Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine.
"Oh, Your Majesty!" The small group of nobles paused with elated grins. They looked like a group of birds in their winter furs. In fact, they rather brought the mental image of peacocks to mind with their blues and greens. The national color of Clubs had become popular ever since a Spades citizen had become their Queen. It was like the war had never happened in many of their minds. "It's good to see you back!"
"Thank you," Arthur said. He had been back for more than a week, but noble twits rarely noticed anything until it was right in front of their noses.
"How was the wedding?"
"Oh, fine. You know how royal weddings are." Long and drawn out. Enough people knew that he had cried while giving away what felt like his own little brother to be married; he wasn't about to volunteer that information.
"Good! And how are you doing?" Their powdered faces switched from pleased to concerned almost in unison.
"I'm all right, of course."
"You're sure?"
Arthur smiled. "Positive."
One of the nobles actually patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay if you're not."
"Well I am. Don't worry about me." Arthur nodded politely to them in passing as he continued on his way. "My first love will always be Spades."
He let the smile fall once he left that group behind. Yao was waiting for him near the entrance, and offered a cloak with a sad smile. Arthur accepted it without a word, slipping it on as he headed outside. He left the palace behind, headed to the expanse of green in the middle of the city.
The war memorial park was still being constructed, but it was already quite vast, filling with plants and sculptures. During the day children played, adults picnicked, or sat by memorials that were important to them. But now, in the chilly night, Arthur was pretty much alone. He shivered, wondering if snow would be falling soon.
He made his way to the small, plain monument somewhere near the middle of the park. He felt a momentary surge of guilt that he had not visited in so long, as that was the closest thing he had to a grave. He wasn't alone; many soldiers had never been found, and their families had to make do. He squashed the guilt, though, refusing to spend too much time in the park. He didn't want to look weak.
"Hi." Arthur settled down on the grass with another shiver. "Been a while, hasn't it?" He supposed it didn't matter. Alfred wasn't really there, one could talk to him anywhere. But a focal point was still nice. "Well, I saw your brother married off. That must make you happy, right?" Arthur smiled to himself. "It was a nice wedding, as far as royal weddings go. And the people seem to like him so far; he was worried about that. Nobody else was, he's impossible to dislike. Well, as you know." Arthur leaned back against the monument. The cold marble chilled him through.
"We're continuing your work," Arthur continued, gazing up at the cloudy sky. "Since you were interrupted by the war and all. The former soldiers are especially enthusiastic about feeding and clothing the poor, and finding job training for young beggars. Nobody else has bought any houses like you liked to, but the guards did pool their money together and bought an old restaurant. Can you believe it? They fixed it all up, staffed it with volunteers, and meals there are free for whoever needs it. Of course the naysayers have to point out that people will take advantage of the generosity and go in for free food when they could afford it. But their response was that if anybody is desperate enough to lie for a free meal, then they're welcome to it, whatever their financial situation. Al's Diner, they call it..."
Arthur scooted down until he was practically laying against the stone. "I miss you," he murmured. "I miss you so much. I just wish..." He trailed off with a sigh. There was no point in wishing, any more than there would be a point to blaming himself. He could wish Alfred had survived just one more night, he could wish their relationship had started differently, he could blame himself for sending his twin into the enemy camp, it didn't change anything.
Arthur didn't realize he had fallen asleep until he awoke with a start, leaning awkwardly against the small monument, neck uncomfortably bent. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck with a wince. A blanket now covered him that had definitely not been there before. Arthur stood, tightening the blanket around himself. It was quite late, of course. "I guess I'll get back. I hadn't planned on spending the entire night here..." He looked around to make sure he was alone, then quickly kissed his hand and patted the memorial stone. "Good night." Arthur left the park behind, returning home.
It was nice to see the fear fading from everyone's eyes, as they got to know their new Queen and realized that he wasn't particularly terrifying. The men who were meeting with Ivan kept glancing Matthew's way, curiosity plain on their faces. Matthew didn't say anything, just sitting in on his new husband's business to get the hang of how that sort of thing worked.
