"Excuse me, can you still take customers?" You look up to see a man in his mid twenties walking towards you. His spiky blond hair stands out from his black slacks and deep green button up. It's late, and you'd long stopped focusing on your crummy cashiering shift.
"Yes, sorry..." You smile to yourself as you see the colorful shrink-wrapped boxes he placed by your till. "Looks like you appreciate real tea."
"Ah, yes. Only idiot America could turn such a delightful drink into saccharine dish water." You hear the scorn in his voice and look back down at your work.
"Some of us still know what tea should taste like... Twinings is my brand of choice too, you know... hot, with just a bit of milk..."
You could feel him considering you as you pulled up the total. "You don't act much like America at all, do you?" You stay silent, unsure how to respond. You always did feel a little out of place in your home county. You glance up to see his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"Um, your total is $10.88..." He gives you a slight smirk as he flips through his wallet.
"Did I hit a nerve, love? My apologies." You feel your cheeks grow warm as you patiently wait for his receipt to print, silently cursing your inability to speak properly to the man in front of you.
"Thank you," you say quietly, handing him his receipt. You notice what looks like the bottom of an electric guitar decorated with the Union Jack on his wrist from under his green button-up shirt.
"Thank you. May I wait for you to get off?" He seems to grimace slightly. "No, sorry, I shouldn't have asked that of you. Have a pleasant night."
"No... wait... I'll be out in five minutes. Meet me just outside those doors?" He nods with a smile, you try to smile back at him despite your fiercely beating heart. The process of closing down, punching out, and walking back to this captivating stranger seems to take forever.
"Now that you don't have to act like a proper employee..." He gently lifts your fingers while his piercing green eyes meet yours. "My name is Arthur Kirkland, and I am charmed to make your acquaintance." He looks down, almost closing his eyes, as he sweetly kisses your fingers.
"I'm Alicia..." You respond, trying not to swoon. He pauses, and you think you detect a sigh. His eyes flick up to look deep into yours, suddenly looking darker. You step back slightly, but he steps towards you, pulling you flush against him and put his mouth to your ear.
"Stop playing weak with me, love," he growls lowly. Your eyes grow wide, frightened, but you don't resist him. You feel his hand tight around the back of your neck, as his other arm presses just above your ass. You startle as he nips your ear. "Do I have to make you use your voice?" He steps back just enough to look you straight in the eyes, holding your chin with his hand. "I will take you. I will make you scream." His hand slides down to caress your throat. "I will make you give me that sweet voice of yours."
His lips forcefully meet yours as his hand weaves itself into your hair. You accept his kiss, struggling to match his power with your own lips. Wanting more, you lightly bite his bottom lip, earning you a chuckle and the feel of his tongue meeting yours. His embrace slowly grows less dominating and more passionate, stroking and holding you rather than trapping you. You reluctantly pull away, blushing furiously.
"May I take you to my hotel?" Arthur's stern voice makes you register it as a fact rather than a question; not that you would have been inclined to say no regardless.
"If you want those clothes to be wearable tomorrow, you'd best take them off before I get back", Arthur tells you over his shoulder as he went to get water for his kettle. You quickly strip and hide under the covers of his hotel bed, your nakedness making your vulnerability feel all too real. You feel the bed sink to your side, and the covers slowly being brought back down to uncover your face. He gently runs his finger under your eye, wiping away a tear.
"Was I really so harsh? I'm sorry, love, I know can get rough but… crap..." You're surprised at how flustered Arthur seems.
"I'm fine, really." You can read his look of disbelief.
He stands up and walks over to the drawers in the corner. You tense when you see him return with several deep red scarves. "Don't worry, these aren't for you. Not now, in any case." He hands you the velvet scarves. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, love. It's all up to you. I would rather be made helpless myself than see you so frightened." You relax slightly.
"I thought you wanted to take me and make me scream…"
"Haha. Well, yes, I won't deny I have a bit of a dark streak." Arthur bends down to capture your lips, slowly shifting to lay on top of you. "Why, is that what you desire? Just tell me how you would like this night to be, and I'll do my best to give it to you." He kisses you deeply, letting you feel his weight on you through the covers. He lifts himself slightly to give you a chance to speak, and instead is met with water in your jade eyes. He sighs as he stands up to sit on the chair across the small room, looking out the window. You curl up on your side, facing him, tears silently streaking down your face.
"Tell me what your bloody deal is." Arthur's voice breaks the silence.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you I'm a mess…."
"Tell me what you mean." He turns to face you, that darkness returning to his eyes.
"Over tea? Please? I promise it should help." Your voice is trembling, and his expression seems to soften.
"Are you quite sure you belong with America?" He kisses you gently on his way to the kettle. You wrap yourself up in a blanket and walk out to the balcony, letting the night breeze dry your remaining tears. Arthur comes out to join you, two mugs of steaming Darjeeling tea in his hands.
"Thank you," you say before taking a sip of your favorite self-medication. Your spirit lifts slightly at the taste. Perfectly steeped, as you wouldn't trust to any American but yourself. Arthur chuckles at your response before taking a drink himself.
"You are very welcome. Now then. Are you going to give me a clue as to how to deal with you?"
"Well… um… I feel silly now. It's nothing…"
"If it was nothing, we wouldn't be here. Please tell me, love."
