A Million Voices [UsUk]

Fate

After the wonderful visit to the pub, and Gilbert's lovely presents, Elizabeta decided to visit Alfred at his apartment and wish him merry Christmas. She brought along a pack of sweets as just a small present until evening came and they all exchanged their presents for each other. Only Gilbert wanted to hurry and bring them his gifts to the pub already. The Hungarian didn't mind, though. She adored the small sword, and it made her heart melt at what he engraved onto its handle.

Approaching Alfred's apartment with the pack of sweets, she knocked a couple of times - though, she didn't expect him to open the door at all.

But he actually did.

Alfred opened the apartment door slowly, giving Elizabeta a small wave, but he didn't smile at all. "Merry Christmas." He said in a monotone voice which lacked joy and his usual enthusiasm.
He looked like a complete broken mess: unwashed sweatpants, a plain grey sweater, his hair an utter disaster of messy blond curls, and his glasses not standing too straight. His eyes were a bit red, which indicated that he had already been crying that Christmas morning.

"Merry Christmas, Alfred!" She stepped into the apartment after taking a second to eye him from top to bottom, embracing him into a hug which he tried to fight back, but failed to do so.

He huffed in irritation and pushed Elizabeta away after a few seconds of hugging.

"How are you?" She asked him, and he just shrugged his shoulders as a response.

"Good." Alfred muttered almost inaudibly, which was a total lie. He did not feel well the slightest. He missed Arthur and wanted today to be their first Christmas together.

Elizabeta sighed and lead Alfred to sit down on the couch, which he obediently did, and she sat next to him, passing him the pack of sweets. "Here. This might cheer you up a little."

"Thanks." He let a small smile form in the corner of his lips as he took the packaging, examining it. "These are my favourite."

"I know they are." She chuckled a little and made herself comfortable on the couch. "So, what have you been doing today?"

Alfred sighed, crossing his arms after fixing up his glasses a little. "Nothing, really."  He muttered.
Elizabeta scooted closer to him, smiling a little. She was happy he was at least trying to speak a little.

It was a small step, but she was satisfied. A few weeks ago, he didn't even talk. He just yelled or cried. So having at least a slightly more reasonable conversation with him was actually big step forwards.

"Are you going to Francis' Christmas party tonight? We'll be there too." She asked casually, and he shook his head in disapproval. "No way." He frowned in response.

"Why not?"

"Arthur won't be there."

Elizabeta sighed, feeling hopeless on a brief second. "Alfred, you can't let the thought of him blind you entirely for the rest of your life."

"Yes, I can." He huffed and mumbled, looking down.

"But at what cost? Alfred. Listen to me carefully. Everything in life happens for a reason. You have to think positively, and never let anything bring you down. Whatever happens, stay strong and fight it because you can do it. Never let yourself be broken or pressed down by negativity and sorrow. There is light at the end of every tunnel, do you know that, Alfred? Even at night, there will be stars which will lead your way. We all belong in one of those stars, and we all have a star of our own. Once, you will meet yours. Just remember. Everything is meant to happen. It's fate. And you are Alfred Jones, for god's sake! You're strong and brave, you're a hero." She spoke so eagerly, with fire in her voice, and got so taken away that she didn't even notice the tears which began rolling down her bright red cheeks.

Alfred seemed taken back. He stared at her helplessly for a long minute, not saying a single word. Her words... They were really something. They touched him deeply, and he had no idea how to reply to them. It was something different. Something that he had never heard before.

Everything in life happens with a reason.

Even at night, there will be stars which will lead your way.

Everything is meant to happen. It's fate.

You're strong and brave, you're a hero.

The words echoed in the American's mind, and all he was able to say was a weak mutter of something incoherent. 

"E-elizabeta... I'm... I'm so sorry..." He whispered in a shaky voice and buried his face in her shirt, silently crying as she embraced him completely and tightly, fighting back the remaining tears that were threatening to spill.

"No need to apologise, Alfred." She weakly smiled through the tears and sniffled slightly, chuckling in her mind at her own words.

I meant it. Every word that I said to him, I meant it fully.
He really is a hero.

He deserves better than fate has served him.

"I was so selfish..." He cried into her shirt. "I... I never realized h-how much you a-all care... A-and I was blinded by everything..." Alfred kept whispering in an unsteady tone.

Elizabeta was shook by his words. Maybe he really was getting better?
I'm happy for him.

Maybe this Christmas won't be that sorrowful after all.

"Alfred, you weren't selfish. What you went through was difficult. It still is. But it's good to know that you won't always focus your mind on it. Now, you should take some of these sweets. You've gotten thinner, and you know, sugar always helps." She gave a small chuckle and brought his chin up to look at her.
His blue eyes were full of tears, but it felt like... It felt like the clouds have gone away. At least slightly.

Maybe that was all he needed. A few words of encouragement.

I will never understand life. I will never understand the plans fate has for each person on this planet.

But the most we can do is live, and fight until the last breath.

We'll make the most of it.

Maybe this is Alfred's fate, but he gave into it. He didn't fight it.

Perhaps my words gave him a realization that he has to fight.

Maybe this is a Christmas miracle.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N

Fate is very confusing.

A few days ago, my friends ditched me for god knows which time, and I decided to not wait for them because I didn't know what the time was and I just didn't want to be a fool and wait until 12 PM.

I had no idea what the time was, and I was wandering the town's stone streets alone in the dark. I was too shy to ask what the time was.

Suddenly, a person was walking past me with a child, and she got out her phone, and right on cue as I wanted to approach her and ask what the time was, she recited out loud: 10:39 PM.

I was at the right place in the right time.

Then I began to wonder... If I came there four seconds later, or if I stayed waiting for my friends, I would have not found out what the time was, nor would I take a walk through the city.
It was a question of small moments, seconds.

It was clearly fate.

If I found my friends, like I did the other day when they ditched me and I took the walk by myself, then that would be my fate.

But I didn't find them. I found... Time.

Maybe I overthink things, or this is just confusing, but... I don't know. I'm lost sometimes.
I shouldn't be left alone with my own thoughts.

Thanks for reading!