He had to catch himself, sometimes, when he started thinking about how useful this information would be to send back to Arthur. He smiled to himself whenever that instinctive feeling emerged. One time when that happened, one of the other men smiled back, blushed slightly, and looked away. Apparently Matthew was charming people without even trying.
He was already making new friends in the palace, too. The guards were nice, as was one of Ivan's sisters (and the other one was coming around), and so far it wasn't too bad. He had felt a deep loneliness once the last of the wedding guests had returned home, and it was a relief to find some friendly faces.
Ah, the wedding... Fairly rushed, Ivan had not wanted to wait as long as most royal weddings took to plan, but still quite elegant and formal. Matthew had not thought it possible for one ceremony to last so damn long. And just when he thought he would pass out if he had to listen to another droning word, it was time for the coronation. But absolutely everybody had been in attendance – except for the Jacks who remained at home to help run things in their rulers' absence – and that had made every word worth it. As promised, Arthur and Francis had both escorted him down the aisle. Lili was there, of course, and even Michelle and Belle were there. Seeing them again had given Matthew a flicker of guilt for so quickly dismissing Diamonds as a place to live.
Most exciting had been meeting the King and Queen of Hearts at long last, and they had been thrilled to meet him, too.
He was crowned, and everybody cheered, and then everybody danced and ate into the wee hours of the night.
Matthew tried not to think about what had followed; the most awkward wedding night ever.
But now they were starting to settle into their routines. It would take time for Matthew to feel comfortable conducting business on his own, but that was the nice thing about having a King and a Jack and everybody else. He didn't have to.
It gave him new respect for Arthur.
Ivan finally concluded his business with the visitors. They left, after a few last glances at Matthew, and Ivan stood with a look of relief. "I'm sorry. That probably wasn't very fun."
Matthew shrugged. "That's work."
"I suppose boring is better, in our position." Ivan giggled. "When things get exciting, that's usually not good."
Matthew also stood. "Do you need me for anything?"
"Not just now," Ivan said with a shake of his head. "We're meeting with the heads of some villages in a few hours. I have some things to do until then."
"All right. I'll see you then." Matthew waved goodbye, and left the room, contemplating a nap "Ah, Eduard!" Matthew brightened as he approached the new Jack. The previous Jack had assured Matthew that it was nothing personal and he bore him no ill will, but he had cared greatly for the previous Queen and wished to retire.
"Your Majesty." Eduard bobbed his head in a small bow. "How was the meeting?"
Matthew made a face. "I now know why Arthur often looked like he wanted to strangle people by the end of the day. Could they have possibly talked more about inane things?"
"Ah."
"But otherwise, not bad..." They walked together through the halls as Matthew headed for his room. Despite being the bedroom of the royal couple, it wasn't as fancy as his guest room in the Diamonds palace. That suited Matthew just fine.
"Is the King off... tending to his duties?" Eduard asked delicately.
"Impregnating breeding servants?" Matthew said. "He might be, he said he had some things to do." And once the future King was born, it would be Matthew's turn. He couldn't wait until they had children. He already knew what to name his first son.
"Good, good. Are you hungry?"
Matthew had to smile, reminded of Yao and his fondness for feeding Arthur, preferably something that burned the poor Queen's taste buds. "Sure. Maybe we can find somewhere outside the palace."
"I know a good place," Eduard said, taking the lead. They would have to find some snug outerwear to face the cold.
As they passed through one of the vast hallways, Eduard froze with a surprised gasp. "Toris!" He hurried over to the other young man they had run across. "Toris, it's been too long!" He embraced his friend, who warmly returned the gesture.
"It has," Toris said. "I can't believe you're the Jack now."
"I know! Where in the world have you been?"
