Ideal Home II Countryhumans AU [USSR x UK]

C H A P T E R 12: Britain Wants To Hide

[Britain lore? Pog? Narrator's also gonna ramble about child rights and their mental health, so look out for that. Might be triggering cos of the mentions of divorce and its aftermaths when it comes to the kid... But hey, if you've come this far, then you knew that already lol ]

And today, we join what Britain's been getting up to these past few weeks in his world of isolation. Aside from locking himself in the master bedroom, he's been spending a lot of his time in his office. He barely leaves there during the day. Sometimes he ends up sleeping there instead as well. 

Nobody knows what he's doing there, neither does Britain himself. He's been working mindlessly. Talking to himself by writing long and mindless paragraphs on spare paper he has lying around. It's a waste of time and paper, but for some reason, it was relaxing to him.

He was always a very strange man after all.

He wrote everything he wanted to share to everyone on the papers and burnt it in a pile outside in the backyard. Then after he's done with that, the next day, he writes all his secrets again, and then burns the pile... And the next day, and the next day... And the next day. 

He always was a secretive man. He's got a lot more secrets than any being in this universe. He knows too much and that knowledge always breaks him inside. He always lies to everyone and only tells him what they want to hear. But sometimes, he can't avoid but sugarcoating damned situations or straight-up blocking it out of his memory and pretending that something else happened instead. 

 People hate him a lot. Throughout the years, because of his lying, it ended up with him becoming the black sheep of Europe... Pretty much even the world. When something goes wrong, it's always his fault. And again, when it happens, he makes up another lie. He hides the truth. He sugarcoats it. He pretends nothing has ever happened and continues to live his life like everything is alright. 

He always tries so hard to evade the fact that no matter how much he tries to run away, everything will always come back to him. Soviet finding out about his secret relationship with Third Reich was just one example from at least a hundred thousand other examples from the past. 

England the one who thought him to live like this. When he was very young, England took him away from the rest of their brothers. He wanted to stay with Scotland but England's manipulative ways proved successful for he ended up becoming Britain's guardian in the end. And all throughout his years, Britain grew up to be another copy of England. Gaslighted from birth, lying is the only one true language he knows.

You'd think he'd be numb to it by now, but losing Soviet to it is what's killing him the most. He sees Soviet going back to his usual habits. Though he's noticed that he's been drinking more than usual. Sometimes he becomes aggressive, but at least, the only thing he's hurting are the chairs and tables. Mere furniture is easy to replace after all. 

He misses him a lot, and wishes he knew a way to properly apologize. Not just a "I'm sorry for lying to you. I will never do it again, I promise.", like to how he tells almost practically everyone. But a sincere one. Straight from the soul. Let him know that he loves him so much... Especially more than that German bastard. 

And as he was contemplating with his thoughts yet again, he received a phone call. It was from America. He stared at the ringing phone for a few moments before deciding to pick it up and answer the call. He sighed, "Now's not the best time to be calling, Ame..."

"Why? Your tea gone sour? HAHAH... Anyway, is Bayani there? "

"He's... In his room. Why? You want to talk to him?"

" Not really. But I DID call 'cause I wanted to talk ABOUT him. "

"And that is?"

"Um, well... This may sound stupid as hell, but I actually kinda miss the little guy. I want to take him back. The contract states that I could still have him anyway. You still remember the contract, right? "

Britain immediately began looking through his folders while being on the phone. He pulled out a copy of the contract and scanned through its contents as America continued to explain. "Yeah, yeah... I do." He bit his lip and looked quite fazed. He lightly pushed the contract away and slouched back in his seat, putting a hand to his head as he feels another headache coming on. "When... When are you gonna pick him up?"

"Maybe tomorrow. "

"Already?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with that? "

" No... I just thought that it's a bit too soon... Y'know? "

" Well, it's not like I'm immediately gonna come over there. Still got a whole ocean to fly over. I might come there in the afternoon. "

Britain, truth be told, was not particularly listening at that part. He was thinking more of Bayani's well-being. So soon? The kid's gonna be stupefied... And of course, not in a good way. He couldn't help himself. He asked, "Haven't you ever thought about what Bayani's gonna think of this? "

" You're saying he doesn't wanna be with me anymore? "

" No, no. 'Course not. But... It's all so sudden, isn't it? " 

" Who cares. " America laughter echoed through from the phone. " Damn, what the hell's happened to you, old man? Why are you so soft? I remember the days when you could care less if the world's gonna burn tomorrow, but now you're caring so much for some dumb 8 year old... Anyway, I have work to do. See you tomorrow, Dad. "

" Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow, son... "

BEEP

Britain took a pause before he frowned with furrowed eyebrows and aggressively threw his phone across the room with a resounding thud. He continued to slouch down on  his swivel chair, feeling the effects of a horrible headache. "For fuck's sake... " He muttered under his breath as he continued to contemplate more about this. He has no use but to hand Bayani over. Though America doesn't even love him, though America looks and treats at his own young and developing offspring like some toy that you just reach for from the dusty shelf in the corner when you're bored and then throw him in a dark and cold box after you're done, though America could care less if he has broken limbs, sicknesses, and dies young... Britain would still have to bring Bayani back, even if it would clearly be against the poor child's own will. 

Even though Bayani is a real and breathing being, who has feelings and an already traumatized brain, he still doesn't get to have a say, doesn't he? He's going to be thrown away again. That's all he is to everyone. He's 8 years old. What rights does he have?! He's just a dumb child! He doesn't deserve to control his life! Divorced parents causes trauma to children? OH GOOD GOLLY- WELL ISN'T THAT FUNNY. You know why? CHILDREN DONT HAVE CONSCIOUSNESS. CHILDREN ARE DUMB. CHILDREN DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE FEELINGS AND SPEAK OUT ABOUT WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR PAIN AND TRAUMA.

And again, Britain finds himself in a situation where he'd have to lie his way through it all and possibly Bayani hating him for this and thinking he's one of the banes of his existence. He wondered too how Bayani was doing as he isolated himself in his room...

...Even though Britain knew he would feel so terrible about this, it was the right thing to do.