A/N: Yo, this is Kasi again, and I wrote this chapter! The two week update schedule is working great. I'll try to organize and post as much as I possibly can, with me becoming an aunt and all...
Anyway, don't mind me, enjoy chapter three! Hey, that rhymed...
((I sort of feel that I write shorter chapters than my fellow writers. Also, I'm sorry about the Spanish, I'm a French kind of person. T~T))
Chapter 3: Don't Roll Your Eyes at Me
Four hours. It took him four hours to get back all the way back to the sweet shoppe. Sweaty and exhausted, Alfred leaned his head on what he believed was the countertop and let out a huge gust of air. 'Wow, the counter feels colder than usual…'
"Alfred, my boy, that's the refrigerator." Elizaveta Edelstein, owner and proprietor of Édesszájú, walked up to the young adult just as he jumped up from extreme cold and fright, colliding with a chair near the front of the store. Alfred recovered quickly with a huff, muttering intelligibly about "stupid Russians" and being "knocked down on my ass all the time."
"Is something the matter, Alfie?" Alfred just knew from that uppity lilt in her voice that she was on the prowl for some juicy gossip. He crossed his arms and turned away. He didn't need his eyes to know that she was throwing a mini pity-party just to weasel an answer out of him.
After minutes of meaningless begging and pleading, he noticed silence overtake the room. Before he could even open his mouth, he felt the cold metal of a frying pan resting on his skull. 'So she's resorted to brute force now, huh? This hasn't been the first time.' Flashbacks of banshee wailing and the clanging of metal played through his mind in slow-motion. Everyone knew not to mess with Elizaveta when she wanted to dig up dirt. OR when she was pissed beyond belief. Even her husband Roderich knew to duck and cover when times got tough.
"Spill the beans, boy, or else I drop you like a hot potato," she hissed into his ear, lowering the frying pan closer to his scalp of messy blond hair.
"Okay, okay! I give, I give!" he surrendered. He began hesitantly, "I met...someone...this morning." Alfred closed his eyes tightly in preparation for her high squeals of joy. When they didn't come, he opened one eye cautiously. Nothing. The other one. Safe. As soon as he uncovered his ears, she grabbed his shoulders and proceeded to shake him vigorously. "Who is he? Where is he from? What is he like? Where'd you find him? How'd you meet him?" Her mouth moved a mile a minute until Alfred looked more like a bobblehead than a person.
"Liz, calm down! You're gonna break my neck with your freakish strength!" he warbled out as the shaking reached its limit. He rubbed his neck soothingly as he kicked out to find a chair. 'Bingo,' he cheered mentally as he sat down and began to regale his encounter with the mystery man known as Ivan Braginski.
"Three eyes, huh?" He nodded. "So he must be one of those special ones, correct?" Another nod. "Great!" she jumped out of her seat, barely containing her excitement. "Do you know what that means?" he shook his head, confused. "He'd be able to grant you the sight you've always wanted!"
Alfred's wheels were spinning faster in his head than they ever had before. He had forgot about that until now. A spark of hope ignited in his chest, but then he remembered what happened this morning and he grew bitter.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Eliza, hold your horses. This isn't going to happen, I knew that for a fact. One, I just met him this morning, two, he KIDNAPPED me and left me in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and three, I don't even like him like that! I'm more willing to choke the shit out of him with his stupid scarf than date him!"
She placed her hands on her hips in frustration. "Haven't you heard of 'love at first sight', Alfie?" Taking a look at his irritated face, she tried again. "Er, um-" Before she could come up with another analogy, the bell chime rang at the door.
"¡Hola, mi amigos! Eliza! Alfredo!" He could recognize that voice anywhere. Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo, the man infamous for his two last names, and known to be a good friend of the Vargas twins. Even though he was looked down upon because he was labeled differently than everyone else, he still kept his head up high and a smile on his face. Alfred wished he could have two names like him, so he would at least get a chance to see, at least through one eye at the most. He and the twins were known for having a major sweet tooth, so why go anywhere else but Édesszájú? Elizaveta snapped back like a rubber band as she sped to the counter, Alfred on her heels. "Your usual, am I right?"
"Sí! Lovi and Feli just love, love, LOVE your cannolis." he supplied, handing her the usual $7.50. "Alfred?"
"I'm on it!" Running his fingers over the Braille labels, he was able to locate the dessert in no time at all. He actually loved working with Elizaveta-she was like the mom he never had. She always accustomed to workspace to fit his needs. He cherished each and every sentiment that she put in to make his working experience just as equal as anyone else.
He handed the bag to her as she threw the bag to Antonio. "Here you are, Toni! Come back soon! And tell Lovino I said hello!" The Spaniard blushed scarlet as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Let me guess, he's ignoring you again?" Eliza deadpanned. "Classic Lovino," Alfred added.
"Don't worry, I'm sure little Lovi will warm up to me again!" He lifted up the bag in triumph and started to head to the door. "Bye, Toni! Don't forget to tell us how it went when you come back!" she called out and waved. Alfred smiled, hearing the bell chime for the second time today, signifying another satisfied customer.
After watching him turn the corner, she turned around sharply to continue her lecture, but Alfred had left his post. "Alfred!" Her eyes darted to the left where she caught Alfred red-handed trying to sneak out the front door. "Shit!" he whispered. 'Why did I think that would work? The bell would have gave me away anyway.' He facepalmed. 'Man, am I a dumbass. I should just play it cool.'
He ran his hands through his hair and adopted a defeated look. "I'm sorry, Elizaveta. I guess I have a whole bunch of shit on my mind. I think I need to go home and relax." he stood at the edge of the doorframe, waiting for a sign of reaction from his boss.
"Fine," she convened. "even though you just came a half an hour ago." Liz mumbled the last part. "Just don't bump into anyone else today," she teased, "you might have to pay a fine this time." He rolled his periwinkle eyes in annoyance. "Whatever, Liz. See ya tomorrow."
Kicking pebbles and counting them in his head as he trudged home, he thought about his family. 'I hope Matt isn't worried about me, but knowing him, he'd laugh at my expense.' He slumped over, moving at a slower pace. 'Dad would too, maybe even Papa. I haven't heard from them in a while. Guess it's time to fix that.' He hurried his steps as much as he could.
'I need help. I'll call Mattie first.' Alfred dialed messily, partly because of nerves alone, and put the phone up to his ear, every ring amplifying his anxiety.
'This isn't as easy as I thought it'd be...