"The usual." Toris stepped back, smiling fondly at Eduard. "Caring for patients." Oh, he was another doctor? That was good. "Soldiers, you know, from both sides. I stayed in Spades caring for them, but I needed to return, so I brought the last few worst ones back with me once it was safe to move them."
"Always busy," Eduard said. He glanced behind himself, and beckoned Matthew closer. "Have you met the new Queen?"
"No, I don't think so, I-" Toris froze, eyes widening as he stared at Matthew. "You, you're...!" He blinked, surprise gradually fading. "O-oh. You're the new Queen?" he said weakly.
"This is Matthew," Eduard said.
Toris bowed. "It's nice to meet you." As soon as he rose, he was flung back against the wall, yelping as he struck the cold stone. The color drained from his face as Matthew gripped him by the collar, holding him against the wall.
"Your Majesty!" Eduard gasped.
"Don't play dumb," Matthew said, barely able to hear himself over the blood thundering in his ears. "Where is he?"
"Your Majesty?" Toris said in a strangled voice.
"You heard me. Where is he?" Matthew leaned in closer. "You said you've been caring for injured soldiers. And you recognized me."
"I-I'll show you... please..."
Matthew released him and stepped back. "Lead the way." He wouldn't think it. It couldn't be true. He refused to get his hopes up.
Toris nodded and practically leaped away, Matthew close behind him. "I'm sorry about that," Toris said, rubbing his head as he walked quickly. Eduard remained behind, but Matthew barely noticed. "Force of habit, you know? I'm used to keeping their presence a secret. Even now I don't know how others would react, even if they aren't the enemy anymore."
"I'm from Spades, too," Matthew said, in an attempt to divert away from the topic. "Not originally, but for a long time." They had modified Matthew's origin story somewhat, knowing that claiming he had not lived in Spades at all was dangerous, as it could be easily disproved.
"I guess that makes sense."
Matthew shivered. It couldn't be true... he was afraid to even ask. "He would have mentioned me," he murmured to himself. Of course, in Clubs, he might not be understood...
Toris glanced over his shoulder. "He was on the brink of death for a long time, from his wounds and blood loss and infection. Didn't even wake up until recently. And even since then, he's still slept a lot, and I've given him pain medication that has kept him pretty out of it. He has said what I assumed were names, but they meant nothing to me..." He brightened suddenly. "Wait. Are you Mattie, then?"
Matthew stopped, staring silently at Toris, heart nearly stopping. Toris just watched him, expression unreadable. After a long pause, Toris reached out to gently pat his shoulder, and Matthew remembered to breathe. The doctor nodded at him, then turned and hurried off. Still reeling, Matthew followed.
Toris came to a stop outside a door, and casually pushed it open, peeking inside. Matthew unceremoniously pushed past him, shoving it open wider. The room beyond was dimly lit by candles, and smelled faintly of chemicals and medicine. But the occupied bed was the only thing Matthew could focus on as he walked inside, heart pounding loudly in his ears. He knelt down beside the bed, reaching out with trembling fingers to run them through tangled blond hair.
"Is he..." Matthew swallowed against the lump in his throat. "Is he okay? Will he remember me? Will he be lucid?" Toris nodded at each of his questions. "Okay..."
"Here." Toris set a small bottle down on the nightstand. "I'm sure you want him to remain lucid, but if he seems to be in pain, you can give him that."
"I will." Matthew barely noticed the doctor leave, staring down at the familiar face as he stroked his hair, his cheek. Alfred flinched slightly, and it wasn't until his eyes cracked open that Matthew finally burst into tears. "Al..."
Alfred stared up at him, eyes widening. "Matt?" He reached up to touch Matthew's damp cheek, as if to prove he was really there. "It's you." He forced himself up before Matthew could think to tell him to take it easy, pulling Matthew into a tight hug. All Matthew could do was hold his brother and cry. He tried to hold him gently, feeling the bandages beneath the nightshirt, but Alfred didn't seem to care. He was squeezing the life out of Matthew, but he didn't care, either. He laughed and cried at the same time.
