Arthur's jaw and cheek bones were in pain.

Sitting in the break room and rubbing his face to relieve pain was not how he personally would liked to have spent his lunch break today but yet here he was.

And of course the frog was there looking at him with a very amused expression.

"You know what you remind me of?" Francis began, leaning his head onto his hand. "Somebody who just finished giv-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll dye your hair green in your sleep," Arthur interrupted, not even looking to the Frenchman.

Francis twirled his blond locks around his fingers with a sour look.

"This is your damn therapist friend's fault anyhow, frog." Arthur stated, stopping his pain relief massage to cross his arms and sigh.

"Ah, but you haven't told one customer off all day!"

"Even so, the pain is annoying and I'm sick of all the snickers."

"Well your face when you mouthed 'oh my bloody god' was rather hilarious if you ask me," A voice said.

Francis and Arthur turned to see their fellow workers, Yao and Kiku, in the doorway of the break room.

"Not to be rude Yao, but nobody did ask you," Arthur sighed. He could feel a headache already brewing.

Yao shrugged and walked to the fridge to gather his own lunch while Kiku sat next to Arthur, his hands sitting nicely in his lap.

"Isn't your therapist's technique working, Arthur-san?" Asked Kiku, looking at the Brit from the corner of his eyes.

"Well, yes. I still have a job I suppose but it's a big pain in the arse."

"Just be grateful the crazy German hasn't fired you yet," Yao said, waving his hand in slight disdain.

"That's because Arthur is on decent terms with his brother, Gilbert." Francis explained, shrugging his hands in the air.

"That's the only reason you're still here, Frenchie." Arthur said, standing up. Francis laughed and shrugged, partly knowing it was true.

"A few more hours of work and I can go home to put ice on my face."

Kiku smiled and softly said, "I wish you luck Arthur-san."


Kiku's luck did nothing to calm the bomb that went off no more then fifteen minutes later into Arthur's work.

"IF YOU READ THE DAMN INSTRUCTIONS I'M SURE YOU WOULD SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN OCCURRED YOU TWAT."

Whether Arthur really cracked or if he just forgot to mouth the words, nobody was exactly sure. But soon enough Arthur found himself back in Jones' office, with the doc looking at him with a very amused expression.

"Arthur got in trouble, Arthur got in trouble!" Alfred sang, laughing the whole time. He soon then began to spin in his swivel chair, which annoyed Arthur even more.

"Oh grow up!" Arthur grumbled, slumped into the cushion of the couch with his arms crossed.

Alfred's laughter died down a bit as he held his chin in thought while still spinning.

"At this rate," He said, the chair slowly coming to a stop, "we're going to be seeing each other much more."

Arthur groaned, covering his face with his hands as he leaned back and faced to the ceiling.

"Bloody fantastic."

"Well if you stopped being a pompous ass I'm sure we wouldn't even be here right now," Alfred said, shrugging.

"I am not a pompous ass! The people that call are the real ones, acting as if their tiny little problems are the most pressing issues this world has ever come to see!" Arthur raged, still facing the ceiling.

"What did ya expect when you went to work in customer service, Arthur?"

"Money to put food on the table," Arthur stated simply.

Alfred nodded his head, shrugging.

"A legit reason, for sure. Just promise me you will never become a therapist?"

"Please, I wouldn't dream of it. I can't see how you do it, honestly. People preaching their self-pity would only annoy me."

"It's not them preaching self-pity, Artie. It's them looking for a safe outlet to share personal problems. If they don't it'll only eat away at 'em, and lead to worse things." Alfred said calmly yet seriously.

Arthur pursed his lips slightly before sighing and nodding his head.

"I see. Can I ask you something Jones?"

"How many times are you going to call me Jones?"

"Until I come up with something else, you bloke. Oh look, I already found something."

Alfred smiled and shook his head, "What's your question?"

"Why are you so damn positive all the time? I just insulted you and you smiled."

Alfred looked off to the side for a bit, thinking for a good answer.

Finally he said, "What you see and hear as a therapist is some of the most heartbreaking, horrible, saddest stuff you could ever imagine. From deaths to suicidal thoughts, it gets heavy on your mind. Makes even you yourself depressed. But that's why I like to be so positive. Because other people could use that happiness to help them, to push them through the pain. And it keeps you mentally sane. That, and it's just not in my personality to be a jackass." Alfred scratched his cheek awkwardly.

Arthur blinked, not exactly expecting such an answer. He swallowed lightly, realizing how selfless Alfred truly was. How important he wa-

"That's why you would be the worse therapist known to mankind."

Never mind.

"Oh thanks." Arthur muttered.

"But you have some pretty important qualities. You won't sugar coat the truth, I can tell just by your attitude. Not beating around the bush is exactly what people need if they're to ever heal." Alfred explained.

There was a moment of silence before, "Eck, I sounded like Dr. Phil or Oprah or some shit."

Arthur busted out in laughter at that. It was a serious moment that the fool managed to ruin with such a small sentence. Bloody brilliant!

Alfred chuckled with the Brit.

"Hey, you're actually capable of laughter!" He yelled, smiling big.

Arthur's laughter calmed down a bit before he swallowed and waved off the therapist.

"Oh please, I'm very much capable of laughter thank you."

"I don't know man, sometimes I don't even think you can smile!"

"Hey I'm human! I can be happy too, you know."

Alfred frowned for a moment.

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you were happy?"

Time seemed to freeze.

His throat felt like it was closing up on him.

He could hardly breathe.

And why was that damn bloke staring at him so intensely?!

It was only a seven second time gap, but it felt so much longer as the question sunk In.

"When the clock was still ticking..." murmured Arthur.

Alfred blinked but didn't want to push further. Arthur was here for something else. Yet maybe they were connected somehow...

With a shake of his head, Alfred smiled.

"Alright Arthur, obviously the mouth trick didn't work."

"Obviously, I wouldn't be here if it did."

"Aha, right. So I want you to yawp."

"Yawp? As in scream?"

"Yep!"

"I am not going to scream, Jones." Arthur huffed.

"Come on, Artie! One good yawp! Let out your frustrations from life and just scream!"

"Ahhhhhhh." Arthur weakly screamed, rolling his eyes the whole time.

"That was so pathetic it hurt."

"I'm not even trying, idiot."

"Than try!"

"Ahh."

"That was even worse!"

"What is this suppose to help with?"

"To get your frustrations out, like I said before."

"How did you ever graduate from University?"

Before Alfred could respond, a soft alarm went off. It was Arthur's phone, his session was over.

"Yes well, my time seems to be over."

"We can still-"

"No, no. Unlike you I respect the schedules of other people so I'll be taking my leave."

With that, Arthur stood up, as did Alfred.

"Alright, I'll be callin' to remind you to set up your next appointment. We're far from solving this issue."

"Yes yes, I'm aware of that." Arthur said, opening the door.

"Until then, Artie! Cya-"

Arthur slammed the door shut before Alfred could get another word in.

This was not getting easier.


[A/N:] This chapter bothers me so much and I can't seem to figure out why. Maybe I think I'm setting things up and out too quickly or rather too forced? Hm.

Reviews are Prussia!