"I'm… afraid. I'm afraid to speak, I'm afraid to be seen, I'm afraid to fuck, I'm afraid of fucking everything." You take a sip from the tea you're now clutching tightly, as if it was the only thing holding you together. You look down at it, feeling that you couldn't continue if you looked at Arthur's face. "My spirit and heart are shattered. I want so much, but it's blocked by insecurity, and… And I'm frustrating because I want so badly to get to know you, carnally and otherwise, but I'm so fucking scared, and hesitant, and it'd probably be better for you if you just kick me out now." You wait nervously for any kind of response.
"Honestly, I'm mostly impressed that you recognize all that. Thank you. You make a little more sense, now." You look up as he starts brushing your hair gently with his fingers. "But what now? What do you want? For the record, being kicked out is certainly not a possibility."
"Why do you care so much?"
"Hm. Because I can tell that there is greatness inside you that's worthy of nurturing. I can tell that you could have the spirit of a princess. And because you're still sexy wrapped up in a blanket." You smile softly at him, before you notice a strange sparkle behind him on the railing.
"Sorry, there's something odd behind you…"
"Hm?" He turns around curiously. "Aww, you came to visit me? I told you guys I wouldn't be gone long! I know, I'm sorry, I didn't even hear you fly over here! … This is my new friend, Alicia … Yes, she did say there was something behind m-" Arthur turned to you, realization on his face. "You can see fairies?"
"Um, I saw sparkles over your shoulder. Is that really a fairy?" Arthur gives you a brilliant smile before looking slightly to his side.
"Do you mind if she pets you?" You think you hear the sound of tiny bells next to you. "Haha, go ahead."
You feel a weight softly land on your shoulder, and something extremely airy brushes your cheek. A faint glimmer appears on your shoulder, but you're afraid you'll knock her off if you turn to look. You giggle softly. "Hello?" You hear the same tiny bells, a tiny bit louder in your ear.
Arthur steps closer and strokes the air next to you, looking thoughtful. "Most people can't sense them at all, you know. It's a bit of a tragedy really. I thought I was the only one who could still see the magic in the world. I get along with the fairy folk quite well, along with other magic creatures, but everyone else thinks I'm hallucinating."
"I wish I could see them and talk to them the way you can. But yes. I believe you, there's something here with us." You turn your eyes to your shoulder. "And thank you for visiting me, too!" More bells whisper in your ear, although under it, you think you hear the sound of a wooden flute.
"She wants to stay here for the night. She says her wings are tired from flying all this way. I usually don't come this far into the country, you see, I normally just visit my… friend, I guess you could say… in New England. Do you mind? I doubt it would be beneficial to do anything, er, improper tonight anyway."
"Well, sharing a bed and cuddling would probably count as improper, but I wouldn't really mind if a fairy sees that."
"Iggy, I wouldn't mind being snuggled at the foot of the bed with you and your friend!" You aren't entirely sure if you heard this voice, or imagined it under the soft bells and flute. You raise an eye brow.
"Did… she just call you Iggy?" You ask Arthur.
"Oh, um, yeah. It's a nickname, of sorts, she got it from my Japanese friend… You can understand her now?" He seems nervous.
"You can? Yay! Listen, he isn't just a normal human, he's really E-mmph!" Arthur had put his hand where you imagined the fairy's mouth must have been.
"I know you love being mischievous, but please not now." Arthur turned to you. "Please trust me, I would do nothing to hurt you, I just want you to know me first. Are you alright with that? I promise I will tell you myself when I feel it's the right time." You look at him, trying to judge if he meant what he said.
"Well. I have to think that any being who can see fairies can't be all bad…"
"Not all magic is good! Iggy did his share of meddling with the black arts himself!" Arthur hides his face in his hand. "But deep down he means well, really, he's mostly a kind gentleman these days."
"Right then! Shall we go to sleep? I'm getting rather tired, and perhaps feeling warmed by another body all night would do you good… It's up to you though, of course." You look at Arthur wearily. You're a little worried about what he might be hiding, but if his fairy friend wanted to tell, it can't have been that he was a vampire or a serial killer or anything… right? And you are by now quite tired. You start walking drowsily back inside, only to feel yourself swooped up by Arthur.
"I really do think you could be my princess," he whispers to you. You rest your head on his chest, smiling, and suddenly realize how sleepy you are. You only vaguely feel yourself being laid down on the bed… the blanket stripped from you just long enough to lay it flat over you… a warm body pulling you in protectively… tiny bells whispering "sweet dreams" to you both….
A/N: This is my first bit of fanfiction! I know it isn't very good, and I welcome constructive feedback, but please no flaming the newbie!
I originally started writing this as a "xReader", but my "you" character started feeling too specific for that, hence "reader" becoming "Alicia" (based somewhat on "Alice," but she is not intended to actually be nyo England). It was a fun experiment to try 2nd person present tense, though. I'd like to claim that there will turn out to be a reason for this POV, but if there is I do not know it yet! This was also originally going to be a one-shot bit of smut, but my characters didn't behave. That should be coming, but for all I know my characters will keep not behaving.
Arthur's comment about "saccharine dishwater" reflects a combination of seeing an English article referring to American tea as "dishwater," and my own feelings that our sweet tea is crap.
I liked the idea of giving Arthur someone else who could see magical creatures. Alicia has some affinity for this, and with exposure learns to better sense the fairy.