Chapter Four:
"I think one of these days they'll probably glass me or something. You'll see my cut up face on the news and be all 'ohmahgawd'!!" Alfred laughed, putting his hands over his mouth in a gag attempt at shock.
"That's really not very funny" Arthur grimaced, standing beside the now seated American. He gently placed a new packet of frozen peas on the other's head. "Better?"
"Shit loads"
"When did that even become a measurement?"
"About the same time NASA scientists realised you are a stupid old man" poked Alfred, screwing up his face at Arthur. Usually, Arthur would have asked what NASA scientists had to do with it, but for once he just let it drop.
"You should leave" he said solemnly. Alfred looked puzzled. "You should leave your house, I mean. Not here, you're always welcome here" Arthur was watching his feet. He was in grandpa styled slippers.
It's not like there was anyone around to stop him wearing such. His parents had died years ago.
Alfred just sighed.
"That's gonna happen anyway", now Arthur looked perplexed. He mouthed out a silent 'huh?' " The land – the whole street – has been sold to developers. We're too dirty and too loud, they want to replace the houses with those big new flash buildings that none of us can afford!"
"So?"
Alfred looked like he was going to cry.
"It's my home!"
"No it's not! What kind of home is it anyway? A home where your parents abuse you constantly, where you have to climb a bloody damned wall to escape them?" Arthur's blood curdled. There was something in it that sent shivers down Alfred's spine, cooling his own anger.
The American's chin hit his chest; "that about sums it up".
"I'm very sorry" – Arthur always spoke like a gentleman, even when he didn't feel like one. Alfred thought it was just the bee's knees.
"They want me to drop out of school, yo. Get a job just like they did, so we can try and afford a place" Alfred said, sticking a finger into his teacup – swishing around the cold contents, "I don't really want to. I'm dumb as dog shit, Iggy. If I don't stay in school, I'll wind up just like them".
Arthur couldn't remember when they'd officially stopped being brothers. He suspected it was all his fault though. He hadn't been the same after his mother had died, and when his father had killed himself soon after...
Things just got too difficult.
The voices and visions got too clear.
And Arthur just wanted it to be him and the fairies and the unicorns. And Peter, unfortunately.
No school, no friends, no anything.
Now things were a bit different, and part of Arthur wished he'd never pushed his friend away.
"But you said we could always play! You said we were brothers!" Alfred stammered.
"I don't want to be brothers! I don't want a brother! I JUST WANT MY MUM AND DAD BACK!" Arthur shoved Alfred hard, pushing him into the tree. From there Arthur could here Peter screaming and crying, terrified of an invasion – the noise only confused the small English boy more. Alfred, oblivious to Peter's howls, leapt up, crying. He flew up the makeshift ladder that connected the two yards.
"Fine! I don't want to be a brother to a bully anyway!"
Arthur sank to the ground.
He just wanted his parents back...
"Then leave, leave properly. You can stay at your friend's houses for a little, right?" Alfred nodded, not looking Arthur in the eyes. "And, if you would like, I can talk to an old friend of Dad's! He runs a photocopy shop, I think he's looking for a weekend assistant". Part of Arthur was racing – he felt a little alive again.
He didn't want Alfred to leave.
Alfred grimaced, "Thanks". He wouldn't – Arthur knew that Alfred was one of those people that tried to push away any help thrown his way. He didn't like being a charity case.
"Please do it...Hero".
For the first time in several minutes, Alfred looked up. His eyes were red and puffy, his skin pale and the curled up ball in his stomach was still doing adrenaline fuelled spins deep inside him. He looked in pain – and not just from the bruises and cuts all over.
"Please, Hero" Arthur's voice was louder this time, and he tried to smile. Nearly crying as he did so. A lump formed in his throat.
Alfred hadn't heard that name in years.
"Okay".
Arthur shifted a little, picking up the silver tray on the coffee-table. They needed more tea. "You can stay here for a while", it was more of an order than a suggestion.
"Okay".
When Arthur left the room, Alfred burst into tears.
"So, when I grow up I'm going to be a great writer, just like Shakespeare!" little Arthur said proudly, jumping off the local swings in the park.
"Who's he!?" Al asked.
"I don't really know – but Dad says he's the best writer ever. He also said that Shakespeare was English, like me!" a little surge of pride zoomed through the whole two feet of Arthur's body. He was very small for his age.
"Oh, okay. That sounds cool!" Alfred pretended. He really thought it sounds lame. "When I grow up, I'm going to be a police officer!" Alfred said, grinning, making a gun with his fingers.
Arthur just looked puzzled. "What?"
"A police office...you know, they fight bad guys"
"I know what the police is! Just... I thought you were going to be a super athlete, like we decided?" Arthur fidgeted a little.
Alfred went quite.
"Well... I was going to. But, see, there's a lot of bad people out there – and lots of people who don't have nobody to save them! So I want to be a police officer, I want to protect people" Alfred said faintly, smiling over at his brother.
Arthur beamed, "That sounds great! I can write all about it! You can be a hero in my books!"
"Really!!?"
"Yeah! From now on I'm going to call you Hero!"
"And I'm going to call you Shakespeare!"
"...No".
Whooa~! I got a rather pleasing amount of feedback, thanks everyone!
Thanks again foxyaoi123~!
LeriaCossato, I'm glad you like it! I can read America/England as a romantic pairing, but I much rather them as family. They're just so adorable. Plus, FrUK is HOT!
And thanks Nerica for the three reviews – it was great to see which parts of the chapters you liked! Feedback is great, haha. Oh, and don't worry too much about stupid!Spain, he's not a complete idiot, and he'll wise up quick.
SecretSparkle, glad you like it so far too, and thanks for the feedback. Turkey/Greece is so cute, seriously. Haha, spoiler much, but I've already briefly introduced Sadiq in the following chapters. (Ah, I think it's chapter 7? I forget!). It's just going to be a battle over who gets Heracles, I think.
I don't know who to pair him with!! LOL.
Adreaeb182, thank you! And I know, poor Alfred! He's had it tough, really. Mind you, there's characters who've had it worse.
Gosh I'm good for spoilers, aren't I?
Haha! But yes, I love Arthur!!
And my bestest friend-twin forever, show. me. the. stars (who does good Naruto and Ghost Hunt stuff if anybody's looking for that), convinced me I need to show my homeland love. So what do you all think of Australia making an appearance?
I shall name him Bruce.
=D