Part of a story I may of may not finish. Meh.

Story: He Left Me With Nothing

Content: Angst, sadness, one sided love

Pairings: USUK (one sided) FrancexUK

"You can't let it get you down Alfred."

The blonde just sat there, listening to his brother, but keeping a steady gaze on the tumbler in his fingers. It had about a swallow full left of amber whiskey twirling slowly at the bottom. He looked at his feet through the liquid and glass; they looked huge.

Mathew sighed and sat next to his brother, resting his head on his shoulder. Alfred tilted his head and pressed his cheek to his brother's crown. It was silent for a few minutes. The atmosphere was thick with a heart breaking sorrow that made Matthew have to swallow back another shot of whiskey to get rid of the painfully expanding lump lodged in his throat. He filled his glass and topped off Alfred's. Alfred didn't move.

"Do you think he'll come back?"

Matthew pulled his head up to look at Alfred and felt his chest squeeze when he saw torrents of tears running down Alfred's cheeks. The man finally looked at Matthew, water logged blue looking so lost and hurt that Matthew didn't know what to do.

"I don't get it Matt…" He whispered shakily, a small sad smile forcing it's way on his lips. "Arthur's happy with Francis. I should be happy too, right? If I really loved him I should be happy that he's happy." His bottom lip trembled and he looked away, his smile making tears drip off his raised cheeks. "Right?"

Matthew pulled in his brother and let the man cry quietly against him, stroking his hair and rocking back and forth.

"I loved him with everything I had. Is my best just not good enough for him?" Alfred asked, laughing as he sobbed.

Matthew couldn't answer that question, he couldn't answer anything since he didn't understand why everything had happened the way it did.

Arthur was gone. Happy, healthy, - Matthew chewed his lip bitterly - in love.

And Alfred was left with all the love in the world and nothing to show for it.

"He'll be back." Matthew lied. He knew it wasn't true. Arthur loved Francis in a way that he never loved Alfred. Arthur had tried to make it work, but you can only try for so long until one has to consider their own happiness. Matthew chewed at his bottom lip when he thought of Francis.

He had gotten better. He really had.

He wasn't talking down to Arthur as much anymore. He wasn't pressuring Arthur to do things he didn't want to as far as Arthur told him. He was better now then when the relationship had ended badly a few years ago.

When it ended in heartache, fights, betrayal, secrets… A knife.

"I don't need you to understand why I love Francis." Arthur had said to Matthew, clearly getting irritated that so many people were asking why he was going back after all this time. When the relationship was well known to end in failure. "I just love him. I love Francis more then I love Alfred. I always have."

That had hurt the worst, Matthew thought. Even his own heart had been torn open by the declaration.

Alfred had loved Arthur before Francis saw him in a more-then-friends way. Was patiently waiting for Arthur when Francis told Arthur not to see Alfred again. Was there when Francis left Arthur. Was there to pick him up and dust him off.

Held him.

Kissed him.

Told him words that Francis never thought to say to Arthur.

Matthew pressed his lips to the side of Alfred's head firmly, screwing his eyes shut so he wouldn't cry as well. He hardly ever got the chance to be strong for his big, tough brother. He wanted to be strong for him now, at the very least.

"You really think so?" Alfred asked, more like whispered hopefully into Matthew's neck.

It would be better for Alfred to just get over Arthur, it would be easier. However, Alfred loved Arthur in a way that very few ever experienced in their live. He loved him with something that couldn't be broken by the shambles of his own broken heart. Nor could it fade with the passage of time.

No one else could equal what Arthur had set the bar to. Alfred would never find anyone who even came close.

Because even through all of this, Alfred would still wait patiently for Arthur. Would still return his phone calls. Would still jump if Arthur said he needed him. Would die for Arthur.

And Alfred wouldn't mind. He was still thankful that Arthur had deemed him worthy enough to keep as a close friend.

"Why wouldn't he? You love him more then Francis does. He knows that." Matthew smiled reassuringly for Alfred.

Alfred allowed himself to find a small amount of false comfort in the lie. Matthew pulled Alfred tightly against his chest so his brother wouldn't see his resolve weaken as tears ran down his face slowly. He wouldn't see Matthew's heart breaking for his brother.

Because Matthew knew that Arthur loved Francis the way Alfred loved Arthur.

And deep down… Alfred knew it too.

"Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space!"

~ from the movie The Holiday

I love this quote and found it very true. Sometimes you can love someone with all your heart. … and sometimes that person loves someone else with all their heart. It's a sad story, and unlike other stories there is no real bad guy or hero to save the day. They have the happy ending, and you, you are placed in the credits as "Main character's best friend #1"

Sorry, I didn't intend for this to be quite so depressing, unfortunately for you all though I enjoy a good sad story every once in a while.

:3