"I missed you, too," Alfred murmured after a time. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Matthew pulled back enough to look at him, still barely able to believe this was real. Alfred was grinning, thrilled. He looked as if he were pleased to see Matthew after just a long vacation apart. Which to him, it had been. He hadn't been through emotional hell, he'd been unconscious most of the time. "Hey, it's okay." Alfred took Matthew's hand and squeezed it. "Sorry I worried you."
"Worried," Matthew repeated. "Worried? I wasn't worried about you!" Alfred blinked in surprise, grin fading. "I was mourning! Ivan said he saw you die!"
"He did?" Alfred stared in shock, eyes wide. "Who?"
"Ivan! King Ivan." Alfred still looked baffled. "You gave him our scarf." Matthew gulped. "Didn't you?"
"I..." Alfred stared at him for a long moment, and his expression of bafflement slowly morphed into realization. His eyes slid shut. "Yeah... I remember that. That was the King?" He laughed bitterly. "I really thought I was a goner then." He ran a hand down his face with a groan. "Shit, Matt. You thought I was dead this whole time?"
"Everyone does. There was a memorial service in Spades and... and everything. Everyone was there."
"Oh," Alfred said in a small voice, looking stricken.
"Don't worry about it," Matthew said, shaking his head. "You're here." He hugged Alfred again, laughing in delight. "You're really here. You've been right under my nose." Everything was right again. Even if they couldn't live together, just knowing Alfred was alive would be enough.
Matthew inevitably started crying again. He went back and forth multiple times between crying, laughing, kissing Alfred, and just holding him as tight as possible. No words needed to be spoken between them.
"Matt!" Alfred suddenly said with a sharp gasp, and Matthew drew back in alarm.
"What is it?" Was he in pain? Had Matthew hugged him too tightly? Was it time for some medicine?
Alfred grabbed his left wrist, holding the hand up. It took Matthew a moment of panic to realize Alfred was focused on the gold band around his finger. He relaxed with a smile.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I..." He trailed off at Alfred's heartbroken expression. "Al?" And in an instant, he understood what the problem was. "Oh, Al..." He embraced his brother again, soothing. "I'm sorry. There will be other ceremonies and celebrations, and you'll get to see them all." Alfred didn't say anything, and he sighed. "The wedding was long and boring, you wouldn't have enjoyed it."
"But still..."
"Think of how much more fun it will be when we celebrate our first children!" Matthew felt giddy at the thought. His kids would have their Uncle Alfred!
"Oh yeah." Alfred brightened. "Children!"
Hoping that was enough to satisfy Alfred, Matthew finally got up off his knees and sat on the edge of the bed. "Ivan's already trying with... you know, the girls, the... you know."
"Ivan?" Alfred let out a slow breath. "The same Ivan?"
Matthew nodded. "That's right, the same. I'm, um, the Queen of Clubs."
"I don't think I can take much more of this." Alfred flopped back onto his pillow, laughing helplessly. "Are you serious?"
"I'm serious." He rubbed Alfred's arm. "When the war was over, after Queen Elizabeta was killed, he came to us and asked me to be his Queen. And this was after he knew I was a spy... he still thought I was the best candidate."
"Of course you are!" Alfred grinned. "Wow... Mattie, that's so great. Look at you!"
Matthew nodded. Look at him, indeed. Only a few years ago, he hadn't thought he would ever even be able to leave his house. Let alone amount to anything.
"And nobody minds? That a foreigner and spy is ruling them?"
"Only Ivan knows I was a spy, and I haven't heard many complaints about me being their Queen. They seem to like me. They were pretty terrified of the last one..."
"Of course they like you!" Alfred was beaming like a proud parent. "What about Francis?"
