"Surprised you aren't letting your thugs do your dirty work," Arthur jabbed as his brother swung at him, trotting out of the way to torment his brother.

It worked in Fishguard, it'll work here.

A smirk spread itself along his older brother's face as he swung again, this time making contact with Arthur's torn shoulder. A hiss escaped his lips as he stumbled back, preparing to deflect another one of his brother's blows.

"How naive, how naive," he tsked as Arthur swung, deflecting it off and shining the blade's reflection at Arthur: a bloody face and terrified green eyes met the blade's surface. "Doesn't this remind you of Liverpool?"

Clank.
Clank.
Clank.

Arthur felt his feet tumble to the ground as Scott swept his foot against Art's ankles, causing him to fall against the pavement. Scott's eyes remained neutral as a devious smirk drew itself as his foot pressed itself upon Arthur's precious blade and sent it flying into the murky waters.

"I told you that a pirate's best friend was his sword, Arthur," pressed Scott as he adjusted his black gloves covered in filth and grime. "But you never listen, do you?"

His words were jammed in his throat. He couldn't speak. His heart beat began to race in his ears louder and louder and louder the closer Scott stalked. He felt his back try to creep through the cracks of the brick wall to no avail. He was royally fucked.

"Your friends aren't looking so hot..." Scott murmured, kneeling down beside Arthur, forcing the blond brit to crane his neck to look in the direction of his friends. Their fighting was sloppy and slow as more and more individuals kept coming. And coming. And coming.

"Send them home, Arthur," he felt his older brother press his lips against his ear as his hot breath caused the young Kirkland to cringe. "I don't want to have to kill them too."

A shiver snaked down his spine as he heard Scott's knees crack as the male towered over him. "You're dying. Don't let them die as well."

"Call your guards off. Tell them to leave," Arthur muttered as he pressed his hand against his wound. "It should just be me and you. No one else." He felt himself grow weaker as the blood continued to gush out of his wounds.

Scott's eyes never drifted off at the emerald eyes of his younger brother until more eyes came upon them.

"What do you want us to do with them?" Arthur's eyes tore themselves away from his older brother to his beaten friends... Their swords were missing, their clothes ripped and bloody and Alfred... His right eye bruised.

"Send them away to the surface, don't let them come back," Scott ordered. "And don't you guys come back. Go to the pub. It's my treat."

"ARTHUR-!" Alfred tried to wiggle out of his captor's grip, only for a wretched scream to wither out of his mouth as Hooke slammed his fist as hard as humanly possible.

"Alfred," Arthur tried to stand, only for Scott to grab his bleeding shoulder, his fingers so close to the wound opening. He paused his ascend.

"I'll be okay. I promise. After this is all over, I demand to be invited to your trip with Kiku and Tony," he tried his hardest to not let his voice waiver; however, it failed. He didn't even notice until a warm liquid began to run down his scared cheeks.

Sniffles escaped the American's nose as he gave a swift nod. "There won't be room, we can just do something else. You, Kiku, Ludwig, Francis and I... Maybe a BBQ or something?"

"Is that the best you could think of?" Arthur scoffed, rolling his eyes as the American began to kick, only getting punched again. The guards began to move as Scott snapped his fingers, he was looking forward to finishing his baby brother off.

"Alfred- it was a joy to raise you and be around!" Arthur began to shout, causing the male to stop kicking. "I am so proud of you, you have become the strong individual I always knew you were."

"Arthur..." The American reached forward, only to be smacked. A soft noise that sounded like a cat being strangled left Alfred's bleeding mouth.

"And tell Francis.. I LOVE HIM-!" Arthur screamed from what was inside the darkest pit of hell inside him. He should've just told him sooner if it was going to turn out this way.

The guards began to leave, Alfred, Kiku and Ludwig began to get consumed by the crowd. His vision blurred as he turned back to Scott, who he didn't notice was in the murky water, fishing for something. That something was his shiny blade. He threw it onto the cement.

"I always imagined the ways I would kill you. Stone you? Yep. Sword fight? Yep. I never took you to be such a whiny bitch. Bummed me out so much that I want to wound you and leave you to bleed. I want the rats to finish you off."

Arthur grabbed for the blade, only for Scott to stomp upon his bloodied and bruised fingers. He held back a hiss behind clenched teeth.

"Did I SAY 'get up'? Didn't think so. Kinda sad you didn't come alone, I think that would have been much more fun." Scott raised his blade over Arthur, creating a shadow that consumed the male. He tried his best to yank his fingers out from underneath Scott's boot, only for the male to grind his fingers into the blade and the gravel the ground was made out of.

"Any last words?" Scott smirked as the Brit glanced up at his brother.

