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The sound of footsteps echoed against the marble floor as the Englishman made his way towards the designated arrival area. Stopping just behind the barricade, Arthur narrowed his eyes causing his eyebrows to furrow as he scanned the sea of people. Eventually, he saw the familiar figure of Matthew who waved him over with a wide smile on his handsome face.
“Welcome Arthur.” The Canadian greeted as he gave the Brit a small hug in which the shorter blonde returned with a pat on Matthew’s back. “How was your flight?”
“It went well. Some turbulence but that was to be expected.” Arthur followed the taller nation, holding unto his luggage as he was led towards the exit where a smartly dressed driver stood waiting in front of a sleek black Sedan.
“May I take your bags, Sir?” The older gentleman inquired before England nodded, allowing him to take his luggage and loading them into the back of the car.
“Unfortunately, I cannot bring you to the hotel myself and I had arranged for you to be brought straight to the hotel.” Matthew apologized as he gave the older man a weak smile. “Alfred’s flight has been delayed and will be arriving in the next hour or so and he decided to invite himself over to my house.”
“Don’t fret about not dropping me off, Matthew. I’m sure I’ll get there safely.” Arthur grimaced at the thought, feeling a bit sympathy for his former charge who had to babysit his own brother. The Brit heard the trunk of the car softly closing before continuing. “Well, you certainly have your night cut out for you. I will see you tomorrow then.”
Once the two blondes said their farewells, the older nation took a seat inside the car and watched as the personification of Canada gave him a small wave before returning inside the arrival area, probably to wait for his twin brother. Arthur turned towards the front of the car and reached into the breast pocket of his coat to retrieve a small worn leather pocket journal. Flipping to a page, he scanned the various notes that he had written down earlier on as he waited for his flight from Heathrow.
There were plenty of reminders that he had written to himself as well as a few other matters that his own Prime Minister have brought up to his attention. Alongside the various points, he had yet to go over the agenda that Matthew had e-mailed to him a few days ago. Furthermore, he still had to look over a few drafted documents that had been prepared for him by his Prime Minister’s secretary before it would be presented to Her Royal Highness next week.
Arthur retrieved his pen from his coat pocket quickly to scribble down a small note for himself to possibly ask if the meeting with Her Highness could be postponed for a few days after his arrival. Rarely did he ask for a few days off of work but he always felt sluggish and a bit haggard after these meetings which most of the time takes a toll on him. After a few minutes of going over the notes he had written to himself for the umpteenth time, Arthur closed the small journal once he felt a slight headache coming.
He suddenly heard the slight pitter-patter of water droplets hitting the windshield of the car and gradually an onslaught of rain began beating down on the glass from either side of the vehicle. The blonde relaxed as he listened to the calming sound as he continued to try and make out of the various buildings.
The most part of the ride, the island nation took in the sights of the highways and eventually noticed the city skyline as he approached the downtown area. Unknowingly, a small tilt in the corner of the blonde’s mouth appeared as he watched the humans either hastily walking or running as they tried to find a place to take shelter from the rain. Arthur continued to admire the sidewalks darkening as more clouds began to cover the evening sky until he felt the car slow down in front of what seems to be the hotel.
“It’s alright.” Arthur was interrupted as he reached for his wallet making him look up to see the polite smile from the driver from the rear-view mirror. “Mr. Williams had paid for everything beforehand.”
“Oh. Thank you.” A soft knock on the door’s exterior caught the blonde off guard as he turned to look at the individual standing by his car door.
A middle-aged man, possibly the hotel’s doorman had unravelled a large umbrella as Arthur exited the vehicle. Whilst another of the hotel’s staff, a uniformed younger lad with a name tag indicating that he was a bellboy, retrieved the Brit’s bags from the car’s trunk and into the hotel lobby.
The island nation thanked the doorman once he was led towards the main desk where he was greeted by a receptionist. After a brief friendly conversation with the lady, the Englishman was permitted to carry his luggage himself and provided a key card to his room. Thanking the young woman, Arthur then made his way in the direction of the hallway where the lifts were located. The island nation took a moment to admire the older traditional fixtures and architecture of the hotel before pressing the button for the lift.
“Well, well look who’s here.” The heavily French-accented voice of his long-time rival made the Englishman whip his head toward the personification of France.
“What are you doing here?!”
“I’m obviously attending the conference as well.” The Frenchman rolled his eyes as he stood beside the shorter blonde to wait for the lift before glancing at his companion. “Did Matthieu accompany you from the airport?”
