01y:00m:00d:02h:37m:23s
One year, zero months, zero days, two hours, thirty-seven minutes, and twenty-three seconds.
It wasn't an excruciatingly long time to wait, compared to how long he'd have to wait for other things - i.e. his drivers' license, or being old enough to legally drink. In all reality, he knew he could wait it out just fine, but on the other hand… For an eighth grader, waiting one year to find your soulmate was borderline torture.
Matthew was eating pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast as he stared at the counter across his wrist. The numbers glowed a light, loving pink, as if trying to console him with the wait. "It'll be worth it!" they seemed to say. "This is the love of your life we're talking about! We can't rush these things!" Frankly, he didn't care one bit what they thought - it was so nerve wracking to think that in just a short/long year he'd meet someone whom he'd spend the rest of his life with… Someone who's perfect for him, who'd compliment him in every way, someone who, who would love him and whom he'd love in return. Or, at least, that was the hope and the expectation… He had heard about the very few who refused to believe in the counter, found someone else with that viewpoint, and married them instead of whom the counter had "suggested" for them. They were rare and few inbetween, but what if his soulmate was one of those people? What if she, or he, absolutely hated the idea of "destiny" picking something so major about your life? What if they wanted nothing to do with him? Or what if it was the opposite, and they were all for it? What if they wanted to get married right away! What if, what if, what if…!
"Dude, you really need to stop worrying about that thing."
Matthew hurriedly put his left hand under the table, his cheeks heating up as he stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "Wasn't…" he mumbled, though he knew it was pointless. His twin had caught him staring more times than he could count, especially when the counter read "00m:00d." Which, torturously, always happened on the first day of school. Which meant they knew one thing for certain - he was going to meet his soulmate on the first day of ninth grade - August 24, 2015… From there, he hadn't a clue how it would happen. Would someone new come into his school, or would he go to a new one? Would they be from a different country, or just a different city or school? Would they be the same age as him? Older than him? Maybe even a senior in high school and that's why they hadn't met until now? Would it just be for a limited-time exchange program, and the love of his life would have to leave soon after they meet? The possibilities were endless…!
"Matt, relax!" His brother, Alfred, laughed a little at the panicked expression on Matthew's face. "Your meeting is a whole year away," he snatched a pancake off of the counter and swallowed it in one bite. "You have so much other crap to worry about before then!"
"Oh, like you're not the least bit curious about your own!" Matthew replied, his voice quiet as he still felt a little queasy with all of his future worries. "What if -"
"LA LA LA!" Alfred covered his ears with his hands and started singing the syllable at the top of his lungs. "I CAN'T HEAR MY BROTHER'S POINTLESS DOUBTS! LA LA LA LA LAAAAA!"
Matthew groaned and rolled his eyes, putting another bite of pancakes in his mouth. He really hated how relaxed Alfred was about his watch. They had calculated his own, and his meeting wasn't for another six years(6:00 PM, December 13, 2020). That would be his sophomore year of college, which, for Matthew, spelled even more questions - though of course Alfred didn't want to hear any of them. He insisted that he just wanted to let everything happen naturally without any worries, and that he didn't want to "raise his expectations so impossibly high" that he'll just be disappointed by the meeting and, ergo, his soulmate, but Matthew had a feeling Alfred worried and cared more than he claimed. Or it could be like he was before one of his baseball games - all confident and cocky, but then when the time comes for him to actually play, he turns all scared and shaky. He bet Alfred would be a mess when his counter was down to minutes.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop his teasing at the present moment.
"What do you think's gonna happen?" Alfred asked, plopping down next to him and swinging an arm around his shoulders. He grinned at him and joked, "Instead of a purty little lady you'll meet a purty little polar bear!?"
Matthew blushed and pushed his brother's arm off of him with another groan. "You're never gonna drop that, are you?" It was no big secret that Matthew loved animals, and polar bears especially. With his vast knowledge of the snow white creature, Alfred always joked that his soulmate would turnout to be one of those instead of a human. It wasn't funny anymore.
Unfortunately, Alfred found his little joke to be hilarious and couldn't stop laughing. "It could be one of the ninth grade teacher's pets!" Alfred continued, shaking with laughter. "And once you see it, you'll know it was meant to be and that all of your worries were lame! So you'll steal her away in the middle of the night and prove your love -"
"You're disgusting!" Matthew tried to glare at him, but he was actually having a little trouble keeping a straight face. His brother had one of those laughs that made you want to laugh because it was so loud and distinguished. And, okay, maybe it was a little funny to think his "soulmate" was a polar bear. But only a little.
"And you're ridiculous!" Alfred returned, flicking his forehead with that same grin. "It's gonna happen the way it's gonna happen so there's no use frettin'. Besides," Alfred grinned and bounced in his seat a little. "I think you'd be happy! You get to be high school sweethearts! Lucky bastard…"
Matthew had to snicker a little at that and smiled smugly at his pancakes. "Mm, yeah, I guess that is pretty nice~" It was comments like that which assured Matthew that Alfred did think about his own meeting. Just in a different way.
"Ugh," Alfred scrunched his nose up and went back to the counter to swallow more pancakes. "I bet you'll be one of those couples who always has those stupid goo-goo eyes at each other and ignores all of their friends!"
Matthew smiled a little and walked over playfully punch his brother's shoulder. "I won't forget about you, bro. After all." He held up his right hand, where the name "ALFRED" was printed in small type across his wrist in light blue. "We're "destined" to be each other's best friend, remember?"
Alfred grinned and held up his own right wrist, which, similarly, had "MATTHEW" printed across it in violet. The same thing would happen with their Soulmate Clock, or their Love Counter, or whatever you wanted to call it. When the time ran out, their love's name would replace the boring numbers, and the color would change to the color of their eyes.
