USUK Oneshots (Hetalia) [Completed]

The Letter (Part Two)

(Author's Note: This is a part two of the chapter I posted earlier today. I wrote it as one chapter, but I felt it read better when it was separated like this, since the two parts are completely different. If you haven't, please read the first chapter of this, so it will make more sense. I hope you enjoy!)

Waking up the next morning, laying on the cold hardwood floor, Arthur took a minute to realize what had happened. He was laying in the broken remnants of the now empty bottle of alcohol, and his head was pounding so hard he thought it would explode. Then, with shaky vision, he saw a man across the room. In too much pain to do anything, he let out a strained mumble. The man looked over from the window he was sitting next to, and stood up. He walked closer to Arthur with a solemn yet concerned expression on his face. Once he got closer, Arthur recognized him as Alfred's half-brother, Matthew.

"H-how...?" Arthur managed to squeak out.

Matthew lifted up the spare key that Arthur kept hidden under the porch for emergencies.

Matthew then began to help Arthur with his hangover with medicine and even a few things his family had always done that they swore by. After a while, it was late afternoon by now, Arthur was feeling much better, though the ever present headache was still there. Matthew began to explain how sorry he was about Alfred. He was trying to playing it off that he wasn't grieving, but Arthur could see it. The way his eyes looked dull instead of the usual bright indigo color. The way his voice cracked slightly when he mentioned Alfred's name. The way his hands trembled lightly the whole time and with every sigh, he looked as if he was fighting off a sob.

After a long moment of silence, Matthew spoke up. "He really loved you, you know."

Arthur just sat in silence and looked down at his lap.

"You were all he ever talked about... Arthur this, Arthur that, I wish I could see Arthur again..." he said, his voice trembling. He sighed lightly to steady it. "The... The day before we went on the mission, he gave me that letter and told me that he would make it home, and tired to say it with absolute confidence, but he seemed to be hiding that he was unsure. He seemed so desperate though, he kept going on about a promise he made... I know it's not my business though, and-" Matthew stopped abruptly as he looked up to see Arthur softly crying. "I'm sorry, Matthew mumbled.

"N-no, it's quite alright," Arthur replied, wiping away the droplet that were streaming down his face as he let out a soft sniffle.

Eventually, Matthew left, and they both were left in a sadder state than when Matthew first came. Arthur didn't know what he could do anymore. He felt stuck. Without Alfred, he was nothing. And as much as he hated when people said this, this wasn't what Alfred would've wanted. He wouldn't have wanted his life to stop just for him. But it wasn't like that. Arthur's life was Alfred. So once he was gone, his life felt like it stopped.

The days dragged on. He got up, went to work, came home, ate whatever was edible in the fridge, drank to try to disguise the pain, and went to bed half drunk, only to repeat it all over. Nights were long and too quiet, days were short and without meaning. Arthur knew he needed to stop. While he wasn't the healthiest man in the world before, his health had plummeted since he first got the news about what happened to Alfred.

Although Alfred said he broke his side of the promise, which he could never blame him for, he realized he could still keep up his side of it. They had promised that once the war was over, they would be with each other forever. Alfred had promised to try his best to not get hurt or worse during the war, and Arthur promised to take care of himself.

Arthur decided to change. Alfred wouldn't have wanted that, and that was the truth. Arthur's life would never be the same, and he doubted he would ever find anyone who could fill the hole Alfred left, but he didn't want anyone to. He knew he would be forever changed and would never forget Alfred, and he was okay with that. And once he realized that, he realized that this was what would've made Alfred happier than anything.