"NO I SAW THE CHILD FIRST FRANCIS."
"There is no WAY I am letting you take this child home to your GOD awful cooking."
"EXCUSE ME? HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY COOKING LIKE THAT YOU FROG."
It was Sunday the 28th of August 1999. On that day, a man named Arthur Kirkland was visiting a children's home in the hopes of raising a son. A healthy 5 year old at least. He was a tall Englishman (5"9"/175 cm) with scruffy blond hair, a sweater vest and brown corduroy trousers. On that very same day, a man named Francis Bonnefoy was doing just the same. He was French, also so he was the same height as Arthur, but was better fashioned. He had longer locks and always carried a rose on his person. These two men spent their hours together fighting, one comment and the other would be set off like a rocket! When Arthur entered the home, in the entrance, he immediately narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists a little. Francis was there on his knees talking to a little girl.
"Lucy is such a pretty name! Perfect for a pretty girl!" The little girl giggled at the remark and skipped off after saying goodbye to him. When Francis got up he saw Arthur at the door and smiled smugly. "Ahh, well if it isn't mon cher Arthur.."
"Hello frenchie."Arthur announced. Francis stopped smiling at his comment. He looked down and chuckled.
"Still rude I see." Francis muttered. Arthur ignored what he said and walked past him, nudging his shoulder. Francis' blood was slowly boiling inside, but he kept in his anger to be respectful. Arthur slowly walked around the hall, glancing up at some of the children's paintings when-
"Matt where are y-oof!" A small child ran into Arthur's leg. "Oh sorry dude!"
"Watch where you're going kid!-" He stopped when he realized the child apologized. "Oh it's quite alright!" The child turned around to face Francis and eagerly says.
"Cool hair dude! You have lady hair but it totally suits you!" The child declared. Francis thanked the boy; While Arthur got annoyed with his attention to Francis. "What are you doing here anyway? Here to foster a kid?"
"Yes, I am." Arthur replied. Francis butts in with
"I am also!"
"Awesome! Hey if you haven't chosen a kid yet adopt me! I'm from America so I'll totally be great!" The child was jumping up and down with excitement at the idea of finally being adopted, but then he stopped and put his hand to his head and tapped it. "Wait a minute… I was looking for someone just before I bumped into you!" He pointed at Arthur's leg.
"Well I'm sorry that my leg was in your way." Arthur hissed.
"No need to say it like that he is just a child after all!" Francis declared
"It's ok it doesn't matter! So are you willing to adopt, I don't know... Maybe, me? I'm good all of the time and sometimes when you're in trouble I'll turn into a superhero and save you!" The child exclaimed. His happy, excitable nature made Arthur smile a bit, Francis noticed and he was not about to lose the child to the Englishman.
"So who do you prefer child? The glamorous me or the undeniably boring Arthur here?" Arthur, upon hearing Francis describe him in such a distasteful manner, was outraged and almost punched him in the face, but he held back not wanting to frighten the boy.
"Well, you wouldn't want to go with this frenchie here! He'll take you to a place where frog's legs are tasty and everyone talks weirdly!" That was sure to put him off of Francis Arthur thought to himself. Francis gasped.
"How dare you say such things about my country! This boy does not like you get over it."
"NO FRANCIS. I SAW THE CHILD FIRST FRANCIS." Arthur shouted.
"There is no WAY I am letting you take this child home to your GOD awful cooking."
"EXCUSE ME? HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY COOKING LIKE THAT YOU FROG." The child recoiled a little bit. He didn't seem to be able to handle arguments very well. He cried
"WAIT!" The two men stopped shouting and looked at the boy, who looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"In-"He sniffed "Instead of fighting m-maybe we could play a game! That way whoever wins I know will be my new dad!"
The two men looked at each other glares of disgust and Francis broke the silence with
"I agree. I will win and I'll take you home and you'll be fine all right mon petit enfant?"
"I don't know what that means but yeah! What about you mister?" The child faced Arthur and had a hopeful look about him.
"… No."
"What's wrong Arthur scared I'll beat you in this game?" Arthur wasn't about to get shown up by a French man.
"No. In fact, fine. To prove I am the better man I will play" Francis smirked "And I will win."
"Ok awesome!" I'll go hide and then after 20 seconds you guys have got to find me! Ok three, two, one GO!" He ran off without letting the two men so much as speak another word. Francis and Arthur stood there counting down in their heads, staring each other down.
"I will win Arthur."
"No, I think you'll find I'll win." 8… 9… 10… Arthur was very determined, Francis was too. 14… 15… 16… 'Here I go.' 19…
20.
"COME AND FIND MEEEE~"
Francis counted down a little faster, so he set off a few milliseconds before Arthur and the two were soon pushing and shoving each other down the hall.
"Move you, toad."
