Chapter 14 The end: stitches and love
Arthur had left the twins with his brother Wales, who being the quite nation he was, was pretty close to tears when Arthur left Alfred with him. Still Arthur leapt a board a row boat and headed towards the wreckage of the battle. He past smoking , smouldering ships and finally an area which was full of debris. He stood and looked around the floating jetsam with his spyglass. Finally he saw what he was looking for and rowed up to it.
There in the water draped over a piece of wood was a long blonde haired man wincing in pain with blood trickling down his face and threatening to get into his blue eyes. When Arthur loomed over him it took a lot of effort for the man to look up at him, but he managed it.
Arthur lit a cigar and took a large drag on it and blew the smoke upwards. He frowned then placed the fowl smelling thing between his teeth and hauled the blonde Frenchman on the boat. France landed with a thud and a groan. Arthur took the cigar from his mouth and placed it in the frenchmans own mouth.
"You're going to need that more than me." He said simply and the Frenchman leant against the side of the boat and smoked the cigar, watching Arthur with distrust.
"You blew me up." Francis managed to hiss through the obvious pain he was in.
"Yeah I did, but don't feign innocence, it was me or you and you know it. In fact you even chose that option." Arthur said while leaning towards Francis on his knees
Francis swallowed hard as Arthur ripped Francis's shirt off. Arthur rolled his eyes and lifted Francis's head to look him in the eyes. The Frenchman almost allowed the cigar to fall from his lips. Arthur smiled pityingly.
"Don't look at you're wounds as you will only assume the worse. Let me fix them up for you and try not to move around so much. I am pretty good at sewing and stitches but even I can't do anything if you squirm around like a slippery little frog. " Arthur warned but not without a little kindness slipping into his voice.
Sadly antiseptic and any kind of pain killer or anaesthesia had not been invented yet. As such Arthur, deciding for the first time in his life to act almost gentlemanly, offered Francis three choices. A strip of leather or a wooden ball gag to bite down upon or the cigar. Francis paused for a second his eyes flashing in delight at the gag, but instead opting for the comforting feeling the cigar gave. Arthur shrugged and pulled out a small bag he had been carrying with him which contained the needed curved needle and stitches.
At first things were going well. But sadly France couldn't help but move around and cry out in pain at the endless piercing of the needle. Unfortunately the wounds where many in number, but fortunately not big in size. Still when your skin is being sewn together while you can feel every movement of the needle and the stitches this isn't a comforting thought. Since Francis had seemed likely to bite through his lip or tongue due to the pain of the many wounds some of which were on burns, Arthur placed the ball gag in his mouth to give him something to bite down on so not to scar his pretty soft lips with his teeth.
Finally after Arthur was satisfied, and about an hour later, Arthur helped Francis lean back on the boats edge. He took the gag from the Frenchman's mouth and swooped in and kissed him quickly. Francis blinked in surprise, but before he could push the Englishman away (he was still angry at him) Arthur pulled away and took his place near the oars again. Arthur started humming a tune, but Francis interrupted him.
"Why did you do that?" Francis said breathlessly
"Just curious. Why did you enjoy it?" Arthur replied
"Hmm a little I suppose. Did you satisfy your curiosity?" Francis asked
"No not really but I imagine I will later. Now shhh I have to find my brother as I think we have kept him waiting long enough." Arthur said smiling slightly
Arthur continued his humming. Finally he stopped and looked at the ocean beside him. He crossed his arms and pouted. Yes the pirate king pouted! Francis stifled a giggle.
"You took your sweet time." Arthur said sulkily
Silence.
"Well fine whatever. Do you know where Alba is in all this mess? Ok I'm sorry! Yes I am! It wasn't just me you know! Fine I'll clean it up. (more silence) Great thanks." Arthur had seemed to have this one sided conversation and Francis watched with amusement.
Arthur rowed the boat and while doing so noticed Francis's smirk. He raised an eyebrow in a questioning way.
"Seeing things again Angelterre?" Francis teased
"Fuck you." Spat Arthur
"I wish you would." Replied Francis flirtingly
To his surprise Arthur laughed. Francis looked puzzled and tried to move his legs a little but stopped when a shooting pain shot down them. Arthur looked down at Francis. A devilish smile plastered on his face.
"I take it that I am forgiven?" Arthur asked still smirking
Francis frowned and was about to answer his question. From his expression Arthur could guess the answer, so quickly cut him off.
"Watch how you answer that frog, otherwise you might find yourself in the strange position, or for you anyway, of sleeping alone. We both agreed it was for the best, so mull over that why I pull this twat out of the ocean." Arthur replied coolly
Arthur placed the oars down and walked to the side of the boat again. Francis was half tempted to push him over the edge, but unfortunately his limbs weren't co operating. Arthur seemed to guess what Francis was thinking because he smirked at him before turning back to lifting something heavy into the boat.
The red haired elder British brother was thrown unceremoniously into the boat on to his back. His normal wild cat green eyes were closed and he wasn't breathing. Arthur crouched beside him and listened for his breath and felt for a pulse. From his scowl Francis could tell it wasn't good. Nations died but usually came back to life. Still it was a horrible ordeal.
