Tick-Tick-Tick went the clock, speeding as though it's hand were tired of it all and tried to run away. It would do them no good though. They would always be bound from the center. His meeting with Canada hadn't gone very well, especially after the call that his brother was missing.

Where the hell was England? He said he would be here as soon as could, and Francis believed him. Why wouldn't he, just to say a word associated with what happened, what they did, and he would look… Sad wasn't the word. Sad was unhappiness, it could crumble like smokey remains. It was like calling a depressed person sad. It wasn't sadness. It was beyond sadness. So he believed him. Trusted in him. Just like Alfred had.

Still, it wasn't like England to come eleventh hour. So maybe his version of being "as fast as I can" was slow, somehow. They couldn't understand everything, even if they had one whole year just to talk to themselves about it; a few minutes would be even less helpful.

But just as he was starting to complain, out popped the sweaty and dirty man with only his face more disheveled than his outfit.

"Oh… over here Arthur. It's about Alfred." Even though they were on the opposite sides of a large room, he seemed to spot him immediately, running the way there. He was even more dishevel than he thought, his looking as if was uncombed for days, and unwashed and unchanged for the same amount of time. His hair looked as knotted as he did. There was something soft and brown hidden in his jacket that France frankly didn't want to know about.

England's first words were upon arriving were "What about Alfred? Where is he? Has he been found?"

"Um… Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"When did you last take a shower?"

England's smile was so quickly replaced with a soft frown that France wasn't sure that it was ever there. He hid his face. "Not since Alfred went away. Why?"

"Because you're dirty, that's why! Did you live in a pigsty since I last saw you? Why...". He

took in a breath that didn't satisfy. "Why did you let yourself go?"

"Because there was no reason not to", he said frankly. "Alfred was gone, I ruined a lot of lives that day, and it was all my fault". The only thing that made him feel more pity for England than his soft frown was his unhinged smile. "But that's okay. Alfred's here again, and things will return to like they used to."

"No, Arthur, they won't. They never will. That's why I'm so frustrated with you; you either don't or you won't realize that things won't be back to how they were. It never will. It would have to take over a hundred years for it to begin to turn to how they were."

England's mouth was open, stared in amazement. "So I have to wait one hundred years?"

"No-"

"Oh, good. I'm glad". He turned his head down and smiled. "I'm glad I'll see Alfred again much sooner." He hugged himself, or something near himself rather, and as if he was speaking to baby he almost whispered "I'm so glad that I'll see him soon. I really do love Alfred. You know that, right?"

"Um, yes. I know", he said a little uncomfortably.

"I really do love you."

France's eyes widened, but then he saw the fur sticking out of Arthur's coat. It was-

"Arthur? Is that...?"

"Yeah… It was a toy that Alfred played with when he was younger". Gingerly taking it out of his coat like the slightest movement would crumble it to pieces, Arthur held out the toy. It was a soft brown rabbit that looked untouched from time. "Alfy always carried a bunny around with him, even when it wasn't appropriate, so I made a toy bunny for him."

"Uh, how… Uh how come it hadn't rotted yet?"

"Magic." His eyes lit up just a bit more. "Alfy never believed me, but it was by magic. Magic can do a lot of things." It could protect from age or grime, create, destroy, warp or change things. He started to frown. But there were some things that even the strongest magic couldn't change.

France coughed. "So where have you been?"

"All over the country. Where do you think he is?"

"Matthew said that he probably somewhere near here. Neither of us know why he would leave home, so maybe he was chased by something dangerous."

"I doubt that it was dangerous", Arthur said immediately.

"Maybe it was the paranoia from what happened, so-"

"What are you talking about?", he asked.

"What do you mean 'what am I talking about'? I mean what happened in the meeting room that day."

"What happened that day?"

"Arthur, you know what happened."

"I think that I forgot."

"You didn't forget. You just don't want to accept what happened."

"But why did it have to happen?! I didn't want to do that to Alfred; no one did! I love him more than anyone else, so why did I have to do that!? Why did that have to happen?!" Arthur was crying, his face already red as everything repressed finally showed up. "I didn't want to hurt him, so how come I'm not allowed to see him? I already feel like taking scissors and cutting out the part that made me do that, so what else is supposed to change?" Arthur sobbed hard enough that Francis was surprised that no one was shooting looks at him. He put his head to his chest and hugged him.

"Mon Ami, it is okay. Little Alfred can't be mad at you for raping hi-"

"What rape, what are you talking about?", Arthur was looking up, confused and no longer crying. "I would never rape him."

"B-But weren't you just crying about how upset you were that hurt Alf-"

"Why would I ever hurt Alfred, and why did you mention crying?"

"Because you just cried seconds ago! There are still tears on your face!"

Arthur touched his face, surprised at the wetness. Why wouldn't he remember? He wanted to ask France, but he seemed to be yelling at him at the moment.

"Don't you get that you can't just forget what you've done because then nothing will stop you from doing it again!? Or that at the end, you get so full of guilt repressing something, that you never stopped to help those you love- Holy shit, it's Matthew! If anyone asks, you weren't here. I don't think that now is a good time for him to see you. You already raped Alfred, so you might as well be a kidnapper." Francis ran to Matthew, leaving behind his lesson and his friend's hood.

Arthur grabbed the hoodie, and put it into his backpack. Right next to the other twin's coat.

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