Chapter One
Francis waited just inside the office building he worked at, smiling and bidding good mornings to various employees as they arrived. The morning was just like any other for them, but for him, it was a very special day. Today was the day he decided that he would finally ask Alice Kirkland, the woman he had loved for a good five years now, to go on a date with him. He had done so many times before, but she hadn't taken him seriously, which is why he was determined to woo her this time with the heartfelt declaration of love he had been holding back for quite some time.
Just like every weekday since they met, Francis was waiting for her to get there so that he could walk with her to the section of the building where they worked and get coffee as Alice got hot water for the Earl Grey tea she always had stashed away in the office kitchen. Not that she needed to hide it; no one really drank tea there except for her. Because of their little routine, mornings were Francis's favorite part of the day, and he went to sleep every weeknight with a smile, knowing he would get to see her again when he woke.
The words he would say to her swirled around in his mind, bringing a smile to his lips. He would tell her how entrancing her eyes were, and how stunning her smile was. He would express to her the depth of the love he had for her, and how many times he had come so close to kissing her. He would tell her of how breathtakingly beautiful she was, and how easily able to adore she had always been, despite her rough edges. He would assure her of how he wished to spend the rest of his life with her, and that he would love her as long as he drew breath. For so long, he had been waiting for the right moment, and today, he was going to finally say it.
"Good morning, Frog." Alice's voice said, bringing him out of his thoughts. "You seem to be in just as a disgustingly good mood as you are every morning."
Francis looked at her and smiled wider. "Good morning, Alice. How are you?"
"Just fine." She replied, sighing and starting to walk. "And how are you? As bloody happy as ever, I imagine."
He walked beside her and laughed a bit. "Would you expect anything different from me, cher?"
"Unfortunately." Alice said, though her tone was nicer than one would expect for saying such a thing. "Have you heard the awful news?"
"And what awful news might that be?"
"That new employee is going to start today."
"Ah, that. Mr. Braginski said so, yes." He chuckled a little. "You don't seem to be looking forward to it very much, judging by your tone."
"He'll be at the desk right next to mine, of course I'm not looking forward to it." Alice sighed heavily. "I'm more than likely going to be stuck teaching him how to do his job properly for the next several weeks."
"I'm sure Mr. Braginski picked someone competent, mon amie."
"Ha! I'm not. Remember that Greek employee from a few years back that did nothing but sleep? And he was hesitant to fire him because he was a friend's brother's friend! Bloody ridiculous, if you ask me." She huffed and came to a stop at the electrically powered kettle and filled it before pressing the button to heat the water while Francis poured himself coffee and added cream and sugar.
"It won't be like that." He reassured her.
"Right." Alice rolled her eyes and tapped her finger on the counter as she waited for the water to heat.
Francis chewed on the inside of his cheek as his heart started to pound in his chest. Now was the perfect time to ask her. It was just the two of them there, and though she seemed a little annoyed at having a new worker come, she wasn't in a bad mood. It wasn't as he wish it could be, but it was the chance he had been waiting for, so he took it.
"Alice?"
"What?" She asked, putting a teabag into her cup.
Francis took a deep, quiet breath and opened his mouth to speak, but just as he had begun to speak, he was interrupted.
"Alice, Francis!" Ivan, their boss, exclaimed, walking into the office kitchen with his usual large smile. "I have someone I would like you to meet. Alfred Jones, the new employee. Treat him kind, da?"
He stepped aside and gestured to a blond man who looked like he was trying to hide his nervousness with a smile. He had strikingly blue eyes, glasses, a strange cowlick, and was quite handsome. Though he looked nice enough, Francis was immediately annoyed with him for indirectly interrupting. However, his immediate dislike toward Alfred only increased when he saw how Alice was obviously attracted to him. Her cheeks were a little pink and her eyes were widened slightly; there was no way she wasn't.
"Ah, yes, I've heard about you...welcome to the office." Alice said, extending a hand and sounding far less annoyed than Francis anticipated.
Alfred blinked and blushed a little, taking her hand and shaking it. "Hello."
That accent...he was an American. Francis rolled his eyes. Every American he had met had either been an asshole or as annoying as the stereotype said, and something about Alfred told him that it would be no different with him.
He noticed that Alfred was still holding Alice's hand and stifled a mocking chuckle. "It seems someone has forgotten how to shake hands."
Alfred's cheeks reddened and he immediately let go of Alice's hand, smiling apologetically at her. "Sorry...just a little nervous, I guess."
"It's quite all right." She looked at Francis and sighed. "I do believe that you were nervous on your first day as well. Don't poke fun at him."