"Oh shut up you scone"
"What does that even mean?!"
"It means you're scones and everything you cook is disgusting." Arthur gasped and shoved Francis harder and eventually managed to push past.
"Beat that frog legs."
Francis ran after Arthur but he was still too fast. The two began frantically searching for the child and Francis eventually took his search outside. Arthur grew tired and slumped on a wicker chest and almost gave up when he heard muffled shouts coming from underneath him. He got off of the chest and opened it and inside was the child.
"I knew you would find me mister!"
"Well of course I did!" he bragged even though he found him on accident.
"I can't wait to finally have a dad!" Upon hearing those words Arthur forgot about his war with Francis and thought of what it would be like to have a child.
"Well I guess I won..."
"You sure did!" The child flung his arms around Arthur and hugged him. Arthur was surprised at this sentiment, he slowly closed his eyes and hugged him back.
Francis returned from outside and saw Arthur and the child hugging each other. Arthur opened his eyes to see the Frenchman standing there with a defeated look on his face.
"Aww is the little frog going to cry because the lion beat him?" Francis had had it. He marched right up to Arthur and he was fuming.
"You think you're funny do you Arthur?"
"I do." Arthur put the child down. "What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to beat the shit out of you." Francis whispered.
"Go ahead try it. You'll scare off all the kids and no one will want you as their daddy." Arthur was pouting in an attempt to impersonate Francis. The child walked backwards and then ran off before the two could start another argument.
"Go to hell." Francis spat.
"Make me." They give each other cold stares. They began fighting both trying to strangle each other. At one point Francis manages to hang up Arthur by his arms locking him in place. "GET OFF OF ME YOU TW-"
"EXCUSE ME." The two men turn around to see the child sniffling again behind a very angry looking woman. She was blond, had a shoulder length bob for her hair, green eyes, she also had round blue earrings, a navy grey suit (coat and trousers) with a baby blue vest underneath, a silver necklace with some sort of Chinese symbol (Francis recognised what it was but Arthur… No such luck.) And flat shoes. "I would prefer it if you would both stop fighting as this is a care home." Francis let go of Arthur he patted himself.
"I do apologize madam." Arthur apologized
"Oui, please forgive my rude behaviour." Francis apologized
"But I'm sorrier." Arthur interrupted.
"Non, I am." Francis hissed
"STOP." The woman shouted again. "For goodness sakes if you do not like each other then avoid each other rather than make a scene!" The two men looked down in embarrassment and the woman sighed. "Now… I understand you wanted to adopt this child sir?" She looks at them both.
"Yes that would be m-"
"Non. He cheated and he found the child only because the child told him where he was hiding."
"I did not cheat you piece of –chocolate drops…" The woman raised an eyebrow.
"So it's you sir?" She looked at Arthur.
"… Yes…" Arthur blushed a little bit having made a fool of himself.
"Not very promising at the moment. You best impress me in the interview. Come along let's go sort this out." She walked away towards her office. She turned towards the two men and child "I am the head care worker by the way. Come along… Arthur." Arthur followed pulling stupid faces at Francis as he left to follow. Francis getting peeved turned away from him and talked to the child.
"You really want him to be your papa?"
"Why not?! I'm going upstairs to pack my stuff!" He ran up the stairs with the biggest smile on his face.
"CHILD THAT'S NOT- How adoption works…" Francis sighed, knowing how disappointed the child would be when he returns to find out if he was getting adopted or not. He shrugged and decided it'd be best not to think about it, as Arthur wouldn't want him to talk about the child. Sometimes Francis wished the two could get along, but he knew that that was never going to happen, at least permanently. He walked into the living room and saw a woman on her knees looking underneath the table cloth.
"Matthew? Matthew please come here… I'm sorry that I didn't pay attention to you earlier when you showed me your drawing!" Francis walked up to the woman and tapped her shoulder.
"Madame?"
"MATTHEW!" BANG! She bumped her head underneath the table and groaned in pain as she came out from under the table. "Oh Matthew I'm so sor- Huh?" She looked up at Francis. Now that Francis could see her he could see how pretty she was. She had long brown hair, many freckles, black glasses with a flower design on them, a pink sweater with purple space leggings, black velvet platform shoes; she was quite small for a person though he noticed. "You're not Matthew…" She sighed.
"I'm sorry that I'm not who you're looking for… A child is it?"
"You won't tell the head care worker will you?"
"Non, she is busy anyway.."
"Yes I've lost a child… His name is Matthew… You probably knew that already… Um I'm his social worker."
"May I have your name madame?"
"Lucy…"
"That is funny I met a child earlier by that name.."
"Oh little Lucy!" She laughed a bit and bent her knees as she said "I'm big Lucy!"
"A hon hon. Very cute!" He edges closer to Lucy "I could help you look for him if you would like?"
