Chapter Text
I don’t own Hetalia okay? I don’t have much to say here so enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Matteo pulled out a bottle of whiskey and 3 glasses, pouring one for each of them. He had ignored the stiletto knife Julius had sitting by him. He had no fear of some Italian with a knife. He had stormed many trenches and faced enough Germans that no Italian who was trying to hide his age. Canadians were some of the most feared in the war. This whole set up he had was what he started to keep his wife and fellow veterans well taken care of, with what they deserved and their governments were not giving them. “So, you have some competition do you?” Matteo asked.
“One could say that….” Julius said as he placed the tip of his knife on the table and twirled it around without a care, taking a sip of the Canadian whiskey he was given. “We have a feeling they are on the North side of Chicago.”
“You are my only Chicago client.” Matteo said. “Did you find a good spot to park your trucks?”
“Yes,” Julius said. “Your suggestion of a Wisconsin farmer who is having trouble with the banks was a good idea.” He said no more on the matter and all that happened.
“Well that’s good. I am here to make sure Canada and their fighting men get what they deserve.” Matteo said. “And if it is by getting alcohol to the Americans, so what.” Matteo looked at Julius. “Speaking of which, I am not running a charity here.” Julius raised his eyebrow in disbelief. “I am but not for you.”
“Of course” Julius said. “Certainly a 20th century Robin Hood.” He placed a large stack of bills on the table. “And Hood needs his fortune to give to the poor”
Matteo looked at him weirdly at the analogy and took the bills and counted them to make sure Julius was not cheating him. “It’s all good. We will have the inventory ready at the Veteran’s home in Sprauge in two weeks. Be there at midnight in two weeks.”
“Thank you.” Julius said.
“Vincent this is my brother Dylan.” Arthur said as he and Dylan walked up to an old man in a pharmacy shop. He was coughing into a handkerchief and looked over at Dylan as if to examine him and the messenger bag with bottle of Kentucky bourbon with “For medicinal use only” was sitting right on the labels, and with the rushed permits Alba had to sell it as medicinal, and the fact they were going to a pharmacy, no one would be any the wiser. “We had discussed how you were looking for an apprentice?”
“Ah yes….” Vincent said, a slight southern accent in his voice. “My own sons died in the wars and my only daughter ran off to California with some Mexican Vaccaro who she met at the stockyards all those years ago. Never spoken to me since.” He coughed some phlegm into the handkerchief. “So no kin of mine want this, and this is the smoothest talkin Brit I’d ever done seen.” He looked over at the bag Dylan was holding. “You got your tuition boy?”
“Here you go?” Dylan asked nervously pulling the bottles out of the bag.
“Gimmie.” He said grabbing the first one, uncorking it, taking a long drink. “That’s the stuff.” He smiled. “Not as good as if was before the ban, but you get by.” He said. “Can you cipher kid?”
“Cipher?” Dylan asked.
“Do math. Convert figures, that kind of thing.” Vincent said.
“Oh that! I actually was very good with that. I was a candidate for artillery before the war came to an end because of it actually.” Dylan explained. “But I was requested to help take care of mother, since most of my brothers were involved in the war effort.”
“Well you ain’t be needin that fancy trigonometry math just multiplying and dividing that kind of thing. Decimals and fractions….” Vincent said as he took a deep swig from the bottle. “I ain’t so good no more.” Dylan looked wide eyed and gulped. “That’s why your brother convinced me to take you on.”
“I believe it would be the best for both of us.” Arthur said. “You will have a brand new young apprentice that you can pass this legacy on to, and it gives my precious little brother a safe job.”
“Little…..” Dylan groaned under his breath. “You’re technically the baby of the family.”
“Yes, but I don’t have the baby-face of the family.” Arthur said. “Besides, this along with the bourbon got us a great way to help build that empire Julius has.” Dylan rolled his eyes and Arthur spoke up. “Well I must be going. I have a meeting with a local rabbi about a soup kitchen he is starting. It’s alarming the amount of people losing their jobs these days. Rabbi Felix asked me to help as I have the knowledge of how to get these things started with city hall and says I would be a great interfaith ambassador.”
Vincent and Dylan looked at him confused. “Whatever you say. If you can do math and read and follow directions, then you’re good here. I have a few orders to fill, so we’ll get started now. Now find the bottles I ask for and pour out the amounts I say.” Dylan looked over intently “That Feliciano boy keeps getting into trouble with the ladies….”
Arthur smirked at this, realizing that they may have access to information that they never thought they would. If this Feliciano was the one that was one of Julius’s grandsons, then the pharmacy would have their address since more likely than not, they would have something so embarrassing delivered to the house personally. It was not certainly something that Arthur had intended with getting Dylan on as an apprentice at that pharmacy, it may prove to be something that is of great use to them. It wasn’t likely they’d get that out of Alfred, while he may want to be rid of Julius so he and Lovina and their family would not be bothered by his business, he was also pretty tight lipped. Most of the stuff about his connections to Julius came from things Julius had posted in the newspaper about the wedding. Much was pieced together between what they knew and what Alfred had said to them. He looked at his pocket watch and seeing that he had about 2 hours before he had to meet up with Felix to set up his “charity”, feeling more and more disgusting that he chose the rabbi route to help supply them with alcohol, he decided to head home and see Amelia. She was able to quit her job and focus more on her singing and keeping their home up. It was an adjustment to her cooking, as he did miss some of the things from Britain that his mother had cooked, but Amelia’s food was still very hearty. And as much as he had hated to admit it, he was not very good at cooking himself. Alba had said that somehow cold rations were better than when he had did any cooking. When it was the 5 of them in a house cooking a meal at the same time, it was usually Patrick or Seamus who did the cooking as theirs was a little more tolerable than the rest. No matter what, Arthur had to admit that none of the brothers were that good at cooking, just some were less bad than others.
