The Party
Title: The Party
Word Count: 2,705
Genre: General
Characters/Pairings: Slight England/America, Gilbert, Ludwig
Warning: Gore
Summary: There’s a party, but you can’t have one without decorations…
It was Ludwig who heard them first, their cries echoing through the forest, drawing nearer and neared. Ludwig glanced up, frowning slightly as the pinpricks of light came closer. Snapping his book shut he stood up, announcing loudly to his brother and anyone else who could hear, “Just so you all know, we have a mob approaching us here.”
Gilbert 'hmmm'd, licking some blood off his fingers. He always seemed to be dripping fresh blood, even if he hadn't entertained a guest in days. It was now a permanent feature of himself. "Oh, well, that means we should ready ourselves for a party..."
Ludwig hesitated, then nodded. “Of course, bruder. A party.”
Alfred was a few rooms down, unconcerned with the approaching mob. Instead he had Arthur pinned down underneath him, straddling the man’s waist. He smirked down at Arthur, having his wrists pinned above his head. “You really are weak, you know.”
Arthur was utterly unconcerned with his vulnerable position, blinking up at Alfred with that dazed look in his eyes. "Am I...?"
"Mm." Alfred leaned down to nuzzle Arthur, bending down and burying his face in the crook of Arthur's neck. "But then you get quite angry, you know? Violent and strong. I rather like it."
If Arthur registered the words, he didn’t do anything about it. Instead, he tilted his head away from the nuzzling, pupils shrinking. "You are a little too close..." He murmured, voice starting to lose the dreamlike quality.
Alfed knew what was coming. "Am I?" He purred, tongue flicking out over the exposed skin.
Arthur suddenly snarled and attempted to lash out, nearly bucking Alfred off. "Get the fuck off, you fucking stupid pervert before I fucking rip out your throat!"
Alfred laughed, easily holding down Arthur's wrists. "Ah, but you'll like me so close to you in the end! I’ll make you like it!"
Green eyes narrowed into slits, and Arthur kneed Alfred in the thigh, still twisting and writhing under the larger blond. "Fucking kill you! Kill you kill you kill you!" He screamed repeatedly, struggling to escape with the sole intent of killing Alfred.
Alfred just continued to laugh, letting go of ARthur's hands and letting them tear down his back, drawing blood, but keeping himself close in Arthur's personal bubble. "Yes, yes! Kill me! Please do!"
Arthur's hands wrapped around Alfred's throat, squeezing, before the fire bled from green eyes, and the smaller blond's hands slackened their grip. "Oh...I'm sorry..."
Alfred frowned, dissapointed. "You stopped. I didn't want you to stop."
"Stopped what...?"
"Killing me." Alfred sighed and sat up, poking Arthur in the chest. "But I hear shouts outside, so maybe I'll get my chance then instead."
Arthur twitched at the poke, eyes narrowing before becoming dazed again. "Ah, yes...we have more guests, for another tea party..." A small smile. "Gilbert will be happy."
Alfred grinned. "We should go make sure there are plenty of decorations, hmm?"
Arthur nodded, sitting up from his sprawl. "Yes, yes...we need decorations..."
Alfred was tugging on Arthur's hands, urging him to hurry. "Hurry, yes? Our guests are rather impatient."
A brief flicker of annoyance passed over Arthur’s face before he got up, following Alfred out the door. Guests were more important, he deemed.
Ludwig looked down at the growing mob, chanting 'Monster' and 'Kill' and othe related items. "They seem quite eager tonight."
Gilbert giggled. "Which is awesome. All the other guests had been growing rather...boring as of late." He leaned over, grinning at the gathered mob. "Oiiiiiiiii~ Are you here to play with us?!"
A roar of anger and a few arrows hit the window area around Gilbert, who just snickered and withdrew from the window just as Alfred swaggered into the room with Arthur.
“How many are dead?” He asked, approaching the two brothers.
"AS of yet, none." Ludwig answered, looking rather bored despite the chaos surrounding him.
"Oh good! Then we haven't missed decorating time! Isn't that wonderful Artie?" Alfred turned and beamed at Arthur, nudging him to reply.
Arthur nodded, smiling softly. "Yes. I like decorating."
"Well that's good, coz we get to go wild tonight!" Gilbert giggled like a schoolgirl, clapping merrily and unconcerned when an arrow zipped past his ear. "Party grins everyone! We have to entertain a large crowd!"
Ludwig's face remained expressionless"Hooray." He said in a monotone voice.
Alfred was smirking. "Of course! You'll lead the charge, yes?"
"Of course I will!" Gilbert giggled, "But maybe we should let some of my little chicks go walkies first..."
"Those little things! Yes!" Alfred nodded eagerly, joslting Arthur about as he leaned heavily onto the older man. "Someone fetch their leashes!"
Arthur blinked at Alfred, as if surprised at seeing the man.
In the meantime, Gilbert whooped and whisked off to release his chicks into the crowd, leaving the three to grin down at the gathered mob as their arrows zipped around them, missing.
"They have poor aim." Arthur observed.
Alfred laughed. "Yes, yes they do! I wish I had my own weapons with me, I could teach them! I think I would make their children my targets for practice!”