"I still love him, of course." Matthew looked away, toying with his ring. It had become a habit. "I miss him. He's so far away now. But he was in favor of this, and we still see each other... He accompanied me here, then came back for the wedding. Lili must be used to ruling by herself."
Alfred patted Matthew's hand. "You didn't fall for Ivan?"
Matthew shook his head. "No, no. Not like that, we're just good friends."
"Oh..."
"Don't worry about it." Matthew smiled at him, but realized that there were more important matters to tend to. "How are you feeling? Any pain?" He reached for the bottle Toris had left.
Alfred eyed the bottle with trepidation. "No, I'm all right." He winced. "That stuff tastes awful. And messes me up." He scooted away when Matthew reached for his nightshirt. "What?"
"I want to see how you're doing," Matthew said. "I was a medic for a time, you know. I should change your bandages. And get you cleaned up! I see you have a tub in here."
Alfred wrestled Matthew's hands away, face reddening. "No no no, don't worry about it, Toris will do that."
"Don't be silly, Alfred. You waited on me hand and foot for years."
"That was different!"
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Um..." Alfred chewed on his lip. "I wasn't a Queen?"
"Idiot. Come here." Gently, Matthew unbuttoned Alfred's shirt, looking over the bandages. No blood, but they must still be sweaty and dirty. And he wanted to check on the injuries, anyway. Matthew stood, collecting medical supplies, and also poking his head out the door to flag down a servant to fill the tub. He also directed the servant to fetch a messenger.
"Here we are." Matthew sat down on the bed again.
"That stuff stinks," Alfred warned, eyeing one of the bottles Matthew carried.
"Don't be such a baby."
"I wasn't mean when I took care of you..."
Matthew just grinned, feeling another thrill of delight. "Sorry." He unwound the bandages, grimacing at the healing, but awful looking scars. How had he even managed to survive?
The servant returned with hot water to start filling the bathtub, and behind him came a messenger. Alfred looked curiously at him, and Matthew winked. "Come here," he told the messenger. "I want you to give an important message to the Queen of Spades."
Matthew was reluctant to leave his brother's side. But after being cleaned up, his wounds tended to, he had fallen asleep and Matthew decided he had other things to tend to.
His first task was to return to the throne room. Ivan wasn't there, so he tried their bedroom next, wondering if maybe Ivan was... busy with his current important job. But no, he was there.
Ivan stood with a smile as he greeted his husband. "There you are. I was wondering where you ran off to."
Matthew returned the smile, then drew a hand back and slapped Ivan hard.
Ivan stumbled away with a shocked look, like a kicked puppy. "Matvey..."
Matthew glared at him, fists clenched at his sides. "You bastard! All you had to do was check for a fucking pulse! How could you just leave him without even checking?"
"Wh-what?" Ivan goggled at him.
"Alfred! He's still alive! We've suffered all this time for nothing!" Feeling overwhelmed, Matthew collapsed against Ivan's chest and cried. Ivan's arms wrapped awkwardly around him. "He's been right here... that doctor, Toris, has been taking care of him..." And it occurred to him that he hadn't even offered Toris anything. The man had spent so much time trying to save a dying enemy. He'd saved Alfred's life for no other reason than he was a doctor. Matthew wondered if he would even accept a reward. Maybe his own hospital...
"Oh," Ivan said softly, then gasped. "Oh! I saw him there. I should have realized... And I was the one who called for a doctor, too." He squeezed Matthew. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, then. I was too upset." He pushed Matthew back, tilting his chin up to smile at him. "But he's alive. That's great!"
"Yeah..." Matthew smiled wanly back. He felt drained, and just wanted to sleep. He wasn't even sure what he was feeling, or if he was angry at Ivan. He supposed not. "That's what counts. Sorry I hit you..."
"It's okay."
"I'll go check on him again in the morning..."
Ivan watched Matthew retreat to the bed, removing only his shoes and outer robe. "You should be happy."
"I am." Matthew dropped onto the bed, and grinned at Ivan. "More than I could describe."