Hetalia One-Shots

UsUk : Chasing Freedom

The sun had barely begun to show its bright presence, yet so many people were already up and about, bustling around with their tasks in mind. At dawn, the cattle must be taken out to the fields for the day. During that time, the stables have to be cleaned and filled with fresh hay for when the animals come back. Two neighboring farms had such a routine except one was in the bovine business whereas the other handled horses. Each estate had many children who all worked around the farm before going to school.

That morning, like every morning before, the eldest of the Kirkland holding, a determined fifteen-year-old boy, was shoveling hay from the barn into a wheelbarrow. He pushed the cart from the hay barn to the horse stables, lowering it in front of the building. The horses had already been let out by his father so he needed to sweep out half of the boxes and fill them with new hay. Picking up a broom from against the wall, the teenager went to work.

After an hour of hard labor, Arthur was done with his part of the stables. He set his tools aside in satisfaction then ran off to the main household. Inside, he washed his hands and face in a hurry. His siblings had already left for school, leaving his book bag waiting alone by the door. In addition to his school material, he had a bag with his clean clothes inside. Since he was running to and fro the schoolhouse, he could not risk dirtying his outfit, therefore he wore short overalls with an old shirt for the morning labor and the walk before changing into his proper outfit once at school. With both his bags swung over his shoulders, Arthur ran out the house to the neighbors' farm, which was about fifteen minutes away and on the way to school.

The fourteen-year-old son of the Jones family was waiting against a wooden fence, looking out to the vast field of wild grass stretching out behind his family's farmhouse. Both teenagers were in the same grade and had decided to go to school together, thus Alfred often waited for Arthur so they could walk the remaining ten minutes in each other's company. The older blond finally reached the Jones estate and jogged up to his friend. The latter was clearly daydreaming as his head rested peacefully against his crossed arms, propped against the fence.

"Hey Alfie," called Arthur.

"Hey Artie," replied the solemn teenager without budging.

His friend nudged him with his elbow. "Come on, we'll be late if we keep idling."

Alfred kept his gaze glued onto the scenery in front of him, readjusting his glasses that were sliding down his nose. He pushed himself up then straddled the fence, holding it between his legs. With a passionate grin he pointed to the horizon.

"One day I'll be all the way over there instead of having to go to school everyday. I'll be the one herding the cows, not my older brother."

"Yes, well, that day is not today so get down from there," replied Arthur as he grabbed the blond's arm. He pulled Alfred down, throwing him over his shoulder then carrying him away from the fence before setting him down. "Take your bag and let's go."

"Oh darn, I forgot it in the barn!"

Arthur groaned. He rolled his eyes then headed toward the wooden structure while beckoning his friend to follow. "Let's hurry up and get it."

They trotted over to the barn and searched the stalls. A few cats were scurrying through the fresh hay, probably chasing field mice. After two minutes of looking around, Alfred finally found his school bag.

"Alright, I got it," cheered the blue-eyed blond.

"You really could have done a better job, you know," commented Arthur as he skeptically observed the state of the stables. The hay stacks were carelessly scattered over the floor and a lot of mud covered the ground. It almost looked like no one had cleaned them since the day before.

Alfred threw his bag over one shoulder with a disgruntled huff. "Hey, I did the job didn't I?"

The older teenager rolled his eyes. He led the way to a path between fields that joined the main road. Both boys walked hip to hip, staring out to the pastures around them.

"I really want to be out there, Artie," said Alfred as he gazed longingly at the swaying grasslands. "Once I finish school next year, Poppa said he would let me take out the cattle everyday. I'm going to be the best darn cowboy this town is ever gonna see, I swear it."

"I know you will," smiled Arthur. "That's why you need to do better at your stable-cleaning job, otherwise your dad is not going to let you take care of the entire herd. You need to show responsibility."

The blond's shoulders slumped. "I know, you're right," he sighed. "But it's just not as fun. Just imagine riding your horse through those fields while the sun shines all over the world, and imagine just being free from everything. It's just you and your horse, and your herd. Doesn't that sound amazing? Don't you want that?"

The scenery Alfred described was enthralling; it awakened a feeling of warmth in Arthur's chest. The way the blond spoke of his dream was endearing, especially since his face would light up and his eyes would beam with the enchanting possibilities contained in the future. Just watching him so gleeful made Arthur giddy, spreading admiration across his features. Despite the appeal of Alfred's description, Arthur had never particularly wanted to be the one to roam across the plains while herding the horses; he preferred indoor activities like handling the farm's finances, something which he had been learning with his father since he was twelve. As the eldest of the Kirkland family, he was expected to take over the business once his father would retire, and this was a vocation he would gladly pursue. The green-eyed teenager glanced over to his friend with a strained face.

"I– uh, no, I never really..."

Alfred pursed his lips and nodded. "Right."

The dejection in Alfred's voice pierced Arthur's heart. He kicked the the dirt under his shoes while contemplating his options. Not bearing to see his friend so disappointed, he thought of a solution.

"If... if I did become a herder, could I still work on financial stuff with my father?"

"I don't see why not... you could work with him when you get back from the fields."

Arthur pondered briefly as his heart pounded in his chest. After taking a deep breath to gather his words and courage, he said, "I'll consider it, but only if you promise me we'll meet everyday between both our lands, and that we'll ride together while the cattle graze. You have to promise me you'll take me with you on your adventures."

Alfred whipped his head up with a blinding smile. He gripped both of Arthur's shoulders and shouted, "Yes! Exactly! That's what I want– yes, but I didn't know how to ask you... I– I don't want freedom if it's not with you."

Both their faces became red with timid tenderness. They stared in each other's eyes with young devotion brimming from their soft smiles. Without much thought, Arthur pulled Alfred into a heartfelt embrace, which the younger blond eagerly returned. Soon after, Arthur leaned back and readjusted the bag over his shoulder.

"We, uh... we should– are going to be late," stammered the green-eyed teenager.

"Yes, right, let's hurry," replied Alfred, pushing his glasses up his nose.

They picked up the pace and crossed through the last wheat field before arriving at the outskirts of the town. The school was a few blocks away, but its bell could be heard ringing from where the two teenagers were. They quickly ran to the small wooden building where many children where bustling around. Alfred helped Arthur change his clothes behind some bushes enclosing the schoolhouse by shielding him from any unwanted stares. Once properly dressed for learning, the green-eyed blond followed his friend to the schoolyard, their hands casually brushing against one another until they were seated.