For their own Best Friend Counter, it was kind of funny, because it counted down until the day when the twins could actually babble at each other before forming each other's names.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Alfred shook his head and ate another pancake. "Man, in a way it kind of sucks making friends with someone and yet knowing they're not your best friend, y'know? Like, what's even the point?"
"Yeah, I know…" Matthew sighed. "It kinda takes the fun outta friend-making. But at the same time, at least you know? It's not like you can only have one friend anyway." That much was true; just because the counter counted until you'd meet your best friend didn't mean you couldn't have other really close friends. A best friend was just someone who would understand you almost as good as or perhaps even better than your future lover, but other friends were important, too.
"Good point." Alfred nodded decisively before bounding out of the kitchen. "Anyway, I'll grab your backpack! We don't wanna be late for the bus!"
"I'll put your coffee to go," Matthew replied, walking over to the coffee maker.
"Thanks, broski!" Alfred called from the top of the stairs, only to be shushed by their mother, who was always grumpy when woken up by them being loud. "Sorry, mom!"
Matthew chuckled a little as he poured half of the coffee pot into a thermos. Alfred probably didn't need the extra caffeine, but he'd whine incessantly if he didn't get it. And trust Matthew when he says that a hyper Alfred was better than a whiny Alfred.
He set the thermos down on the counter before walking back to his plate. He shoved the last bite of his breakfast into his mouth before taking the dish over to the sink to wash it. Unfortunately, the act of washing dishes also gave him a perfect view of his counter...
Matthew sighed, giving in to look at his wrist. 01y:00m:00d:02h:32m:55s. Oh, someone just put him in a coma for a year…
00y:08m:19d:14h:50m:05s
"I cannot take this anymore!" Francis complained, placing the back of his hand dramatically over his forehead and closing his eyes. "If I must wait one more day I shall surely die!"
"If you do that then you'll never meet them," his know-it-all friend, Arthur, pointed out carelessly as he flipped a page in his history book. "So you better get used to waiting."
They were sprawled across Francis' bedroom floor as they talked, though the original plan was to study together. Even if they didn't attend the same school, what with Arthur living in England and all, they had certain ways to motivate the other into getting their work done - no matter what it was. A trip on the Eurostar was all it took to get to each other, anyway, so it's not like it was much hastle. Besides, Arthur was being forced to learn about World History, and right now they were studying the French Revolution.
Unfortunately, Francis hardly seemed interested in telling the Brit anything about Robespierre, and was much more interested in agonizing over his Counter.
"Eight months," Francis moaned, tossing and turning on the wood floor. "Eight months! This is maddening! This is torture! This is, this is…!"
"Inevitable, fated, predetermined," Arthur interrupted, sighing and turning onto his back so his friend looked upside down. There was no point in trying to study when Francis got all dramatic like this. "Ever since the final year disappeared off of your bloody wrist you haven't shut up about the damn thing!"
"Can you blame me!?" Francis turned onto his stomach, supporting his head with his elbows as he pouted at Arthur. "Such an important person will come into my life in precisely eight months and nineteen days!" He let out a withering sigh and dropped his head to lay on the floorboards. "It is so close, and yet, so far away…!"
"Far away?" Arthur scoffed and displayed his own left wrist to the Frenchman. "Try six more years on for size, frog."
Francis glared at Arthur and stuck his tongue out at him. "Ooh, you be quiet! Can you not just be excited for me!?"
"It's exhausting being excited for everything you'd like me to, Francis," Arthur told him bluntly, turning onto his side with a sigh. "Just today you wanted me to be "excited" because I found a bloody penny on the carriage."
"They are good luck!" Francis retorted, holding his wrist in front of his face and staring at it as it made it's slow, slow progress of counting down. He sighed wistfully, allowing himself to indulge in fantasies of his future love~ He wasn't sure if it would be a boy or a girl, but he was sure they'd be the most kind person in the world~ Someone who would listen to him, even if he started to rant about nothing as he was wont to do~ Someone who would cook with him, and want to spend time with him, and tease him playfully and vice versa - oh, he couldn't wait! He wanted it now! He wanted to hold them close and never let them go, he wanted to whisper sweet nothings into their ear, he wanted to hear and say "I love you," he wanted to kiss them - to share his first kiss with whoever it was that shared his same Counter time~
And he wanted it now! Not in Eight months!
"There's no use agonizing over your time, Francis," Arthur advised, rolling back onto his stomach and attempting to read his history book again. "It's going to happen at that time no matter how much you beg it to be otherwise." He smirked and suggested cheekily, "If you're so needy, why not join the "dating" population?"
Francis felt a shiver run through him at the implication. He pouted at his friend and moved his wrist away from his anxious eyes. "Non! I do not want that!"
The "dating" population was simply another word for, ah, how you say… well… Actually, there were two categories. First were those who still wanted the experience of "dating" that their grandparents talked about as they waited for their time to hit all zeros, and then there were those who simply wanted the more "physical" side of a relationship until their timer went out. Obviously, Arthur was insinuating Francis was of the second variety, since usually the young man talked of how he wanted to hold his love's hand and kiss them and such. He just couldn't help it! Physical affection was the easiest, simplest, and most direct form of l'amour, so excuse him for wanting it from his perfect person!
"So then wait!" Arthur told him, laughing and rolling his eyes. "My word, you're going to drive yourself completely mad if you keep thinking about who your soulmate is or what they're like. I feel bad for this poor person - your expectations are far too high."
