I would like to say thank you to these people for supporting me!!

Stefan Bertram

Marisa-sama

And now on with the story!

Arthur stared out the window at the rain falling. It seemed that no matter how long he had stayed there or visited he still couldn't get used to this country's blasted weather. Yesterday it was bright and sunny; and inexplicable hot. The temperature had probably reached above ninety degrees. Which he supposed wasn't so bad now that he thought about it. Actually it wasn't exactly the heat that was getting to him. If anything it would have been the damn humidity that seemed to leave the air and anyone outside drenched. Now it was just cold and wet. Though all the humidity had gone so he supposed that was a bonus. But damn. If anyone cared to ask him he would have said that the weather was bipolar.

But it's still sorta beautiful he mused.

The summer here was a sharp contrast to the cold winter. The trees and the grass had turned an unearthly shade of green that seemed to fill the air with a sense of life. However amazing it was, the unrealistic color was slightly unsettling to him.

His gazed wandered away from the window to the room around him. Arthur was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea that had long since grown cold. The house around him was quite. All except the small ticks from a grandfather clock in the living room that could only be heard if one concentrated. It was dreadful to be in this house. It was empty and cold.

He let out a small sardonic chuckle. Cold indeed; the room that surrounded him had anything but a cold atmosphere. Its white cabinets and white and yellow striped walls were picturesque and could have been used in any home magazine searching for that 'warm, cozy cottage feeling'. And it wasn't just this room; the whole house gave off that feeling. Alfred had made sure of that.

Actually a few months ago that was exactly what this place felt to Arthur. It was made for them; it was supposed to be the place where they'd live together. But now the house was cold. The bright colors had faded and life left the hose.

He had decided to stay though. He wanted to be here in this deserted house just in case. He wanted to be here so that when Alfred got home… well… Arthur wasn't quite sure what he'd do but he'd do something, and he'd be damned if the idiot got off easy.

He had gone to great lengths to keep the house preserved. Alfred's cloths were still where he last tossed them all those days ago. His tooth brush remained untouched on the counter. Normally, such slight disarray in his house would have caused Arthur to go mental. But it was his lingering hope, or more accurately his lingering proof that Alfred had been in the house. That they had indeed lived together here.

Dissatisfied at the way his thoughts turned depressing, Arthur looked back to the teacup in his hand and swirled it around. Entertaining the thought of whether to just finish it off cold or stick it in the microwave to reheat the drink.

DONG—DONG—DONG

The grandfather clocks' loud chime erupted through the house, signifying that it was half past the hour. The sudden intrusion of the sound had caused Arthur to jump and slosh his brew and spill a drop or two on his pants. He set the cup down with a mild curse and rose to get himself a towel. Then it occurred to him… half past the hour? What time was it? With that he exited the kitchen and crossed the hall into the living room.

"God Bless It!" Arthur said as he looked at the clock to find that it was 12:30. He was supposed to meet Francis in fifteen minutes! And at the air port across town no less. So he rushed up stairs to change his stained pants and left the house, the cold tea in the kitchen forgotten for the moment.

Unfortunately for Arthur he was exactly two minutes late in picking Francis up. The damned man vented his displeasure at having to wait two whole bloody minutes in this 'torrential downpour.' Arthur scoffed at that and Francis threw a glare in his direction then proceeded to go into detail about his horrendous plane trip. He ranted the whole way to the restaurant which was again, all the way across town.

At first Arthur didn't say anything, just sat at the table while Francis ordered his meal. When the imbecile had finally stopped ordering and had started to flirt horribly with the timid waitress Arthur kicked his shins underneath the table. Not hard enough to make him scream in pain mind you, they were in a public place after all, but defiantly hard enough to leave a lovely black bruise. The insufferable French man gave a yelp and the waitress disappeared. Francis grumbled as he rubbed his injured leg.

"You know that's going to leave a bruise right?"

"So what?" Arthur snapped back, his temper rising again.

"You can't just go kicking a single man trying to flirt!"

"THAT was pure harassment you pervert! And I don't go around kicking flirts; just sick minded old men who are clearly unwanted."

"You also shouldn't insult people you're asking help from."

That caused Arthur to pause. "You've found something out then?"

Francis didn't say anything, just picked up his water and took a long sip. He made a face after he drank.

