The England Experiment

Oh, I just remembered!

"Stop tapping," Matthew snapped. "It's making me antsy. And annoyed."

Alfred sighed and stilled his foot, glancing around the crowded airport for the millionth time this past minute. 

"Sorry. I'm just nervous." Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Wow, really?!" but he dropped the sarcasm as Alfred gave him a sad look. "Look, there is nothing to even worry about. You're just nervous about revisiting your past. And that isn't going to happen, otherwise we wouldn't be here." Alfred heaved another sigh and closed his eyes, drumming his foot on the ground. 

"I know. But still..."

"Stop tapping!"

"I'm sorry!"

They waited another ten minutes and forty-seven seconds, Alfred was counting, before a voice made him freeze.

"America? Canada?"

Arthur stood still, a few meters away from them. He wasn't wearing the eye-patch anymore, and his usual waistcoat was pulled over a crisp white shirt. He looked shocked to actually see them, as if he didn't recognise them for a moment.

"Dad?" Alfred breathed, and Arthur smiled a little nervously at him.

"It's me. Sorry I had to keep you waiting for so long." Alfred ran to him and threw his arms over his shoulders, biting his lip to keep it from trembling. Arthur chuckled and hugged him tightly. 

"I missed you," Alfred said into his shoulder, and Arthur sighed.

"So have I," he replied quietly. He broke the hug to look at Alfred's face, a soft smile on his lips as he brushed away tears that had begun to roll over his cheeks with a thumb. "Come now, don't cry. You aren't children anymore." Alfred blinked and Arthur smirked. "Yes, I was talking to both of you. Get over here, Canada."

Matthew was standing were he had been before, staring at them and letting tears fall to the airport floor. But he walked over into Arthur's arms and Arthur chuckled. "Honestly, it's like you two haven't grown at all," he said quietly, rubbing Matthew's back.

_________________________

Francis sighed as Arthur read through book after book.

"Ring the right bells, mon cher?" he asked with a yawn and Arthur shook his head. 

"No. This wasn't it."

Arthur was insisting that he was still forgetting something. Francis thought that he was back to normal, and the more he tried to find it, the more it seemed like it. But it was never enough; Arthur worked tirelessly to search for something that he couldn't even describe.

"I'm not sure," he had said. "It might be an experience that I haven't remembered. I don't know. All I know is that something is missing." Francis had smiled warmly, focusing instead on draping that scarf over his shoulders in the exact right position. 

"Then we'll make sure to find it, Angleterre," he had replied. 

But at this point it seemed hopeless. And he was not bothering to stay up another long night reading his boring newspaper as he watched Arthur search tirelessly. 

"Right; désolé mon cher, but I'm leaving. And," he stood up and walked over to Arthur, picking the bottle of red wine from the table, "I'm taking this with me."

"Oi!" Arthur complained, and Francis just smirked.

"I know you don't even like this enough to finish it. I'm just taking the burden off your shoulders~" He opened the door of the living room and sauntered through it. "I'll be in my room if you desperately need me, mon cher." 

Francis closed his eyes and lent against the railing, breathing in the cold night air on the balcony. Ludwig's house was very lovely, but this had quickly become his favourite place. It reminded him of the terraces in Paris. 

He hummed softly, some song in French that he couldn't remember all the words to, and slowly swilled the wine around a delicate crystal glass. But his atmosphere was shattered as his bedroom door was slammed open. 

"Francis!" Arthur yelled suddenly, and he startled; yelping with surprise and nearly dropping his glass. 

"Jesus Christ, Arthur!" he gave a long sigh, putting a hand to his heart and glaring at him. "You are going to give me a heart attack some day! What do you want?" he snapped. "You have better remembered that thing, otherwise I don't want to hear it."

Arthur just walked over quickly, stepping out onto the balcony. 

"No! That's the thing! It wasn't something I couldn't remember, it was something that I hadn't even realised yet!"

Francis's stomach turned nervously as Arthur's eyes shone. 

"That's very vague..." he mumbled, but shut up quickly as Arthur cupped his face, reached up, and kissed him.

Francis reddened and melted into it, speechless when Arthur broke it to look up at him. A smile played on the Brit's lips, and those emerald eyes sparkled.

"Francis. I had forgotten to tell you that I love you."

__________________

This is the end of The England Experiment.

I would like to thank every reader, and the friends I have made along the way for pushing me to finish this. I never imagined that this little passion project would become such a success, with so many reads. It's crazy!!! I could never have finished it if it was not for the support and love this ended up getting, so thank you guys so so much. 

I love you all, I hope you liked it, and remember to drink water.

-Aiza

(If you like my work then pls check out my other stuff-)