"Tcht, really this is all it took to kill you? You have to be kidding me right? France even pulled through that one perfectly fine! Idiot! You're Scotland! The wild untamed warrior of Britain and you died because of an exploding ship? Wake up you moron! I want to yell at you when you're conscious!" Yelled an visibly upset Arthur
Francis looked away not ready to see Arthurs raw emotions. It was understandable why he was upset. Seeing the older brother you somewhat had always looked up to, and defiantly had tried hard all these years to impress was lying in front of you dead was not something anyone wanted. The odd silence that followed caused France to look over at the scene and what he saw made him pause and his jaw drop.
Arthur was giving his brother mouth to mouth resuscitation. At first there was no response but after awhile Iain's eyes flew open and for mere seconds emerald eyes met emerald eyes. Then chaos ensued. Iain pushed Arthur off of him with a cry of disgust, and punched every part of him he could reach. Arthur at first was taken by surprise and many of the blows found home, but after awhile he managed to block most of them. France watched as Arthur allowed the abusive behaviour to continue, but after a while he seemed to grow impatient. With a growl Arthur dug his finger deep into one of Iain's wounds causing the older nation to cry out and collapse back on the floor of the boat.
Silence fell over the boat again as Francis and Iain watched Arthur who was ignoring them while wiping his hands free of his brother's blood on a white handkerchief. Only once Arthur was satisfied with his hands and had thrown the handkerchief into the sea did he grab his small bag and approach his brother.
"Right, take off your pants and shirt Alba." Arthur commanded
"Like hell ah am! Yer incest lovin bas" hollered Iain as Arthur started taking off Iain's clothes anyway easily overpowering him. Something the older nations noticed with unease.
"Really now Alba? It's not healthy to think of your brother in such terms. Besides you're not my type." Arthur mocked
Iain sat resting beside Francis while Arthur stitched him up. Unlike Francis the Scottish man just sat there wincing every now and then at the discomfort of the Arthur had finished and was rowing back Iain fell asleep. Francis and Arthur sat in silence the oars splashing in the background.
"Why did you come back for us?" Francis asked
"You're both family and I love you both." Arthur replied with a blush
"You love me Angleterre?" Francis asked
"I do." Arthur responded his blush practically making him glow
"Je t'aime too Angleterre."
...
2012
Arthur sat in his living room wearing black skinny jeans and a plain white t-shirt. It was the year 2012 after all so sweater vests where defiantly not something considered in ones daily attire, even for Arthur. Though he did still have one left over from the world war I and II era, which he wore to annoy France.
He was reading a newspaper and sitting on an old looking sofa. Francis lay upon the same sofa and had his head resting on Arthurs lap. The two had never gotten a long better that they had for the past hundred or so years. So well in fact, that there were rumours that the two of them had secretly married. Not that either confirmed or denied the rumour.
Arthur flicked to the sports pages. He winced when he saw the results of his football game against Italy. He had lost and that was all anyone needed to know in his opinion. The mantle clock on the fireplace behind them chimed, which caused Francis to stir. Arthur ignored him and continued reading the paper.
"Ah do you remember the first match? You and I were placed each ozzer and neither of us wanted to lose first round, or cause the other to lose so we decided to tie?" Francis said sleepily with a yawn once he had glanced at the paper.
"Yes I do. Too bad we both got sent home. " Arthur sighed
"Iz zat ze time? Angelterre Alfred and Mattiu will be ere soon any moment." Francis informed Arthur but didn't make a move to sit up.
"Mmm" was the uninterested reply
"Et ez their birthday's soon." France continued in an equally bored way chatting just for something to do.
"Indeed. Don't be giving Alfred any more useless gifts." Arthur snapped
Francis sighed at his once powerful lover who had been feared by everyone. The only person who had only threatened his power was Francis himself when he had been in his Napoleon mode. Which interestingly enough Arthur had found irresistible even if he had agreed with Spain to help him and the other countries stop Francis.
That was until their own precious colony had risen against him. Everyone else was sick of Arthurs unfailing power and so had helped him try and escape his over protective father. Francis had given him some guns for his eighteenth birthday for the occasion. No one had truly understood that Alfred had been waiting this moment for years, ever since his uncle Connor had given him the idea. The idea of Freedom.
"I 'ave told you many times zat I am sorry. But we ave never agreed on parenting methods." Francis responded
"No we never did. Still at least Alfie still inherited everything I left him even if he does call himself a super power because of it. He has also became a wonderful pirate. I couldn't have asked for more I suppose." Arthur grudgingly admitted folding up the paper and looking down at Francis.
"Ee became a pirate?" Francis asked in confusion
"He has. He has taken over much of the world with his large corporations such as Walmart and Mac Donald's destroying the smaller business man. Corporation business is a lot like piracy and he has mastered it well. I am very proud." Arthur said smiling.
He bent over Francis and stole a quick kiss.
"Don't tell him he has became a villainous pirate though, he will be quite upset. Our little secret." Arthur whispered before pushing Francis on to the floor to answer the door before his offspring broke it in.
Authors notes:
Thanks for reading it! Sorry it ended kinda badly but I want to get my Hetalia Peter Pan written and finish My fair Lady.