Chapter Text
Arthur opens up the letter…
Dear Arthur,
Bonjour, I’ve noticed that you seem a little familiar to me, so we should meet up tonight! Text me for the location
(+33 123-555-4567) I plan on hearing from you later today!
-Francis Bonnefoy >ᴗ<
What the hell? Arthur frowns. Who writes a letter like that? He just expects me to text him later today about meeting up somewhere? I have to work later tonight!
Arthur folds the paper up and shoves it into his back pocket. Raivis stands next to Arthur awkwardly.
“So… what was it about?” He asks. Arthur shakes his head.
“It was nothing special,” He walks over to the counter. Raivis shrugs and follows him.
Eleven-forty AM. Francis and Antonio are walking side by side, coffee in hand. Francis takes a sip.
“So… what’d you write on that piece of paper?” Antonio asks as they wait at a crosswalk. Francis looks over at him.
“Why do you ask?”
“I just wanna know, okay?”
Francis shrugs, “Okay then, I gave him my phone number and told him to text me for the location we’re gonna meet up at!” He says with a smile.
The white ‘walk’ lights up on the other end of the street and the two start walking.
“And do you know where you two are going?” Antonio asks with a look of doubt. Francis shakes his head no.
“Aye-aye-aye…”
When the two reach the other end of the crosswalk, Antonio pipes up.
“Maybe you two could go to a simple get together at some fancy restaurant that’s not the one he works at?” Francis gives it some thought before nodding his head.
“That could work, what do you have in mind?”
“Well…”
Twelve-o-three PM. Closing time. Raivis left a bit early, so that left Arthur and Iryuna to clean up the shop for closing time. It takes about twenty to thirty minutes for one person to clean up the shop on their own, so Arthur always stays behind to help Iryuna clean (Even though he is permitted to leave early, like Raivis). In truth, he just wants Iryuna to be persuaded enough to give him a bigger paycheck.
Arthur is currently sweeping the floors while Iryuna is wiping down tables and the counter.
“So… What did you and that French dude talk about? You don’t usually talk to customers, so it is a bit odd… Do you know him, yes or no?” Iryuna asks with a gentle smile caressing her face. Arthur shook his head.
“Nah.. I don’t know him…or at least I don’t think I do. He looks familiar to me, but I can’t put my finger on what is so familiar,” He grabs the dustpan and sweeps all the dirt and grime into it, “It really bugs me,”
Iryuna nods as she sprays the last tables and scrubs the table with the used rag.
“I feel you. All British people look similar when you think about it. Y’know? You think you know them, but you don’t,”
Arthur’s lip quirks. Does she even know what she’s saying? He shrugs but goes on with what she says.
“Yeah,” He walks over to the trashcan and dumps the dirt into it. “He gave me this weird note… and I was wondering if I should respond…” Arthur pulls the crinkled paper out of his pants pocket and shows it to Iryuna– who had walked over to him when she finished the table she was working on. He hands her the paper and Iryuna skims through.
“So..? Should I text him?” He asks. Iryuna hands him back the slip of paper and brings her hand to her mouth in thought.
“If you really want to see what he has to offer then I would suggest texting him, but on the other side if you’d like him to leave you alone, then don’t text him. It’s up to you for that decision though,” She gives him a sisterly smile and walks behind the counter.
“When you put that broom away, feel free to leave, I can manage everything from here.” Iryuna tells Arthur. So after he puts the broom and dustpan away, it’s time to do some shopping.
Twelve-thirty PM. Arthur is sitting down on Kiku’s couch next to Feliciano and Ludwig, since the trio lives together. He wanted to talk to Japan about obscure, irrelevant, and maybe even annoying things (like aliens), but since Ludwig’s boys-torture-event ended, he and Feliciano had to come home. Kiku was making tea for his friends when Feliciano started talking about how his older brother hasn’t called him not even once since he got home (which was early in the morning.) Why the hell would he be calling you? I’m not even sure if the guy likes you, pasta-dude.
Alfred also found it odd that the brother didn’t live with Feliciano, but maybe since their relationship seems to be strained it would be better for the two to live apart? That also doesn’t make sense because Feliciano’s older brother lives with Ludwig's older brother, and he’s not even sure if those two get along, but they have to, or else why would they be living together?
All of this thinking has made Alfred thirsty. Great thing that Kiku had finished the tea and is bringing it over to the trio sitting on his couch.
“And like I said, he didn’t even call me once! Who would do this to their own little– oh, hi Kiku!” Feliciano paused his sob story to greet Kiku. Alfred grabs one of the tea cups and takes a sip. Kiku’s tea is always better than Arthurs…
“So, Kiku, dude! I wanted to talk to you about something,” Alfred turns over to his Japanese friend, who just sat down next to him.
“Oh? What would you like to talk about?”
Arthur stands at the cash register, as the seemingly annoyed cashier scans his very little items.
“Cash or card?” The cashier asks. Arthur says card and then uses his debit card to pay.
In the car, as he drives home, Arthur thinks about his options. He pulls into an empty driveway. Alfred’s not here, no surprise.
He walks inside his house and sets the groceries down on the kitchen table, before walking into the living room. Some time passes before he comes up with his ultimate decision.
Since I’m nice… Where are we going tonight?
The word ‘delivered’ stares at him. Practically searing it into his brain. He texted Francis.