Months.
That's how long it had been since Alistair had left. Not like that was anything new. He'd been gone on these delivery trips before- up to a year and a half, if Arthur remembered correctly.
But something felt wrong.
It was a nice day- for once, this season. Occasional clouds rolling past the sun, barely cutting through the chill the day held.
Arthur was still on the university campus, in some coffee shop with Alfred- why he ever thought this was a good idea was beyond him. The rare need for company? Maybe. He was alone for who knew how much longer. A cup of tea was sitting in front of him, beside a notebook opened to notes he'd scrawled over the course of the class he'd been in. He was hoping to get some sort of studying done, despite the other blond's rambling about- whatever he was talking about. Arthur had long since stopped paying attention, green eyes turning from the page for him to pick up the mug, sip the tea.
The hand slamming down on his notes hardly startled him, instead drawing his attention across the small table. "Dude, it's not cool to be studying while hanging out in a coffee shop." Amusement drew Arthur's brows upwards- oh god he was more like his brother than he wanted to admit, to himself or anyone else.
"Plenty of people study in groups here." A pointed flick of his eyes to a corner near the front of the store, a group seated with their books out. The comment only brought an exasperated sound from Alfred as he sat back, pulling the notebook across the table. "Hey-"
"It can wait until you get home. Don't you have like perfect grades anyway?" How would you even know that. Rumors, probably. Some people in his year seemed to enjoy discussing everyone's business.
"That's not the point."
"Hey guys." Another chair appeared at the side of the table, another blonde straddling the seat backwards, one arm lain across the back of the chair, the other propped on the table so she could set her chin on her hand.
"Hey Ames." Alfred offered a grin to his sister, Arthur just offering a nod of his head with his greeting. "Thought you had plans with someone else?" A shrug, Amelia moving to grip the back of the chair, lean back a bit.
"Group didn't show."
"Sorry to hear that." Arthur took another sip of tea, set the cup down- though his words elicited a laugh from Amelia. Confusion settled on his face as he turned toward the Usainoran.
"No you're not. Alfred likes to talk about you." Amelia grinned, sat back up.
Any potential response to the comment was stopped by the screen in the back corner of the shop flickering to life. It only did that when something important was being broadcast over the news. Alfred blinked, glanced back before turning to sit sideways in his seat. "... Here at the Interg... ourt on Serfine..." That would explain the spotty signal. The ice planet still wasn't in close enough range to broadcast clearly. "... Informed that authori… Thief who has be…"
Arthur's brow furrowed, waiting for the video to clear enough to make out the figure being led- if one could call the struggling the captive was doing that- across a path barely cleared of snow. "...de the arrest… After a brief struggle…" He swallowed, gripped at the handle of his mug.
That was Alistair.
A scoff came from Alfred. "That's one less criminal off the interplanetary circuit."
"Arthur?" Amelia appeared concerned, bringing Alfred's attention back to the table. He didn't even think he was doing anything that warranted concern, his attention fixed upon the table, hands curled into fists.
"That idiot." His hands raised, slammed back onto the table- and resulted in the surface breaking under the force, causing those at the table to jump up.
Arthur blinked, slowly lowered his attention to his hands. "... Nothing ever said anything about this."
"Ivan, I am fine." Still, Mikita flinched away from fingers at his side, reached to push Ivan's hand away. The doctor on board suggested he not do anything for a while, lest more damage be done, but it could be worse.
"But you got hurt." Ivan pulled his hand back, frowned.
"You did too." A sigh from the elder, his hand instead going to ruffle Mikita's hair.
"True." Ivan stepped to the side, sat himself on the bed next to the blond. "It is something that can not be avoided all the time." He went to swing his legs, stopped when his feet thudded against the floor. Oh the problems of being tall.
An arm went around the younger, getting squirming in response. "Ivan, why?" Too late, Mikita was stuck in a hug from Ivan.
"Because you are my brother and I love you." Like it was obvious. Mikita wasn't much a fan of such displays, offering a few pats to the other's arm in an attempt to get him to stop.
It didn't immediately work.
Ivan did, however, leave Mikita alone after a while to rest, opting to head elsewhere to tend to ship-running matters. As well as start working on a final report on the case.
A wander around the ship, ending him in the bridge. "How much longer until we arrive?" A map was pulled up, the ship pointed out- they weren't quite past Matain yet.
"Could still be a while, unless you want to engage hyper drive." Ivan gave a hum, stared at the hologram.
"No, not right now." With that, he turned back the way he had come, strode back toward his quarters to start on the report. Even if he didn't get it finished, there would be progress.
This would be a long ride home.
Alistair raised his attention from the floor when the door opened, let out a growl at the officers it revealed. Right. The ship had stopped moving.
He jerked his arm away when it was grabbed, didn't bother to stand and make things easier on them. He might have settled down since he was arrested, but that didn't mean he would make things easy.
Alfred blinked at the cafe doors even after Arthur had left. What. He looked toward Amelia, a shrug exchanged. "We should probably go make sure he's okay."
"Yeah…" Alfred turned his attention back toward the front- only for it to be stopped by one of the groups at one of the corner tables. Oh.
Amelia followed his gaze, slowly broke into a grin before sliding closer to her brother, nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, I'll go on ahead to Arthur's place," blue eyes flicked over from where he'd been watching someone. "You go flirt with the Aquitane and swing by home to grab some stuff for us." Amelia's amusement only intensified at the red across her brother's face.
"Wha- I-"
"Have fun!" Amelia ran from the establishment before she could be stopped, leaving Alfred to decide whether he would actually follow her advice or just go home for laundry.
