"Deal with us?" Matthew sat back and rubbed his face. "Okay... well we knew this was the case, but... still..."
"I've never heard him so determined about anything before." Allen pushed his ear harder to the door, but there was no more noise for the time being. He looked up at Matthew. "You think Francis is here now?"
"Probably, but I don't know. I don't see any other reason for Francois to be acting this way." He scratched at his chin. "Maybe Arthur made it out, and told Francis what happened?"
"You... you think he would?" Allen slowly sat up. "You know, tell Francis?"
Matthew looked up. "I don't know. He didn't really have a reason not to, considering he wasn't on our side to begin with."
Allen swallowed, but said nothing.
"Why?"
The brunette hesitated. "If he told Francis, do'ya think he'd tell Alfred? Because if he did..."
"Oh!" Matthew took a sudden gasp of air. He hadn't thought about that happening. But it was a very real possibility. Surely Arthur wouldn't say anything, but that didn't mean Alfred couldn't find out. And if he did find out- Matthew sighed and clenched his teeth.
"I just... It would fuck everything up-"
"I know." Matthew cut him off. He was angry. This entire thing, the 2p's existence, none of it was fair. He'd had his share of unfairness throughout his life, having to leave his Papa without a choice, being manipulated by other countries, and being overshadowed and forgotten, but what Oliver, Matthieu, Francois, and Allen had to go through was unbelieveable. They couldn't even be the kind of people they wanted to be, and their fate was either kill or be killed by those who they existed for? And now, they had to worry about inwardly struggling with who they were. Allen was worried about who he was dying, and becoming someone else entirely. And he-
"Mattie? You okay?"
"Huh?" Matthew's thoughts had been intruded on when Allen put his hand out to his. He relaxed, and only then did he realized his hands had formed into tight fists, his fingernails digging into his palms, and his eyes were watering.
"What is it? Did I say something?" He was turning pale. And he already sounded sorry.
Matthew couldn't take it. "Allen, no, it isn't your fault, okay? It isn't any of your faults- Not Oliver's, not your's, not any of you. You didn't ask for this. And it isn't fair what we have to do-" He sounded like he was crying and yelling and screaming at the same time.
Allen just blinked. Matthew was tearing up, and he was rubbing his face. Was he that upset about what had happened to them?
"It's just wrong, Allen. Everything about this, there isn't anything right we can do about it. It's just like with everything else nations have to go through- why isn't anything easy? You- Hey!"
Allen had suddenly grabbed Matthew's hoodie and pulled him into his arms. It wasn't that he needed comforting - or maybe he did, but he was still confused as to what Matthew was feeling right then. It was more that Allen himself just really wanted to hug him. Matthew was just so sweet, so nice. And Allen knew he cared about him.
"It's okay." Allen hugged him tightly.
Matthew was stunned for a second, but then he took a deep breath. "Except it isn't, Allen. None of this is right."
"Mattie?"
"Being born as a nation is... it's the worst thing there is. We don't always say it is, but deep down, I think we all feel that way. We live our lives for other people, and we do things we really, really hate ourselves for. But what you and your family is, it's somehow even worse because you don't even get to choose who you are."
"I like who I am."
Matthew looked up at him. "What?"
Allen nodded. "I... I'm me. This is who I am as far as I'm concerned." Then he smiled softly. "And you like it, right? So there must not be that much wrong with it."
The Canadian reddened. Then he smiled. "You're right."
"And I don't regret existing, Mattie. Shit, it'd have to be pretty bad for me to feel that way."
"Well. We just have to hope it doesn't get that bad."
...
"Well, well, well, would you listen to those two lovebirds?" Oliver grinned as he slid down the short ladder. "Such a shame they won't have more time, don't you think, Francis?"
Francis glared at him from his place in Matthieu's arms. He was gagged, and Francois was holding his own pistol to his forehead. Every now and then he would glance up at his counterpart, who sniveled every few seconds. Matthieu hadn't said a single word.
Oliver sighed. "It must be so hard for the country of love to even imagine these two people who are so obviously in love getting ripped apart." He leaned into Francis's face. "And you know, it's your fault, really."
He knew where this was going. He tried not to react.
"If you hadn't told dear Arthur that scary story, you and you're family would have nothing to worry about, would you? You're really just a terrible, awful person, aren't you?" He looked at Francois, as if he expected something. Nothing happened. But Oliver wasn't fazed. "You're just a big meanie, don't you agree, Francis?"
At this point, Francis had to start chuckling.
A frown flashed across Oliver's face for a split second. "Why don't you tell me what's so funny, so I can laugh, too, poppet?" He pulled the gag slightly out of Francis's mouth.
"What is so funny, monsieur, is 'ow obviously 'ard you are trying to make me feel bad. Well, I must tell you eet is not working." He sniggered.
"And why is that?"
"I've spent centuries teasing Arthur. And I don't regret a single second of eet." Francis smirked as Oliver's face soured. "So, your plan to make zis one-" He nodded at Francois "-more like you is going to fail, miserably."
Oliver frowned. "So what do you think is so bad about yourself that I can't make you feel worse?"
"So much 'as 'appened to me Oliver, I 'ave felt so much pain, you could never understand. But from the sounds of eet, Matthew does."
"Hmph." Oliver went to tie the gag back into Francis's smiling mouth, but not before the Frenchmen could say one more thing.
"Mess with love and you will be the one 'oo gets 'urt."
Hey huys long time no update, huh? Sorry it's been so long, I've just been in writers block for so damn long I just couldn't get more than a few words down at a time. So it's really late.
SO. I'm finally getting to do more writing of France, who is my FAVORITE character. LOve this sweetie pie 3
Thanks for sticking with me! Hope you're still enjoying it!