"They are not!" Francis denied, flushing lightly. "I simply - I mean…" Francis grew frustrated. "It is my soulmate, for crying out loud!" he exclaimed, pulling lightly at his silky, blonde hair. "How can my expectations not be so high for someone whom God Himself has picked out for me!?"
"Simple," Arthur began, raising his index finger into the air as if pointing to something. "You realize that even if they're perfect for you, they're not going to be entirely perfect like you seem to expect."
"I do not expect that!" Francis argued, glaring at him even as he flushed more. "I know they are human!"
"Do you really?" Arthur hummed, chuckling and giving a knowing smirk. "Then have you thought about what might be bad about your "perfect person," hm?"
Francis mulled over his words for a minute, his eyes zoning out. Bad? What might be bad about his perfect person? Well, it would be… their… um… Oh, why did this matter!? "Obviously any of their bad traits I would be able to handle!" Francis answered, huffing and turning on his back so he could cross his arms.
Arthur started laughing at him and sat up to stretch his arms. "You better start thinking of what might not be "perfect," because otherwise you may not be entirely happy when you meet them." Arthur smirked. "What if they're horribly ugly, or don't appreciate your accent, or hate French cuisine, or bite their nails, or -"
"Silence!" Francis interrupted, sitting up just so he could glare at him again. "I do not have to listen to this! They are perfect!"
"For you," Arthur repeated, sighing and placing his arms akimbo as he gave Francis a serious look. "But there's going to be some things that you won't expect. Maybe they won't even seem like your soulmate at first. Maybe you'll get on each other's nerves a lot. Most definitely, even if they're perfect for you, you're going to have some problems, so you need to stop dreaming about it and start thinking about it."
They stared at each other for a long time after that, Arthur looking apologetic, and Francis looking devastated, as if this was the first time such thoughts had run through his head. He hadn't meant to take away Francis' joy and excitement, it was just damn annoying trying to study while the boy talked about how wonderful someone he hadn't met yet was. Not to mention that he really was worried for Francis' sake - the poor boy had always been overly dramatic and romantic. What if his soulmate wasn't everything he thought? No one could live up to such high expectations… Could they? Oh, what was he saying - of course not!
"Look," Arthur continued, waddling over on his knees so he could sit next to Francis. "All I'm saying is…" He showed the boy his right wrist, where "FRANCIS" was printed in light blue. "I would have never expected my best friend to be a bloody frog whom I argue with night and day."
Francis cracked a smile at that and looked at his own right wrist, where "ARTHUR" was prominently displayed in green. Ah, yes, he remembered the day they first met. It was actually in Francis' territory, which he never lets Arthur forget~
They were six years old, and had bumped into each other on the Eiffel Tower, since Arthur's family was visiting and Francis had dragged his family along to see it yet again. The two boys were so young that it was easy to forget about the two Counters they had, so when they actually met for the first time they started yelling at each other - Francis insisting that Arthur had pushed him and the latter yelling for the "frog" to watch where he was going. After a few more minutes of yelling, their families had broken them up, and it wasn't until the boys came home that they discovered they had met their best friend.
Luckily, destiny seemed to realize they wouldn't be best buds at first sight, and Francis' family had to live in England for a few years because of his dad's job, which allowed the two boys to meet again in grade school.
Bing, bang, boom - they had struck up a friendship. The universe was funny like that.
"So," Arthur bumped their shoulders together and grinned. "With our luck, we'll probably end up with people who annoy the living daylights out of us."
Francis smiled a little and teased, "My soulmate better not be another rosbif."
Arthur smirked and easily returned, "It'll probably be an American."
Francis paled at the thought, hugging his legs to his chest. "... I…" He swallowed, hesitating to finish his sentence. "... I have heard rumors of us possibly moving to America for my father's work…" he admitted quietly.
"... What?" Arthur frowned at the sudden news, sitting up straighter as he looked at him. "When? Why didn't you tell me until now?"
"Armel told me not to worry about it…" Francis mumbled. Armel was Francis' older brother, of course. He was twenty years old, and had found his soulmate at fourteen. Which was completely unfair, in Francis' opinion - he was almost sixteen years old and he still had not found his! Harumph! He was happy for him, though, since Allison was a lovely girl. And it was hard to be mad at Armel when he was the best older brother Francis could hope for~ Caring, just as dramatic, protective, and not afraid to show his emotions. He felt as if he could tell his brother anything, and he knew he could always go to the older male for advice.
"He probably just said that because he didn't want to upset you," Arthur mumbled, a sad frown encompassing his features. "You most likely are going to America at some point…"
Francis felt his blood run cold. He was right, wasn't he? Armel was one to say anything to keep him calm, even if he wasn't sure of it himself… Mon dieu, they were going to move away again…!
"But," Francis felt like a floundering fish. "But, Armel and Allison are getting married in the spring! We've already rented the reception hall! We cannot move before then! Non!"
"That's a good point…" Arthur chewed at his lip. "We should go ask about it."
"Ask about what?"
The two teenagers turned to see Armel standing in the doorframe, smiling obliviously and holding a tray of chocolate chip cookies. He was a tall man, 188cm (6'2) by doctor's calculations, with a charming patch of freckles across his nose and cheeks as well as the silky blonde hair that seemed signature to Francis' family. "Homework troubles?"
"Armel!" Francis jumped up and stood right in front of him, staring up at him with wide, sad, puppy-dog eyes. "Are we moving to America?!"
The older man froze, his already pale complexion turning as white as a dinner plate. "... No, we are not moving to America…"
Francis felt relieved at first, but then he registered the inflection on his last word. "... Where are we moving, then?"
"... Canada…"
"..." For a few, rare moments, Francis' room was completely silent.
"Fr-frére…?" Armel whispered, chewing at his lips nervously.
