Warnings: slight mention of almost-rape, EXTREMELY AU!, twincest if you want to see it that way

AN: YAY! First Hetalia fic! Okay so I was searching through Hetalia fanfics(My current addiction though its going away,) when suddenly this VICIOUS Plot bunny kidnapped my Mp3 and held it hostage! It wouldn't let me have it back until I wrote this fic. So I wrote it. Now…GIVE ME BACK MY MUSIC YOU STUPID RABBIT! Anyways enjoy! *chases after manically laughing plot bunny*

Brothers

No one ever knew that Alfred was blind. Or that Matthew could barely speak. And they liked it that way. They never told anyone, well except Sierra but, hey, she was on the same continent as them and their sister so she'd have figured it out anyway, knowing that if their former guardians knew the truth the guilt would consume them.

Besides they got along just fine. Alfred had figured out how to use sound waves to "see" around him, it was why he was so loud, and when he absolutely HAD to be quiet Matthew became his eyes. He didn't remember much of the day he lost his sight, just clinging to Matthew while he cried pink-tinted tears. Come to think of it he barely remembered the day Matthew nearly lost his voice, just Matthew coughing up blood. Likewise, Matthew had trouble remembering what had caused him to lose his voice. However, he remembered with vivid, awful clarity, the day Alfred had come running up to him crying his, now forever, pink-tinted tears. He remembered how when his brother finally opened his eyes, eyes once just like his, they were unseeing light blue eyes. Not the beautiful blue-violet eyes he'd been accustomed to. Thus, Matthew became his brothers eyes and Alfred became Matthews mouth. No one knew about the late night sessions where they shared their opinion on different topics and figured out a plan that would benefit them both equally.

They both knew why though, their people were fighting to keep them safe, keep them away from the strange foreign invaders. But the price was too high in the minds of the brothers and so they went with these new people, to save their people from anymore harm. They realized too late it had been a mistake and many of their people had vanished by the time they broke free. Even now they longed for simpler times without world politics, without the overwhelming issues. They still had days where they just wanted to cut themselves off from the world and go back to simpler times. But they were in too deep and there was no escape. So they did the only thing they could. They took comfort in knowing the other was there for them no matter what. They had twin telepathy after all. It was how they stayed sane during the years of separation they'd suffered. It was how Francis lost Matthew to Arthur. Matthew had contacted Alfred in a panic one night saying that Francis was trying to do something to him and begging Alfred for help. It had been easy to convince Arthur to go against Francis and yet make it look like it was Arthur's own idea. What neither Francis or Arthur knew was that Matthew was slipping Alfred information and Alfred was giving it to Arthur without Arthur knowing it was him. Matthew managed to hold out until he was given to Arthur and the two brothers had a joyous reunion. There were many more incidents like that over the years. Like brothers they had their share of conflicts. But no matter what they always came back to each other.

So they kept their disabilities secret, trusting that the other would be able to help them. If the other nations knew the truth it would explain a lot of things, why Alfred was so loud and never cried in front of others, why Matthew never spoke and could always be found near Alfred, why Alfred always had a distant far off gaze(if the others even noticed), why Matthew always wore a red hoodied(he still had moments where he'd cough up blood, the hoodied helped hide any stains). If any of the other nations knew(besides Sierra) they'd be treated like invalids, something neither of them wanted. If Arthur and Francis found out all their secrets they would be shocked and guilty, another thing they didn't want. If both brothers were asked why they kept everything a secret they would give the exact same answer. They wanted to be left alone and not doted upon. Because despite everything, they were strong and they knew it. So they keep their secrets close and each other closer. They are brothers and nothing will separate them.