Dear Arthur...

I still don't know what I was doing there on that night. I think I was looking for something, but I'm not quite sure what. Or maybe I didn't know then either. Perhaps I was hoping to find anything that would change my life for the better, or something that would completely turn my world on it's head. Something that would make me question everything I thought I knew, and looking back now I realize that I found it almost immediately.

I've never been fond of big crowds, or people for that matter. I didn't need friends, at least that's what I believed then. I didn't need anyone. So I avoided people like the plague. I found a seat eventually, at a corner, towards the back of the auditorium and stared out at the sea of people. Everyone settled down into their own little cliques and began to quiet as the tech crew dimmed the lights. Once again, I wondered why I was here. A 16 year old boy attending a musical by himself wasn't exactly cool, but neither was the rest of the things that made me. Still, I pushed everything out of my mind and focused on the first scene of Grease being acted out on stage. I needed a distraction and this was the only thing i could think of. To be honest, I don't remember anything, that is until he walked onto the stage. His voice was the most soothing sound I'd ever heard, and despite the subtle French accent, he fit the part of the main character perfectly. Granted I had never seen Greece so there was no way for me to know that for sure. But in my mind he was perfect. When the first musical number started, I remember watching his every move as he danced his way off stage and around the crowd, straight to where I was sitting. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as his face moved closer, then quickly moved back as he continued his way down the Isle. I think I all but passed out from lack of oxygen. His face was even more perfect up close...I couldn't stop thinking about him and that made me feel even worse than I did before. I thought I'd be escaping my own thoughts by coming here, but after those few seconds, they seemed to be screaming louder than ever. I hated it. But no matter how hard I tried, his face was engraved in my mind for the rest of winter break.

"Oli!" I whipped my head around to look at you and immediately felt bad. The look of worry on your face was overwhelming. "You've been spaced out for days. Is...everything alright?" I shifted in my seat and held on to the seat belt and the bookbag in my lap.

"Yes I'm fine" I muttered, avoiding your gaze at all costs. Still I could tell you didn't believe me. You never looked convinced.

"I wish you would just talk to me.."
I felt my heart crack and had to fight with all my strength the urge to cling to you and cry my eyes out. Instead I forced a smile, just like I always did.

"I promise I'm okay" again, you didn't seem convinced but unlocked the car doors after coming to a stop.

"Alright then...have a good day at school"

"Thanks" I muttered, reluctantly stepping out of the car. I didn't even bother to look back at you and faced up the front steps, tripping and nearly falling on my face in the process. As soon as I stepped through the front doors I felt my blood drain from my entire body. Standing there with his friends, just a few feet away from me, was the most despicable and unfriendly human being I have ever met, an it took him just mere seconds to spot me. Before I could blink, he was already headed my way with that disgusting smirk on his face. I felt my insides knot and my feet seemed to be plastered to the ground.

"Hey fag" he mocks as soon as he's in earshot. I attempt my best poker face, but fail miserably. I could tell the terror was written all over my face because the laughter traveled among him and his crew of arseholes. "I missed ya during winter break". I shoot a death glare his way and attempt to walk away but no luck. "You're not even going to say hi?" I pierce my lips and brace myself for the worst, when out of nowhere a fist comes raining down on his head.

"What the 'ell are you doing Cam?" That voice. I recognized it in a split second. His eyes flicker towards me, then back to the douche bag.

"Leon please, I'm busy-"

"The 'ell you are, get your ass in class. I'm not covering for you again" even dumb words like 'ass' sound good when he says them.

"Douche" says the actual douche.

"Yeah, I'm the worst. Now move it" and that's all it took for the entire crew to leave, Leon included. I managed to catch a glimpse of him before he disappeared into the crowd and immediately noticed he was already looking at me.
I stood there in a trance until the late bell scared me half to death. The first time in my three years of high school that I was late for a class. And also for the first time, I didn't really care.

