What is... "Home"? (Hetalia Fanfic, Part 2)

Acts, Facades, and Reunions

"We can save money by doubling up," Alfred suggested. His idea was met with cautious agreements.

"I call a room with Kiku!" Yao called while struggling not to glance at Ivan. "They are doubles, aru?"

"Yeah, think so," Al replied.

We were all crushed in the hotel lobby, kind of a motley crew. Pairs were chosen and the keys to the rooms were given out. On his way past the desk, the receptionist complimented Arthur on his eyebrows.

"That's a great arch for your face shape, did you do that yourself?" she asked.

He shook his head in confusion. "No, miss, you must be mistaken." When he caught up with the rest of us, I peered at his face myself.

"Oh. My. God. They're... normal!"

"What?" he exclaimed, putting a hand to his forehead. "Who did this?"

Someone, whoever had done this, had plucked his eyebrows until they actually looked like a real person's.

"Whoa, he ain't Bushy Brows anymore!" Alfred said mirthfully.

"Oh, mon dieu!" Francis said. "Angleterre, your face!"

Arthur scowled grumpily. "Enough with this! I don't know how this happened, all right?"

Down the hall, Felyks snickered behind his hand and made sure the tweezers were still in his pocket before going into the room he and Toris were sharing.

A hand in mine tugged me along, away from the argument. Our door opened and we stepped inside. I smiled at Matthew when he let go and we became visible once more.

"Hey there," I said.

"That sounds familiar," he responded, also with a smile.

He hugged me then, I suppose it might have been thought of as brief but it carried on for a while. I rested my head on his chest and just breathed, feeling the facade I'd put up start to wear away. Could he tell that it hurt?

"Alice, you don't know how happy I am right now," he whispered, twisting left and right like rocking a child.

"Matthew..." I murmured as the tears built up. "Mattie... You don't know how much of it was an act."

Matthew blew out a puff of air and pressed his lips to the top of my head. "I think I do, actually."

It had been so hard to seem all cheerful and bubbly after all the horrors that had come knocking. I just wanted to curl up in a ball under the covers and sob until my eyes were liquified. Yet I couldn't do that, I didn't want to be the sad little victim in the rest of everyone's eyes. Being kidnapped in so many instances during such a short space of time was bad enough.

My arms went around his neck and Mattie just held me there, letting me cry. "I'm so sorry..."

~~~

"There are a couple of things I want to tell you, Alice," Mattie said as we laid under the covers together. It was close to 3 in the morning, and we were trying to fall asleep.

"Like what?" I replied, toying with my damp braid.

"Well... When Alfred, Francis, and I were leaving Martin's house about a week ago, I... saw a ghost."

That perked my interest. "A ghost? What did it look like?"

"She was tall and had really red hair, it was curly. When I looked over my shoulder and saw her standing on the porch, she smiled and mouthed "Thank you." Then we left."