Hey, Hikou no Kokoro here! It's been a long time since I added anything to my profile. This is a little fanfic for Mii-chan on her birthday. I hope she enjoys! And I hope you all enjoy, and stick around until the last chapter. This will be the first chaptered fanfiction that I have saw to the end, so that's a huge achievement.

This fanfic will be updated every week, typically on Saturday, but other days will be possible.

Disclaimer: I don't own Axis Powers: Hetalia. It rightfully belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz. I simply own the AU plot. Additionally, I am not an art expert, and I don't know the experiences of the blind. Please take this fanfic as theoretical and speculative. Thank you.

Enjoy!

Nihilism

"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision."
—Stevie Wonder

Arthur Kirkland was excited. Ecstatic. And for good reason too. Today was when he finally got to meet the much anticipated new teacher—colleague—aide—assistant. Oh god, yes, finally! He had worked for the World Academy for two years now, and he was sick of being surrounded by the "older-than-dirt" teachers who lectured him more than their students. Romulus Vargas, his boss, told him that the new teacher was young, fresh out of college and green around the ears; that meant Arthur was no longer the youngest teacher in the school, and the old farts wouldn't continuously pick on him anymore and he could spend time with someone sympathetic to his situation.

But that wasn't the best part either. The newcomer was a fine arts teacher.

The fine arts were a dying curriculum, overshadowed by the more "practical" and "progressive" subjects such as maths and sciences. More people went to sports, and with them, the majority of the funding. The number of prospective teachers and the percentage of them in art were dropping—plummeting—so at this point, there was almost nobody out there anymore.

Arthur Kirkland, though, was one of those who missed this "wave" of disinterest in art. Along with his degree in education, he got a bachelor's in fine arts, but he was only one of the few. For the two years he worked in the Academy, he had been the only fine arts teacher. Originally, he was just a music teacher and band director, but when the previous art teacher left for bigger and better things, his fine arts degree threw him into the art program. Suddenly he found himself sitting behind paper and pencils and around students complaining about how they couldn't draw or paint.

That wasn't the case anymore! The new teacher finally signed the year contract and was fully prepared to take on the arts program and possibly help him with the drama club. Arthur no longer needed to worry about teaching the colour theory, which he himself didn't even know, or have to deal with showing off his questionable drawing skills. Sure, the music and art programs had melded together over the years so he and the other will be working together for the most part, and Arthur was fully aware that he might need to help the new teacher with all the ropes first, but in the long run, the investment would most definitely pay off. Arthur could see the years in the near future, when he could finally take a break and simply watch students draw without having to guide them himself.

When he reached the principal's office, where he was to meet the new faculty member, Arthur burst in, all smiles and hopes as his gaze shifted from Romulus, who stood by the door, to the new face.

His heart clenched painfully.

The man standing near the desk wore a pair of dark sunglasses, and he held a red-tipped cane.

"Hello. My name is Francis Bonnefoy. I'm the new art teacher," the man greeted, giving Arthur a dazzling smile and an outstretched hand.

But he wasn't facing the right direction.