"When?" the young Frenchman croaked, feeling sick to his stomach. They were going to move an ocean away… An entirely different continent! They were getting off of Europe completely this time!
Armel sighed and walked in to set the cookies on the bed. "It is a long time off!" Armel tried to assure him. "We were going to tell you soon, actually, so it is not like we were hiding this from you -"
"When?" Francis pressed, walking up to him again and tugging at his arm. With how much Armel was stalling, he had a very, very bad feeling about the timing of when they were moving.
His brother still didn't look him in the eyes. "You will be able to finish the school year in France! And spend your birthday in France! So you do not need to worry -"
"Armel!'
The young man flinched and sighed, finally turning to look into his brother's sad eyes. "... We are moving after the wedding... in six months…"
"... Six…" Francis felt sick to his stomach. That was so close…! Too soon! "For how long!?"
Armel chewed at his lip, reaching a hand up to the back of his neck as he replied. "At least a year, if not more."
"Mon dieu…" The world felt like it was spinning. Six months. Moving. A year or more. Leaving his home, his school, his friends, his life! He liked it here! He was comfortable here! Why did he have to move!?
...
His left wrist was moved up to his face almost instinctively. Eight months and nineteen days. Minus six months, and that meant he'd most likely meet his soulmate in Canada two months after the move… Either that, or, or the move would postpone his meeting even further…! Could that happen?! It was rare, but there were certain choices that could be made to increase or decrease your time, things that the universe thought weren't likely to happen, or when people went so far off their path that it altered the meeting! Could this move affect what he had been waiting for since he was eight years old? Or was it planned?! Was there any way for him to find out!?
"Francis?"
The boy looked up to see that both his brother and best friend were staring at him as if he was going to faint. He was sure he looked like it…
"I am fine!" he insisted, turning to go grab a cookie from his bed. Or two. Or ten.
"Mon frére!" Armel exclaimed, walking over and pulling him into a strong hug. Damn his lean muscles… "I am sorry, we should have told you earlier, but you are always so upset when we have to move!"
"Why would I not be!?" Francis wriggling in his brother's hold. "We have never moved off of Europe before! And the farthest we have ever went was Spain!"
"It will be all right!" Armel tried to reassure, tightening his hold and stopping Francis from moving even a fraction of an inch between his arms. "E-even Allie is coming, and we are going to Quebec - the French part of the country!"
"They speak a different dialect!" Francis complained, feeling tears start to build around his eyes. He felt so powerless… he couldn't even stay in his home country for more than a few years. He had to move with the family because he was only sixteen, and even his brother was too protective to let him stay with Arthur - let him stay with Europe. He hated it. He hated this. He just wanted to stay home!
As his tears built up and started silently falling down his face, Armel sighed and kissed his cheeks. "I am sorry, Francis…"
"I know," Francis choked out, sniffling. Armel had decreased his hold enough for him to be able to hold a hand up to wipe at his eyes.
His older brother gave him a sincerely apologetic look before sighing. It wasn't like he could do anything - it was already decided… Father wanted to build another franchise of their restaurant, this time in another continent. Since Armel was going to inherit the business, he recognized it as a good investment… So, with one last hug to his young brother, he left, leaving Arthur to handle the emotional teenager.
"Francis…" the Englishman started quietly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It'll be all right - we can skype like we did for Spain, and it'll be exciting to be in another country!"
"It feels like I am always in another country!" Francis snapped, plopping himself down on the floor. "I want to stay in France! It is my homeland! We are a proud people, oui oui!"
"I know…" Arthur sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly. It wasn't like he could relate - his family didn't move like Francis' did. They didn't move at all, actually; just took vacations. "Well, maybe you can educate some Canadians?" Arthur grinned sheepishly as he added, "Although with how stupid you are I'm not sure how well that will go over~"
Francis cracked a smile at that, but it quickly levelled back into a frown. He sighed and turned to look at him. "Mon ami…" his voice was quiet, as if what he would say next was a matter of life and death. "... Do you think I will meet my soulmate in Canada…?"
"It's possible." Arthur offered a tentative smile as he sat next to him. "Who knows? Maybe Canada will feel like home all because of your perfect person."
Francis laughed lightly and leaned his head back against his bed, staring quietly up at the ceiling. "... What if when the plane takes off, my Counter increases by a few years?"
"Well," Arthur pondered the question, not wanting to say anything hasty, but also not wanting to ignore his question altogether. "I suppose if they're your soulmate, they'll be worth the wait, right?"
"... That is a good point…" Francis mumbled, holding his hand up to look at the numbers again. "But I really hope it does not happen…"
"You and me both," Arthur chuckled. "I don't think I can handle more years of complaining."
Francis grinned and stuck his tongue out at Arthur. "Too bad, mon ami~ You are my best friend, you must put up with it~"
"Oh, like hell I do." Arthur picked up his textbook and whacked Francis in the shoulder with it, smirking challengingly at him. "Bring it on, old bean~"
The Frenchman grinned, starting to complain up a storm. "My feet are too cold, but my head is too hot! The clouds are too puffy and the grass is too stringy! Your eyebrows are so huge they are offending my eyes~"
"You take that back!" Arthur hit Francis in the head with the textbook this time, though he wasn't as angry as he could be. He was glad to have avoided one of Francis' crying sessions - he swore this man could mope for weeks.
Which was true, but even if Francis felt nervous and sad about the move, he figured he might as well have a positive attitude about it. It wasn't for six months anyway, so he'd be fine until then! He would just enjoy the short time he has left in France with his friends doing fun things! That was the best use of his time, not moping around! Oui oui!