Screams started to sound out from the mob then, followed by Gilbert's wild laughter.
Alfred's eyes brightened at the cries of agony. "Ah, I don't want to wait here anymore! Come on Arthur, let’s go decorate! “ He pulled on Arthur’s hands again, guiding him towards the door.
Ludwig grunted and shrugged, taking his time in heading outside after the two.
"Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuder~" Gilbert howled in ecstasy from the mob, more screams sounding out over the disgusting tear of flesh. "Come on dooooown! There's blood /everywhere/! I want to see if on you!"
As Ludwig stepped into the mob, a person went sailing past and he found a fresh spray of blood on his face. He lifted his gloved fingers and wiped away at it, observing it for a moment and then, without warning, tongue flicking out to taste it.
Gilbert was dancing through the crowd, a flick of his wrist snapping a neck, and thrust of a hand impaling a chest, and spotting Ludwig, he danced over to his brother, pressing his bloodied palm against Ludwig's cheek, smearing it down and giggling madly
Alfred easily restrained an attacking man, tearing out the throat with his teeth. He felt something stab him and he whipped around grabbing the offending object and yanking back from the corpse, mouth bloodied. He stabbed the person back, but this time in the chest before shaking them off and using the handle to club another one to death, ignoring the burns of torches and whatever else attempted to land on his body as he added to the death count.
Arthur was grinning wolfishly, his eyes clearing of the daze as he marched forwards quickly, and leapt into the carnage with a wild laugh.
Ludwig wiped some fresh blood across Gilbert's face in return, and knew soon that's all there would be all over it. He elbowed a villager in the gut, taking out his pocketknife and stabbing them in the forehead without turning around. Slowly but surely a gleam of excitement entered his eyes as his own unstableness came through at last.
Gilbert howled like a wolf, using only his bare hands to rip off limbs and his teeth to bite out throats, his crimson eyes glowing madly, and he grinned at Arthur when their eyes met, and Arthur let out a howl of his own, tearing through the few men trying to flee the carnage.
Soon, all that were left were four bloody people and a mass of corpses strewn about.
Alfred's head swung about wildly, looking for more prey but finding none. He slowly relaxed. "Ah, there appears to be none left...."
Arthur dropped the decapitated head he had torn off, and licked the blood off his lips. "Yes. We've finished decorating."
Gilbert giggled, rocking back on his heels, and lunged at Ludwig, grinning madly at him as he cooed. "Oh, oh, oh, dear Bruder you enjoyed that party," A laugh. "Did we all enjoy that party!?"
Ludwig blinked, the excitement faded to nothingness. “Yes, I…suppose it was fun.”
Alfred seemed to be in thought. "Should I feel guilty...? I think I should, but…I don’t.
Arthur tottered about, looking like his normally dazed self as he hummed happily, then abruptly stopped and pointed at Alfred. "You fucking suck. So slow."
Alfred's brows furrowed together and he snarled. "What? Do you need another lesson on who's weaker?"
"More like you need to learn your place!"
Gilbert tittered. "Lover's spaaaaat~"
Alfred pounced on Arthur, forcing him flat onto his back into the blood soaked ground. "Ha! That's rich! I won't bend to you!"
Ludwig wiped at the blood in an attempt to get it off, but since he was practically drenched in it, it was useless. "Yes, I am rather dirty, aren't I?"
Arthur just snarled, his hand free enough to smack Alfred across the face. "No need to bend wanker!"
Gilbert cooed, "You are dirty...you dirty dirty boy you..." A grin, and he dragged his tongue up Ludwig's cheek, licking a clean line. "Only way to clean yourself up!"
Ludwig sighed. "Would you like me to bend over and strip now, or in the house?" He knew what was expected of him.
"Ohhh, you'd like it standing?" Alfred teased. "I can do that."
Arthur growled, "You're disgusting," He spat, shoving Alfred off of him and standing up, marching off to his little clearing - presumably to have his little tea party.
Alfred whined. "Artie, you tease! Stupid tea drinker!"
Arthur just flipped him off, not even stopping or turning around. "WANKER!" He shouted back.
Alfred growled again, following after Arthur and pinning him to a tree. "Pfft, annoying bastard. You have the nerve to call me disgusting when you've just murdered a whole mob of people?"
Arthur snarled and pushed at Alfred. "Bugger off!"
Alfred stood firm. "No! Damnit, don't act like that and then leave! It's annoying!"
"You're annoying!" Arthur barked, stopping his struggling and letting out a soft hiss. "An annoying bloody git and stupid too you stupid fucking bastard!" He breathed hard, then shoved at Alfred again. "And get the fuck out of my space!"
"No." Alfred snarled, pressing himself up against Arthur, one hand holding his captive’s wrist together the other around his throat. "You're going to /finish/ it. Now would you like to be in our out?" Alfred asked. "See, aren't I nice, giving you a choice like that?"
"I would like you to get off." Arthur snarled, and his eyes flickered out of focus before sharpening. This was the longest that he was aware of his surroundings.
Alfred frowned, but finally, very reluctantly, let go.
