Re: Provoking America [12c/14]
anonymous
October 7 2010, 18:38:15 UTC
“Stop it!” Arthur yelled, cutting his ‘friend’ off. “Just stop it! There is nothing more that you can say,” he said, breathing heavily, noting with a sardonic laugh that this was so similar to a conversation that he had had earlier in the day. “It’s over. Just leave me alone.”
“Angleterre, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t…” he began, but his voice trailed off before he could get his thoughts off the ground. This was all on him. He was never going to admit it aloud to Francis, but it wasn’t the Frenchman’s fault, really. “Just leave. Please. I don’t want to be forced to look at your stupid French face any longer,” he said, spitting as much venom into his tone of voice as possible, though he knew the words lacked their usual cutting edge. He was too exhausted. He felt…old, all of a sudden. Of course, he was old, thousands of years old, to be precise, but he rarely felt as old as he did at this moment.
Francis was staring at him, wanting to say something but, for once, was at a loss for words. He couldn’t bring himself to leave the Brit’s house.
“Do you ever feel like we’ve seen too much?” Arthur asked hesitantly, after a long moment of silence.
“Mon cher…”
“Don’t call me that!” Arthur hissed. “Just answer the damn question,” he said wearily. “Do you ever think we’ve seen too much to really…function the way normal people do? When it comes to relationships…”
Francis sighed. Arthur was much too sober to be talking like this. He closed his eyes and took a moment to consider the question. After a short while, he opened his eyes and looked at Arthur. “No,” he answered honestly.
“But how can you-”
“Mon…Arthur…I just know. Regular humans behave exactly like we do all the time. They fall apart and they pull themselves back together. It just takes time. And we have, quite literally, all the time in the world. Come, let’s get you a drink. I think I’m right in assuming that you could use one.”
Arthur buried his face in his hands, but nodded, remaining in his seat as Francis stood to retrieve several bottles from Arthur’s liquor cabinet.
*****
Matthew was worried. Alfred had thrown himself completely into his work, and while his boss, (knowing nothing about Alfred’s personal life) was pleased with the sudden change in behavior, it just made Matthew uneasy. Matthew had been dying for a change by the time Alfred had spent an entire week holed up in his house, stony faced and unenthusiastic, but he couldn’t tell which was worse. The dead, emotionless Alfred, or this new, all to hearty, forcefully exuberant Alfred who only had one facial expression: an enormous, phony smile.
He wanted his brother back, but he was so afraid of stepping in and making things worse for Alfred. He wanted to hate Arthur for doing this to his twin, but after being filled in by Francis about what had really been going on and why, he couldn’t bring himself to hate the man. Part of Matthew wanted to explain all of this to Alfred, but he knew Alfred wouldn’t believe him. Besides, it wasn’t his story to tell, and Alfred wasn’t ready to hear it.
If Francis’ reports on the island nation’s behavior was correct, he was even more worried. Francis insisted that he had things under control, but that Arthur had been drinking himself silly almost every night for a week before Francis had been able to convince him to go back to work. Apparently it had been all Francis could do to keep Arthur from drunkenly calling Alfred, though now it seemed as if he had gone back to the way he had been directly after the American Revolution. The first time he had lost Alfred. He too had thrown himself into his work, but it was without Alfred’s false enthusiasm. He was refusing to see anyone but his boss and the Queen, though Franccis always managed to get into his house.
Re: Provoking America [12d/14]
anonymous
October 7 2010, 18:39:34 UTC
It worried them both that Arthur had stopped caring enough to even yell at Francis, to get out of his home.
“He just looks at me when he comes home, and then he walks into the kitchen without a word,” Matthew remembered Francis saying. “He makes his tea and then disappears until it’s time for work the next day.”
Matthew resolved to change things for Matthew before he could become a bitter, cynical old man like Arthur. So when Alfred came home, it was to find Matthew, Kiku, Feliciano, and Romano standing in his living room in hockey jerseys, with Matthew smiling and holding out a jersey to him. Alfred stood, astonished, in his doorway while the others looked at him, smiling (more like a less angry scowl on Romano’s part).
