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Chasing Hearts

Chasing Hearts

Chapter Two

Not Alone

It was half an hour later that Jakob found himself stopping in front of Eirikur's school. He was wet, tired and anxious as he set his bike against the low fence surrounding the small, rather dingy, building. Rushing into the school, he paid no attention to the disapproving looks his disheveled appearance seemed to be earning him. He was here to get Eirikur and leave; they had to make it to the clinic before closing time. "Excuse me," he turned to one of the idle teachers, "I'm Mr. Steilsson. I'm here to pick up Eirikur Steilsson."

"Eirikur? Are you his father then?" she asked, her eyes judgmentally taking in the young man's appearance.

"No; I'm his older brother. My parents couldn't make it today, so I'm here instead." He spoke in a rushed fashion as he glanced around for a glimpse of silver hair. If they had any chance of making it, they'd have to leave as soon as possible. The woman seemed to consider him with for a moment more. Deciding that Jakob seemed truthful enough she smiled sweetly at him with a quick, "sure, follow me."

"Takk."

They turned down a rather short hallway, ignoring the doors flanking them on either side. After what, to Jakob, seemed like an eternity they stopped in front of one of these doors. "Here we are. Just one moment." She flashed another revolting smile. Jakob, being who he was, just stared back at her with the same blank blue eyes he directed towards everyone. Opening the door she exchanged a few words with someone inside before calling out sweetly, "Eirikur! Your brother is here to pick you up!"

A moment later she moved to the side as a small silver-haired boy with a backpack shuffled out past her. Jakob nodded at the woman with a mumbled, "Tak," before taking his brother's hand and walking back down the hallway. Jakob sighed as he glanced down at rather miserable looking boy. Why didn't I notice Eirikur wasn't feeling well. "Eirikur," Jakob said, not looking down at the younger boy, "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well this morning?"

Eirikur answered with a small sniffle, clutching Jakob's hand a little tighter. Truthfully Jakob already knew the answer; Eirikur hadn't wanted to trouble his older brother. Eirikur had always been an easy child. Even when he was a baby he rarely cried, and when he did he would fall silent as soon as Jakob held him. He was quite sensitive for a child his age and on some level he would always feel responsible for Jakob's burden.

When they reached the front of the building, Jakob bent down to make sure Eirikur's jacket was properly buttoned. He didn't need to make the child even more unwell by exposing him to the cold October rain. "Eirikur, do you think you can hold an umbrella while I pedal?" The violet-eyed boy nodded and gave another feeble cough into the thick jacket lining around his mouth.

"Good bror," Jakob gave a ghost of a smile before grabbing the other's mitten-clad hand. Sometimes he really wondered how they had made it this far on their own.

Almost there; I have to make it. Jakob pedaled faster down the bike lane, desperately trying to both hurt and not cause Eirikur too much discomfort. He glanced back at the bundled boy whom had long since abandoned his attempts to hold the small blue umbrella over his head. They now had five minutes to get Eirikur's medicine or they'd have to wait until Monday when the clinic reopened.

Now when someone catches a fever, waiting a day for medicine may be uncomfortable, but not life threatening. Eirikur was a different case. Ever since the child was born he had been prone to illness. He did not get sick often mind you, but when he did it affected him much worse than others. Jakob could already see Eirikur's condition deteriorating by the minute. Glancing at his watch the time glared back at him. 3 minutes. Rounding the corner, hope blossomed in his chest as the clinic came into view. That is, until he noticed something was off. The windows were darkened and there seemed to be no sign of life in the building. With a growing sense of dread, Jakob halted before the front windows, sheltering just under the building's ledge.

Closed. The sign hung mockingly in the window, it white letters jeering at Jakob's wasted efforts. "This can't be right," he mumbled, his grip tightening on the handlebars. Kicking the bike stand into place he dismounted before lifting a shivering Eirikur from his seat. The heat radiating from his small body was startlingly apparent even through the layers of heavy clothes. "Hang in there bror," Jakob whispered tenderly, lightly kissing one of Eirikur's burning cheeks. He shivered and turned his face away with a small groan.

Clutching the younger to own dark jacket, Jakob made his way to the clinic door. Raising a fist he rapped three times on the glass of the doors. No movement stirred the shadows in the vacant building and the lights remained as dark as ever. No. His insides plummeted as the realization hit him. We got here too late. He knocked again, this time with more urgency. "Please. Not now," he muttered. He did not know how long he stood there, one arm cradling Eirikur and the other frantically pounding on the door of an empty building when he was interrupted.

