Author's Notes: Happy June! Okay, due to the dumbness of I changed this story's rating to T until this whole thing blows over. This angers me a bit because now I have to tone down all of my chapters. Urg. Not that I wanted to write a smut scene, but the violence and action scenes have to be toned down too. Just in case, I have a tumblr account where I will be post: betweendreamsandrealityy(.)tumblr(.)com. So I was looking back on my first couple of chapters of Starcrossed, and my author's notes are so short. Awww. I was so shy back then. And I never wanted to give anything away. In honour of that, I am going to end my notes here. Thank you for lovely reviewers and/or follows on tumblr! You are as awesome as Prussia. Don't forget to vote for which story I should continue on my profile. I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

Warnings: Strong language.

Disclaimer: I do not own hetalia or Cardverse AU.

"What!" Alfred spurted receiving peculiar looks from the others and the nurses who happened to be in the room. Heck, the citizens of Hearts probably heard his obnoxious scream, and they are located on the other side of Cards.

"Didn't cha hear me? I said you're brother's going to be a Joker! That's awesome news," Gilbert shouted having his gruff voice echo through the infirmary only a bit softer than Alfred's.

"How is that possibly good news? I will never see my brother again! Don't you have some magical herbs or whatever that can cure him?" he pleaded with his hands thrown in the air. If he had known Matthew would turn into a Joker he would have never asked Arthur to arrange this meeting.

Peter dangled his feet playfully on a cot, swinging them back and forth childishly. "Not for his condition."

"What? I'll protect him. No worries," Gilbert assured and wrapped his arm around Matthew's frail shoulder as if he was just a possession or even a burden.

"That is very kind of you," Matthew explained weakly after politely liberating Gilbert's arm from around his petite frame. "But I would prefer if you all let me mull over my options."

Alfred shook his head in pure rage. "There are no options to mull over. You are going to become a Joker and I am too."

Arthur shouted "what!" It took him all this time to train his King and he was not going to allow his brother to take precedence over him. Not again, at least. No matter how selfish that sounded.

Matthew stared into his twin's sad sapphire eyes before saying "there is no way I am allowing you to become a Joker. You will stay here and rule as King."

"But I swore I'd protect you-"

"You need to protect your kingdom. Quit your worrying, I will be fine," he said giving a seductive wink to Gilbert only angering Alfred in the process.

The future King turned around to face the older Joker. "If he becomes a Joker, he will be cured; correct?"

"Well duh," he spat rudely which Alfred wanted to strangle him for. He was treating this as some type of joke. His brother's life is not a joke.

"Then it is settled," he said forcing a smile, for his brother's sake.

"Well…we'd better be going. We wouldn't want 'Ol Mattie to die before he reached the kingdom, correct?"

"Now?" Arthur asked noticing Alfred was on the verge of tears. All of this news was too sudden, maybe it would be best if he had time to rethink the situation. "You are always welcome to stay the night."

Peter shook his head twice and readjusted his sailor hat atop his sandy blonde head. "We'd better be off. See you later, jerk," he said with a salute.

"Goodbye," Matthew mouthed before following the other three like shadows.

"Alfred?" Arthur asked sadly, noticing he refused to move and tears were trickling down his face in hot beads. He motioned for his future King to join him on the cot, letting his head rest on his lap. "It is okay to cry."

"He…just…left," he sniffled crying in to Arthur's lap. Arthur ran his hands through Alfred's golden locks in a feeble attempt to calm him down. "I…promised…to protect…him."

For rest of the day, Alfred refused to come out of his room even for his meals, which began to worry Arthur. No, it had nothing to do with his feelings, if Arthur even called them feelings. He was just worried about his kingdom. That had to be the reason for his distress. He had never cared for anything else except his kingdom, so why is Alfred any different?

He rapped at the door with his knuckles lightly and hesitant. I am only bringing him food, he repeated to himself in an effort to calm down his flickering heartbeat. He opened the heavy wooden door with one hand and a tray of food in the other. "Go away!" Alfred yelled from under his covers. His voice visibly choking after each painful word.

Arthur paused before walking closer. "Yao thought it would be a good idea if I brought you some dinner," he lied looking at the tray.

"Not hungry," he shouted stubbornly and hugged his blankets tighter as his pillow was already soggy from his salty tears.

"Do not be daft," he scolded his adolescent behavior.

He barked "I'm really not hungry."

Arthur winced then shrugged. He was once a rebellious teenager too and knew exactly how to handle the situation, or at least how Yao used to. "Fine. I was just about to leave anyways. I will be excepting your signatures on those papers I left for you by morning," he said before turning on his heel and strode for the door.

"Wait!" Alfred called striping the blankets from his body. "Just please…don't leave," he begged through his brisk tears. Checkmate, Arthur thought smugly.

"Very well," he said casually and sat next to Alfred on his oversized bed.

"I'm not strong enough to be alone," he sighed.

Arthur's emerald eyes widened. "You are very strong, my King. You are stronger than anyone I have ever met," he said a bit overdramatizing.

"I'm not strong enough to be King either!"

"Do not say that. I am certain you will make a wonderful King, after a little more practice with your manners," he said in an attempt to lighten the mood with his dry humor.

"Fuck it Arthur! You don't have to lie to me anymore. We all know I'm going to be an awful King. I can't even remember any of the etiquette lessons or the history or anything. I'm weak, and you know it! You only assign me to sign your own proclamations!"

Sincerely he said "I am not lying to you. I honestly believe you will make a great King."

"I can't even protect my brother! How am I supposed to protect an entire Kingdom?"

"You are "the Hero"! Remember?" he asked raising an untamed eyebrow.

A mask of disappointment replaced one of anger. "I guess…"

"That is the lad I know." He ruffled Alfred's hair with his gloved hand then rose from the bed and headed towards the door. "Yao and I will see you bright and early tomorrow morning. We could not have you missing another day of etiquette, that is, if you do not want to waste your power on signing off on your proclamations. We only have until the autumn equinox to get you ready, anyways."

"Oh yes, our annual trip to Hearts," he said sarcastically. "What could be better than visiting a struggling, newly unified nation that posses our only potential threat because they are beginning to rebuild their military?"

A smile graced Arthur's cold lips in delight. "So you do listen during our history lessons."

"I have to! You two always lecture me when I doze off!"

"Sweet dreams, my King," he said shutting the door behind him.

"Sweet dreams?" Yao asked practically mocking Arthur.

Caught unaware, he stumbled over his own black loafers. "Yao! How long have you been eavesdropping on us?"

"Long enough," he sneered with his upper lip coiled. Then concern filled his ember eyes. "You care too much for this boy."

He dusted off his cloak and waved it off. "You say it as if it is some tragedy."

Yao shook his head. "You have feelings for this boy, do you not?"

"You are being ridiculous. Do you even hear yourself?" Arthur asked chuckling in between statements.

"Don't waste too many stones on one bird," he warned.

"I am not wasting my time with him! I am merely attempting to boost his confidence so he will work harder."

Unconvinced, Yao said "very well then."

"I am not falling in love with him!" he called as Yao began scurrying down the hallways as if a wild beast was chasing him.

The Jack paused in his steps and smirked over his shoulder "who ever said anything about love?"

To Be Continued...