Chapter two: The Bet
Gilbert stared at Francis from across the table, "We need to do something to cheer him up. I can't be this bored forever and it's no fun only going out with you. You always make me feel like I'm on a date."
Francis smiled seductively, "Are you sure you wouldn't like to be, mon amour?" He slid his hand across the table to cover Gilbert's, stroking his fingers sensually and gazing into his eyes.
Gilbert pulled his hand away, "Hey! I'm trying to be serious! Antonio's been really down lately and as his friends I feel we should at least try."
"I know, it's so unlike him to be this unhappy. He makes me want to cry whenever I look at him." Francis set his chin on his hand and blinked at Gilbert, "So what do you propose we do?"
"We have to make him happy again. I don't even care how!" Gilbert took a sip of his beer. After weeks of boredom, the two had fallen into a habit of frequenting a particular bar. Which of course, added to the boredom.
Francis sighed, "Every time we try to do anything with him, he claims he's sick or busy. How are we going to get him to stop moping around his house?"
Gilbert jumped and reached his hand in his pocket to retrieve his vibrating phone. He flipped it open to check the message. "Awesome!" he exclaimed.
"I don't think I see how that is going to help." Francis said, lazily twirling a glass.
Gilbert waved his hand in his face to shush him, "No, what's awesome is that we might actually have some company."
Francis looked up at him quizzically, "Antonio decided to leave his house?"
Gilbert shook his head and blushed, "No, I told Matthew I was bored and he said he'd come to see me. And he brought a friend with him."
"A friend?" Francis asked warily, "We aren't going to have to deal with the irritating American are we?"
Gilbert's phone buzzed again, "I don't know, he didn't tell me who was with him. He said he was close though."
"Close enough to be walking through the door?" And sure enough the adorable violet-eyed Matthew was pushing the door open just as Gilbert pocketed his phone. Francis's eyes widened as he caught sight of a pair of brilliantly green eyes and eyebrows the size of caterpillars. "He brought Arthur with him?"
Gilbert looked up, "Huh, I guess he did."
Matthew caught sight of the two and waved. He led Arthur to the table and sat next to Gilbert, "Hi."
Arthur reluctantly sat next to Francis and glared at him, "Who let you in the door?"
"Not the person that let you in obviously. They must have terrible taste." Francis retorted.
Arthur glared and waved his finger at him, "Now listen here, frog! Nobody told me you were going to be in this place!" He turned his glare to Matthew, "Otherwise I would've stayed home."
Matthew blushed, "I knew you might have a problem but I thought maybe you should get out of your house. It is Friday after all." He shrugged and grinned sheepishly.
"I don't care what bloody day of the week it is!" Arthur tried to yell more but was cut off as Gilbert shoved his hand over his mouth.
"Hey. Mattie was just trying to do something nice, so chill." Gilbert let go of Arthur's mouth slowly, ready to clap his hand back over it.
Arthur glowered, crossing his arms and sinking into his chair. He was quiet though.
"Great, now the dark cloud has descended." Francis crossed his arms too and looked away from Arthur.
Gilbert sighed irritatedly, "Can you two stop bickering long enough so he can help me?" He jabbed his finger at Francis.
"Help with what?" Matthew asked in a voice that was ready to change the subject.
"We need to cheer Antonio up. He's been really sad lately, which is not awesome. Our trio has been broken into two." Gilbert sighed.
Matthew smiled and patted Gilbert on the shoulder, "I'm sure we'll be happy to help." He smiled commandingly at Arthur, "Right?"
Arthur grunted indecisively.
"So what do you plan on doing?" Matthew asked.
"We don't know." Francis said distractedly.
"What about a contest?"
Everyone at the table stared in shock at Arthur. "What?" Gilbert asked.
Arthur huffed, "A contest. Since neither of you know what to do, each of you should do something for some kind of prize."
"It could be a bet." Now it was everyone's turn to look at Matthew.
"A bet? Not a bad idea." Gilbert smirked with an evil glint in his eye, "Francis, I bet you that I can make Antonio happy first."
Francis smiled evilly back, "I bet you I can first. And truly happy again, not just able to smile for a day."
"This is a bad idea." Arthur muttered.
"Oh quit being a stick in the mud." Francis retorted, playfully slapping him.
Arthur slapped his hand, "Don't touch me frog! Besides, should you go along with this bet, what would happen when you lost?"
"You immediately assume I'm going to lose?" Francis pouted.
Arthur snorted, "It's not like you know how to make people happy."
Francis grinned, "That's not what you told me before."
Arthur's face turned as red as Antonio's favorite vegetable "I never said that!" He sputtered.
Francis sighed, "Fine, I suppose I'll be the only one to know."
Arthur muttered indecipherably and fell silent again.
"So what would happen?" Gilbert wondered.
The table grew quiet as they all pondered it.
"You could have to streak past Vash's house."
Francis spit his drink out across the table, and all over Gilbert, "Mon Dieu! Matthew! What has he done to you?"
Gilbert chuckled, "This is why I love you. So adorable and yet so evil." He leaned over and gently kissed Matthew on the cheek.
Matthew blushed profusely, "I figured certain death would be a good motivator."
Arthur shook his head, "This really can't end well."
"Ah, mon amour, now you really hope I lose, don't you?" Francis draped his arm across Arthur's shoulders, "Oui, I'm sure you're just planning ways to ensure my demise."
Arthur sat and glowered, refusing to even acknowledge what Francis was doing, "I'm not going to dignify that with a response."
"Too bad you just did, mon amour." Francis reached his hand up and brushed Arthur's hair away from his eyes.
"Stop touching me frog!" Arthur removed Francis's arm and quickly averted his eyes to stare in a different direction, "And just what would happen if neither of you managed to cheer him up. What if he got over it without your bloody help?"
Francis shrugged, "I suppose we'd both have to lose." He stuck his hand out to Gilbert, "I suppose you know the terms, so do you agree?"
Gilbert's red eyes glittered, "May the best man win. Cause he's awesome." He shook Francis's hand, sealing the bet.
Arthur shook his head, "You're all idiots."
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A/N
Sorry this took so long. My schoolwork has literally eaten my life. Although while reading back through this, I saw the argument my friend and I had about whether a tomato was a fruit or a vegetable.
It's a vegetable. Because it's not Fruit-tales, it's Vegetales. I win.