“What?” he said, dumbfounded.
“I apologize for showing up in your home so unexpectedly, Alfred-san,” Kiku said politely.
“Come on, Al, get dressed, Matthew said, tossing the Jersey of America’s team in his face. “The Maple Leafs are going to kick your team’s ass,” he said with a grin. He smiled wider as Alfred’s face eased into a natural smile for the first time in weeks.
“Thanks, Mattie,” Alfred murmured, stepping forward to hug his brother. “But don’t count on it,” he said with a grin as he pulled the jersey over his head.
*****
The weeks went by and while Alfred continued to forcefully exert all his energy into his work, Arthur had seemed to withdraw almost completely. The entire country seemed to be going into isolation. Francis was beginning to wonder how long it would take for his friend to come to his senses and realize that no matter what was happening to Arthur, it was his duty as England not to allow his personal problems to affect his citizens. He seemed to be trying to make up for everything he did by denying himself all contact with other nations.
Arthur had received a few calls from other nations but they had stopped bothering rather quickly, and he couldn’t decide if he should be glad, or even more depressed that they really didn’t care enough to push him out of his isolation. But, he had made his bed and now he had to sleep in it.
His house was filling up with half finished needlepoint patterns and empty, used teacups. Francis showed up occasionally, but England hardly acknowledged him, and usually he would just tidy up the kitchen so that England would have clean dishes and leave before the tension could grow to be too much. He had half a mind to force his way into Arthur’s bedroom or study or wherever he hid himself and yell at him to stop moping about, but the rest of him knew that Arthur wouldn’t fight back.
And the idea of a dull, blank faced England just listening to him yell didn’t appeal to him at all.
It wasn’t until a week before the next conference, several months after that disastrous last meeting, when Francis entered England’s house to find a completed needlepoint on the table with a full steaming teacup, that he realized things were looking up. An open, leather bound moleskin written in Arthur’s handwriting lay there next to the cup. He could tell it wasn’t a journal, but it wasn’t a report either. He was about to pick it up when he started at the sound of England’s voice.
Re: Provoking America [12e/14]
anonymous
October 7 2010, 18:42:01 UTC
“Hello, frog,” Arthur spoke from the doorway behind him.
Francis turned around, a small smile adorning his face as he looked at Arthur. He was standing there, actually dressed in clothes that weren’t his uniform or pajamas for the first time in months, in gray trousers, a green button up and black vest, and his hair looked like it had actually been combed. He was glad to see that Arthur seemed to be returning.
“I’ve been writing a book,” Arthur explained, having noticed Francis’ interest in the black book. “You can take a look, if you’d like.”
Francis took the opportunity before Arthur could change his mind and return to his old ways of cursing Francis out. Examining the pages, he quirked an eyebrow, looking up from Arthur’s cramped script. “Fairytales?”
Arthur nodded, a light blush tinting his cheeks. “They’re originals. They’ll give Hans Christian Andersen a run for his money, if I do say so myself.”
“Welcome back, mon cher,” Francis said warmly. It was time he had a word with America.
*****
THERE D: It was supposed to be a lot longer! Sorry! but it just felt like ending there so I was like...fine...>:|
But I hope you guys liked it. It didn't turn out like I planned but the next 2 chapters should be out much faster than this one was!
Re: Provoking America [12e/14]
anonymous
October 7 2010, 22:44:52 UTC
So yesterday something shitty happened to me, besides from midterms and stuff... but then I come home to this, anon, you made my day brighter like you don't have idea! I always look forward to updates of this fill (and I'm kinda sad it seems it's going to end soon).
Baw, I loved Matthew in this chapter, he's like the brother everyone wants. Also, yeeees, I liked fem!Israel, that's kinda how I see her, she's such a good friend.
Re: Provoking America [12e/14]
anonymous
October 7 2010, 22:55:02 UTC
Bawwwww, thanks! I'm so glad to have made your day <3 I'm kinda sad that it's ending too (it's kind of my baby right now XD) but I have another kink meme fill waiting to be started, so I'm also looking forward to getting that done :)
Canada is one of my favorite characters <3 I would love to have a guy like Canada in my life, whether he was a brother, friend or boyfriend XD he's adorable and super sweet. And I'm glad you like fem!Israel!