“No.” Arthur retorted as he entered the small space, and pressed the floor to his room before crossing his arms adamantly. “He’s was going to wait for America, they will be sleeping at his home due to his delayed flight.”
“Hmm.” The Frenchman made a sound of an acknowledgement as he pressed the numbered button on the panel before leaning back on the lift’s mirrored wall. “I assume you just came from the airport. The restaurant in the lobby is open late.”
“I don’t see why that’s any of your business where I eat.” Arthur sarcastically replied as he glared at the other male in the small space before turning his attention to the blinking floor indicator.
“Just making a suggestion, Angleterre (England).”
A soft chiming sound filled the elevator before the doors slowly opened and the Frenchman stepped out. Arthur made a move to press the button to close the elevator doors, wanting to reach his own room quickly, when the older nation turned to him with a knowing smile on his handsome face.
“Vraiment, Angleterre (Really, England) …I suggest you try the Library Bar in the Lobby for dinner. ”
With that, the doors closed and Arthur was meet by his own confused expression. His brows remained furrowed as he exited on his floor and found himself in front of his hotel room. Swiping the sleek card that had been provided to him, he heard the key card lock beep before twisting the knob open and stepping into the room.
Once within the room, England immediately turned on the lights before placing his suitcase beside the dressing table. The blonde immediately slipped off his suit jacket before walking over to the bathroom to refresh himself. Splashing a bit of cold water on his face the Brit reached for a nearby towel to dry himself off before taking a closer look at his reflection.
Noticing his messy hair, the Brit reached up in the hopes of taming his shaggy locks and stopping only when he was satisfied with his appearance. Quickly glancing at the watch on his wrist, Arthur quickly retrieved his jacket that was draped on the back of an armchair before exiting his room. Pressing the button, the blond placed his card in the back pocket of his trousers whilst waiting for the elevator. It only took a few moments for the elevator doors to come up and Arthur pressed the button for the lobby.
The Brit watched as the numbers on the floor indicator as the lift continued to descend. The soft sound of the bell echoed in the small space and Arthur turned towards the elevators doors that began to slowly open. It was then he saw a pair of familiar faces. Elizabeta Hedervary and Roderich Edelstein, the respective personifications of Hungary and the Republic of Austria stepped out of the lift together whilst greeting the Arthur.
“Good Evening, England.” The female smiled kindly at Arthur while Austria merely gave the shorter male a nod of his head. “Heading out for dinner?”
“Hungary. Austria.” Arthur nodded as he returned the greeting while he exiting the elevator and making way for the two to enter. “I was just on my way to the hotel restaurant.”
“Ah, yes. The food is quite delicious. I’m sure it will be to your liking.” The Austrian supplied before squinting at the clock from across the hall.
“We shouldn’t keep you, Arthur. I’m sure you must be famished.” Elizabeta supplied as she noticed the discreet gesture from her companion, a sign that Roderich was exhausted from the day considering that they had both arrived at the hotel just a few hours before.
“Have a good evening, England.” The bespectacled nation nodded towards the shorter blond as they entered the lift.
“Thank you. I wish you two a pleasant evening as well.” Arthur gave the two a courteous smile before making his way towards the restaurant which was situated on the other side of the main lobby.
The calming atmosphere within the space was inviting and it only took a few seconds until the island nation was escorted by a hostess who had been managing the front desk reception. With a friendly smile, the female led the Brit to a comfortable yet private table which was situated by the windows. Arthur thanked the young woman and taking this opportunity, the green-eyed country admired the classy interior of the restaurant.
Thankfully the ambiance allowed him to relax seeing that everything was according to his taste. The restaurant indeed looked exactly like an older library that can only be found in older buildings. Roman columns were littered in various parts of the large space and held up a wooden ceiling that had various intricate wooden carvings etched into them. The soft lighting, mahogany shelves and antiquated paintings that hung on the walls almost tricked the Brit into thinking that he was within his own home.
A serene smile crept over the blonde’s face as his bright emerald orbs scanned the area, enjoying the aspect of people watching. The Brit continued to scan the crowd of restaurant-goers and almost missed a familiar face. Five tables down from his own sat an excellently dressed young woman who looked to be partaking dinner alongside two other females. Arthur could barely keep his face from contorting in disbelief as the realization hit him like a bucket of ice-cold water.
