A Million Voices [UsUk]

In remembrance

"Alfred!" Gilbert waved over to his American friend as he arrived at the park and saw him just walking there, aimlessly and slowly. He felt bad for Alfred, but he was happy that he wanted them to hang out again.

Alfred raised his look towards the German and gave a small wave, approaching him slowly. "Hey." He smiled a little, looking away in shame, feeling embarrassed about how he avoided Gilbert in a harsh way for over two months.

"How are you, Alfred? Who knows when was the last time we... Talked!" Gilbert chuckled and wrapped an arm around him in a friendly manner, making Alfred wince a little but he didn't do anything to fight it back. "I missed you, you know."

The American gave a small nod, sighing deeply  before he spoke. "I know. I'm... I'm sorry, Gil. I really didn't mean to ignore you for all this time. I was... I wasn't myself."

"Dude, I understand it all. I know you must have felt really bad. But, I'm glad you're coming back to us again."

"Yeah, I guess."

I hope Alfred is coming back to his senses. He was out of it for quite a while:
Even though he might still have flashbacks of the plane crash, it's inevitable, he still has to forget Arthur.

Arthur wasn't meant for him. He has to get that one day.

"So, wanna sit on that bench?" Alfred asked in the most casual voice he was able to pull off. But Gilbert really didn't want that.
That bench was the exact one that Mathias, Elizabeta and him sat on right after Arthur's death. As much as he wanted Alfred to forget, there were still moments that Gilbert himself remembered.

It was a tragedy for everyone.

"How about we just walk?" Gilbert suggested in a soft tone, and Alfred accepted that easily.

"That works for me", the American casually replied as they began walking together, glancing at their surroundings in the park here and there. "Hey, uh, I never really congratulated on you on your engagement, have I?" He averted his glaze towards Gilbert with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, but that's fine." The German replied with a smile, waving his hand.

"Still. Congratulations. I really mean it. Elizabeta is an amazing girl, I'm glad she wants to settle with you." Alfred smiled softly and with pure honesty. "You know... She helped me a lot to... Get back on my feet. Without her, I would still be in bed, sulking endlessly. I owe her my life."

Gilbert nodded with a grin, nudging Alfred to the side a little, gently, with a chuckle. "I know she did. She tells me how the therapy goes, and I'm really glad that she decided to do it with you in the first place. Her words help, don't they?"

"They truly do." Alfred approved, placing his hands in his pockets and resuming his walk with a casual, slow step. As they passed through the park, walking on the stone path, Alfred got an idea. And it wasn't a sorrowful one whatsoever. "Hey, wait a second." He said in a mysterious tone and went over to a normal sized bush, which showed no significance to the German.

"What?" He confusedly asked, but still followed Alfred with a shrug.

"There are still white lilies here." Alfred smiled bitterly and knelt down onto the stone path next to the bush, running over the gentle white flowers with the palm of his hand. "That's strange."

Gilbert knelt down next to him, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Why are they so important?"

Alfred gave a gentle smile, his ocean blue eyes becoming slightly watery, and he let out a bitter chuckle before speaking. "Arthur gave them to me before I traveled... or tried to travel to Washington D.C. He said they were a good luck charm. I guess they didn't bring much luck, did they?" He shook his head and rubbed his eyes with his hands before any tears could spill.

Oh, Alfred. Innocent, kind, lovable, young, stubborn Alfred.

"I see... Well, they sure weren't good luck." Gilbert frowned just slightly, sighing as Alfred looked the flowers with grief in his eyes.

"I'll pick a few. Maybe they won't bring anyone any luck... But... But they still dearly remind me of Arthur." Alfred slowly placed a hand on top of one of the flowers, caressing it as if he was rethinking should he take it from the bush or not.

Gilbert sighed, shaking his head as he gently took Alfred's hand into his, taking it away from the small white lily. "I think you shouldn't. Having something to remember Arthur by won't bring you any happiness. Just constant grief for the loss." He softly gave his friend the advice, knowing that Alfred probably wouldn't listen to him anyway.

"I won't have them at home forever, I promise. M-maybe I'll place them on Arthur's grave." He said and suddenly wasn't able to stop the tears anymore. Just knowing that he would have to visit the place where Arthur was buried made him feel so crushed. He gripped Gilbert's shirt with one hand, trying to silence any sobs that escaped his throat.
Gilbert felt so hopeless.

As soon as I thought he might begin... Forgetting.

He has to see Arthur's grave once, though.

It would be only fair.

"Hey, hey, don't cry." Gilbert whispered and hugged the American, who harshly sobbed into his shirt.

"I'm... I'm so sorry..." Alfred stuttered out through tears. The German felt relieved that the park was empty, or else they would bring a lot of strange looks to themselves like this.

"Don't be sorry."

After sitting like that on the ground for a couple of minutes, in silence and a crying American, Alfred finally calmed down a little.

"Y-you know... I... I think I'll actually take these white lilies home." He decided in a very unsteady voice, wiping off the rest of his tears and blinking a couple of times so his blue eyes were less blurry. His vision was bad enough anyway.

"Why? Wouldn't they make you feel bad?" Gilbert frowned.

"No, they wouldn't. I'm taking them home." He whispered and turned back to the bush, picking three white lilies - the exact number that he had gotten from Arthur that day.

"In remembrance to you, Arthur."

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A/N

Dude, why'd you go to the park anyway? You knew that you have a bunch of old memories there.

I will never understand my wish for making sad stories.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little feel thing!

Thanks for reading!