“Artie!” Amelia said as she opened the door as Arthur turned the knob, causing him to jump up in suprise. “How was your day?”
“Business as usual.” Arthur said. “Progress is made.”
“Where do you want the band to perform again?” Amelia asked. “Louis asked me to ask you.”
“Hmmm……” He paused knowing he needed to plan this. “I will need to speak with Felix, we need to lay low for a little bit in case Julius is watching us while Alfred is away.”
“Oh I heard from sources he and Lovina are in Miami until Julius finishes the house he’s giving them.” Arthur said as he put the kettle on. Amelia looked on him. “Well, I do hear things, at work, around when making deals that kind of thing my love.”
“Okay.” Amelia sighed.
“Don’t fret love.” Arthur said as he pulled her close. “I will make you mine and will give you everything you will ever want.”
“I want you.” Amelia said sternly. “The money is not what I need. I know your business is doing well, but….”
“But….” Arthur said as Amelia looked away.
“I cannot pretend I don’t hear what you say. I can’t not read the papers.” Amelia sighed. “I worry about you. I worry that you will find yourself on the wrong end of the wrong person. The cop on Julius’s payroll rather than yours. That the war will get violent. Heck I don’t want that for Alfred either even though I know he’s pretty much forced to be whatever Julius’s bidding is now.”
Arthur looked at Amelia as looked away and wiped away the tears from her face, the nightmares she had of what could happen to Arthur and the other friends she had made in the gang in the time. Stories of various mob wars in the papers scared her knowing that it was just a matter of time before it happened to Arthur knowing how other rivalries had went in other cities as well. But at the same time, she didn’t want to get in his way. He sighed and hugged her. “Amelia, your fears are rational.” Arthur sighed. “Each day when I go to work and especially when I have to be The Wulver, I put you first in my thoughts. I could never have wished for a more sweet woman than you are.” Amelia wiped her eyes and turned closer to him.
“Prove it.” She said.
“Pardon me?” Arthur said.
“Marry me.” She said. “I don’t care if we don’t have a ceremony like Julius had for Lovina and Alfred. I want to know you will be loyal to me forever no matter what happens.”
“Yes, I know what he gets into based on what Vincent says…..” Arthur said.
“Huh?” Amelia asked.
“The Pharmacist Dylan is studying under and will be inheriting his business, apparently fills medicine for the Vargas family. Some of the medicines show they like women….very much so….” Arthur said.
“So when you have his power, you’re going to just charm other girls with your accent?” Amelia said. “Am I not enough for you?”
“You are more than enough.” Arthur said.
“But you won’t marry me…..” Amelia said.
“I will.” Arthur said. “And I am sorry to make you think I cared otherwise. But I guess it’s like in war, the threat of death can accelerate love.” Amelia looked at him annoyed. “But even if I was still a meager city clerk, I would still be madly in love with you and marry you. But I have this drive. This desire to give you and my brothers the life we never had. And I guess, l got too wrapped up in it.” Amelia’s sobbing stopped and she looked at him with wet teary eyes. With this Arthur pushed her back and got down on one knee. “I suppose I should do this somewhat properly…..”
“Huh?” Amelia sighed.
“Amelia Francine Jones, will you marry me?” He asked.
“Of course Artie!” She said scooping him up and kissing him.
“I will have to get you a ring, but I am sure I wish you to bear the Kirkland name.” Arthur said.
“There you go acting like you’re some royal…” Amelia teased.
“Off topic, but I have been meaning to ask, are you related to Alfred?” Arthur said.
“Nope.” Amelia smiled. “Jones is a common last name.”
“I thought so, but I figured I’d ask since I had never before.” Arthur said. “And I must do this properly with a proper ring. And we will have a beautiful place of our own before I will wed you. Will my promise keep you happy until I can give you a house that you deserve?”
“I can. As long as you do not put me on the shelf.” Amelia said, wrapping her hands in his. “I am your fiancee not a doll.”
“Of course not.” Arthur said kissing her. “Tea is ready,” he said as the kettle whistled.
Alfred looked up at the moon with Lovina sleeping on his chest. The boat was their escape. Something that they had that was theirs and their peace in the world. At least we don’t have to hide the pregnancy when we get back… Alfred thought as he ran his hands through Lovina’s hair. I want our child to have Lovina’s pretty hair…. He thought looking at her. Lovina had fallen asleep a lot but he had assumed it was due to the pregnancy, something he was told by her that Helena said was a complication of pregnancy. “Maybe tomorrow, we’ll head back to land, this is too peaceful to not stay longer.” He said as he went back to sleep, drifting off to a dream of him, Lovina and their child on a sailboat with no one back in Chicago bothering them.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I do not have honestly much to say in the notes, so remember to read, well you just did and review. Ciao for now,
otherrealmwriter
aka
Realm.