AN: The song is Battle Scars by Paradise Fears.
The room was quiet now, and everyone was attentive in some way or another. The North American Brothers had just raised their hands, not two minutes into the meeting. The gazes they met were curious, if a little concerned at their expressions.
They looked serious, like whatever they were about to say was of the upmost importance. That did not go unnoticed by anyone; not yao, not Ludwig, not the one running the meeting.
Arthur was at the head of the table now, but he had immediately stopped what he had been doing. He looked to his boys, his eyebrows furrowing. "What is it, lads?"
The two looked between each other, their expressions falling a little more, and nodded before they met the brit's eyes again. It was Alfred who spoke, but Matthew's gaze seemed to account for something in itself. "Can we sing something?"
There was a brief moment of silence, a pause. The brothers seemed to sense a 'no' in it, and quickly went on, Matthew's voice filling the void. "It won't take long. We just need to sing it really quick."
There was something in their voices that didn't go unnoticed by the other nations, something in the way their eyes kept flickering. All of them could see that it was important they do this, though as to the reason… Arthur nodded, and they knew they would have to wait and see.
The two nodded gratefully and matthew stood. The brothers had seated themselves at the end of the table and, though that hadn't appeared out of the ordinary minutes ago, it seemed off now. The Canadian turned to his brother, nodding slowly. Alfred brought out his phone and set it on the table, pressing play.
A variety of soft sounds emitted from the speakers, interrupted every so often by static. The nations waited, almost anxiously, for the lyrics to begin. After a few seconds, the static suddenly shifted to an electric guitar and a drum set, the guitar playing an uplifting melody. They watched, hearing soft, "Oh-Oooh-oh,"s coming from the device, but… the brothers weren't exactly singing with it.
Arthur was frowning now, as was Francis. Something wasn't right…
The instrumental continued for a couple more seconds, until there was a subtle shift- a minute pause- in the notes. Matthew looked out them, saw them, but they all felt that his attention was elsewhere. There was a sad twinge to his voice, though there was something reassuring the words that that voice sang. "This is an anthem for the homesick…for the beaten…" He frowned, the soft lyrics emitting through the room, "The lost, the broke, the defeated…"
The Canadian's amethyst eyes shut briefly, a soft sigh passing through his lips, as he continued. His posture was relaxed, but there was still an air around them- both of them- that called for nothing but their upmost attention. Matthew's hands quietly moved on the table, fingering the melodic piano keys that followed his words. "A song for the heartsick… for the standbys… living life in the shadow of a goodbye…"
He glanced towards his brother, his eyes remaining on him for the most part during the next lines, but they also glanced out the window, as if… "Do you remember when we learned how to fly?" The tempo began to pick up, the drummer giving a steady beat. "We'd play make believe, we were young and had time on our side..." There was a pause and both of the brothers glanced towards the window again.
Something clicked with the nations, though they were unsure as to why the anomaly was happening. It was as if the two were talking to someone, and not only between themselves.
Matthew continued, "You're stuck on the ground… got lost, can't be found- just remember that you're still alive…" His voice grew in volume, holding out the note, and the tempo grew faster. The guitar returned, and, as his brother was taking a breath, Alfred sang the first line of the chorus.
"I'll carry you home..!" There was a subtle change in the two. They began to smile a little. It wasn't a gigantic grin, or a smirk, but it was warm all the same.
The Canadian nodded. "No you're not alone..!" He looked out at the nations, his eyes meeting theirs, and almost turned towards the window with the next lines. It was almost like two conversations at once, each needing its own reassurance; its own knowing gaze. "Keep marching on! This is worth fighting for- you know we've all got battle scars..!"
Without a pause, Alfred took over once more, "you've had enough..!"