Re: Provoking America [12e/14]
anonymous
October 10 2010, 01:16:51 UTC
thanks bby! i'm glad you liked it! it was a last minute idea but i thought it was appropriate :) sorry i disappeared on msn earlier. i was on my iTouch and the wifi sucks on it and so I went back up to my dorm but you weren't online anymore :(
Re: Provoking America [12e/14]
anonymous
October 12 2010, 17:12:43 UTC
ohai! yeah, i have one more chapter and an epilogue left :) don't worry, i has a plan <3 i hope it won't seem rushed. I think England has matured by the end of this chapter and America has a little surprise in store for him before he sees Iggy again ;D
Wah! Thanks for updating for me! ;u; The ending of this chapter was really sweet. I hope that most problems were fixed in the recovering time period for both of them.
“Angleterre, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t…” he began, but his voice trailed off before he could get his thoughts off the ground. This was all on him. He was never going to admit it aloud to Francis, but it wasn’t the Frenchman’s fault, really. “Just leave. Please. I don’t want to be forced to look at your stupid French face any longer,” he said, spitting as much venom into his tone of voice as possible, though he knew the words lacked their usual cutting edge. He was too exhausted. He felt…old, all of a sudden. Of course, he was old, thousands of years old, to be precise, but he rarely felt as old as he did at this moment.
Francis was staring at him, wanting to say something but, for once, was at a loss for words. He couldn’t bring himself to leave the Brit’s house.
“Do you ever feel like we’ve seen too much?” Arthur asked hesitantly, after a long moment of silence.
“Mon cher…”
“Don’t call me that!” Arthur hissed. “Just answer the damn question,” he said wearily. “Do you ever think we’ve seen too much to really…function the way normal people do? When it comes to relationships…”
Francis sighed. Arthur was much too sober to be talking like this. He closed his eyes and took a moment to consider the question. After a short while, he opened his eyes and looked at Arthur. “No,” he answered honestly.
“But how can you-”
“Mon…Arthur…I just know. Regular humans behave exactly like we do all the time. They fall apart and they pull themselves back together. It just takes time. And we have, quite literally, all the time in the world. Come, let’s get you a drink. I think I’m right in assuming that you could use one.”
Arthur buried his face in his hands, but nodded, remaining in his seat as Francis stood to retrieve several bottles from Arthur’s liquor cabinet.
*****
Matthew was worried. Alfred had thrown himself completely into his work, and while his boss, (knowing nothing about Alfred’s personal life) was pleased with the sudden change in behavior, it just made Matthew uneasy. Matthew had been dying for a change by the time Alfred had spent an entire week holed up in his house, stony faced and unenthusiastic, but he couldn’t tell which was worse. The dead, emotionless Alfred, or this new, all to hearty, forcefully exuberant Alfred who only had one facial expression: an enormous, phony smile.
He wanted his brother back, but he was so afraid of stepping in and making things worse for Alfred. He wanted to hate Arthur for doing this to his twin, but after being filled in by Francis about what had really been going on and why, he couldn’t bring himself to hate the man. Part of Matthew wanted to explain all of this to Alfred, but he knew Alfred wouldn’t believe him. Besides, it wasn’t his story to tell, and Alfred wasn’t ready to hear it.
If Francis’ reports on the island nation’s behavior was correct, he was even more worried. Francis insisted that he had things under control, but that Arthur had been drinking himself silly almost every night for a week before Francis had been able to convince him to go back to work. Apparently it had been all Francis could do to keep Arthur from drunkenly calling Alfred, though now it seemed as if he had gone back to the way he had been directly after the American Revolution. The first time he had lost Alfred. He too had thrown himself into his work, but it was without Alfred’s false enthusiasm. He was refusing to see anyone but his boss and the Queen, though Franccis always managed to get into his house.