The rest of the day crawled by at a snail's pace. I don't know what I was expecting after my last class ended, but what actually happened was not it.
"Oof!" I felt a blow to the face out of nowhere and down went the nerd, glasses and all. I desperately searched around for them, terrified of who/what I would see when I finally put them back on. Needless to say, I had a pretty good idea. To my surprise, I was wrong. My glasses magically slipped back onto my face and the face of my attacker came into focus.

"Sorry" his hand was stretched out to me, accompanied by a slight frown and that unforgettable voice. Didn't see you". That I was used to. After a few seconds of scrambling for a response all I could do was accept his help and apologize quietly, after which I was immediately handed back my books and art supplies. His bright blue eyes watched my every move as I struggled to put myself back together the best I could and desperately tried to hide my shaking hands. "You alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine" I answered almost too quickly. And just like that he was gone without another word. Somehow I made it out of the hallways of the school and into my brother's car in one piece.

"How was your day?"

"G-good..." I muttered and watched the slight look of surprise settle on your face.

"Oh...good!" With that you started the car and drivo off. To be honest, I surprised even myself because for the first time in a long time, it wasn't a lie. Not entirely anyway.

"Will you be okay on your own for a little while tonight?" I look up from my cup of tea and see you standing in front of me dressed up to the teeth.
"Wow...what's the occasion?" I watch in amusement as your cheeks dust a light shade of pink and fidget with your tie. Of course, I already know the answer to my own question but I never get tired of teasing you. I'm sorry about that.
"It's our anniversary" you mumble and I can't help but smile a little bit.
"Tell Francis I said hello" you nod and ruffle my hair like you always do, then jump slightly at the sound of a car horn just outside the door. "You kids have fun" you smile slightly and wave as you walk out. As soon as you're gone I slump down at the end of the couch and before I know it I'm overwhelmed by sleep.

After that fateful crash in front of the art room, about two weeks passed by and I only saw Leon a couple of times from afar. Each time he was with a different girl, which bothered me more than I'd like to admit. Unfortunately, I had the luxury of running into Cam several times. Luckily it was only between classes so his harassment was limited. However, peace like that never lasts. I had to stay late to finish an art project I was working on, which meant my brother wouldn't be able to pick me up and therefore I had to walk home alone. I didn't get very far.

"Hey fagot" I immediately inhaled deeply and continue to walk as if I hadn't herd a thing. "Don't ignore me you shit, that's rude". I could think of a million things that were rude and trying to get home in one piece was not one of them. They thought otherwise. A heavy hand came down on my shoulder and swirled me around. "I said don't ignore me" I watched as three of his minions gathered behind him and immediately knew how this would end.

"What do you want, Cam?" I cursed myself for allowing my voice to sound so weak.

"You know what I want" I felt his hot breath on my face as he stepped closer and I instinctively took a step back. I looked down at the ground but his hand quickly wrapped around my throat and pushed me back against the wall. "Are you finally going to cooperate?" I struggled to get lose, but wasn't in the least bit surprised when it backfired. A hard kick to the stomach sent me tumbling to the floor, then another to the ribs. His fingers dug and latched onto my hair and pulled me back up to my feet. "Well?" I could feel the tears bordering my eyes and I didn't even bother to fight back. I was tired of fighting, tired of living in fear. There was only one option left.

"F-fine" I muttered and felt a tear run down my cheek. All he did was smirk.

"Good boy" he pushed me back against the wall again as his goons gathered around to make sure I didn't escape, or to join him. I didn't know, and at that moment I could care less. I had given up. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt him getting closer, then immediately move away. All I heard was a shuffling of feet and what sounded like fists. I didn't dare to open my eyes, that is until...

"You lying piece of shit" and no matter how many times I told myself it couldn't be possible, there was still a small glimpse of hope when I opened my eyes. Imagine my surprise when I realized I was wrong.

"Leon, what the fuck?"

"I'm the one that should be asking that. What the 'ell are you doing?" I stared in shock as Cam struggled to get back to his feet, holding his bleeding snout. The others visibly shrunk at the sight of Leon. To say that I was amazed would be an enormous understatement.

