Exotic Butters(Hetalia High School AU)

Promises You Can't Keep

Francis was taken aback. Did he hear that right?

The Frenchman gawked at him like the Brit just confessed he was Jack the Ripper, until he blinked rapidly and got over his shock.

"Um... I don't want you to feel pressured to tell me anything, you're not obligated to, you know." He replied, unsure of how to respond.

"I know. That's why I didn't want to tell you any of this before."

"Then... Why?" He asked confusedly. He knew he should just be accepting it instead of questioning it, but this was Arthur he was talking about! There had to be a reason if he was suddenly opening up!

"I thought I could keep it to myself. Why bother passing on your burdens to another, and look weak in the process. I've managed fine till now, but... You're right, it is affecting my everyday life." He answered tensely, massaging his temple and wincing as though he had a splitting headache.

Francis knew what Arthur was talking about all too well, about considering himself a burden to others. He had fallen victim to that mindset way too many times, but he knew now that venting was like a holy grail.

But then again, even if he had escaped those thoughts himself, what was the point if he had no one willing to listen?

"I agreed to tell you, because there's no one else I can tell. My siblings are out of the question, Aoife would worry way too much if she heard the details I hadnt told her, and the others wouldn't know how to talk nicely. I don't have any friends I trust enough and you... er, well you've been hounding me to tell you so..."

"So... does that mean you trust me?"

"... I guess so..." He murmured, too shy to admit it properly, just enough to be heard.

Francis' heart leaped with joy nonetheless at his proclamation, but he quickly straightened up as there was a more serious topic at hand.

"If you're willing to talk, then I'd be more than willing to listen, chèri." Francis replied with a charming smile, clutching the Brit's hand gently and bringing him over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Arthur remained quiet, looking like he was contemplating his life choices. Even though he had agreed willingly, he was still humiliated... ashamed even, to to tell Francis about the foolish mistakes he'd made in his past.

"Tell me everything that's disturbing you. From the very start."

Arthur took in a deep breath, and let it out shakily. Francis watched as he eyed the floor, deep in thought and then closed his eyes.

"I was in the first year of Sixth Form, and coincidentally enough I had to move from my old school. Alistair had warned me that if I messed up one more time, he wouldn't sort out a new school for me, so I was determined not to mess up this time."

"It was an all boys school which is usually rather hellish, but because it was an optional year, most of the troublemakers had already dropped out, which made life a ton of a lot easier. At first, I had the temporary attention of being the new kid, until everyone got bored and went back to their previous lives. I befriended the boy who was assigned to guide me around the school, Aidan."

"One day, when we were leaving the school, a group of boys started jeering at Aidan. He told me to ignore them for my own good, but of course! I didn't listen! I snapped back at them, and from then on, they were on my trail too." He exclaimed in a mocking tone, smiling bitterly at his stupidity.

"Aidan had warned me that if I reacted, they'll keep coming back but I never stopped fighting back. In fact, I became their main target after that because I was so entertaining, and everyone knew of the 'new kid with the big mouth'. And that's how... he came into the story." He grimaced, he didn't even say his name and yet, he spat the pronoun he used to address him like it was a despicable raisin hidden within a muffin.