Once Upon A Time | A Hetalia x Reader

Ch 8: Cemetery

[ REVISED ]

I searched the cemetery in hopes of finding a certain blonde-haired male. Arthur led me to him after moments of waiting. He supposed that my attempt in the search would end nowhere.

Alfred was quite far off from where I was searching, and it was no doubt for Arthur to assume that it was better off to stop me before I used up even more of my time. 

Seeing Alfred talking to what looked like a tombstone instantly made me disinclined to intervene. I felt as if it would have been rude of me to say anything when Alfred was already preoccupied with his intended purpose of being here.

But this sinking feeling in my heart was too strong of a burden to shake off. The feeling was undoubtedly concerning, knowing that if I were to feel such empathy, it must be even worse for Alfred himself.

"Mum. I'm sorry." I managed to hear Alfred say. He continued to apologize, again and again, as if he were overwhelmed with this guilt that even I didn't expect for him to carry.

"(Name), love, stay here for a moment." Arthur whispered to me, before walking towards Alfred. I noticed his hesitance when he lifted his hand to place on Alfred's back.

"This is all my fault."

"No, Alfred, it's not. None of this was your fault. Things happen in life, things that no one could have stopped."

Alfred visibly trembled as he seemed to recollect his thoughts. "Did she ... die peacefully?"

"Yes. She died peacefully, Alfred."

By then they conversed, but in a way where for me it looked as though they were inaudibly parting and closing their lips to form words that I couldn't comprehend. 

At first Alfred didn't seem to take notice of my presence, until Arthur glanced my way. Alfred turned towards me, and his shock instantly flushed upon his features. I only stood still, unable to say or do anything.

"I'm sorry that you had to see me like this." Alfred uttered, unable to mask the low-toned and dreary voice that he had embraced.

"There's no need to apologize. It's human to cry over the loss of a loved one, or a person you've cared about."

"No, I ... you didn't need to come here to see it. I'm sorry that I made you worry, and-"

With a benevolent simper, I shook my head, as if to tell him, 'There's no need to apologize.' He didn't continue to say anything afterwards, and averted his gaze elsewhere. I believed that I could've said something else, to relieve his woe; though I asked what the person meant to him, and he immediately looked back at me and began to speak words that almost felt like it came from a fairy tale.

"There was once a time when a family of only two, a mother and her son, were willing to treat me as their own kin. Their own sibling, a family. My mum used to treat us kindly, and knew how to raise us both very well. We were taught some manners, and I happened to open up to them. I became a happy, buoyant young child, back then.

My mum loved to cook us meals, but she'd never teach us how. My mum also encouraged to let us weave story tales or create magical worlds from the back of our heads. Arthur took that quite seriously, actually. His imaginary friends were treated as though they were real-"

"-They are real, you dimwit!-"

"-Anyhow, she truly felt like the best mother a kin could ever have."

I felt a light and fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach. "She must have been beautiful. Both within herself, and out."

Alfred beamed. "She was. I just wished that I spent more time with her."
Saying such words made his expressions falter. He hesitantly glanced at the grave, making me wonder if he was contemplating about her death.

"Alfred, no one is at fault here, please do take note in that." Arthur whispered, sincere and genuine. "She died of illness. But no matter where she is now, I'm sure she's proud of what you've done over the course of these years you've been absent, and perhaps she's willing to look after you and guide you along your journey. Let's accept that she's of a better place now."

It took a while for Alfred to finally agree.

A gush of wind pushed on, instantly causing me to notice the cold and chilly air surrounding us. I took a few seconds to turn my head from left to right, but I realized that I was almost as blind as a bat around this area.

"Night is approaching. I believe this is our cue to leave." Alfred sighed, taking one last glance towards the tombstone and stood beside me.

I looked towards Arthur and grinned. "We'll be sure to visit you again, alright?"

"I'll most certainly look forward to such an occasion, love."

With that in mind, I turned my heel and began to walk away into the deep darkness of the night with Alfred, beginning to become enveloped in its hold as if it were capable of holding me in forever. 

But no matter what, I was quite content. There was no fear present within me, I believe, because I knew that there was someone who could understand what I'm going through, who is willing to help me as much as I am willing to help them.

-=-

"Love is like a flower. It births, then blooms. If taken care of well, they stand out. If not, the flower wilts and dies out."