"I never liked the water here. They should buy water from France."

"Francis," there was a warning in his tone, daring the man to test him, "what have you found?"

"I wouldn't charge them too much, well, at first anyway." He continued to muse to himself.

"Francis, answer me." Arthur ordered curtly. The car ride over had burned his temper down to the wick and whatever tolerance he had managed to retain in an attempt to be polite to the other diners was quickly dissipating. But he just couldn't stand the damn frogs teasing. He was so hopeful and so absolutely terrified at the prospect of new information about Alfred.

"Maybe I could slip some type of dru—

"FRANCIS" Arthur practically shouted, drawing the eye of several curious or disgruntled diners.

The ass looked at him slowly, amusement clear on his bloody smirk.

"Tu es curieux?" He asked pleasantly.

"Don't screw with me." Arthur said in a deadly tone. "We had an agreement." He was beyond pissed of. The small spark of hope and his heart rate had been increasing by two fold every passing second. Surely the idiot wouldn't play his games unless he knew something right?

" C'est vrai. Nous avions un accord, n'est-ce pas?"

Arthur sighed and leaned back into his chair. "Please Francis, please just tell me what you know." He felt like he had been defeated. He had lost the game that the French man played but he couldn't find the want to care. He just wanted to know.

The look Francis gave him would have stabbed at his pride if things were normal.

"So I take it you haven't heard from him then." All traces of humor gone.

"No." Arthur said in a small voice. He had heard nothing. It had been half a year since he had last seen Alfred, last spoken to Alfred, and last heard from Alfred.

" To tell the truth mon cheri, I have not heard much." Arthurs' hopes plummeted. Apparently he could screw with people even if he had nothing of value.

"But you have heard something? Even a little bit of information can be useful." He hated the way hope had the habit of not dying.

"Oui, Matthew said he talked to Alfred in April."

He hated even more how hope could just jump right back up again. "Did he say anything?"

"Non, Matthew said that the conversation was pretty normal. He said that Alfred had just wanted to know what was up. And that was pretty much it."

"Oh." His face fell and he looked down at his tea. And an awkward silence soon fallowed. Apparently he could.

The waitress returned to place the food on the table and quietly left.

"But he did say he was in California," he included almost as if it was a second thought.

"And I have talked to the other countries and it seems he hasn't left the country."

Actually Arthur was pretty sure that it was a second thought, it still helped though. He supposed it was a comforting thought that Alfred was still in this country.

"Thank you Francis." Something in Arthur couldn't believe he was thanking that French bastard. But lately Arthur had been doing several things that were out of his character. "You have no idea how much it means to me."

The man looked at him with something dangerously close to pity, but he didn't catch it. Alfred was still here in America. Well it is possible, he is the personification of the land so he could hide anywhere he damned well pleased. It would also make sense that Arthur wouldn't be able to find him.

"Well I best be off." Arthur looked up startled by the sudden intrusion into his thoughts. He was already finished with his meal? He must have spaced out again.

"I'll drive you to the hotel." Arthur said in the midst of standing.

"Don't bother. Je crois que mon pauvre Coeur aurait une crise cardiaque si je devais mettre en place avec votre voiture!" Francis said while giving him a condescending look.

"Sod off." Arthur retorted as he sat back down. He didn't watch the man leave but he did hear his obnoxious laughter as he left the restaurant.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE READERS!!!!

Hello everybody!!!! I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter I actually meant to post it last week but I've hardly had the time to sit down and write. It doesn't help that my family has been using the computer all hours of the day. As you've probably figured out this will not just be a two shot I'm considering at least one or two more chapters. I have an idea for how this story will end but it seems to me that this story is writing its' self. Unfortunately for Arthur I might have to hurt him a bit more. But right now to continue on to the next chapter I need a name. It has to be a gay sounding name that's easily hated. My friends suggested Carlos and if I don't get anything better then that's what I'll use. So please send me a name!!! And of course if you would be so kind, any critique would be much appreciated! Thank You!!!

French Diction:

C'est vrai. Nous avions un accord, n'est-ce pas =

It's true. We had an agreement didn't we.

Je crois que mon pauvre Coeur aurait une crise cardiaque si je devais mettre en place avec votre voiture! =

I believe my poor heart would have a heart attack if I had to put up with your driving!