A/N. Amelia is Fem!America's name.
Arthur Kirkland prided himself in living a very uniformed life. Nothing was ever out of place. Nothing. Everything was done by the minute at precisely the right second. He didn't expect today to be any different.
He woke up at 7:30, had a good English breakfast with a cup of Earl Gray tea. Afterward he changed into his suit and packed his briefcase before walking ten minutes to the subway. There he boarded the train at 8:30. He arrived at his office at 9:15 exactly, waved at the secretary before sitting down and attacking the seemingly endless pile of work that always needed to be done. At 12:45 he would cross the street, eat his homemade lunch in the park (because he workmates refused to let his food enter the building again) before going back and continuing his work until 5:10 when he would then take the 5:45 train home, cook himself dinner, finish some cross-stitching or knitting. He would then shower, change, and be in bed by 9:30 to get a full eight hours of sleep. The next morning he would repeat the cycle over again.
It was Thursday evening, on his way down to the subway, when his entire schedule was messed up. He was walking down the stairs at 5:25 when someone bumped into him, causing him to let go of his briefcase and leaving him to watch it tumble down the stairs.
"Oh I am so sorry, mister!" a female voice said. An American female voice, "Lemme go get that for you."
Arthur stood up and saw a blond head bob down the stairs to retrieve the fallen briefcase. She turned to come back up the stairs and Arthur really saw her for what she was. Her hair was wavy, down to her shoulders, and her blue eyes were bright as the sky. She wore a tight shirt that barely covered her midriff, a pair of impossibly short shorts and cowboy boots.
She was the most eccentric and wild person Arthur had ever had the misfortune to meet. She ran up the stairs and held the briefcase out to him.
"Here you are, mister," she said, "Sorry about that, I can be kind of a klutz sometimes."
She rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, a tinge of pink dusting her perfect cheeks. Arthur stared at her before glancing at his watch. His eyes widened as he saw the time.
"Oh no," he said, "I'm going to miss my train!"
He tried to walk around the American girl but she blocked his path, heedless of the others walking around them.
"What's so important about this train?" she asked, "Are you going to be late for something?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," he said, "Now, if you'll excuse me-"
"What are you going to be late for? Is it really important?" she continued to pester him.
"Yes, it's very important, now let me go!"
"Is it a date?" she continued, "Do you have a wife or girlfriend you're taking out for dinner? Or a kid? I bet you'd have an adorable daughter!"
"Miss!" Arthur felt his patience begin to ebb, "Please, let me through!"
"Tell me what's so important!"
"Let me through."
"Tell me first."
"Let me through!"
"Tell me!"
Arthur heard the shriek of the train as it entered the station.
"I need to get on this train!" he said in a last ditch attempt.
"Why?" she crossed her arms, "Why can't you tell me what's so important about this train of yours? Is it a secret?"
"It is not a bloody secret now let me through or I'm going to miss," he paused as he watched the train leave without him, "My... train..."
He slumped to the ground, not caring about his suit or the other people around him. All he knew was that his entire life, what he had always strived for (ultimate perfection) was gone. He missed the train. He would have to wait for the next one and then his entire schedule was going to be off! All because one American girl wouldn't get out of his way.
"Hey," said American girl knelt down in front of him, "Look, I'm really sorry about making you miss your train, but can you tell me what you're missing out on?"
"My life is ruined," Arthur mumbled, lifting his head up to face her, "You ruined it!"
He watched with some sick satisfaction as her eyes widened at the sight of his tears. Then they softened and she leaned in, her arms on his shoulders, her face was much closer than it should be...
...and she was hugging him.
"I'm not saying I've never ruined a man's life before," she said, "But I am curious as to how I ruined yours."
"Everything was perfect," Arthur muttered, "Everything. I was to get on this train, walk the ten minutes to my house, make some dinner, do some leisure activities before going to bed."
"That's it?" she stopped hugging him. A shame, Arthur was starting to rather enjoy it. Her bright blue eyes stared at him, "I made you miss the train that was going to send you home to a boring night alone? I'm less sorry now!"
"It's what I do every night," Arthur said with a huff of dignity.
"Well, then," she said, "We're going to have to change that, aren't we?"
She stood up, pulling Arthur up with her. She turned him around and they began walking up the stairs. More like she was walking and Arthur was being pushed.
"So, Mister-Stuffy-English-man-With-the-Caterpillar-Eyebrows," she said as the reached the top, "Have you ever been out at night?"
"I have a name, you know," Arthur said, stung at the eyebrow comment, "Arthur Kirkland, at your service if you don't mind me saying."
"Well, Mister Arthur," she smiled, "I am Amelia Jones and it's nice to meet you."
He stuck his hand out and Amelia looked at it, before recognition flickered in her eyes and she took it in her own. He shook their hands up and down once before letting go. Not liking the way her calloused palms felt against his own (very unladylike it was) he followed her out of the subway station.
"Welcome to the world of the free," Amelia said, as they stepped out into the light and an evening full of new possibilities.