Arthur clutched his rapidly cooling cup of tea like a lifeline as he stared into space, while awaiting his lover. Francis hadn't got home from work at precisely 6:25pmlike he did every other day of the week and it was now approaching8:30pm. Arthur had
tried ringing him dozens of times but none of the calls got through, all just concluding with a monotone voicemail that the Englishman was sick of hearing.

Arthur looked up at his grandfather clock and let out a sudden sob from reminding himself of how late Francis was, of how much of a worrying mess he was getting himself into. He knew that if he was thinking rationally, he would be repeatedly telling himself
that Francis had probably just gone to the pub for a little bit or something and forgot to tell Arthur, and that everything was perfectly fine. But of course his brain was bombarding him with all different scenarios of how the Frenchman could have
been attacked, kidnapped, killed, or something of the like. He couldn't help it when his eyes started leaking tears like a broken tap, his cold teacup being the drain.

The television lit up in response to a shaking finger on the power button, Arthur longing for a distraction from his torment. Only to be given more by the BBC giving the news of a horrendous car crash seemingly caused by speeding, not far from the couple's
home, involving a car that looked suspiciously like very vehicle Francis had taken to work that day. Wailing sirens could be heard in the distance in the dark evening through their windows. Arthur became overcome with terror, shaking violently, with
sobbing becoming a common occurrence in his breath as he fully convinced himself his worst nightmares had come to life. Francis was dead.

"F-Francis..." the Brit whispered through the mass of tears descending down his reddened face.

.oOo.

Francis struggled with the key in the lock of the front door, his entire self dripping with the water the clouds were deciding to shed. It had been an awful day. He had stopped at the petrol station after work tofill up the car and when he came
back from paying in the shop, itwas gone. Stolen. Along with his phone and the rest of his money. After cursing himself and everything around him, he knew his only option was to walk the kilometres back to the house through the abruptly pouring
rain. He also had no means to tell Arthur about this, with his phone gone and the fact that he had never actually got around to memorising his home number.

The door finally opened and Francis yanked out the key before stepping inside, dampening the tiled hall while wringing out his long golden locks. Quickly poking his head inside of the living room, Francis discovered the heartbreaking sight of his dear
Arthur curled up on the floor like a threatened woodlouse, sobbing intensely.

"Arthur?" Francis asked worriedly, to gain the response of the Englishman whipping up his
head to look at drenched man, extraordinarily green but bloodshot eyes widening at the sight. Francis was sure he heard a tiny whimper from his quivering lover before Arthur practically leaped on him, encasing him in a damp but warm embrace.

"F-Francis, I thought you were d-d-dead. I-It said there was c-crash on the telly and I thought it was you, Francis oh my gosh n-never do that to me again I was so s-scared, and, and...and-" That was all Arthur was able to say before descending back into
wrenching sobs.

Francis looked down at the suffering Brit, just being able to comprehend the words the were given to him. Guilt washed over him to being responsible for making Arthur so incredibly worried and upset, as he tightened his hold around the shoulders of the
slim man in front of him. A new patch of wet developed on his shoulder in which Arthur was crying on. Francis started whispering comforting words to him while rubbing circles on his back.

"Je suis désolé, mon cher, I am sorry. Don't worry Arthur, everything is okay. I'm alive."

A/N. Hey everyone! So this is my very first fanfiction, and I just kinda wrote and it turned into this angsty oneshot. I hope you all really enjoyed this! I know it's not very long but it's the middle of the night right now and I have school tomorrow whoops. Also I'm kinda right in the middle of my GCSEs so I probably shouldn't be getting used to staying up really late writing, but ah well. Right so anyways, if you liked this please please please review and favourite/follow (obviously only if you want to, I'm not forcing anyone ':D) Feel free to tell me about any errors or things to improve on, they're be greatly received. Again, thank you! 3

-Laura's