Out of the Grey XxEngland X Child!AmericaxX

His green eyes glanced over towards the calendar that rested on the wall beside his desk. He chuckled slightly, the dark humor filling the area around him. How he hated the days of July, especially the first week.

He leaned back and planted his black dress shoes on the desk, closing his eyes as he leaned back, relaxed. He sighed, the small smile swiped across his face. He opened his eyes once he heard a gentle knock on the door. There stood a little boy with golden blonde hair with an inflexible cowlick, blue oceanic eyes, and a bright gleaming smile. His heart sank, the smile becoming saddened. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Wanna play?” The child asked with a shiny smile. Arthur automatically recognized that childish voice, the childish smile. He recognized him. The child came up to him in his chair and grabbed his hand. “I’ve missed you.” He said as he rested his head on Arthur’s.

“W-W-what are you doing here?! Alfred, you’re not a child anymore!” Arthur hollered loudly, making Alfred flinch slightly.
Alfred pulled on his hand trying to make him get up from the chair.

“Artie, come on! I want to play!” Alfred went on. Arthur finally got up from the chair and led him to the storage room. Arthur cringed. “I want to play with the little toys you have. I know you have them, I remember them.” He said swinging the door open to have a dust storm blow up in his face. He coughed as he scratched his nose. “What happened?” Alfred said, sadness wasn’t hidden in his voice but dripping from it. Arthur looked down guiltily.

“Well… I had no one to play with for a while. So I didn’t come in here that often.” He rested his hand on his neck. Alfred smiled, wrapping his hands around Arthur waste and gave him a hug.

“It’s ok!” He reinsured. “But can we still play in there?” Alfred said with his eyes wide. Arthur shook his head as the blonde haired boy rushed in the room. He grabbed a box and sat it on the wooden floor as he dug through it, looking for something specifically.

He took out two toy men, shoving the other in Arthur’s hand. He sat on the ground, patting the ground for Arthur to sit as well. When he did, they started to play. “Mine’s name is going to be….” Alfred thought, putting his small index finger on his chin and squinted eyes towards the ceiling. Arthur chuckled.

“Well what’s your favorite name?” Arthur asked, smiling down at the child.

“I don’t know… hero? What’s the closest name that sort of sounds like hero?”  

“How about Hermione?” Arthur said, making Alfred burst into laughter.    

“Her hinny!? Is that what you said? Her hinny?” Alfred kept laughing then Arthur joined in too.

“No! Hermione.” Arthur laughed fiddling with the arms of the toy. Alfred turned his mouth into an ‘o’, making the noise along with it. “How about Alfred? That’s a pretty cool name.” Arthur said looking over at him. Alfred shook his head.

“Yeah! But not as cool as Artie! I’m going to call him Artie.” Alfred said, moving his toy over to Arthur’s. “What’s your middle name?” Alfred asked, but Arthur shook his head.

“Why don’t you give him your own?” Arthur asked, Alfred gleamed with an idea.

“Ok! Hello sir, I’m Artie Her Hinny Kirkland, at your service!” He said taking the arm and giving him a solute. Arthur chuckled.

“Hello Artie Her Hinny Kirkland, I’m Alfred Funny Jaons, at your service.” Arthur said back making Alfred giggle.

“Funny? That’s a weird middle name!”

“So is her hinny!” Arthur laughed setting his doll on the floor. Alfred followed, looking over at the mirror that sat behind Arthur. He pointed towards it. “What are you pointing at?” Arthur asked, turning around him. He saw the mirror and closed his eyes tightly, turning around quickly.

“Why do you have a mirror in here? You should bring it out, and I noticed there aren’t any mirrors in your house. Do you see yourself?” Alfred asked but Arthur shook his head.

“No reason, just leave it” Arthur said coldly, making Alfred tense up slightly.

“There’s a reason for everything. Tell me.”

“No.”

“Please.” Alfred begged, titling his head back with pleading eyes. Arthur rested his head in his hands, looking grumpy.

“No.”

“Please!” Arthur lifted his head.

“Fine! It’s because…” He hesitated. “I don’t like to look at myself.”

“Why?” ‘Cause you’re ugly?” Alfred asked making Arthur roll his eyes slightly.

“An ugly monster.” Arthur said under his breath. Alfred laughed.

“You’re not a monster! You’re silly.” Alfred said, but noticing the seriousness in Arthur’s body language, his hurt face and in his eyes. “Why do you think you’re a monster?” Alfred said, crawling closer to Arthur how looked in the palms of his hands.

“Because everyone leaves me… Am I really that bad where no one can love me?! I’m just so disgusted with myself I can’t even look at myself without getting sick to my stomach.” He confessed, raising his head up from his hands, looking at Alfred. Arthur let a tear fall. Alfred moved closer to his face, taking his thumb and smearing it away with his thumb. He then smiled.

“But you’re pretty! I love you, you know.” Alfred said as he sat in Arthur’s lap. Arthur wrapped his arms around his tiny waste and pulled his fragile frame into him more, resting his head on his shoulder as he let more tears fall.

“Then why’d you leave me?” He whispered softly.

“Because I wanted to be like you.” Alfred smiled. “I looked up to you, and I’m sure my grown up self still does too.” Alfred said kissing Arthur’s cheek. “I love you Artie!” He giggled while Arthur just pulled him in closer to him. Alfred took his hands and intertwined them with his.

“I love you too Alfred.” Arthur said as he cried more into his shoulder.
~
Green orbs fluttered open, cutting through the darkness of the room like a sharp knife. He sat up quickly, looking at his pale hands. He sniffled, feeling the tears starting to fall down his face, just like in his dream. He got up from his bed, opened the curtains to have the morning sun flood the room.
He walked down the stairs to his kitchen, putting water on the broiler to make his morning cup of tea. He then went outside to get the newspaper.

“Arthur!” He heard an enthusiastic voice; he looked up, seeing the American coming towards him with flowers. Arthur cringed slightly, seeing he had flowers.

“Yes?” Arthur said back as Alfred came up to him, holding the flowers out for him.

“Thank you for being there for me.” Alfred said wrapping his hands around Arthur, pulling in a hug. Alfred pulled away, seeing Arthur stunned.

“U-U-Um… Anytime.” He said as Alfred pushed the flowers in his hands.

“These are for you, well I got to go, and I’ll talk to you later!” He said as went back to his car.

Arthur took the flowers and newspaper inside, hearing his tea pot hiss. As he put everything on the table, got a bag of tea and poured the water in it. He sat down, breathing in a relaxing breath. He then thought of something; something he hasn’t done for a long time.

He ran to the storage room, rustling through the boxes in till he found what Alfred in his dream questioned him about. He took it with him and walked down the hallway and then turned into his room. Arthur placed a sheet over it and sat it in his room. He stood in front of it, and then pulled the sheet off.
Arthur looked in the mirror. He smiled, looking at his blemish free face, his thick eyebrows everyone teased him about, his smile that he had forgotten, and his piercing green eyes that made him mesmerized. Arthur wasn’t ashamed of who he was, because now he knew he was loved. He was capable of such a wonderful thing, and that made him smile even brighter.