Twilight's Last Gleaming - Chapter 2

Hello again everyone and Merry Christmas! (This is my Christmas present to you all).

So I have been really developing where this plot is going to go and I've decided to keep it as historically accurate as possible, but it won't be completely accurate. (Please don't murder me in my sleep for the inaccuracies!) Also I apologize that this story is a bit depressing; but I promise that it will not have a sad ending.

Arthur was sitting in his closet of memories in his house, amongst boxes and boxes of old paintings, newspaper articles, and relics. He was sifting through some scrapbooks at the moment. Up until now, Arthur had avoided this room completely. The room was therefore filled with dust and cobwebs. As he turned the pages of the scrapbook, a musty smell wafted up into his face. He sighed. This particular book was filled with objects from Alfred's childhood. He turned another page and smiled at a fishing hook, taped to the page. Alfred was always a very strong child. Arthur had taken Alfred out fishing, and Alfred had caught a giant fish, one that was as big as he was. Alfred proceeded to reel it in all by himself, then hoist the monstrous fish over his head proudly. Arthur turned another page. This one had a dry piece of seaweed and a seashell taped to it. Alfred and Matthew had been playing together at the seashore. Alfred had buried Matthew up to his neck in sand as Matthew looked worried. Arthur turned yet another page. Now it was a candle from Alfred and Matthew's eighth birthday party. Arthur went through the pages, smiling as he relived the old memories. Finally Arthur got to the very last page in the book. This page had a leaf, from when Arthur and Alfred had taken a stroll through the woods together on a nice day. Arthur closed the book and slumped over. This event happened shortly before they had started having a lot of fights. Alfred and Arthur had a strange history. Arthur raised Alfred, but Alfred was not actually Arthur's biological son. He just looked like him. Arthur had a lot of love for Alfred then too, but it was the normal type that any doting parent would have for their child. Then Alfred got older, and the relationship between the two of them turned into more of a friendship. Alfred even moved out. The two hung out like friends would do. Finally, when Alfred became full-grown, Arthur started developing romantic feelings for Alfred. At the time, the feelings disturbed Arthur. However, France told him that nations aren't like people, and that the feelings were acceptable. Nations live forever, and once they reach adulthood they don't age, so Arthur's feelings for Alfred weren't creepy in a pedophilic way. Also, since Arthur wasn't Alfred's true father, it wasn't incest. The friendship was blissful for quite a while, although Arthur of course had unrequited feelings. However, things took a turn for the worse. Even though the two were basically just good buddies after Alfred became older, Arthur felt the need to control Alfred. He still treated him like he was a child occasionally. One day, Alfred got so angry at Arthur that he slapped him. It was the start of the arguments. Arthur closed his eyes as he sat on the floor, and remembered that day. Alfred had told Arthur that he wanted to go out drinking at the local pub with some friends, and Arthur told him no.

Alfred broke down and yelled at him "You never let me make any of my own choices! You think that my life is something that doesn't belong to me, but to you! I'm an adult now so shut your goddamn mouth and mind your own business!"

Arthur had responded by saying "Well you're a complete and utter fool so I need to make sure you don't do stupid things!"

By this time, the two of them were glaring angrily at each other, with their fists clenched.

Alfred had then asked him "STILL! Is it any of your business?! Is anything my country does your business?! And is it really necessary to tax us to death when you don't even have representatives in my country?! We are a country you know, we're not part of the UK! I don't want anything to do with you!"

Arthur turned bright red and made a growling sound then yelled "I TAKE CARE OF YOU AND THIS IS THE RESPECT I GET?!"

Alfred slapped Arthur hard across the face then, creating a loud smacking sound, and leaving a mark on Arthur's face. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT RESPECT!", Alfred yelled.

Arthur remembered he had looked at Alfred in shock, because Alfred had never hurt him intentionally before. The two men stared each other down, breathing heavily and glaring daggers. Finally Alfred turned around and left the room, giving Arthur one last withering look before taking his leave. A tear rolled down Arthur's face and hit the floor. Everything had been so perfect before then. He found yet another scrapbook. This one was filled with memories of the two of them together as adults, doing fun things. The first page had a painting of a pier and a sunset. It had been Alfred's twenty-first birthday that day and Arthur had taken Alfred out to the beach. The next was an opera ticket. The two of them went with Francis to an opera a couple of years back. Arthur remembered having a splendid time. Arthur's tears fell down onto the pages as he remembered happier times. Things used to be a lot better back then. He managed to turn one last page before he broke down completely. The next item was a pressed flower. Alfred and Arthur had been outside, lounging about in the nice weather and Alfred found one of Arthur's favorite wildflowers, Queen Anne's Lace. Alfred had crossed a stream and gotten himself all wet just so that he could pick the flower on the other side for Arthur. Arthur had thought that it was a bit of a childish thing to do, but he had found it very cute when Alfred returned to him, soaked from the knees down but grinning like a fool as he clutched the flower in his hand. Arthur remembered wanting to kiss him then. Now none of these wonderful things would ever happen again. Arthur sobbed violently, and tossed the book on the other side of the room. Pages scattered everywhere as the book hit a wall and tore apart. His heart literally ached as he cried. Losing such a good friend was one thing, but Alfred was much more to Arthur. He had fallen deeply and hopelessly in love with the sweet boy that he had raised.

Arthur sat there in the closet for quite some time, until finally all of his tears were gone. He sniffled one last time, then came to the conclusion that he needed a distraction. Luckily for him, tomorrow he was going on another boat ride with Antonio. Feliciano and Romano would be there as well. Arthur got up, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and crawled in bed. He had a feeling that tomorrow would be a better day. Romano was right, he just needed to get over Alfred, and to do so, he needed to be around his friends and have fun.