Arthur immediately slid away from Alfred, giving him a growl before his concentration slipped and he was back to being dazed Arthur. "Now...if you excuse me...I have to, to have some tea..." He started to shuffle off.
Alfred tilted his head curiously. "Ohhhh? Tea, hm? May I join you?" He too had slipped back into his daze, although more excitable than Arthur's.
"If you want..."
"Yes, yes! I do!" Alfred bounded after Arthur.
Arthur reached his little tea table, the pot of eternally steaming tea there. He sat down, and poured himself some, before pouring Alfred some too, and putting the pot down to pick up his teacup, sipping it contentedly.
Alfred lapped at his tea almost like a dog. He remembered he didn't like tea, but oh well, waste not want not. In the distance he could hear a terrified cry or two. Some of the villagers must have escaped.
Arthur tilted his head at the cries, but ignored them. His gaze settled on Alfred, wrinkling his nose a little at the terrible drinking manners.
Alfred finally went back to regular drinking (lapping at it was taking too long and he realized that he wasn't a dog, huh), sipping the scalding liquid but not caring that it burned his tongue.
"I wonder why they came here...?" Arthur mused aloud.
"To party, silly." Alfred answered, as if this was the ost obvious thing. "After all, we throw the best parties, right? Our decorations are most wonderful..."
"They are," Arthur agreed, and he frowned slightly, "But..." He trailed off, and then just sipped his tea.
"But...?" Alred persisted.
"I'm not sure...I have a feeling...that perhaps, we, are..." Arthur seemed to struggle for the words, frowning in concentration. "Not, sure..."
"Not sure....?" Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Really Artie, you ahve such a problem with trailing off like that. You should fix it."
"I should, shouldn't I...?" Arthur swirled his tea, staring into it. "My thoughts are very...scattered. I don't understand them sometimes..."
"That's because your insane, Artie."
Arthur bobbed his head in agreement. "Yes..."
Alfred finished his tea, setting the cup down gently (purposefully not using his pinky, he knew Arthur hated that) and smiled. "Good tea, yes?"
"Yes, very good," Arthur frowned at the lack of pinky use. "It's the special tea, brand...from..." He trailed off again, looking up at Alfred, before shaking his head a little. "Ah, what was I saying?"
Alfred frowned, tilting his head back. "Something about tea, I think? Ho w you were not sure about something? Dogs? Kittens, soft and furry and helpless....."
"and snap like that." Arthur finished, giving a sudden unbalanced giggle before sobering. "I like this tea." He said, looking down at his remaining tea before downing it.
"It's good tea isn't it. Too bad we couldn't use it at the party."
"Yes, maybe next time."
"Hmm, but they tend to stay away after parties." Alfred commented, staring down at his tea cup wit a blank expression. "Pity really."
"Probably because you scare them off with your horrible manners," Came the snide comment, before Arthur was placid again. "They're very skittish."
"M'not horrible!" Alfred protested. "I'm nice and pleasant and I don't drink tea like you and Gilbo do."
"You are rude and stupid." Arthur's face was blank and still dazed, so it wasn't certain if he was his grumpy self or not. "It scares people away."
"But your cold and strict, so it prevents them from coming in the first place." Alfred pouted. "Meanie! Meanie meanie meaaaanieeee!"
"I am courteous." Arthur said, bowing his head, his hand holding his empty teacup trembling. "I am not mean."
"No, no, not mean, yes, not mean. Insane, though." Alfred giggled. "Just like me and Gilbo and Luddy! We all killed them, those people precious to us! It was fun, yes?"
Trembling stopped. "It was...fun..." Arthur chuckled. "They...they cried." He trailed off, then poured himself some tea.
"And screamed and made funny noises when their skulls are cracked and blew open." Alfred added. "Yes, fun."
Arthur nodded and sipped his tea. "...I think I cried when I killed them."
"Killed who?"
Arthur shook his head sluggishly. "I don't know. I can't remember their face, but I was very upset about it."
"You know, I think I have a brother." Alfred said, completely changing the topic. "I think he's alive. I don't remember killing him, but I don't remember letting him live...hm...I wonder how he is?: Maybe I should visit him."
"Can I come with you?"
"Of course!" Alfred smiled at Arthur, and his teeth glimmered with crimson blood. "My brother is nice, he won't mind! He has a cute bear, yes he does! Very cute..."
"That's nice. I like cute things." Arthur smield and sipped his tea. "Let's visit him tomorrow! Or...now! Gilbert and Ludwig will be busy for a while anyway."
"Yes, maybe now!" Alfred nodded, but looked up at the sky. "Ah, it is light....Maybe not now..."
"Aw..."
Alfred glanced back over him and smiled, sincere and honest. Reaching under the table he reached for Arthur’s empty hand and lightly grasped it.
Arthur froze instantly, eyes widening, but didn’t pull away. He stared down at his clasped hand, and, just for a moment, a smile flickered over his face.
“Don’t worry, Arthur, I promise I’ll take you, okay?” Alfred reassured him, squeezing lightly.
Arthur blinked and nodded. “Okay. I’ll just kill you don’t.” This time the smile held a threat instead of warmth.
Alfred just beamed. “Kay, Artie, kay.”