"I thought you weren't staying today-"

"I thought you said he was a friend" the look in his eyes (or eye, since his bangs successfully covered almost all of the right side of his face) was frightening to say the least. I remained frozen in place. All I could do was watch.

"What does it even matter? He's just a worthless piece of shit" he finally manages to get to his feet and immediately takes a step back as Leon takes one forward.

"Says who?"

"Says me" he wipes the blood from his mouth and attempts to stand up straight. "Fagots like him are nothing but a waste of air and space". It took my brain several seconds to register the rest and before I knew it, Cam was on the floor again and Leon was on top of him, with a death grip on his shirt and a look of pure rage. It scared me a little...okay a lot.

"Say that again, I dare you" Cam only stared in shock and fear, as if he had suddenly remembered something that would decide his fate.

"Sh-shit I'm sorry man. I didn't m-" all it took was one blow to knock him out, and one look to get the rest of them to disappear. In a matter of seconds he grabbed me, took me to his car and put me inside. Not a single word out of his mouth, he only turned it on and drove off. I stared at the dashboard in shock because 1) I was still alive 2) I had just been rescued by someone who I swore was not from this planet and 3) I was currently in his car going God knows where. I felt like if I breathed too hard my heart would jump out of my mouth.

"Are you badly 'urt?" His voice nearly gave me heart attack and I just about forgot how to speak.

"N-no" one syllable words was all I could manage.

"Are you sure? There's a 'ospital up-"

"I'm f-fine!" I felt like I was spazing uncontrollably but I didn't seem to be able to function properly at the moment. He didn't say anything else, so I figured he was convinced. Or at least pretending to be. I swallowed the knot in my throat and clutched onto my bag. "Th-thank you" I barely managed to whisper. He didn't respond, only continued to drive. I wasn't able to gather up the strength to say anything else and he didn't seem to be in the mood for conversation so I kept my mouth shut. There was one thing, though, that kept running through my head. The look on his face after Cam insulted me, and then the look on Cam's face when he realized what he had said. I was sure Leon wasn't gay, or bi even. By what I had seen, every girl seemed to be after him, and he didn't even try to push them away. So why did he react that way? Why would it bother him when it barely bothered me? No matter which way I put it, it just didn't add up.

"Get out" I flinched slightly and looked up. He was at my side holding the door open for me.

"S-sorry!" I clumsily crawled out and he shut and locked the doors. He walked toward the apartment building and up the stairs without a word, and I just followed. Somehow, I felt like I had been here before. He opened the door and the smell of fresh food smacked me across the face. It got stronger as we stepped inside. I was sure of it now, I had been here before. The entire place looked too familiar.

"Leo? That you?" A voice called from the kitchen, and it didn't take me long to recognize who's it was. "Good timing, dinner"s re-" I stared in surprise as Francis stared back, confusion and worry very clear on his face. "Oliver?"

"H-hello" Leon glanced back and forth between us in confusion.
"You know each other?"

"More importantly, what the 'ell 'appened to you?" He rushed over to me like a mother who has just found her lost child in a supermarket and examined me from top to bottom.

"I-it's nothing, don't worry" I barely manage to say. Leon clicked his tongue.

"It's not nothing." Francis looked over at him as if expecting an explanation. "Cameron 'appened" he scoffed and Francis stared in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Doesn't matter. 'Ow do you even know each other?" Francis sighs and attempts to straighten out my hair.

"He's Arthur's little brother" Leon's eyebrows raise slightly as he sits on the edge if the couch.

"Oh"

And suddenly it all clicks into place. The reason Leon had gotten so angry, the reason he helped me, the reason Cam had all but pissed his trousers after saying what he did. They had indirectly insulted his big brother. he wasn't standing up for me, he was standing up for his brother. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed, but I should have known better. He didn't even know me, why would he stand up for me?...Despite it all, I was incredibly grateful that he saved me. And even more grateful that I had met him.

A/N: /hope you guys enjoyed! Note: I do not own Francis or Arthur, but all other caracteres are of my own creation!