His thoughts were interrupted when a waiter approached his table and introduced himself before providing him with the restaurant menu. It took a few moments for Arthur to blindly decide on a beverage and dish before the waiter left him to his own devices. Arthur immediately turned towards the glass window by his table to try and make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
After a few minutes of forcing himself to admire the rainy scenery, the blonde’s thoughts were interrupted as the waiter approached his table once more, this time carrying a small basket of assorted bread and the glass of water that he had asked for. The waiter shortly excused himself after inquiring if the blonde needed anything else for the time being.
Deciding to distract himself, the Englishman turned his attention towards his phone until his food arrived. The Brit forced himself to avoid glancing over to where the female was situated but, in the end, succumbed to taking an occasional glimpse over the screen of his phone. The last time the island nation had accidentally run into the female was over three years ago in the busy streets of London. He could not help but notice how little she had changed over the years, still retaining her roguish smile as her eyes crinkled in amusement. Emerald orbs silently admired the woman’s relaxed form and the subtle way she carried herself in a manner that was both elegant and effortless.
Arthur pried his gaze away from the female as the finally noticed a waiter who was approaching his table, carrying a tray containing his dinner– a serving of Ryh Apiary Ale Battered Cod with a side of Coleslaw and Chips. Thanking the young man who gave him a respectful nod of his head and to enjoy himself, Arthur began to partake in his dinner glancing over at the table a few meters away in a nonchalant manner.
He would be lying if breaking off their relationship had not affected him in the first few months of living by himself again. It had been a quiet affair and he could barely remember who had initially brought it up. Contrary to popular belief, there was no shouting or threats between the couple, only whispers of apologies and promises that were never kept.
The Englishman could briefly remember himself promising to try and stay in contact. In the end, the two drifted apart even further and unfortunately, being the personification of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Arthur barely had any time to wallow in sadness and instead threw himself into work, disregarding the heavy feeling in his chest.
Half an hour passed and during this time, the Brit’s former flame made her way to the restaurant’s bar. Moving towards one of the more discreet areas, the young woman made herself comfortable on a bar stool after saying her farewell to her two companions. Feeling quite satisfied with dinner and tired, Arthur called for the bill.
Upon the waiter arriving at his table, the blonde reached for his wallet and the young man carefully place a small, clear glass of chilled whiskey causing the blonde do a double-take. Seeing the confused expression of his guest, the waiter discreetly leaned towards him, whispering in a low voice.
“It’s alright, sir. The whole bill has been covered.” Arthur could feel his brows furrowed in confusion before asking.
“May I ask who was kind enough to cover it?” The waiter nodded and discreetly motioned to the familiar female who could be seen nursing a glass of gin and tonic.
The Englishman could not help but feel tense as he nodded absentmindedly towards the waiter who took this moment to see to the other diners. Arthur tore his gaze from the figure by the bar towards the glass of whiskey in front of him. Lifting the cup with his fingers and swirling the beverage for a moment, the Brit eventually took a sip and before directing his gaze towards the woman across the room.
In those few seconds, everything out of his line of sight seemed a blur as both his and the female’s eyes meet. The Brit felt himself tense ever so slightly as the woman shot him a reserved smile before tipping her half-filled glass towards him. Taking a sip of his own drink, ignoring the burning sensation of liquor down his throat, keeping a steady gaze on her.
He could see the slight smile on her painted lips as she tried to hide it behind the cool drink in her hand before turning to the bar. It must have been his tired mind, the alcohol or possibly the impish gleam in her eyes that compelled him to leave the comfort of his table, empty glass in hand. Upon reaching the vacant seat beside the well-dressed woman, the blond nodded towards the bartended.
“Another glass, Lad.” Arthur spoke in a low voice making the individual beside him turn her head ever slightly in his direction, although not meeting his gaze. “I…would like to thank you for dinner.”
“The pleasure was all mine…” It took a few more seconds until the female finally peered at the Englishman, smiling lazily. "It’s been a while, Arthur.“
The island nation could not help but feel mystified from her gaze and he found himself questioning himself as to why he had approached her in the first place. England couldn’t tell if the flush on her cheeks was from the alcohol or the delight of having her see him.
“Are you possibly drunk?”
A chuckle escaped his companion as she shook her head at his question, choosing to ignore his question and instead make small talk whilst the bartender fixed the male his drink. The female angled her body toward the green-eyed blonde, an indication that she had his attention, once finishing her glass.
And for some unknown reason, Arthur couldn’t help but appreciate her for giving him the time of day and making him feel a little warm. Frankly, he didn’t care if it was the drink or seeing his past lover.
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He missed her…. terribly.
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