Kids screaming. The smell of corn dogs in the air. Funnel cakes, cotton candy, terribly processed nacho cheese. A petting zoo. Bull-riding. This was an American fair in all its glory.
Arthur gently held Alfred's hand as he led the way to the biggest spectacle, the carousel. That was where Francis had promised to meet him and Alfred. Matthew would be with him, too.
It had been a while since Arthur had seen Francis. The Frenchman had decided, "for Matthew's benefit," as he put it, to send Matthew to a boarding school in Nice, France. Francis had asked Arthur to move to the country of love and live with him. The Englishman had, of course, declined. He knew he was desperately wanted in France, but stayed despite Francis' begging.
Arthur was giddy with anticipation. He was finally going to see his lover after three months! He might consider moving to France just so he wouldn't have to wait so long to see his blonde, blue-eyed Frenchman.
As they approached the carousel, Alfred broke from Arthur's grip and raced toward the spinning machine.
"Alfred! Be careful!" Arthur yelled over the sound of laughter and screaming coming from the surrounding attractions. He sighed. "He's got to be the most bloody energetic kid on the face of the earth," he whispered, running a hand through his shaggy blonde hair, making it messier than usual.
"I would agree, mon amour."
Arthur's breath hitched as he heard a familiar accented voice. "Francis," he breathed and spun around.
The sight that greeted Arthur was magnificent. Francis was holding Matthew's gloved hand in his own, black winter jackets buttoned all the way up. Francis was wearing the scarf Arthur had given him last Christmas. A light pink dusted both their cheeks, but Francis almost appeared breathless. "Bonjour, Angleterre. It is nice to see you looking so well."
Arthur shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. "H-hey," the Englishman mumbled, looking to the ground. His hands fidgeted at his sides.
Before Arthur could say anymore, an obnoxious voice sliced through the air. "HEY, MATTIE!" That voice belonged to one kid, and one kid only. Alfred.
Matthew stuttered, "P-papa?"
"Oui?" Francis bent down to him.
"C-can I go p-play with Alfred?" his eyes begged, missing time spent with his brother.
"Oui. Faire très attention, Mathieu," he said, patting Matthew's head.
Matthew took off toward Alfred as Francis linked his arm through Arthur's. "We could spend some time alone while the boys spend time together. It would give us a chance to talk."
Arthur nodded and leaned his head on Francis' shoulder as they walked to the carousel. "I've missed you," the Englishman whispered.
Francis laughed softly. "Oui. Je sais. I have missed you, too, mon petit lapin."
Arthur blushed. He hadn't heard that name in a while. "What are we going to do, Francis? What am I going to do? I don't want to be away from you, but I don't think I want to live in France, either…"
Francis frowned and rested his arms across the gate separating the riders in line from the bystanders, releasing Arthur's arm. "Angleterre, I don't know what makes you hate my home country so much. How would you feel if I said I hated England, where you came from?"
Arthur looked to Francis, who was dearly trying to understand his lover's reasoning with his brows furrowed. "I-it's not that I hate your c-country, per say. More like I–" His voice dropped low so Francis couldn't hear him.
"What was that, mon amour?"
"I-I said I didn't want to make it seem like I was dependent on you all the bloody time. I-I wanted to make some decisions for myself… I did, but I think it was the worst decision I've ever made," he whispered. "I really love spending time with you and the boys, but I wanted to see how I was on my own. These last few months were a trial for that. Not a very good go, I'll admit, but sort of fun, nonetheless. Francis," he looked into those azure eyes, "I want to live in France with you. I don't want to separate the boys ever again. I love them too much…" Arthur sighed heavily because he just spilled the entire contents of his heart and soul to the Frenchman. He worried about what he would say.
"Arthur, I–"
"Hey, Arthur!"
"Papa!"
"Look who we found!" Between Matthew and Alfred was Feliciano, all of them holding hands. Awkwardly following behind was Ludwig.
"Big brother~ It's always so nice to see you~" The Italian smiled widely.
"Italie, Allemagne, what are you doing here?" Francis asked as the group came closer.
"I wanted to show Doitsu what American fairs were like! They are so much fun~" he said, smiling. Feliciano picked up Matthew and cooed to him in Italian.
The German nodded curtly. "Ja, Italien wanted to show me this. I think it's too loud, though," he admitted, catching the Italian's amber eyes. "We should really be going. It was nice to see you. Francis. Arthur." He awkwardly saluted, waiting for Feliciano to say good-bye to the kids.
As the couple was walking away, Feliciano turned and shouted, "See you~ It was great catching up~" He smiled his biggest smile and was quickly tugged next to the German.
Francis laughed. "Those two were always meant to be together. Italie, with his innocent outlook, et Allemagne, with his rough exterior. I hope one day you," he turned to Arthur, "will realize that about us, mon amour." Francis smiled loving at Arthur and then knelt to the boys. "Mes fils, would you like to ride the grande roue? It's alight, just begging you to ride it," he insisted.
Matthew nodded his head vigorously while Alfred shouted, "Can we go?! Please?!"
Arthur began to worry as members of the surrounding crowd looked at them. "Francis, just finish it, will you?"
The Frenchman looked to Arthur with a brow raised, "D'accord. Mes fils," Francis turned back to the boys, "ride the Ferris wheel. Arthur et moi will be waiting for you. Mathieu, here's the phone. You call either of us if anything happens, d'accord?"
"Oui, Papa."
"Bien. Now, off you go!" He shooed them with his gloved hand and the twins bounded away, toward the large, metal-framed attraction.
"How do you get them so under control?" Arthur asked with disbelief.
"Practice, mon lapin. Lots and lots of practice." Francis smiled. "Now, what do you say we walk around a bit to keep warm, non?"
Arthur agreed and linked his arm through Francis' again. "You never cease to amaze me, Francis. I always discover new things about you," he whispered.
"And I, you. You have no idea how wonderful you are to me, Angleterre. You are parfait to moi," he said stealing a kiss from the Englishman who blushed.
Arthur cleared his throat as Francis pulled away. "Um, wh-where would you like to go to talk?" The Brit tried to clear his head and think straight.
"Mon amour," Arthur nearly melting at hearing the French, "I wanted to take you to," Francis wrapped his arms around Arthur's waist and buried his face in the crook of his neck, "the haunted house we passed when we entered the fairgrounds." The Frenchman looked up to see Arthur's face dusted with red, his ears tinted pink. "You are so cute when you blush," he squealed.
"A-alright. N-now let go, you bloody frog!" Arthur reluctantly removed Francis' arms from securely around his waist to the Frenchman's sides. He walked briskly toward the entrance of the fair.
"Angleterre, wait for me!"
When the couple reached the opening of the tent that was the beginning of the haunted house, Francis reached for Arthur's hand, who grasped it tentatively.
"It's alright, mon amour. We will do this together." He gave his lover a reassuring smile.
Little did Francis know that he was the one that would need the reassurance.