"I really should go."
"You really should," Maria agreed with John as Venezuela brought in a medic tape.
Ecuador cleared his throat and Maria looked at him with a skeptical face. She didn't understand why Ecuador suddenly changed towards John.
He had saved him from France and would just ask his family members to leave John alone and not verbally attack him.
It was strange.
Alfred was quiet as he bandaged John. He was reeling over what Arthur had told him. He had disappointed him.
He had disappointed his father.
He wasn't even alive that long and he had already disappointed Arthur.
John felt so bad. He was causing all this commotion. "I'm sorry Alfred."
"So John," Comoros started, "Why exactly are you here?"
"I.... I.." He didn't really want to say, "Uh-"
"Give him some time Com," Ecuador spoke gently. "I promise we'll explain everything eventually."
"Ugh....." Diego sighed, "I am not looking forward to that."
John was only making eye contact with the floor, "For what it's worth. I just want everyone to know that I'm sorry."
"Your words mean nothing," Chile casually commented while stretching.
John sighed and looked back down to the floor. He winced as Venezuela touched his nose, trying to bandage it.
"I think it's broken," Comoros commented as she looked at it.
Uh oh. All the nations in the room were quiet.
John wasn't really a personification of anything anymore. He wasn't linked to the land anymore.
His injuries. They were take awhile to heal.
"That's gonna be a bitch to heal," Canada finally spoke.
"I deserve it," John sighed. He looked at Union, "Alfred please say something."
The door slammed open.
"Alright let me talk to that son of a-"
"Prussia! Language!!" Belgium cried from the hallway.
At seeing an angry Prussian, John whimpered and tried moving back. However, he winced and fell back. Knocking his head on the floor.
Was his wrist broken too?
"You!!" Prussia pointed his finger at John. "You really have some nerve coming he-"
"Prussia," Alfred finally spoke. He protectively got in front of John.
And Ecuador protectively got in front of him.
"Kid!! What the Hell!?! Why would you bring him here? Did you already forgive him!?! You already did, didn't you? I told you, you forgive too easily!"
Alfred sighed and looked down. "I've been told that all my life you know. I know in this day and age, it's hard to trust. I know you have to always watch out and over your shoulder."
The way he was speaking was so... so sad and almost defeated.
Prussia put his fist down and listened to what the young nation had to say.
"I just want to....." He sighed, "But if we're constantly being so skeptical and ignoring others... then how are we going to help the ones that need it? Do we ignore them to?" He asked, "Everyone's always been worried about me constantly being so helpful. I know I may not think everything through sometimes. But I also do rely on instinct. I do sense. I can tell when something's sketchy and something's not. I know we have to be careful out in the world. But we still need to be generous in it too."
"Even to those who've wronged you?" John hesitantly asked.
Alfred looked down and smiled. "Yeah."
Prussia just stared at him. He sighed and shook his head. He knew Alfred had a point. However, sometimes you couldn't take risks like that. The kid would learn, one day. The hard way.
And hopefully it wouldn't do too much damage to him.
Prussia crossed his arms, "You may be right to an extent.... but..."
"But?" Alfred asked.
Prussia gave him a.... not disappointed look. But a concerned one, he put a hand in Alfred's shoulder, "Just be careful. You're still young, haven't been as tainted as the rest of us..... yet."
The empire shook his head and left the room.
It was quiet in the room.
What Alfred had said did get everyone else thinking.
Venezuela turned back to John, she silently continued to bandage him.
Argentina sighed. He looked at John.... You know what? He still didn't like the guy.. but he would attempt to be more polite.
"Alfredo can I speak with you outside?" Colombia asked.
John started to shake nervously.
He looked at her and nodded. As the two started to walk out, Alfred stopped.
He couldn't just leave John here with the rest of their family. Well, he didn't know if his sister, Comoros would try anything. But the rest of them wouldn't hesitate.
"We won't kill him," Canada promised.
"I'll make sure of that," Ecuador nodded.
Alfred nodded a thanks to his cousin. He honestly had to say, Corisande was being way more merciful to John than the rest of their family.
Surprisingly even Venezuela wasn't trying anything. She would usually be one of the first.
He and Colombia stepped out.
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"Inglaterra, where's Francia?" Antonio asked Arthur.
"He went to go lie down in his room," Arthur repiled as he walked away for a bit to serve tea to his remaining guests.
"I'm so sorry about all this," He apologize, embarrassed at everything that had happened with John.
Damnit Alfred.
Finland gave an understanding smile, "It's quite alright. Things.. happen."
Netherlands and Sweden only nodded.
He checked on the Asian countries, seeing if they needed anything, China remarking that he's seen stranger events happen.
Belgium told him to go sit since he looked pretty exhausted but he politely declined and served her, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg tea.
He really was embarrassed.
He made his way back to Antonio. "I need to go back upstairs and talk to Alfred soon."
Spain looked out the window. "You know how he is. No matter how many of us disagree. He will still do what he thinks is right.....
No matter how wrong this is."
"He's not staying in this house. Not in my house!!" Arthur slammed his teapot on the counter. It thankfully didn't break but it did give off a startling noise.
He looked around at his guests who had jumped at the noise and flushed. Apologizing once more.
Antonio crossed his arms. "We both know Alfredo will not allow that-"
"I know. I know-"
"Arthur," Spain warned, "You are not kicking my son out of this house."
"Of course the bloody hell I'm not," He whisper yelled, "We just got him back after losing him. I'm not that daft Antonio..... I... However I will tell him that John is not staying here. He... he just can't."
Spain nodded he agreed with that. "We always worried about things like this happening to him. We-"
The sound of heavy footsteps made the two empires look up.
Prussia came into view, he took a seat near Liechtenstein and just sighed.
They saw Liechtenstein ask her brother what was wrong.
He told her something and then looked at Spain and Arthur, "Can I get a whiskey or something over here?!"
"It's too early Gilbert!" Arthur called.
"And?"
Spain got his friend a drink. Morning drinking... good times.
As he passed it to Prussia. His friend commented, "Let me tell you, that kid of yours.... where does he get his heart from? He's too-"
"Trusting, we know," Spain spoke.
It was only a matter of time until that backfired.
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"Are you sure this is what you want to do? Are you sure that this won't blow up in your face?" Colombia asked.
"I know it won't," He promised, "You guys don't understand, that John. He's not the same."
"But after everything he's done to you-"
"He's changed, why does no one believe that?"
"Maska, even though he's not the same. He killed you, that hurt us. All of us. We can't just let that go, we won't. " She rubbed her younger cousin's cheek. "Try and understand it from our perspective, that's all. We'll try and respect your decision and keep ourselves from acting out against him in one way or another but there's no guarantee."
He sighed but nodded. At least it wasn't like she was lying to him.
"Okay," he nodded, "But I'll show you guys. He's changed. I swear it. He's not the same guy who killed me or abused the states and territories. I'll show you guys."
Colombia gave him a soft smile. She didn't really believe her primito but she knew he would anything he put his heart too. "Okay," She nodded and kissed his cheek.
Alfred watched his older cousin walk back into the room.
He sighed. He knew he was doing the right thing. Why couldn't anyone else see that?
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