Allistor, Ciaran, Dylan, and Arthur walked out of the room, out of the office that Oliver sat smiling in without a second glance. They strode from the room, finding Matt leaning against the wall out side, and followed him down the winding hallways in relative silence.
Oliver's eyes lingered for a moment in a solemn longing on Arthur, but he payed his 2p no heed.
They made little small talk as they left the 2p's realm, leaving the Canadian behind as they travelled through the mirror back to the large meeting room. The three brothers followed Arthur on the way back to Ludwig's house down the road. They watched Arthur on his way back to his temporary home, and watched in surprise as his expression changed. As they had been leaving the white room and Oliver's office, Arthur's eyes had been red and his cheeks blotched from tears, with a look of sadness overcoming his features, and shoulders slouching slightly with fatigue. But now, one hundred meters from the house, Arthur's face looked no different than the brothers usually saw. His clear skin, thick eyebrows and mouth twisted downward slightly to create a look of monotone annoyance, and his strait posture indicating a look of superiority, even flouncing an ego. It all looked so 'normal' for the brothers, so 'in character' for him, that they had never stopped before to wonder how many times the Brit had put on this mask.
Ciaran and Allistor's eyes met with a mutual look of concern whilst Dylan looked on and studied his youngest brother.
They knocked on the oaken door. Ludwig answered it, they had given up on him waiting by the mirror in the meeting room and just staying at the house due to Oliver's unsteady finishing times.
"Arthur, and the Kirkland brothers. Please come in," Ludwig nodded and outstretched his arm politely. They all entered and the brothers stood by the doorway next to the wooden pegs. As they did Arthur began to walk down the corridor, when he was roughly halfway down Ludwig grabbed his upper arm, pulling him in closer, muttering words in his ear. His light blue eyes were full of concern as he murmured in Arthur's ear. The brothers couldn't hear the conversation but saw Arthur sigh and say somthing back to Ludwig, who listened patiently. When it seemed Arthur was done talking Ludwig squeezed his arm lightly, saying somthing else quickly, and then let Arthur walk into what looked like the kitchen.
Ludwig walked down the corridor towards Allistor, letting out a sigh from his nose. His sky blue eyes met Allistor's green ones.
"Will you be staying long?"
"No, sorry, we would if we could, but the current state of the United kingdom's government has left our bosses needy, we're wanted back in a meeting at 8."
Dylan checked his pocket watch, it read 7:06 PM. Ciaran had always said his old, golden pocket watch on a chain was old fashioned and outdated; but he loved it, he had gotten it in the 18th century, and it has a lovely spiralling design of a daffodil on the top.
"Very well, that's understandable. Thank you for coming on such short notice."
Allistor shook hands with the strong German, giving thanks for taking care of his younger brother as they stepped out of the door into the cooling night air. As Ludwig began to close the door, Allistor pulled him close with his jacket cuff. Ludwig blinked in surprise.
"Promise me, that you will keep him safe."
Ludwig's blue eyes looked solemn in the dim light of the clouded moon. He said nothing, but nodded.
Allistor, Dylan, and Ciaran disappeared into the night as they nation hopped back home.
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Arthur walked through to the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools for the island that sat in the centre of the room. He put his head in his hands and sighed. Gilbert was sitting on the stool opposite him, a glass of low alcohol beer pressed to his soft lips. He studied the Brit for a moment, before setting his glass down and standing up.
"Can I get you something?" He said, already opening the door to the drinks cabinet in the corner.
"A small whisky please." Arthur said quietly, without looking up. Gilbert nodded and grabbed a bottle, pouring a small amount into a glass and diluting it a little with some cold water. He then sat back down and slid the glass over to Arthur, who lifted his head up and mumbled a word of thanks. After a moment of silence Arthur swilled his drink around the glass and said,
"Doesn't Ludwig disapprove of drinking on weekdays?"
Gilbert smirked. "Ya, but I am his big brother so he can't tell me what to do. Also that is just because he thinks that it will make me do a mess on all of the paperwork."
Arthur thought of the pile of work sat on the desk in the living room for both Germany and England. He tilted his head in agreement and sipped his drink.
"Also," Gilbert spoke in a softer tone now. ", you looked like you could use a little something this evening."
Arthur sighed and nodded.
After another moment Arthur said,
"Do you still think of Germania?"
Gilbert froze, staring into his glass. He answered without looking up.
"Ya. Most days my thoughts wander to his advice." he gave a sad chuckle. "For the good or for the bad."
He then looked over at Arthur, who had set his own drink down on the table, and who stared into nothing.
