Arthur Kirkland

Montreal, Quebec

October 26, 2163

I had already long since decided that I needed to stop drinking and, yet... there I was, sitting at a bar drinking Ale as I had been for the last hour. I had promised myself that I wouldn't but... I wanted to forget everything about Peter.

Th place was full of fellow nations; Gilbert, Roderick and Elizabeta in a booth, Ivan, Yao and Kiku sitting at the bar 4 feet away... I was the only one alone.

"...Arthur? What are you doing here?" asked a voice, I looked up and saw Matthew.

"Он не пьет себя глупо, он? (He's not drinking himself stupid, is he?)" said the teen standing behind him, "Мне не нужно видеть взрослого человека плакать, и вы знаете, он всегда делает. Я знаю, что я живу на севере, но я не как хладнокровный, как матушки-России. (I don't need to see a grown man cry and you KNOW he always does. I know that I live up north but I'm not as cold blooded as Mother Russia.)"

"Но вы не Россия, ты Аляске... (But you aren't Russia, You're Alaska...)"

"Да, и? Ты Канаде, но все ошибки, которые вы для Америки, это означает, что вы такой же, как его. (Yeah, and? You're Canada and everyone mistakes you for America, that means that you're the same as him.)"

"Но никто не ошибки, которые вы для России. (But no one mistakes you for Russia.)"

"И тем не менее, Америка по-прежнему называет меня коммунистических сволочь. Забавно, как это работает. (And yet, America still calls me a communist bastard. Funny how that works.)"

"Could you guys please do me a favor and SPEAK BLOODY ENGLISH?" I shouted.

Matthew and the teen behind him stared at me, "Sorry, Arthur..." Matthew said.

"I suppose that I got a little carried away, Da?" the teen said.

"That's an understatement..." Matthew murmured.

"Oh, you wanna go, tough guy? I'll show you how we solve our problems in denali." the teen sneered.

Matthew narrowed his eyes, "I'd rather not. I have enough trouble being mistaken for Al without getting in a fight with a kid."

"I'm no kid!"

"At the moment you're a teen and the only reason you want to fight me is because you're still in your summer personality. You'll be back to the Lieu-lieu we all know, love, and don't want to fight, in a few weeks. And then you won't want to fight anyone."

I sighed, " Why are you guys here?"

"Well, I wanted to take you to have dinner pancakes, but you weren't in your room. I went across the hall to see if Katyusha knew where you were and she said that she'd seen you at the bar. So I came to come and get you but Alieu was outside and he said that he wasn't allowed inside without an adult and Russia just left him outside. I brought him in here to go and get Ivan and so here we are."

I stared at him, "...Matthew, I don't want to leave here. This is the only place I feel like I fit in... here and the pubs in England. It may sound stupid... and I know that I said I was gonna quit but... I can't."

"Arthur... I'm gonna go home... and if you want to talk... and you aren't drunk as a lord... go ahead and come..." Matthew said, smiling slightly, "though, if you come see me while your drunk, I can't promise that you'll wake up in your room."

I laughed, but underneath the polite laughter I was really worried. He wasn't actually suggesting that he would... NO. Not even François would... Actually he might...AUGH! I can't think about this!

"umm... thanks for the offer, Matthew..." I said, going back to my ale.

"Bye, Arthur..."