"It's closed today. Maybe you should try again tomorrow."

Jakob froze mid-knock, his throbbing knuckle hovering centimeters from the glass. I know that voice. Glancing at the source of his interruption the blonde confirmed his suspicions. "What are you doing here Matthias?" he asked, shifting a fitful Eirikur so he was supported by two arms. He hadn't even noticed the man now standing beside him.

"Well," Matthias said, a surprisingly serious expression on his face, "I overheard you on the phone earlier and I though I'd tell you the clinic is closed for the weekend." Jakob glared at the Dane when Eirikur whimpered in his hold. Immediately the glare melted from his eyes as turned his attention to the child in his arms.

"It's alright bror," he whispered soothingly. "We'll get you some medicine and then you'll feel better." Jakob felt uncomfortable behaving to affectionately in front of another person, especially Matthias, but his concern for Eirikur outweighed his pride.

"He doesn't look like he's doing well," Matthias commented, his eyes also softening as he took in the two brothers' pitiful appearances. Jakob shifted as though to shield Eirikur from the other man's thoughtful stare." Another silence stretched between them before Matthias spoke again. "Why don't you both come to my place?"

"What?" Jakob asked as Matthias snapped him out of his reverie.

"Why don't you two come to my place." Matthias repeated.

"Why would I do that? I don't even know you."

"He can't go to school while he's like that and I have medicine left over from when I was sick a few days ago. Besides my place is closer to the shop, so as long as I give you a key can check on him whenever you need to. Also," he smiled, "you've known me every day for the past three and a half years."

Though the man's argument was sound and his intentions seemed true enough Jakob was still hesitant to accept his offer.

For the past four years he had depended on only himself, especially in matters concerning Eirikur. Why should this man's kindness suddenly change things? Another violent shudder from the child in his arms answered the question for him. This time, he'd have to make his decision was for Eirikur and not his own stupid pride. "Fine." He mumbled. He would keep Eirikur safe even if it meant accepting the help of someone like Matthias.

"Egentlig? Great!"

"It's only because Eirikur's sick. We're not friends or anything." Jakob warned him, walking to stand under Matthias' offered umbrella.

"I know," Matthias smiled despite Jakob's harsh words. "It's the least I can do though." Jakob turned his face away in embarrassment as he accepted the umbrella from the other man. Even if this was for Eirikur, he was still uncomfortable accepting another's help. "I'll bring your bike."

Jakob responded with a noncommittal, "hmm," waiting impatiently for the Dane. He was sharply aware of Eirikur still shivering in his hold. He had stopped fussing and opted to grip Jakob's scarf for comfort. "Where do you live anyway? You said it's close to the shop."

"I actually live in the apartment a few houses down. That's how I always get there so fast in the morning. "Come on then."

"Welcome to my humble house," Matthias smiled widely as he pushed open the door. In reality Matthias' building wasn't much different form the on where Jakob and Eirikur lived, but there were a few distinct variations here and there. For one, the building was a lot newer than their old flat and the hall was, and Matthias explained, cleaned by the elderly woman in the downstairs flat.

Matthias' apartment was also formatted a bit differently. Where in Jakob and Eirikur's flat the door immediately opened to a bedroom to the right and a simple kitchen and cramped living room there was much more space in this place. Upon opening the door, the hall led directly to the living room, dining room, and kitchen. At the very back of the flat were two doors, each leading to, Jakob guessed, two separate bedrooms. In the initial short hallway there was a small closet on either wall. "The bathroom is between the two linking bedrooms," Matthias explained cheerfully as he closed the door behind the brothers.

"Which bedroom should I put Eirikur in? I need to get him warm." Jakob asked, carefully toeing off his wet boots as not to ruin the rather plush carpet underfoot. He felt awkward seeing how (surprisingly) clean and organized the apartment seemed. Compared to this his home seemed like even more of a dump than before. Sure he tried his best to tidy up here and there when he could, but there was only so much he could do for that place.

After storing both pairs of shoes and his own jacked in the left hall closet Matthias strode past Jakob towards the kitchen. "You can use the guest room on the left. If you need there are extra blankets in the top shelf in the closet." With unsure steps Jakob followed the taller man to the aforementioned room. Immediately, Jakob set his younger brother gently on the bed.

"Eirikur, can you sit up on your own?" Jakob asked. With a weak nod Eirikur balanced himself unsteadily on the covers. It was then that something else occurred to the blonde. "Matthias!" he called out. In an instant the other was standing in the doorway. "Do you have any clothes I can put Eirikur in?"