"You saw her today, huh?"
Arthur nodded again, his pale hands curling into fists. Gilbert sighed.
"You know, at some point during the Prussian dissolution, I was on the brink of death for a while."
Arthur looked up at Gilbert then. He had always thought it was a sensitive subject for him, so had never brought it up; but Gilbert talked of it so calmly. H supposed it was similar to when Arthur spoke of the British Empire. Although, Arthur thought he could see a flicker of distant pain in the Albino's eyes.
"When I thought I was going to die, one evening I saw Vati. I was scared, because I thought that he would be dissapointed by me, like usual. When he asked me, 'Prussia, why are you crying?' I told him it was because I didn't want to die, because I was scared of it. Any other day I would have regretted showing my fear to him, knowing that he would criticise me, but that day when I said I was afraid to die, he smiled at me. And he said, 'That is good to hear. I am proud of you, Prussia.'"
A tear dripped down Gilbert's cheek.
"And from that day, although I am sad about things sometimes, I do not regret anything I have done. I know I did some bad things, but I also know that if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't be who I am today."
He set his beer down on the table and stood up, looking forlornly at Arthur.
"It is ok to be sad about losing them, but don't look back in sadness, my friend."
He smiled at Arthur, and then left, walking up the stairs to bed.
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Romano picked up the phone in the sunny afternoon in Valencia.
"Buongiorno, this is the household of Spain, how can I help you today?"
"Hello? Romano?"
Lovino narrowed his eyes, and it wasnt because of the sun.
"England?"
"... yes."
"What the fuck do you want, you douchebag?"
"I just want to talk to Antonio for a moment."
"Well what if I told you that he isn't here, would you hang up?"
Arthur seemed to pause on the other end of the line.
"Look, if he really isnt there, ask him to call me back."
"Why the fuck do you think he would want to call you back you-"
Footsteps sounded behind him.
"Lovi?" Antonio stepped out onto the balcony. "Who is that?"
Lovino rolled his eyes. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of something, you bastard."
"Hello? Are you still there?" Arthur's voice crackled through the phone.
"Roma, is that Arthur?"
"Why do you care?"
Antonio gave an exasperated sigh.
"Hand me the phone, Lovi."
"What? No! I was talking, bastard-"
"Romano."
Southern Italy sighed and pushed the phone into Toni's hand before stepping out of the way a bit.
"England?"
"Ah, Antonio. Thank you for picking up the phone."
He gave a light chuckle. Romano thought it sounded like water trickling down a stream.
"No problem, mi amigo. How are you holding up?"
A short pause. "It's been fine really. And you?"
Antonio looked over at Lovino standing in the warm sun and smiled. Lovino scowled back at him. "It's pretty good over here too." He lent against the balcony ledge.
"What can I do for you, Arthur?"
"I actually called, to say, sorry."
Antonio paused this time. "What?"
"It occurred to me that I never apologised properly for what happened, all that time ago. With your armada."
Spain said nothing.
"I realised that the event probably meant a great deal to you, and I have continually rubbed salt in that wound even after. I am sorry. I hope that you can forgive my rudeness towards the matter over the previous few centuries. I apologise and understand any, uh, emotional inconvenience, this might have caused. So, i'm sorry, Antonio."
"That- that really means a lot, Arthur." Antonio gave a breathy laugh. "Thank you."
"Not a problem. Goodbye, Antonio."
The phone beeped as Arthur hung up.
Antonio let his hands put the phone down on the ledge, feeling numb.
Romano stepped back up to him again, laughing a little.
"Did the idiot actually just apologize for something that happened, like, centuries ago? That's so stu-"
He stopped as he noticed Spain shaking, and the tears on his face.
"Hey hey hey hey hey." Romano took hold of his shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. He let him cry into his shoulder. He's normally taller than me, Lovino thought. But, whenever he is upset, he always seems to shrink. He sighed softly and stroked Antonio's back. Like he's caving in.
It took a few minutes before Antonio lifted his head up and wiped tears from his bright green eyes. He laughed a little guiltily at himself.
"Sorry Lovi, I guess I hadn't realised how much that ate at me for the past while."
"Its ok, he finally apologised for it now, so there's no need to worry any longer."
They stood for a minute or two, holding hands and looking over the city. Until Romano burst out laughing.
"Oh my God, did you hear that little British fuck though, that apology sounded so rehearsed, emotional inconvenience, ah ha, oh my God..."
The sun set with a warm glow as the two laughed on the balcony in Valencia.
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Boom. New, long chapter. Hope you enjoy this simpleton, and stay tuned for more feels.