Matthew continued, taking a breath, "But just don't give up..!" He looked to them again, "Stick to your guns… you are worth fighting for, you know we've all got battle scars!" He glanced towards his brother and Alfred suddenly stood, the two singing together, "Keep marching on…"
There was barely a pause in between and Matthew stepped aside, the American taking his place what had now transformed into the head of the table, rather than the back. His fists clenched at his sides for a moment, a light in his eyes that they couldn't read. His voice was as soft as his brother's had been; understanding. "This is a call the soldiers… the fighters…" A small smile tugged at his lips, and his eyes shut too, "The young, the innocent and righteous…" He huffed quietly in the beat that passed. "We've got a little room to grow…"
Quickly, his eyes flicked open and turned towards the window as Matthew's had, his voice assuring, "Better days are near… hope is so much stronger than fear." His smile grew, and, if anyone looked, they would see that Matthew's had as well. The tempo picked up again, "so if you jump, kid, don't be scared to fall… 'cause we'll be kings and queens in this dream- all for one, one for all." There was something about the tone in his voice… They knew he was being honest, and… it almost felt like he wasn't just repeating someone else's lyrics. It seemed like they were his own. Matthew's words had felt the same.
He continued, "You can light up the dark, there's a fire in your heart, burning brighter than ever before..!"
Just as before, he held it out, and his brother took on the next line. They were both smiling now, continuing their conversations with each other, the nations, and whoever they appeared to be talking to through the window. "I'll carry you home..!"
Alfred laughed softly, "No, you're not alone..!" True to his nature, it appeared the American was having a harder time keeping still. Only it wasn't just him; Matthew was affected too. To the other nations… it appeared like the rhythms, the notes, the lyrics themselves and all the emotions that came with them were becoming a part of the two. "Keep marching on, this is worth fighting for- you know we've all got battle scars!"
Matthew cut in, singing louder this time, "You've had enough!"
"But just don't give up!" They were almost circling each other, still flickering to the window, enjoying what they were doing. "Stick to your guns..! You are worth fighting for, you know we've all got battle scars!"
They sang together briefly, "Keep marching on," though there was a change in the music and they both stopped where they were, facing others. Still, the nation's felt the words directed to them as well. They spoke, alfred going first, their expressions taking on a serious light once again.
"On and on, like we're living on a broken record, hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker-"
Matthew continued, a small, regretful smile on his face. "Sit, and we wait, and we drown there, thinking, 'why bother playing when it's unfair?"
"They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet-"
They smiled at each other, not pausing, and began to walk. It made the nations smile, and the two said together, "left, right, left, right…"
Alfred suddenly turned on his heels, facing his brother. Matthew only turned his head in response, listening to the next line, "Moving along, like the pulse of a heartbeat-"
They faced each other again, Alfred glancing out the window again before he met his brother's eyes, saying strongly, "This could be the last chance you have to fly. Do you like the ground? Want it to pass you by?"
Matthew went on, answering the line, "Man, you had it all when you were just a kid. Do you even remember who you were back then?"
They continued going back and forth, their voices becoming stronger, louder, and reassuring.
"What do you want in life?"
"Will you be twice as strong?"
"What would you sacrifice?"
"What are you waiting on?"
The nations were listening intently as the brothers looked to them, then to the window. They said one, "Don't stop, march on."
An overlay in the recording repeated the words, and the two smiled wider, the tempo picking up one more time. They had no plan for this part… they just sang, sometimes switching, sometimes singing together.
"I'll carry you home!"
"No you're not alone!"
"Keep marching on… This is worth fighting for, you know we've all got battle scars…" They remained in place now, content.
"You've had enough!"
"But just don't give up!"
"Stick to your guns, you are worth fighting for, you know we've all got battle scars…"
They sang together one last time, watching the window where rain was now pouring. "Keep marching on..!" The music made full circle, returning to how it had been at the beginning. The brothers sometimes sang with it, though they mainly watched, giving a small smile or two to the other nations.
The song eventually ended, and Matthew paused it. The two smiled at each other and nodded, as if congratulating the other on a job well done, and returned to their seats. The nations remained quiet for a few moments. A few clapped, but they were mainly curious as to what had caused the change in the two.
The North American brothers only smiled at them, silently assuring that it was okay and that they could go on with the meeting. Slowly, after a few clapped, the meeting did start up again. The other nations found the brothers' gazes still shifted to the window at times though, and they could only agree and hope that whoever was through that window had heard the two.
AN: sorry that this is shorter and that i haven't updated in so long. I've been going through some stuff lately and... yeah... Sorry. I meant to do this one later, but... i really needed to hear it. Thank you all for reading, and this chapter goes for anyone else having a hard time. Hang in there...
See you guys. Thanks again for reading.