Polar Opposites Ch 03 FACE

Polar Opposites
By Robin Gurl
Chapter 3

(Here is chapter 3! I tried to focus more on Matt and I hope I did ok with him. Um, this is a FACE fic but purely for the family aspect. If any yaoi does pop out of it, it will most likely (99.99999%) be UK/US and/or Franada. This isn't and nor will it be FrUk. You can imagine it to be if ya want, but it wasn't written that way.)

NOTE: Since one of my chapters last time had a formatting mix up, let me know if the quotation marks start disappearing all over the entire chapter. O.O It happened with Russian Roulette and I didn't know it until I got literally screamed at (very rudely I might add) on Fanfictiondotnet.

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing but the idea..o.O

Chapter 3

Francis watched the scenery pass by him sighing, he glanced at his watch, 9:15 pm. Matthew would be arriving soon, he wanted to be there so the young man wouldn't have to over exert himself. He'd never voiced it out loud but seeing both of his …sons ill with the same illness (or so they thought) really concerned him. However, unlike Arthur he didn't vent his frustrations out loud – he merely kept his thoughts to himself. As a lover he was irrational and care free but as the parent surprisingly he was the calm and collected one. Arthur would never admit of course that he was the emotional one but Francis knew.

His phone vibrated in his lap and he flipped it open revealing a text from Arthur:

He's finally asleep.
Fever still too high.
Text when you pick
Matthew up. Will call
If Alfred worsens.

He flipped it shut again sighing, annoyed at everything. His boys were ill and there was nothing he could do but watch them wither in pain.

"Sir, we've arrived at Heathrow." The driver announced pulling France out of his thoughts.

"Merci, please stay here and wait, I'll be back shortly with my son." France climbed out and headed inside not sure what to expect.

*~*

"Dad?" Arthur glanced up from his paperback removing his reading glasses. The raspy voice sounded scared.

"I'm here, lad." Two feverish blue eyes stared up at him, they weren't as bright and full of life as they usually were. He reached under the covers and took one of the sweaty hands into his.

"M..Mattie..?"

"Papa went to pick him up from the airport, he'll return shortly." He used his free hand to take the now luke warm compress and put it back into the chilled water basin sitting on the nightstand by the bed. Then he squeezed as much water as he could out before placing it back on Alfred's forehead.

Alfred winced at the temperature change but slowly relaxed trying to keep his eyes open.  "Go on, close your eyes, it'll be awhile before they get back." Arthur soothed running a finger down one of the feverish cheeks. Alfred obeyed too tired to stay awake even if he'd tried. "That's a good boy, just rest." His heart couldn't take much more of his, it ached seeing the usual energetic young man in such a subdued sick state. He didn't want to think of how he was going to act when Matthew got here.

*~*

He walked off the plane and onto the tarmac, his book bag on one shoulder and his suitcase in his hand, his other arm was full with Kumajirou. His vision kept blurring in and out as he walked into the airport hoping to see a familiar face. At first he only heard a familiar voice, "Matthew, over here petit!"

He glanced to his right to see what he thought was France. "Papa! You didn't have to leave Alfred, I could have made it on my own." Even though he said this he was really thankful the other country had come. He hadn't been looking forward to the long drive to his father's house.

He sighed as France hugged him and held him tightly, "Don't be silly, mon garcon, Arthur is there." As he held the young country he noticed Matthew seemed just as sickly and frail as Alfred. He stroked the shoulder length blonde hair that was almost a match to his own then took the book bag off Matthew's shoulder and took the suitcase as well. "Now, let's go. Alfred is waiting for you, you can sleep on the way there."

"Mmm…sure Papa." Matt felt himself relaxing with each step he took. He was feeling weaker as well though, at first he was worried but then he quickly realized he'd been hiding how ill he was from everyone he knew. Now that someone knew and that he was safe and so was Alfred, he could relax. He stumbled into Francis nearly knocking them both over.

"Mon cher, you must be exhausted and with that fever as well." Francis tightened his grip around the small waist managing to not drop anything. "Next time you feel ill call me immediately oui? It pains me to see you in such a state, petit."

Matthew found himself smiling weakly, it felt so nice to hear his papa's voice again, whether or not he was being his usual overly dramatic self. "It's ok Papa, I'm feeling better now that I'm with you. After all Alfred is the one who needs the care.."

Francis sighed in relief and walked the young Canadian to the car, opening the door for him. He watched the young blonde climb in then slid in beside him, smiling as Matthew leaned into his embrace and promptly fell asleep nearly dropping his stuffed bear in the process. Knowing that Matthew didn't need the panic of losing the bear and worrying about Alfred, he merely wrapped his arms tighter around the smaller waist, keeping the bear in Matthew's arms and nodded for the driver to continue. "I know you're worried about your brother," He whispered brushing a kiss against the soft hair. "But you aren't feeling so well either, mon cher."

*~*

Arthur sat up straighter in his chair looking up from his paperback. He thought he'd distinctly heard the door open. He glanced back at the clock on the bedside and saw it said 11pm. Matthew and Francis should be back around midnight, so who could it be?

His eyes then moved to Alfred who was fast asleep, he couldn't yell without waking him up. But what if was an intruder? How was he going to protect himself and the sick lad in the bed?

Finally making up his mind he quietly stood up taking his reading glasses off and tip toed out of the room. He waited a few seconds to see if Alfred stirred, after seeing it was safe he hurried as quietly as he could down the stairs unsure of what to expect.