Besides… in six months, he'd see that he didn't have to worry about his Counter time anymore than he had been before. When the plane took off, taking him to a strange and different land, it ticked away the seconds just as it always had…
00y:00m:29d:18h:23m:19s - July 26, 2014
"Cannonball!"
Before Matthew could duck under the water, Alfred had already jumped in and splashed water right into his eyes. He groaned and closed his eyes, trying to wipe the excess water away. He was lucky the pool wasn't overly chlorinated!
"Oh, you're in for it now, Al!" Matthew threatened the open air, grinning as he dived under and reached to grab Alfred's ankles. They had watched a horror movie last night, and everyone in his family knew just how much Alfred was terrified of scary movies~
Just as Matthew thought, his brother started screaming underwater and immediately tried to swim to the top. It sounded like he was saying something along the lines of: "HELP! HELP! MATT! THERE'S GHOSTS IN THE POOL! MAAAATT!"
"Calm down!" Matthew popped up out of the water, laughing and splashing at him. "That was just a bit of payback~"
Alfred pouted a little and opened his mouth to deny that he was scared, like he always did, when he just got a big grin on his face instead. "You better not be so mean to your future girlfriend~"
Matthew blushed and splashed him again, which only encouraged Alfred to laugh in that annoyingly loud way of his before diving under the water. That brat - he'd been pulling that card every chance he got since the summer started! Every time Matthew did something Alfred deemed "not nice," including revenge, he would remind him that he better be on his "best behavior" for his soulmate, who was coming in just twenty nine days…
As if the first day of high school wasn't stressful enough!?
He was excited, don't get him wrong, but he couldn't help but be worried! He still had all of his doubts and concerns, not to mention his own hopes for what his soulmate was like… Someone nice and cute, who can cook, maybe… But-but he wouldn't be picky! Whatever they possessed would be great, he was sure! And he could only hope they would think the same of him!
Which is why it was so frustrating that Alfred kept reminding him of all these worries!
Matthew sighed and swam into an easy backstroke. At least their grandparents' pool was good for calming the nerves; swimming in the water while the sun beamed down on them… He really did enjoy coming to Iowa for the summer. It was usually a lot warmer than it was up in Quebec, where they spend the school year. Just one of the benefits of having a French-Canadian dad and an American mom, he supposed! Getting to travel between the two countries, and knowing a whole other language! Like that popular song - you get the best of both worlds.
They weren't rich or anything though - they just stayed with their mom's parents in the summer. With was fine with grandma and grandpa; they loved to see Matthew and Alfred! Especially with how much they appreciated their grandma's cooking~ His grandma still made some of the best pancakes around, and for lunch they had had burgers cooked on the grill with corn on the cob and potato salad! For dinner, they were having homemade spaghetti noodles with roasted chicken - mm-mm, good!
"Bro!" Alfred pulled Matthew by the arm so that his ears were above the water. He was grinning manically as he exclaimed, "Let's make a whirlpool!"
Matthew laughed and pulled his arm out of his brother's grip. "Okay, okay!"
"YEAH!" Alfred splashed around a bit like a dolphin before high-tailing it to the side. "Come on, Matt!" he yelled, kicking it into high gear as he swam around the perimeter of the circular pool. After a few laps, it'd have a lazy river effect and they could lay back as the current carries them. Alfred had a longstanding goal to create faster and faster self-propelled whirlpools, and he's tried every time they've gotten in the water at one point or another.
Matthew chuckled a little and followed after him, swimming as fast as he could since he didn't want Alfred coming up behind him. Last time that happened the enthusiastic swimmer went over him, dunking his head under and almost accidentally drowning him.
As he swam, though… Matthew couldn't help but think about how soon he'd meet his soulmate (thanks, Al). Twenty nine days… It was almost unreal, getting this close. It had seemed like the school year would never end, and then summer hit and he only had a month left… Whenever he tried to imagine how they'd meet, everything seemed to freeze and he couldn't get beyond seeing his soulmate on the steps of school… He couldn't imagine what they might say, or what he himself would say, or anything, really. It didn't seem like it could happen… It seemed like such a far off dream that he didn't know what to think. Should he even imagine anything this so close to the time? Should he just try to stop thinking about it altogether? Or should his mind be in overdrive as he thinks of every possible scenario? Should he be laying awake at night worrying over it, or just try to ignore it until he gets down to one day? He was so tired of feeling this pit of dread and excitement in his stomach - he just wanted it to go away! But of course that wasn't going to happen until a name was written on his left wrist…
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
Alfred tried to jump like a dolphin over Matthew, who dived underwater just in time to avoid him. Thank goodness… He'd rather not drown today, especially since he had something wonderful to look forward to in the near future!
"Slow down, hoser!" Matthew called after his brother, who was too busy swimming like mad to hear him. He rolled his eyes; Alfred was usually a good brother, but there were a lot of things he could improve on. He wondered if his soulmate had any siblings, and if they did, were they nice or annoying like his? And what about his best friend? What would they be like? Man, there were so many more questions… He wondered if his soulmate thought about him as much as he did them - could they be swimming around in a poll and thinking about it just like him?
00y:00m:29d:18h:6m:37s - July 26, 2014
It was a quiet day in Francis' new household. Boxes were stacked everywhere, but not as many as what had been there just a month prior. The house also wasn't as big as their old one, but he didn't really care about that - this new one was cozier and a bit older. He found the creaking floorboards and squeaky stairs charming, and he was determined there were secret passageways to discover.
