…
"What's wrong, dear?"
A lot.
"Just…"
Green eyes watched him hawkishly. Arthur reached one careful hand up to brush hair out of Alfred's face.
A gentle touch…
It was easy to be tricked by things like that.
Or rather…
To trust too easily because of things like that.
How long would the care last this time?
"Did you remember something more?" Arthur asked.
He was hesitant to share. What if bringing up the slap popped the happy bubble they were in right now?
What if that subconscious warning voice was right?
What if he was better off not remembering?
But damn he was curious.
What the hell had he been up to in that basement?
"Alf-"
"You…you don't need to come with me. You can go with them. I don't wanna break your traditions. I can ride solo."
It was the safest option. Arthur would get to stay with his wards and have quality time with them. They all deserved that. And Alfred could use the time alone to explore the new footpaths branching out of memory lane.
"Nonsense" Arthur smiled and nuzzled their noses "I would just worry and pester you with phone calls."
That sent a sharp zing through his heart. Because...he just seemed so genuine in his concern.
And maybe he really was but…it was so much easier to lock a door than to open it and risk letting in something you shouldn't.
And yet...he couldn't find any solace in his decision the way he used to.
Because Arthur was trying really hard to make things better between them…
He rested his head back on Arthur's shoulder and watched as Sealand and Wy raced each other up and down some stairs.
Arthur rubbed gentle circles into his back until his cell vibrated, "Oh! Time for us to go now, Sweet."
Arthur cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention, "Yes, well; as you know it's been a long day. Alfred and I will be returning to the house. The reservation is still at 8. Be on your best behavior. Enjoy yourselves. Try not to indulge too much on the dessert menu! And I'll see you late tonight."
"Yup!" Texas nodded "It's time to put chairs in the wagon! Let's go."
"Tex…" Alfred murmured. "You…you don't hafta…"
He was getting along so well with everybody. Alfred didn't want to ruin things for him.
"Nah, it's good. It'll give me a chance to talk with Grey. I mean, I get that it is easier cleaning stuff at night so all of us aren't underfoot. But some guy with a limp keeps hanging out in the hallway by my room. Gimpy needs to find some other time to clean there. Gives me the heebie jeebies knowin' someone's lurking-"
Arthur frowned "That is not an appropriate way to address someone with a possible disabi-"
"I don't have time to be appropriate. I-"
"Ya know what there's always time for?" Jet interrupted with a grin. "A drumroll. Quick Jake!"
New Zealand clapped his hands against his quads for effect.
"Time to appreciate Lady Lego Liberty! Ta da!" he announced revealing a large box he'd been toting incognito in one of the girl's clothing bags.
Alfred released a squeal of delight and immediately made 'gimme' hands.
Gah! He'd been wanting one of those for ages!
"And I think tonight's a good night to put our Lego hard hats on. So we'll be coming too!" Australia declared gesturing to himself, Jake, and Pippa.
Alfred felt his cheeks heat up. Wha…?
"That's no fair!" Sealand screeched from the top of the stairs. "That's-that's-it's not even Christmas yet and you're...you're going to give him a present for-for what? Spewing? For napping? For-"
"Peter" Arthur intoned ominously "Come here."
"N-no" he stamped a foot.
"Peter."
The boy crossed his arms and sulked, "And now you're not even coming with us. You're going with him. Why don't you just give him a button with 'Favorite' on it, huh?"
"Peter, I will not tolerate such insolence. Come here and apologize."
Sealand's face went red and blotchy-his eyes filled with angry tears.
Scotland rolled his eyes, "The barnacle strikes once more."
Reilley motioned for Wy to come stand with him-away from the standoff.
Rhys dialed Mr. White on his phone to confirm what entrance they wanted Mr. White to wait near.
Arthur sighed and handed Alfred to Texas and that was when it happened.
When Arthur's back was turned...
Alfred's eyes widened.
There.
Out of Sealand's shadow-a long clawed arm shot out and shoved the kid's feet off the top step.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!"
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And I hope everyone has a good, happy, and safe weekend.
O and beware of Wendigo proffering pamphlets.