"Francis!" I cried as my lover fell to the ground with a harsh thud.

"Please Arthur, leave me. That thing is right behind us. You need to get out of here!" Shrieking, he hooked his hands on my shoulders, but I refused to give up. His eyes pleaded for me to listen, deep concern was drilling into me, and it made my stomach churn.

"No, I'm not doing that. I'll never do it!" Putting my arm around the Frenchman's waist, I hoisted him up, and limped forward. Sliding the back door open, I desperately pulled the two of us into the arms of darkness. We were going at a painfully slow pace, both of us decorated with dripping wet wounds that sparkled in the moonlight's gaze. The only thing that could be heard was our grunts of agony, and my ticking heartbeat.

~
I let a breath escape through my parted lips, as I plugged my car keys into the fitted space. Listening to the engine's thick gasp after an average day of work, my thoughts visited my husband. 'What are you up to?'

Reaching for my cell, I felt my fingers twitch with uncertainty. 'I'm only ten minutes away. There's no need for you to call him.'

Placing my hands on the steering wheel with a firm grip, another suffering sigh broke through my closed lips. Pulling out of the parking space, my mind trailed back to tomorrow's appointments. 'I have little George in for his first check-up, Madison seems to have caught the flu based on the symptoms descried, and Olivia's getting a few shots. Tck, slow day, only three children. Better than none I guess.' With a shrug of my shoulders, I began my drive home. 'I should've just become a singer like everyone said, although that does sound too pessimistic. At least I didn't have to pay for medical school.'

"Francis, I'm home."

"Hello, mon cher! How was work?"

Sliding off my trench coat, my lover immediately hung it on the clothes' rack. Slumping on the couch, I shut my eyes as I spoke.

"It was alright, very busy today."

Sauntering into the kitchen, Francis continued to prep dinner. From the scent sneaking its way up my nostrils, I already understood it was something divine. 'It smells like a pastry. Maybe crepes?'

"Oh? How many kids did you treat?"

As I heard him call out from the other room, I sunk even lower in the comforter.

"Hm, about twenty I think. If it wasn't for Roderich, I probably wouldn't have made it through the day."

My ears flickered at the Frenchman's scoff, yet it sounded like he was attempting to muffle it.

"Why's that, love?"

Agitation was entangled in his words, yet I couldn't figure out why.

"I didn't get to eat my lunch, and he cheered me up by offering to play a duet together on the piano in the front office. Graciously, I accepted. I haven't had that much fun in a while, and all of the waiting clients became ecstatic. Even the children enjoyed our performance."

A light smile found its way on my face, although Francis's light footsteps transformed into stomps. His calmness ceased, as he began to shout at me.

"What do you mean you haven't had that much fun in a while? Don't we do enough? We have a piano here, if that makes you happy, than play it!"

His anger caused me to stutter, I wasn't really used to him being so frustrated. I did find the confidence to stand up for my reasons.

"W-What do you have against Roderich? All I meant was that we used to play together during high school, and it just brought back old memories. Why do you always make a fuss when I talk about him?"

I jumped up as a glass shattered against the pastel-colored tile floor. My lover burst into the room, his form tall and fists clenched.

"Because he's trying to get with you, he always has! If you haven't noticed, he doesn't like me very much either!"

His temper made me stand up, and I felt my anger starting to boil.

"Have you lost your head? Roderich's my best friend, he has been since we were young! If he had feelings for me, he would've told me. Besides, I love you, dear! Please just get that through your fucking French head!"

With every word, my voice filled with more irritation, and I felt my arms cross against my chest. Francis looked rather stunned, and let out a sigh of his own.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away on a pointless subject. I didn't mean for it to turn into an argument."

The melancholy in his voice pierced my heart, and I suddenly started to soften.

"I-It's alright, and I have to take blame as well. You care about me, and I don't want to act like I disregard your feelings."

I shifted in my shoes at the bizarre silence that infiltrated the room. I trailed my irises downward at my feet, until I felt warm arms wrap around my back.

I wanted to say something, but the feeling of ruining the 'moment' stopped me. We've been married for three years now, and it had been perfect the first two years. That's when I got transferred out of England to America, and reunited with my old high school friend, Roderich Edelstein. I guess Francis became jealous of our close relationship, but I was I supposed to help it? We grew up together, and then I moved out of Austria back to England. Of course I'm going to act friendly around him, even it's considered a little 'too' friendly.

"I love you, mon cher. I just don't want to see you be taken away from me.

I raised my hands to grip on the fabric hugging my husband's torso, and let tears leak out of my eyes.

"Bloody git, you should know that's never going to happen."