"Hmmm?" he thought for a moment, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I may have some old stuff. It'll still be really big, but it will keep him warm until you can pick up his clothes." With that, he disappeared around the corner in search of something suitable for the still shaking seven year-old.

"Takk," Jakob mumbled, his own cold fingers working to unbutton Eirikur's jacket.

"Where are we?" Eirikur coughed feebly as he allowed his older brother to strip off his outer most layer.

"We're staying at my…friend's house for now," Jakob responded, setting aside the jacket to begin unwrapping the white scarf from around the other boy's neck.

"Okay….Are you going to stay with me?"

"Yes Eirikur. I'm not going anywhere," Jakob attempted to smile again as he laid the scarf beside the jacket. The silver-haired boy seemed satisfied by this answer and fell silent as Jakob moved to feel his forehead. Eirikur's temperature was still alarmingly high, but it seemed he was the smallest bit better now that he was inside a heated apartment.

"Hey, Jakob. I hope this will do. It's the smallest thing I could find. I haven't been small for a while though." Matthias' voice made Jakob tense in surprise while Eirikur turned his eyes to the source of noise in curiosity. "Ah, so the squirt's awake now?" Jakob smiled inwardly at the light frown that crossed Eirikur's features at the nickname. "Here you go, Norge," Matthias smiled, handing over what seemed like a large, thick gray sweater.

Eirikur's sharp purple eyes flickered to his brother for a moment and his frown deepened slightly. "Be nice Eirikur," Jakob murmured in amusement as he met his little brother's gaze. The younger hesitated for along moment before grudgingly nodding his assent. "Good."

Only after Matthias had left and Eirikur was successfully coaxed to changed clothes and settled into the rather large bed did Jakob rejoin Matthias outside the bedroom door. "Is he asleep now?" Matthias asked, leaning casually against the counter, a beer in hand. It seemed that in his absence he'd changed from his usual suit and tie into a comfortable red sweater and loose-fitting jeans.

"For now," Jakob sighed. "He never sleeps long the first few nights."

"Hehe, you sound pretty used to this," Matthias chuckled, taking a casual sip of beer. "Want some?"

"No thanks. Do you have any coffee?"

"Yeah. There should be some beans in the machine still." Matthias studied Jakob's tired face intently, concern shining deep in his blue eyes. Jakob opened the top of the machine before pressing the button. Another weary sound left the Norwegian as he pushed his fringe out of his eyes. "How long have you been doing this?"

"Doing what?" Jakob muttered, glancing at Matthias before turning his attention back to the coffee maker.

"Taking care of Eirikur." Jakob visibly tensed as the words left the Dane's lips and his eyes seemed to zero in on nothing in particular. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to," he reassured him, taking another sip of beer.

A long silence stretched between them. It had been a long time since anyone had asked him that question. Sure when he was bit younger he would receive curious stares and it wasn't like he was deaf to the whispers surrounding he and his brother, but nobody would really take the time to ask him. Jakob almost felt guilty for not answering Matthias' question but he wasn't sure if it was something he was comfortable sharing just yet. "May I use your phone?" Jakob asked uncomfortably, still avoiding the other's piercing gaze.

"Sure." Matthias, deciding he would get no more from Jakob, downed the rest of his beer in one smooth motion before setting the empty bottle near the back of the counter. "I've got work early tomorrow so I'm going to turn in for tonight. There's an extra key in the nightstand in your room. I'll come straight home tomorrow to check on Eirikur before I get dinner started."

"Okay," Jakob nodded, still not meeting the other's eyes. Yawning a tired 'godnat' in his direction Matthias headed towards the other bedroom. "Matthias…" Jakob called softly.

"Ja?" he asked hopefully, looking over his shoulder at the other's embarrassed expression.

"Takk…godnat…"

"It's okay to ask for help sometimes," he smiled softly as Jakob blushed lightly. "Godnat, Jakob."

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters. They belong to that stunning genius Hidekazu Himaruya. So here's Chapter Two. I'll try to update regularly but I can't promise anything since my school schedule kind of random. I used most of the same Danish and Norwegian I used last time so here's the list again:

Norwegian-

Bror=Brother

Takk=Thank you

Danish-

Egentlig=Really?

Godnat=Good night

(Tell me if I miss any)

Anyways, thank you so much for the favorites and alerts so far. They're really motivating. Don't forget to leave me your feedback and reviews though! Also, there are probably a lot of mistakes in this one and I'm going to go back and edit the prologue, chapter one and this chapter at some point too. Until next time!