There were three bedrooms - mama and papa got the master bedroom, of course, and Armel and Allison received the second biggest room as such cute newlyweds~ All bubbly and practically glowing with happiness~ Though that could also just be the tan they received from their Hawaiian Honeymoon… Ah, well, either way, they were cute! And because of their cuteness, Francis was left with the smallest room. Which was very okay with him - it made up for its size with the beautiful weeping willow right outside his door. Oh, he and his true love could lay under the cover of those thick, low-hanging branches for hours~ Talking, cuddling, kissing~ Oh, it was so perfect…
"I want it now!" Francis whined, leaning his head against said tree now and groaning as he looked up at the high branches of the tree. He wiggled his legs together before bringing them up to his chest and sighing. He was still suffering from the hollow sadness of leaving his friends - especially Arthur. They had shared a very long goodbye at the airport, where they hugged for at least two minutes straight. Which was a very long time for the Englishman! Since he wasn't a huggy person despite how often Francis tried to hug him and kiss his cheeks and such! It was that rare moment right there that had Francis bawling, falling onto his knees in one last desperate attempt to stay in Europe. If even Arthur, someone who absolutely hated showing his emotions,was going to miss him enough to hug him for longer than a few seconds then how could he leave!?
His begging and sobbing continued all the way as he boarded the plane, much to the displeasure and embarrassment of his family. Armel and Allie tried to calm him down with kind words, but when that didn't work his mother forced him to swallow a sleeping pill. Which had then started freaking him out even more, as he was worried that he would fall asleep before the departure and wake up later to find that his Counter had increased ten years!
… Long story short, he had probably made it a very unenjoyable experience for the other passengers that day.
When the plane finally did take off, he was struck silent. That was the final moment - the final signal that they were moving to Canada… He had watched his Counter anxiously the entire time the plane was driving off the runway, and he had been ecstatic when it hadn't changed by even one second. He fell asleep soon after - what with him wasting so much energy crying, accompanied with the effects of the sleeping pill.
When he had woken up… all of that sadness returned. He was more than excited to meet his soulmate in this new, strange land, but he couldn't help but miss his home… He even wondered if maybe a longer Counter time would have been worth staying. It was silly of him to think, though, since it wasn't his decision to make whether he go or stay. Not to mention he'd miss his family too much, and he knew he'd go even crazier if he had to wait longer. Even the final twenty-nine days was much too long! Besides, he skyped with Arthur when he could, though that pesky time zone different was going to be very inconvenient when school started for them… It was only five hours instead of, say, eight or ten, but it was still going to cause problems with homework and extracurriculars and such. Ah, well, he wouldn't dwell on that…
Francis sighed and laid sideways on the grass, seeing the world go topsy-turvy with the sky and the ground as walls instead of ceiling and floor. He really should be inside unpacking his room, but he couldn't handle his brother anymore… Every time he saw Armel, the man would put on a "brave smile" and talk about how "wonderful" and "interesting" everything was here. "It's a lot warmer than I expected, from what I heard of Canada!" he said once. Even Francis could have told him that it wasn't the frigid arctic that everyone seemed to take it for - at least not all the time.
He knew Arma was only doing it to help Francis feel better about the move. That was also why they frequently visited the old restaurant building that their father was renovating for his new branch - so that he'd remember why they were here and why it was beneficial to them all. It was starting to get annoying - why wasn't he allowed to be sad and miss his friends and country? Wasn't it a perfectly normal reaction? Especially for a teenager?
"This sinks…" Francis muttered, closing his eyes. "And I so wanted to be happy the days leading up to my meeting…"
Even while he said that, he was a little scared. He wanted to be happy when the timer ran out, but he didn't want to be so happy that he completely forgot about his friends or France! He still wanted to miss them, because they were an important part of his life and they deserved a certain amount of thought and respect! But he also didn't want to be so mopey that he annoyed his new love…! What was the perfect balance!?
"Dear God," he said aloud, flopping onto his back and staring up at the green folds of the willow tree. "Please help set my emotions at rest enough so that I am not neglecting one for the other…" It was a simple, perhaps confusing prayer, but God would know what he meant.
Of course, Francis would have to work towards his goal, too… so, he supposed the best thing to do right now would be to walk back into the house, do some unpacking, and talk to his brother! Oui oui! That is what he would do - he would not be a mopey Mary all day today, no sir! He shall save that for the night!
… Yes! Of course! He could be happy during the day and mopey at night! It was so simple!
"Thank you, God!" Francis looked up at the sky and laughed before getting up and skipping back to the house. He could make this work! He would make this work! He owed it to himself and to his future soulmate!
00y:00m:00d:02h:40m:41s
"My little baby boy is growing up!" a very "distressed" mother proclaimed one fine, early morning as she bustled around the kitchen with a broom. "Soon he'll have his first kiss and will run off with his girlfriend, forgetting all about the poor old woman who raised him!"
"Mooom!" Matthew groaned, slamming his head on the kitchen table. She had been like this ever since his counter read "07d," and he was getting quite tired of it. "I'm not going to forget about you, okay!?"
"Oh, of course you say that now!" his mother, Risa Jones-Williams, "lamented" as she walked over to her son and captured him in a tight hug. "But in three hours I bet you'll be humming an entirely different tune!"
Matthew groaned more, but he couldn't stop the small smile that his lips were quirking into. "Hey, you'll still have Al!"
"Ah, yes," she sighed a little, smiling amusedly. "The oldest twin will become the new baby~"
"Hey!" Alfred stepped into the kitchen just in time to hear that. He pouted and walked over to the counter where a stack of pancakes lay for him. "I'm not a baby! It's not my fault Mattie's seeing his honey bunny sooner than me!"
Matthew blushed and covered his face with his hands as his mom questioned, "Honey bunny?"
"I've called my soulmate that, like, one time!" Matthew whined, feeling horribly embarrassed. "I was tossing around petnames, okay!? I like honey, so sue me!"
