A Bought Boyfriend (USUK)

Chapter 6: I Swear

Matthew squirmed underneath the pressure of a knife, his pale skin completely matching the snow. Crimson red blood seeped out of his now parted pieces of skin, and cried out, begging for help from anywhere nearby. The girl standing behind Natalia was terrified, forced to hold the whip in her sweaty palms. His glasses fell off, and his face was shoved into the wall, nose making a disgustingly loud snapping noise. His pupils dilated, and he fell to his knees, hands bound to the wall. The chains were already making their imprints in his wrists, already swollen with the colors of the sky at midnight.

The princess dropped the knife, spitting ontop of Matthew's head. She uttered absolute hatred things to him, and then the clicks of heels were heard. The door shut, and he was illuminated in absolute darkness. Finally, he ducked his head down, beginning to sob onto the stone floor, screaming as loud as he could. 

He felt like such a failure. Matthew had been so easily kidnapped, knowing a war was slipping up to the surface and he would've been a major part of it. But yet, he couldn't deal with this simple deal of caged areas, unable to move around or even breathe correctly. 

It's all my fault.

~~~~

"You're free to go." Natalia opened the door of his imprisonment, and he quirked an eyebrow. She noticed his hesitating, and rolled her eyes. "You're going to do things for me before I snap your neck." 

"I'm not doing anything for you!" Alfred hissed defensively, already in position to fight. "I'd rather rot here."

"Fine, then Matthew dies." She shrugged, pulling the door and he stopped her, finally understanding that his brother was indeed in danger of her. He imagined his brother sitting there, begging for mercy and forgiveness when she would wedge yet another knife into his torso. He'd die slow, of the burst in his artery when she finally struck the area just perfectly.

"We compromise."

"You do what I say." The blonde twirled a pistol in her hand, aiming and cocking it. Alfred flinched.

"Fine, what do I do?" 

"You're going to confess that you and Arthur's relationship was a fake." Natalia snickered. "Or wait... You have to push Arthur to the point of suicide. That will do much better. Awww, but what about poor little Peter? Yes, he'll be lovingly adopted by me-"

"Who's Peter? And I'm not letting Arthur die! No way!" Alfred went to grab her wrist, her reflexes much more advanced than his, so she twisted, close to making his whole hand upside down. "Okay okay okay!"

"You have to swear."

"I... I swear..."

~~~~

"Alfred!" Arthur bolted to the Prince he had missed so badly, and felt the warm breath of Alfred tickle his ear gently. "Thank god you're okay... I was so worried about you... What happened? Where's Matthew?" Arthur asked, still keeping his head on Alfred's shoulder.

The Prince of Amin nodded towards their bedroom door, letting it be a signal they talk in private. "Meet me there in about 10 minutes... I have to find Gwen and Garth." Alfred pecked Arthur's temple, a bit off, sad, and distant.

Respecting his decision, Arthur went into their bedroom, and snapped back into reality. Since when did he take orders from Alfred? Why was he suddenly so shut mouth and giddy like a school girl. He facepalmed, shaking his head a little when their door opened. 

"Pack your stuff." Alfred smiled a little depressingly. "We're going to Tapait."

"What? Alfred, you just got back, you need rest." Arthur's neck heated up. "N-Not like I actually care all that much is that um-"

"I'm not stupid, Arthur. You've been depressed. Your eyes are dark, you probably haven't been sleeping well lately... And you're pale, as well as Gwen telling me that you have been throwing up in the middle of the night in guilt." Alfred pulled Arthur into a hug, planting a soft kiss on the other's lips. Arthur was a bit taken aback, not thinking Alfred would kiss him when they were alone.

Stop it Arthur! Bad!

While Arthur argued with himself, he realized that Alfred had already began packing, hurriedly placing folded clothes into suitcases. "We'll be gone for a few weeks, is that okay?"

"W-wait how long? And Peter he-"

"Who's Peter?" Alfred repeated the question almost immediately, a bit too quick. 

"M-My younger brother, but that's not the point, his birthday is this week and I can't miss it." Arthur stood his ground, not moving.

"Arthur you will goddamn listen to me. We're all in danger and if we don't go now, you'll be slaughtered. Me as well. Your little brother's birthday isn't important when your life is on the line, am I clear?" Alfred yelled a bit, making Arthur take a step back.

"Alfred, this is insane, you can't just ship me off and carry me like luggage everywhere with you!" The East Amin hollered back at the Prince, unafraid now.

"I am paying you, aren't I? I can just let you go out there and be assassinated in broad daylight but I can't because I l- care a lot about you! I don't want you to die. And I suggest you listen to me if you actually want to live." Alfred grabbed Arthur's shoulders, trying to convince him with all his might. "We leave in an hour, so get packing."

Arthur did just that. He sped over to the suitcases, slamming all of his items in the smaller case, putting Alfred's in another with tears at his glimmering green eyes. He kept telling himself it wasn't true, that Alfred was just freaking out and paranoid. He honestly wished that Alfred would relax before going to a new place after being kidnapped. Finally, Arthur composed himself, writing a note and putting it an envelope. He slipped it into the machine, knowing his card and letter to Peter would be delivered immediately. 

As he went down the hallway with the cases long gone and to the car, he repeated a few words to himself.

Just suck it up and go with it.