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Chapter 1: In A Café There
The air was hot under the early July sun, and the breeze off the Gulf of Mexico did little to slow the sweat coursing down the young blonde's neck. He stood under the relative shade of a bus stop on the edge of town, shuffling awkwardly and uncomfortably in his army uniform. Several more minutes passed before the young man's hand made its way to his soaked brow. He squinted slightly as he surveyed the town as if in search for something. His movements stopped when his eyes fell upon a small café just down the street.
Behind the polished counter of the café stood a rather pale young man drying dishware. He raised his head as a bell above the door jingled at a patron's arrival. While keeping to his task his bright green eyes watched idly for a moment as the customer—as the soldier—slowly made his way over to a booth by the window. The waiter kept his eyes trained on the newcomer with an interest he couldn't quite understand. Perhaps it was simply because he was bored. Or perhaps it was the uniform that caught his eye. Whatever the reason he placed the last clean glass on the shelf, tossed the towel over his shoulder and made his way to the booth.
"Good afternoon," the waiter greeted. "It's terribly hot today, how about something cold to drink?"
As the man at the booth slowly averted his eyes from the window, it became all too clear what was peculiar about him. Deep within startling blue eyes laid an even more startling look of loneliness. So profound was the emotion that the waiter could not help but draw his eyebrows together in unease.
'What business does a look like that have on a boy his age?' he wondered momentarily before the soldier gave his response.
"Yeah, it is hot huh." The voice was warm and pleasant despite the emotion in his eyes. "An iced cola'd be great."
"Of course, I'll be right back."
"I'm fine for now, thanks."
With that, the waiter turned to fill the man's drink. He returned shortly to find the soldier sliding sugar packets across the table with his eyes once again fixed out the window.
"Here you are." At the quiet thunk of the cola, blue eyes looked around. "Is there anything I can get you to eat?"
"I'd just like a burger please."
"Anything else?"
"No, not right now."
"Well alright. One burger it is. But if you change your mind, my name's Arthur. Just give me a holler." Arthur turned to attend to small group that had just entered.
"Alfred," Arthur stopped.
"I'm sorry?"
"My name is Alfred." Arthur turned to see the soldier smiling hesitantly, and for the briefest moment he saw something other than sadness reflected in those blue eyes.
When he set forth once again, Arthur couldn't help but note the slight smile and even slighter blush making their way onto his own face.
AN: Well, here it is. My first fic…under this name anyway. I'm not usually a writer, but this fandom has overwhelmed me with so many ideas that dammit I needed another medium of expression! Maple. Anyway! This is written for Cylobaby & Aulophobic Clarinetist even though the latter doesn't (yet) appreciate the amazingness that is "Traveling Soldier". If there are any horrific grammar mistakes, my bad. Oh, and I promise the following chapters will be longer. I just wanted to get the "prologue-y" stuff out of the way.