"I was not." Francis said nonchalantly before extending a hand to Alfred, putting on the most bored expression he could, as he wasn't able to verbally show his distaste toward him. "Francis Bonnefoy."
Alfred shook his hand, letting go at the proper time, and smiled a little. "I'm Alfred. Alfred F. Jones."
"I know. Mr. Braginski just said it." He sighed and wiped his hand off with a nearby paper napkin.
"I expect, you want us to train him?" Alice asked Ivan, sounding far less annoyed about that than she should've.
"You, not Francis. Francis has other work." Ivan smiled and waved. "Have a good day!"
The three of them said goodbye and then a slightly awkward silence descended as none of them spoke for a several moments.
"So...working here will be adventure, eh?" Alfred said, laughing a little nervously.
Alice glanced at him, as if she were trying to decipher him, and sighed lightly. "I suppose we'll see. Well, come on, then; we'll show you to your desk."
"'We'?" Francis muttered.
"Yes, 'we'." She said, sounding quite like a mother in response to a rebellious child. She quickled poured the now hot water into her cup, dropped a tea bag in, and started walking. The two men followed, one reluctant and the other nervous, yet excited.
"So, is it very fun at this office?" Alfred asked, sounding a little more relaxed than last he spoke. "Everyone seems really friendly!"
Alice blinked and chuckled a little. "Friendly? Right...that's because you're new. Most everyone here is brain dead."
"And it seems he is as well." Francis said under his breath.
Alfred must not've heard him, as he laughed. "They're all boring?"
"Yes. Especially this one," she said, gesturing to Francis. "He gave up his brain and instead replaced it with hot air and an unhealthy care for his own appearance."
Francis chuckled. "Ah, but I did not. The best part about me is that I am beautiful and still have my brain."
Alice rolled her eyes.
"Hah…." Alfred leaned over to her and asked quietly, "He's gay, isn't he?"
"Oh my god…." Alice snorted as she tried to hold back a laugh.
"He is, isn't he?"
She chuckled again and looked at Alfred. "I'm pretty sure he's not gay, but you could be right."
Francis sighed. "If you're going to say things about me, at least do so loud enough for me to hear as well."
"So, are ya?" Alfred asked.
"Non; bisexual."
"I was half right, see?" He laughed.
"He may be half gay, but he is one hundred percent frog." Alice said, coming to a stop at Alfred's new desk.
"Being one hundred percent French is far better than being one hundred percent American!" Francis said indignantly.
"America is awesome, dude!" Alfred said proudly. "Don't hate."
He opened his mouth to reply, but an annoyed groan from Alice interrupted.
"Can you both just shut up for a moment?"
"As you wish, cher." Francis said sweetly before being silent.
"Huh? Why?" Alfred asked. "If you have a headache or somethin', I know a great trick to get rid of it!"
Alice rolled her eyes. "No, you need to listen. This here is your desk. You do pretty much all of your work here."
"Alrighty!" He nodded and looked around, blinking when he saw the title on the desk next to his. "Wait, yours is next to mine?"
She sat at her desk and sipped her tea. "No, they're not." She said sarcastically.
Alfred laughed, looking both nervous and thrilled. "It's nice to know that there will be a friend nearby, at least!"
Francis laughed and said as patronizingly as he could, "Oh, cheri, she is not your friend."
Alice rolled her eyes and turned to her desk.
Alfred blinked and looked quite embarrassed. "Oh...I didn't mean to assume! I just kinda thought...yeah. Never mind." He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and smiled a little, finding his expression and mannerisms quite adorable. "Well, I'm sure you'll make friends soon enough around here."
Francis frowned a little, envious that she was being far nicer to Alfred than she was to him when they first met, and muttered a goodbye before leaving.
"You think so?" Alfred asked hopefully.
Alice shrugged. "Yeah. There are nice people around here. Boring, but nice. Perhaps you can get along with Kiku."
"Kik...who?"
She rolled her eyes. "Ki-ku. He's Japanese."
His eyes widened. "Dude, he's Japanese?! Where is he? I need to meet him! No one I know watches Naruto and I've been dying to find someone who does!"
Alice frowned a little at his loudness and points. "His desk is over there…."
Alfred nodded and hurries toward she pointed before stopping and running back with a grin. "Thanks!" With that, he rushed off to find Kiku.
"I'm sorry, Kiku…." She sighed, watching him leave. Though, a small smile crept upon her lips, somehow charmed by the rather annoying American. She sipped her tea again and turned her computer on to start the day's work, quite pleased that he wasn't as terrible as she had expected.