"Oh you would?" She batted her eyes.
"Why of course." They both smiled at each other and they began their search. Francis searched the kitchen and Lucy the sitting room. Francis struck up a conversation about the child to Lucy.
"So this child, what is he like?"
"Oh Matthew? Well he is a very quiet kid compared to his brother, a little shy too and he is definitely not as energetic as Alfred!" Lucy explained.
"I take it Alfred is his brother?" Francis joked.
"Twin brother actually!"
"Oh!" He didn't expect that… "I wonder how they are even related if they are complete opposites…
"Not completely they both like comic books and action figures, they play surprisingly well together!" 'This child sounds lovely… Matthew…'
"I would love to meet him!" Francis smiled as he said so.
"Great! But we kind of have to find him first!" She giggled nervously.
They continued to search for Matthew until the whole bottom floor had been checked.
"Madame, I don't think he's down here…" Francis pouted a little. He really wanted to meet this child.
"Me either… I'm sorry; you really don't have to help me you know…" Lucy looked down awkwardly.
"Non, it is alright! Let us look upstairs ma chérie" France protested. Lucy gave in and they both headed for the stairs. When they got near the middle landing they heard sobbing. As they got to the landing they saw a small child sobbing on the window sill. Lucy gasped and ran over to the small boy.
"Matthew! Oh hunny I'm so sorry" He continued to cry as she rubbed his shoulder comfortingly
"It's fine, I'm crying because Alfred told me he was getting adopted today! " Matthew's voice was so quiet that Francis could barely hear the child. He made no effort to come closer as he remembered that Lucy said he was shy and he didn't want to make Matthew feel uncomfortable.
"Oh, he must be mist-"She was cut off by Matthew's continuous sobbing.
"He said he was leaving now… I would've thought that if he was ever adopted that I would go with him… NOW I'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN " Matthew burst into even more tears, his cheeks wet and covering the window sill in little puddles.
"Matthew… Sweetheart… Being adopted isn't something that happens in a day!" Lucy smiled comfortingly. Francis was waiting for the right time to ask Lucy his question.
" It's… It's not?" Matthew looked up at Lucy's face. Francis could see that he actually wore glasses, and he had the lightest blue eyes he had ever seen for a child. He was holding a small white teddy bear and he seemed to be clutching it very tightly to his chest. He looked quite small too compared to the boy he and Arthur saw earlier… In fact he actually looked quite similar to the boy, except that Matthew had a tiny curl while the boy had an obnoxious clump of hair sticking out of his head.
"No! It takes a long time, so you can get contact details in the mean time, so you can call him regularly if the adoption works… Ok?"
"Ok Miss Lucy…" Francis thought it the right time to finally ask his question…
"So what was he crying about?" Matthew sniffed. Francis couldn't help wanting to cuddle him, the poor thing looked so precious.
"Oh, um…" She stood up and as she did so Matthew gestured to want to go up as well, so she picked him up. "He said he was crying because his brother…"
"Alfred?" Francis remembered.
"Yes Alfred." She sighed "Because Alfred told Matthew that he was going to be adopted today. Matthew just got really sad because he doesn't like being lonely… Isn't that right Matthew?" Matthew didn't look at either of the adults. He hugged his bear even tighter and nodded. He looked at Lucy's face and asked her
"Miss Lucy?" Matthew muttered.
"Yes Matthew?" Lucy asked.
"Will I ever be adopted?" Matthew mumbled. Lucy gasped and frowned a little.
"Of course you will! We just need to find a parent… or parents for you!" She looked concerned for a little bit. "We have also got to work on your shyness... without making you uncomfortable of course!"Matthew fidgeted a little bit indicating that he wanted to get down. Lucy put him down and he sat back on the window sill, looking out the window. Francis looked at him solemnly, feeling guilty for him. He decided then and there that... Yes. That Matthew was going to be adopted. Lucy walked up to Matthew and she asked him
"Matthew are you still feeling sad?"
"... I'm never going to get adopted because I'm invisible to everyone. Even you... " Lucy looked gobsmacked. She couldn't believe that he would say such a thing. She stood up and walked over to Francis rubbing her arms with a look of concern.
"What is wrong?" Francis whispered. Lucy was silent for a little bit and then answered with.
"He said... He said no one was going to adopt him because he is 'invisible'... It's my fault... I should pay attention to him more... He's just so quiet.."Lucy whispered back. She looked like she wanted to cry for Matthew. She was disgusted with the way she would accidentally ignored him at times. Francis upon hearing Lucy's words walked over to Matthew and sat down on the window sill looking out of the window also. Matthew turned his head a little bit towards Francis but assumed that he couldn't see him either. As Matthew felt like he was going to burst into tears again Francis lifted his chin towards him so that they could see each other's eyes and Francis said.
"I can see you."