"Tell Francis, that I love him," he cried as the anger and fight that was in him from the beginning left in a tsunami of fear. A sickening smirk slid across his lips even further as he flicked grime off of his sword.

"I will tell him you died like a dog and kill him myself."

Sobs slowly unraveled themselves from Arthur's mouth as he turned towards the pavement. This was it. The end.

He brought everyone into it and if he didn't, he probably would have been dead a lot sooner.

"Aw, crying, really? Is life flashing before your eyes?" Mocked Scott as he raised his sword. "And I will smite the traitor and bring hell to the island of St. Pierre! My empire will rise!"

And down went the blade.

...

...

...

...

However, he didn't feel the sharpness of the blade collide with his soft flesh. His eyes flung up as he noticed a blade through his brother's abdomen. Blood sprayed itself onto his face as he watched his brother slowly kneel to the ground.

"Fuck you, cunt," he spat at Arthur, spit flinging itself onto his cheeks as he finally slid his fingers out from underneath his brother.

I'm going to need stitches... Maybe even more than stitches -

"Get up," the Frenchman demanded , his attention flung itself to Francis.

"How-" The Frenchman grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragging him up to his feet. He leaned against the Frenchman that craned over to look at Scott's withering body.

"You don't want to know how many guards I had to fuck to be here right now in one piece," Francis joked or joked? Kirkland wasn't sure.

"I'm just glad you're ..."

"Save your energy, wanker, you're gonna need it," The Frenchman hushed as the Brit instinctively placed his head upon Francis' shoulder. Everything began to fade in and out, his breathing felt hoarse... Did he really fight so flashy?

Francis' eyes veered off towards the heavy breathing male as Arthur collapsed onto his knees. "I'm so sorry, just leave me here..."

"And to the rats? No way!" Argued Francis as the Brit glanced up.

"You... Heard that? How much did you hear..." Francis crotchet to eye-level as a soft smile spread upon his face.

"I expected you to chase me."

"Well, I am an idiot, I didn't know."

"Not an idiot, mon Amie."

"Wanker?"

"Try again."

"Look," leveled Arthur as his panting grew heavier. "My wounds are going to kill me before I can even get the chance of guessing what I am." And just like that, he felt Francis' soft fingers unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt- his face growing brighter and brighter as Francis approached the bottom button.

"Don't worry," Francis flashed a smile. "When I worked at the bar, I had to patch up an old grump."

"Where were you when I was in Britain?" Scoffed the Brit as Francis gave a cute giggle.

"Chasing after a dream. A dream of sailing the ocean for a girl and being a pirate... I used to think I wanted to be a pirate but it kinda blows..."

Arthur only raised his eyebrows. He was so close to the male that he could...

"Why you looking at me like that~?" Teased Francis as redness sparked upon the male's pale complexion.

"Hey! I am not looking at you any differently from how I was!!" Argued Arthur as Francis stood up, extending his hand out towards Francis. He gripped it with his other hand as he was hoisted up.

The two began to walk towards the exit, his teeth began to chatter as a small breeze ruffled past them. Francis took off his jacket to hand over towards Arthur, who declined at first but ended up wearing it cause Francis insisted. Arthur couldn't help but gawk at Francis' exposed chest.

"Prideful in my body, don't stare." And his eyes snapped right back to being in front of them. Nobody was around, which Arthur thanked whatever god or goddess that allowed them a safe passage.

"So..." Arthur broke the silence as Francis swerved his head to gaze at the male. "Why did you come back for me?"

"You seriously haven't comprehended??" Scoffed the Frenchman as an exasperated sigh escaped his mouth.

"Do I always have to spill?"

"Yep, seems so."

"I've always had a crush on you, Arthur." His heart stopped beating in his chest. "I've been jealous, insecure, in love... I have gone through the motions."

Arthur didn't say anything as Francis started to hum. "I am glad my feelings are reciprocated." And the two finally made it towards the ladder.

It had felt like forever since Arthur had seen ACTUAL light, he glanced over at Francis and a small smile gathered the courage to show up on his face. He could tell that Francis was more excited then he was.

"You can go first."

"Aw, really?? Too kind! Merci!" Francis went towards the ladder, where the Brit let out a small sigh. He wasn't feeling much better... But worse.

Arthur grabbed the Frenchman by the wrist, spinning Francis around as he pressed the male against the ladder. "I meant every word, Francis." He pressed his forehead to the Frenchman and smashed their mouths together. He felt Francis' hands slid up against his cheeks as his own hands held the ladder behind him.

He pulled away and fell down into his outspread arms.

"FRANCIS!! ARTHUR!!" His neck craned to the sound of what he first thought as thunder. Nope. It was just Alfred. "HANG ON!"