As he stepped down onto the wooden floor he heard muffled voices. He took a deep breath and walked towards the foyer, "Alright, who ever is there, prepare to meet your end!" He hoped he sounded scary enough because right now he sure didn't feel it.

"Father!" The soft familiar voice surprised him as a smaller person hugged him with a weak grasp. He relaxed as he realized who it was hugging the young man to him.

"My word, you both gave me a fright! Matthew, it's wonderful to see you." Then he reached up and checked for a fever noticing how the lad seemed to be in the same state as Alfred was.

He hugged Canada to him again sighing, "Next time don't you dare hide this from me, I've had about as many scares as I want for the rest of my life." He stroked the shoulder length blonde hair not liking how frail Matthew looked.

"Mon cher, we need to get you in bed. You shouldn't be on your feet in your state, oui?"

"Of course, what was I thinking making you stand?"

Matthew just laughed weakly not letting go of his father completely. As soon as he'd walked inside he'd been feeling worse and this time he wasn't surprised.  "It's ok, Papa, just seeing you and father and being home – it gives me a bit of strength."

He and Alfred had always shared feelings, whether it was emotional or physical he always knew what Alfred was feeling and vice versa. When ever one twin got sick the other wasn't far behind. However, the further the distance the less the pain, it was when they got together that they both fell very sick and felt exactly what the other was feeling. He knew that was why Alfred had told him to stay away, hell he'd done the same thing.

"Well, are you up for a walk up the stairs then or shall one of us carry you? I'm sure Alfred will be wanting to see you."

"Father, really, I'm not a child. I can walk up the stairs myself." Quietly to himself he added, 'As long as Alfred doesn't do anything stupid and hit me with a wave of pain, I'll be fine.' Right now the pain was tolerable, he felt sick, but it wasn't like he was dying – yet. He knew once he got upstairs everything would change and they'd both be in pain.

Arthur frowned, he was still worried about Matthew. The young lad did look dead on his feet. He had the same dead lonely look that Alfred did. "At least let us help you up the stairs? You can change into some sweat pants before seeing your brother, get out of those jeans and into something comfortable."

Matthew just rolled his eyes but nodded slowly, "Alright, father, alright." He then wavered as a wave of physical vertigo rocked his world. He reached out and felt Arthur and Francis catch both his hands keeping him up right. "I need to see Alfred. He's very…very sick…I can feel it..." Matthew murmured wavering a bit in their grasp.

"It's because you are so close, oui? Maybe it is better if you don't see each other." France started but saw two wide blue eyes fill with tears. He watched as Matthew shook his head. "But mon cher, if it just gets worse-"

"No, I'll….I'll be ok…" He backed away fearfully, "Don't keep me away from Alfred, I don't think I'd be able to stand it."
"Alright lad, alright." Arthur glared at Francis and tried to grab Matthew's hand again. "Just calm down, no one is going to keep you from your brother."

"But, Arthur-" France started with a worried look. "Is this –"

He was interrupted as they heard weak moans coming from the bedroom upstairs and Matthew pulled away from Arthur and started up the stairs determined to see his brother. He got up four or five of the twelve stairs before he collapsed, falling to his knees, nearly falling back down them.

Arthur raced up the stairs and caught him before he fell, kneeling down and supporting him. "Matthew?"

"Alfred, you idiot….lay back ….down." Matthew whispered his eyes closing as he winced. "You're making us both dizzy." His stomach churned as well as he felt the sudden onslaught of his twins anxiety. "It's ok, I'm coming."

"What's wrong, lad, are you alright?"

"I need to see him, please help me." He was so distressed about his brother that Matthew failed to see his bear had slipped out of his arms. Both adults were too worried as well and so the white stuffed bear sat at the bottom of the stairs.

"Of course, Francis, go up and get Alfred to lay back down, we'll be up shortly."

"Oui." France stepped around the duo and hurried up the stairs leaving them behind.

*~*

Upstairs France walked into the room to see Alfred standing in the middle of the room shaking, there was a trail of blankets behind him. He was shivering and his blue eyes were glassy. "Petit, back to bed with you."

"But –pant- Mattie he's here…I can feel him."

"Oui, and he can feel you too quite strongly. You two are in the same house, Alfred, he's feeling what you do and obviously you are feeling the same. You're fever seems to have gotten higher. Let's go back to bed so Matthew can come up and see you." The tall Frenchman walked over to the sick man and took both of Alfred's hands into his.

Alfred only nodded silently and let his papa help him back to bed. Standing up those few seconds wore him out, but he could feel and sense his brother. "How bad is he?"

Francis covered him back up and sat on the edge of the bed. "As bad as you." Then he went silent as Arthur and Matthew appeared in the door way.

"Mattie…" Alfred whispered trying to sit up. "You look …gross dude."

Matt only smiled weakly letting Arthur help him to the other side of the bed. "I could say the same about you." He climbed in and immediately both of the twins turned towards one another. Matt tried to hold his brother but even sick, Alfred beat him to it.

Just the smell of his brother relaxed him. Finally he gave up trying to over come the other country and laid his head on Alfred's chest. In his own feverish state he didn't feel Alfred's fever though he knew it was there.

Arthur sighed sitting down in the chair beside the bed watching the twins as they drifted off to sleep, while they were together they almost looked well. "It's such a relief seeing the two of them together, even if ill, I don't have to worry how one is fairing and feeling bad that I can only care for the one in my home."

France nodded and smiled squeezing the other man's shoulder reassuringly, "Maybe with them being together they will heal faster, and if not having each other may at least give them the strength to get through it."

End Chapter 3

(W0000T! EPIC TWINESS! XD haha. Read Review Please?)