The kitchen was silent for a minute. Which was then quickly disturbed by their mother's loud laughter. "O-oh, Matthew, that's s-so gr-great!" She had to take a second to wipe at her tears
Matthew felt heat travelling from his face all down his neck and shoulders. He slammed his head against the table again, groaning just as his dad came down to get involved with the commotion.
"Ah, it is so wonderful to hear laughter so early in the morning!" he exclaimed, his light, French accent barely noticeable. He walked over to his wife and gave her a peck on the lips before ruffling his son's hair good-naturedly. "Do not worry, mon petite! If your love-to-be is anything like your mother, she will be falling all over you upon sight~"
"Oh!" Risa whacked her husband in the chest, giving him a playful grin as he laughed. "And if they're anything like your father, he'll call you day and night claiming he's in a "pit of despair" without you!"
"That is right~" Mr. Wyatt Williams purred, grabbing his wife around her middle and bending her down for a long kiss.
"Yeuch!" Alfred complained, rolling his eyes. "Get a room!" He shoved a pancake into his mouth and grumbled silently as he looked away from them.
Matthew just chuckled, smiling at their parents. He always enjoyed how in love they were after all these years, what with all of the teasing and talking and laughter. Their personalities really were perfect - complementary, yet the same in key areas. His dad was just a bit more carefree and silly, though he knew when to be serious and get a job done, and his mom was just a little more intuitive and observant, which didn't come in handy when Matthew or Alfred wanted to hide something. They usually agreed on things, and when they didn't they knew how to talk it out calmly. Matthew can count on one hand the amount of times he's heard them yell at each other for anything, which was pretty impressive in his eyes.
They even looked like a perfect couple, too. His dad had shoulder-length, wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, a defined, trustworthy face, and was a few inches taller than his mom, whom had long, straight, brown hair, brown eyes, a few freckles, and a round, loving face.
He wondered if he and his "love to be" would be like them; get along as well and keep their love strong… It was possible, right? I mean, that's what the Counter was for, right? So you could find your perfect match! And if they're perfect, then, then you should be able to do your best with them and all that jazz! Surely he could emulate his parents' relationship with whomever ends up as his honey, right?
Matthew smiled, suddenly feeling very positive about what would happen in the next two hours and thirty-six or so minutes. He knew when it came down to minutes that he'd be a nervous wreck, but for right now… Well, he could imagine a bright future for them.
He hoped his soulmate felt the same way…
"Are we gonna talk about Matthew's honey bunny some more or not!?" Alfred complained, immediately causing their parents to turn back to the task at hand. Namely, tormenting Matthew over his predestined meeting.
… He also hoped his soulmate didn't have annoying family members to deal with this morning.
00y:00m:00d:02h:18m:35s
"I wish you good luck today, mon frére!" Armel told Francis as he brushed the teenager's long hair in front of the bathroom mirror. Francis had already brushed it, of course, but having his hair brushed could be quite calming. For Armel, anyway - the poor man was having a bit of trouble imagining his baby brother growing up, evidenced by the small tears in the corners of his eyes. "Just think! In two hours you shall be able to hold your amour close…" He sniffled and wiped "discreetly" at his eyes. "And, and spend all of your time with them…!"
Francis sighed through the toothbrush in his mouth. "Armaaa!" He spit into the sink and grabbed a towel to wipe at his lips. "It is not like I am going to completely ignore you! We will still be able to hang out!"
"But not as much!" Armel cried, a tear finally falling down his cheek as he wrapped his arms around Francis in a tight, bone-crushing hug. "I can see it now! You will spend all of your time over at their house and forget all about your fwe!"
Francis would have sighed again, if all of the air wasn't being crushed out of his lungs. Armel was even using the name Francis used to call him when he was a baby, since he couldn't say "frére" properly back then. He must be really upset…
"Arm...el!" He tugged at the arms around him. "Too… tight!"
"Ah! Sorry!" Armel loosened the hug just enough for Francis to be able to breath. "I just… I do not want to lose you!"
Francis had to smile a little at how worried his brother was. He didn't understand why Armel thought he would abandon him once he found his true love. After all, Armel still cared for him this much and made time for him when Allie came into the picture!
It was true that his brother had been the primary role model in his life, what with his dad working long and hard for his business and his mom being a second grade schoolteacher, and Armel had always been a bit overprotective over him… So maybe that's all this was - a bit of preemptive "empty nest" syndrome and his protective attitude kicking in.
"Do not worry, Armel," Francis turned around in his brother's grasp and returned the hug, kissing both of his cheeks. "I am sure whoever my soulmate is could not possibly love me as much as you!"
"That is right!" Armel smiled, happy to hear such words come from his dear brother's mouth. "I will always love you the most, and don't you forget it, oui oui!"
"And where do I fit into the equation?" Allison's voice surprised both of the boys, who jumped a little as they turned to look at her. She was smiling, amused since she always found it funny how protective Armel was over his brother.
"Allie!" Armel's face brightened as he happily went over to give her a hug and a kiss. "You know you are precious to me~"
"Mm…" She blushed lightly, finding it a little embarrassing still to kiss in front of other people - even if they were family. "Sometimes it feels like I am second banana~"
Armel gasped, looking terrified by her words. "Th-that is not true!" He looked between his wife and his brother. "You are both top banana!"
Francis chuckled, finding this the perfect opportunity to escape from anymore tear-filled "goodbyes" as he pat his brother on the back. "Hm, I am not sure, maybe you should assure your wife she is as important as you say, oui oui~"
"Oui!" Allie smiled, crossing her arms and staring at her husband expectantly.
