Fake (Hetalia: FrUkUs)

.16.

'Of course.'

That had been Ivan's instantaneous answer to my question.

'So, you don't believe in true love?' Had been my next question.

'No, I do,' He had answered, 'I just don't believe it has to be with a single person.'

What did that even mean? Could someone really love more than one person? He had been so sure of his answer yesterday, he had had no hesitation.

I bit my lip as I focused my eyes on the screen. I decided to take the day off of school.

I glanced at the clock on the wall, Arthur would be calling panicked soon. I saved my game and stood up, stretching the stiffness from my back. I had been playing for around eight hours (I didn't really want to sleep last night after mine and Ivan's conversation).

I went to the kitchen, deciding that a small snack wouldn't hurt while I waited for Arthur's call. I checked my fridge, and sighed as I through out leftovers that had gone bad. Now, my fridge was half empty. I looked for a bit longer before shrugging and going back to the living room empty handed. Just as I sat down, the phone rang.

"Hey," I greeted as I placed the phone between my ear and shoulder and turned my game back on, "What's up?"

"Don't what's up me!" He snapped, "Where are you?"

"Home," I said simply, "I was tired this morning so decided to stay home."

"You didn't even call yourself in? What were you doing that you couldn't come to school?"

"I was up talking with V-Ivan, last night," I told him. There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Ivan who?" He finally asked.

"Braginsky," I answered, "You remember? The Russian transfer student I dated in eighth grade...?"

"Oh!" He suddenly said, "I know who you're talking about. You still keep in contact with him, right?"

"Well, yeah, Artie. I was talking with him last night," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, hush," He hiffed, "Anywau, how's he doing?"

I shrugged, "He's fine. He's actually engaged now-"

"What, really?- No, go away, " That last part was muffled and I assumed he had pulled the receiver from his mouth. "Sorry, about tha- Frog, I'm two seconds from throwing you out the window!" He threatened and I held back a laugh.

"Yeah," I said after things quieted on his end, "He's engaged to a girl from China. Her names Chun-Yan, and she's really beautiful," I paused as I focused on a harder run in Tomb Raider.

"Alfred?" Arthur said, snapping me back to the conversation.

"Yeah," I paused the game and leaned back, "She's really pretty, and really nice. But, she also has a rather course way to deal with things, which is good I suppose, since she's with Ivan." I could practically see him nod in agreement.

"So, what else did you two-three- talk about?"

I laid down on the couch, "Well, I fessed up about a million embarassing stories to her about when Ivan was an exchange student here," I told him, " And then she left and I chatted with Ivan a bit more about.... stuff." I hoped he hadn't noticed the pause.

"Just stuff?" He totally had.

"Yeah," I said, hoping he'd leave it be. But, he never was the type to leave well enough alone, was he?

"What kind of stuff?"

"Just things, Artie," I said, trying to think of an excuse, "Mostly you." This was technically true. I had been, in part, referring to him in that last conversation we held.

"Me?" He seemed surprised.

"Yeah, he told me about his fiance, so of course I had to tell him about my boyfriend." I really hoped that worked for now.

"Oh, yeah?" I could hear him smirking, "And what did you say about me?" I rolled my eyes and sat up.

"I'll talk later," I winded the conversation, "I'm have a game to play, and you have class to go to."

"Oh, ah," I heard shuffling on his end, "A-Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya,"I said before hanging up the phone.

Maybe that had been a bit abrupt, but I didn't want to get to into the topic of last night's conversation. I put the phone down and flipped on my game, but I didn't play.

'Do you think it's possible to love more than one person?'

'Of course.'

~

For the next week, I busied myself with memorial preparations, and Arthur tried helping where he could. So, between school and the memorial, not to mention frequent days where I stayed locked inside, I had virtually no time to spend with Arthur. And it was taking a toll.

When the eighteenth rolled around, things became worse.

Because my Father came home.

~

I had just finished making the last of the arrangements for the Memorial in two days time, when the doorbell had rang.

I assumed it was Arthur because, even though we couldn't do much he still came over just to sit and help occasionally.

So, imagine the surprise when I opened the door in only a pair of sweats and a tank top, my arms open for the world to view as I had chosen, apparently, the wrong day to let them air out, to find my Father standing on the doorstep. He was cleaned up, compared to the last time I had seen him. He was clean shaven, his hair was combed, and his clothes didn't look like hell. He wore a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Hi, Alfred," He had greeted, and then his eyes had narrowed in on my arms.

The following conversation raged more into a screaming match with me ending with the words.

"You gave up the roll of Father when you left us!" And storming out the door.

Now, I was at Arthur's sitting in his driveway and staring up at his house. I was worried about going in. I was sure that, even though they wouldn't get along, my Dad would have called him by now and told him what had happened.

I was stuck between a scone and a hard place.

I sighed and pulled back down his driveway, trying to decide on a place to go. After a few minutes of aimless driving, I pulled out my cell and dialed a number I rarely used. It was picked up on the fourth ring.

" Hello?" Said a groggy voice. I must have woken him up, it was about five in the morning.

"Er, hey, Francis..." I trailed off.

"Wha- Alfred?" His voice suddenly perked up, "What are you calling for at five o'six in the morning?" He asked with an overly obvious smile.

"I was wondering if I could stay at your house today," I asked.

"...Quoi?"