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“He just looks at me when he comes home, and then he walks into the kitchen without a word,” Matthew remembered Francis saying. “He makes his tea and then disappears until it’s time for work the next day.”
Matthew resolved to change things for Matthew before he could become a bitter, cynical old man like Arthur. So when Alfred came home, it was to find Matthew, Kiku, Feliciano, and Romano standing in his living room in hockey jerseys, with Matthew smiling and holding out a jersey to him. Alfred stood, astonished, in his doorway while the others looked at him, smiling (more like a less angry scowl on Romano’s part).
“What?” he said, dumbfounded.
“I apologize for showing up in your home so unexpectedly, Alfred-san,” Kiku said politely.
“Come on, Al, get dressed, Matthew said, tossing the Jersey of America’s team in his face. “The Maple Leafs are going to kick your team’s ass,” he said with a grin. He smiled wider as Alfred’s face eased into a natural smile for the first time in weeks.
“Thanks, Mattie,” Alfred murmured, stepping forward to hug his brother. “But don’t count on it,” he said with a grin as he pulled the jersey over his head.
*****
The weeks went by and while Alfred continued to forcefully exert all his energy into his work, Arthur had seemed to withdraw almost completely. The entire country seemed to be going into isolation. Francis was beginning to wonder how long it would take for his friend to come to his senses and realize that no matter what was happening to Arthur, it was his duty as England not to allow his personal problems to affect his citizens. He seemed to be trying to make up for everything he did by denying himself all contact with other nations.
Arthur had received a few calls from other nations but they had stopped bothering rather quickly, and he couldn’t decide if he should be glad, or even more depressed that they really didn’t care enough to push him out of his isolation. But, he had made his bed and now he had to sleep in it.
His house was filling up with half finished needlepoint patterns and empty, used teacups. Francis showed up occasionally, but England hardly acknowledged him, and usually he would just tidy up the kitchen so that England would have clean dishes and leave before the tension could grow to be too much. He had half a mind to force his way into Arthur’s bedroom or study or wherever he hid himself and yell at him to stop moping about, but the rest of him knew that Arthur wouldn’t fight back.
And the idea of a dull, blank faced England just listening to him yell didn’t appeal to him at all.
It wasn’t until a week before the next conference, several months after that disastrous last meeting, when Francis entered England’s house to find a completed needlepoint on the table with a full steaming teacup, that he realized things were looking up. An open, leather bound moleskin written in Arthur’s handwriting lay there next to the cup. He could tell it wasn’t a journal, but it wasn’t a report either. He was about to pick it up when he started at the sound of England’s voice.
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Francis turned around, a small smile adorning his face as he looked at Arthur. He was standing there, actually dressed in clothes that weren’t his uniform or pajamas for the first time in months, in gray trousers, a green button up and black vest, and his hair looked like it had actually been combed. He was glad to see that Arthur seemed to be returning.
“I’ve been writing a book,” Arthur explained, having noticed Francis’ interest in the black book. “You can take a look, if you’d like.”
Francis took the opportunity before Arthur could change his mind and return to his old ways of cursing Francis out. Examining the pages, he quirked an eyebrow, looking up from Arthur’s cramped script. “Fairytales?”
Arthur nodded, a light blush tinting his cheeks. “They’re originals. They’ll give Hans Christian Andersen a run for his money, if I do say so myself.”
“Welcome back, mon cher,” Francis said warmly. It was time he had a word with America.
*****
THERE D: It was supposed to be a lot longer! Sorry! but it just felt like ending there so I was like...fine...>:|
But I hope you guys liked it. It didn't turn out like I planned but the next 2 chapters should be out much faster than this one was!
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Baw, I loved Matthew in this chapter, he's like the brother everyone wants. Also, yeeees, I liked fem!Israel, that's kinda how I see her, she's such a good friend.
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Canada is one of my favorite characters <3 I would love to have a guy like Canada in my life, whether he was a brother, friend or boyfriend XD he's adorable and super sweet. And I'm glad you like fem!Israel!
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Love, Glee!Anon
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The ending of this chapter was really sweet. I hope that most problems were fixed in the recovering time period for both of them.
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