"O-of course…!" Armel was starting to get into panic mode, which was always great fun for both Francis and Allie. "I-I will do so right away! But, but first!" He turned to give Francis one last hug, kissing his cheek sloppily. "Don't worry, Francis…" He smiled and turned a pair of loving eyes to Allison. "It is not so scary once you meet your true love~" He walked over to her and took her hands gently in his own, still staring into her eyes. "They will be your everything~ So much so that you won't even be able to remember what you did without them in your life~"
Allie's cheeks turned a beautiful, rosy red as she smiled shyly at him. "O-oh, Armel…" She looked down in an attempt to hide from such kind words, her glasses falling down her nose a bit as her honey blonde hair covered her light brown eyes. She was still not used to how romantic Armel could be~ She didn't think she'd ever get used to it, even though they were married now.
Francis smiled at the sight of them, especially when his brother lifted her hands softly to his lips. Oh, he hoped to have something like that very soon~ A love that will blossom so beautifully that it makes everyone around you smile~ Someone to smile and blush at his affections, and who can hopefully return the favor~ Someone whom he could share such long looks of love with~ Oh, he couldn't wait!
He glanced at his Counter as he walked to his room, ready to start his new school year in Canada. 00y:00m:00d:02h:13m:21s. Egad, it seemed so daunting, and yet, so relieving at the same time…
I'm coming for you, mon amour, he thought, deciding to be silly and kiss the numbers. We shall meet very, very soon…
Oh, he felt like he was going to faint!
00y:00m:00d:00h:07m:13s
Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap, holy crap…!
To say Matthew was freaking out would be the understatement of the year.
Seven minutes, seven minutes, SEVEN MINUTES…!
How in the world was he supposed to focus for the last five minutes of his Algebra class' syllabus explanation when he knew he'd meet his soulmate in his second class of the day - French three honors?!
I hope they like me, Matthew thought, staring solely at his wrist, agonizing over how long each second seemed to take. I hope they're not disappointed…
~!~!~!~
SEVEN MINUTES!
Francis squirmed in his seat, not even bothering to pay attention to whatever the junior science teacher was saying about the expectations in her class. Each class was the same no matter where you went - do your best, be respectful, bring a notebook and pencil, blah, blah, blah. He just wanted to get to French class already!
I hope they think I'm funny instead of odd, he thought, tracing hearts around the slow tick of his numbers. I hope they don't wish for someone else…
~!~!~!~
00y:00m:00d:00h:02m:00s
When the bell rang, marking the end of first period, two students of Quebec City High School rushed from their classes and ran down the halls, not caring about the teachers who told them to slow down and apologizing to anyone they ran into as they went. They couldn't slow down, not even if they tried.
They had a very important meeting to make.
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:49s
When they got around their separate corners, knowing this was the hallway with their classroom, they finally slowed down. Their hearts hammered in their chests, their palms started to sweat more than they knew was possible, their chests felt so tight it was as if they were wearing corsets, and all through their mind they ran through hundreds of things they could do or say when they finally meet that wonderful person at the end of their time~
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:15s
They saw each other, standing a few feet away. Catching the other's eyes, blue eyes met violet ones for the first time, and they knew.
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:13s
This is the one, Matthew thought, his heart thumping sporadically in his ears. He clasped his hands together and gave a small, beautiful, sheepish smile, his honey bangs falling just right on his eyes.
This is him…! A small giggle escaped from Francis' luscious lips, his long lashes batting coyly as he brought up a hand to wiggle his fingers at him. He is perfect~
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:11s
For the longest time, the two just stood in the middle of that bustling hallway, not minding whenever they might have been bumped by other students. Their eyes were only on each other, wanting to savor this moment for the rest of their lives. Wanting to remember exactly how the other looked on this first day, so they would be able to tell this story for the rest of their lives.
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:08s
Suddenly, all of their doubts and worries seemed so foolish that it was almost unbelievable that they had thought them in the first place. No matter what, they were made for each other; God, destiny, the universe - they all said so. It was written on their wrists. What could they have to fear? And what could they not have to gain?
They walked towards each other, closing the distance between them with exciting ease, their eyes never once off of each other.
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:05s
"Hi," Matthew greeted, swallowing afterwards since he knew he wouldn't be able to talk soon if he didn't.
"'Ello~" Francis was so nervous, his French accent came out more strongly than it usually did. But that was okay, Matthew seemed to find it cute, as he just laughed a little. Oh, what a beautiful, soft laugh he had… he hoped he'd hear it often~
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:03s
"My name's Matthew," the Canadian started with, holding out a tentative hand.
Francis stared at the appendage for a moment before chuckling and stepping forward, closing the distance with a hug. "Matthieu..." he whispered the name back at him into his ear, causing the boy to shiver. Oh, it seemed he had sensitive ears~ How cute~ "It is so nice to meet you! My name is Francis~"
"Francis…" This time, the Frenchman shivered from his quiet tone, feeling warmer than he's ever felt with his love's arms wrapped around his waist. "That's such a nice name…"
00y:00m:00d:00h:00m:00s
Matthew
Francis
AN: Hey everybody! :D This is Annzy speaking~ I hope you enjoyed this little story! :) It was actually a birthday present for TheGuardianKnux back in February, and I decided to share it with you all now ^^
Going along with that - "Armel" is actually a character we came up with together to be Francis' older brother, and we quite like him - as well as the parents you've seen here :) I hope you all liked them, too!
I do want to continue this - add an "After the meeting" chapter for these two lovebirds and then write the agonizing wait for Arthur and Alfred. Would anyone be interested in seeing that? :)
Thank you for reading! Please leave a review on your way out if you'd be so kind ^^