Last Christmas
Chapter 4
Amelia's POV
I opened my eyes, and saw nothing but green. Deep forest green... like magical green... I like the color green. I kept staring into the green pools until I remembered where I was. I was at the girls house, we'd had a sleepover, I was situated in-between Arthur and Tonio, whom both had green eyes. After letting my thoughts process for a minute I gave a small yelp and moved back. It was Arthur, an amused smirk adorning his face.
Why did I always end up in these situations, over the past year Arthur has been catching me in all sorts of compromising positions. (which may or may not have once included me walking out of the bathroom with out even a towel on after a shower. IT WAS MY HOME AND HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE!) Well, it had been a year since my break up with Ivan, I was an amazing waitress, still (not) perusing my dream of becoming an actress and, again, it was Christmas morning. Yay. Oh the joy.
"It's not funny!" I hissed, glaring at him, "You scared the crap outta me!"
"Well it's not my fault that you happened to like to stare into my eyes, Love." He smirked, sitting up.
"Oh hardy, har, har!" I laughed sarcastically, ignoring the thundering in my chest and the blush creeping up my cheeks, "Very funny, short-stuff." It was true, the Brit was in fact a few centimeters smaller that me.
"Shut it!" He growled, height was a sore spot for him, which I'd learn within the first two days of meeting him, "I'm not small! You're just tall!"
"Yeah, yeah! Whatever, Short-stack!" He gave another growl of annoyance and sniffed haughtily, "Speaking of short-stacks, lets have pancakes for breakfast!" I suggested, winking at him, he gave another huff but nodded.
We both stood, adjusting it clothes and carefully stepping over our still dozing friends. With a childlike giggle I tugged him towards the kitchen and began gathering ingredients; flitting around the familiar work space whilst Arthur stood to the side, staring in bemusement.
"Okay, let's get started ... On second thoughts, maybe you should make them, I'll watch." I turned to give him a forced look of sympathy, "You know my food isn't particularly appreciated..." I nodded and started making the batter, pouring in the flour, eggs and milk, then adding baking soda and sugar.
"Amy?" I turned and glanced over my shoulder to see Feli and Maddie trail sleepily into the room, "We got just got a call from Emily, she caught a throat infection and can't sing. Could you stand in for her? I know today's Christmas and all, but we don't have anyone else!" At their restaurant Feli and Lovi have a stage where our friend, Emily, usually sings, those three are always trying to get me to sing up there.
"You guys know I don't sing." I smiled apologetically, continuing to mix the batter.
"Now wait a minute, just last night you were singing 'Somebody to love' in the highest key possible. That, Amelia Felicity Jones, is an outright lie!" Arthur said with an amused smirk, I turned to give him a small glare, the wooden spoon I'd been using instantaneously snapping.
"Yes but I have stage fright, alright!?" I spat, much to his enjoyment, and turned back to the mixture; placing both halves of the wooden spoon on the counter.
"Then this will help!" The Brit urged encouragingly, "If you go up and sing you might get over your stage fright, then it could help you a lot with your career."
I bit my lip, thinking it over before sighing in defeat and giving Maddie and Feli a 'heroic' smile, "Ok, I'll do it."
"Evviva!" Feli cried, clamping onto my arm with all the energy in the world. I grinned, laughing at the Italian's antics and fetched a pan from the shelf.
"Feli, if you want pancakes then you might wanna let me go." She unlatched herself from my arm and smiled brightly.
"I'll go wake up the others!" With that she skipped out of the room humming the tune of 'Walking on Sunshine'. A few minutes later her cheerful head popped itself back around the door, "Where's Luddy?"
"He's not here, idiot!" A rather disgruntled and sleep-deprived voice came from the living room.
"Oh..." Her face contorted into a puzzled frown, "I swear there was something we were going to do... Oh well!"
I shook my head and carried on making the pancakes. From the corner of my eye I could see Arthur glancing at me with a sepculating smile. His eyes squinted slightly and cheeks vaguely tinted. After a few minutes of his unwavering saying, I began to get uncomfortable and turned to glare at the offending Brit.
"What?" I huffed, brandishing a pancake-coated wooden spoon.
"Nothing." He held his hands up in mock surrender and chuckled. I rolled my eyes and, with a jolt of my wrist, splattered batter onto the laughing blonde's face. His ears turned an angry shade of pink that spread down and axcoss his face, following with a cease to his laughter. I bit my lip, trying to fight the burst of giggles threatening to erupt from my own throat, but it was all in vein. With an almighty snort, my head was thrown back and loud, booming guffaws flew past my lips.
"You sneaky little blighter!" His eyes were narrowed but after a few seconds his frown turned into a demonic grin. I gulped and gave him a weary look as he took a step closer to me, "You think you can out-fight me, eh? Remember, love, I grew up with five brothers."
"H-hey, let's not be too hasty here!" I stuttered, taking a step back. But when my back hit the counter I let out a squeak of surprise, "A-Arthur!"
"Yes?" A smug smirk played on his lips, I glanced down, staring at his mouth. They looked so soft... so... kissable- No! Bad Amy! Bad! Control yourself! I let out a flustered gasp, my cheeks darkening, he was so close. He leaned forwards, my heart thundered and my breaths became short and puffy. H-he's gonna kiss me!
Just before his lips came into contact with mine he stopped, reaching behind me and taking the spoon from my small hands. Before I could react, he smeared the gooey mix all over my hair and face. My jaw dropped, my face as red as a tomato and batter dripping down my chin.
"Y-you... YOU JERK! I'M GUNNA GET YOU!" He froze- mid chuckle- and spun around, bolting towards the door, "Nu-hu! No way, you're gunna get some serious ass-a-whoopin'!"
"No! I'm sorry- Ack! No- don't!" I grabbed him around the waist pulling him back and tacking him to the floor. I landed on top of him, his back hitting the floor and my arms outstretched, planted firmly on his chest, keeping me upright.
"Ha! Gotcha!" I smirked down at him, pinning him underneath my legs and straddling his hips. He stared at me, his green eyes glinting. I barely held back a gasp, why was I so attracted to him? Arthur was my best friend, not my boyfriend! I felt the heat rise to my face, dusting my cheeks in a deep shade of red as his lips curved into a small smile.
"You have..." He let his sentence drop his gaze flickering to my lips, his lips parting slightly, my heart thundered in my chest, smashing against my rib cage, "You have batter... in your hair..."
"Yeah... You too, and on your face..." I reached down, swiping a finger full off of his face and bringing it up to my mouth. I licked my finger, and smirked, "Sweet."
"Yeah you are- I mean it is!" His cheeks heated, a light dusting of pink spread over them.
"-So, I heard Amelia was making her famous- Oh! Am I interrupting something? Ohonohon!" I jolted up, whipping my head around to stare wide-eyed at the sniggering Frenchman.
"S-shut up! Frog-face!" Arthur scowled, sitting up slightly, "Don't assume things!"
"Yeah, dude! We're best friends, not friends with benefits! I'm not that sex-deprived!" I quickly scrambled off of the Brit, helping him up and dusting myself off, "He put pancake mix in my hair so I tackled him! You of all people should know that I tackle people, Francy-Pants."
"Oui, oui! I have been a victim of that tackling one too many times..." He sighed, flipping his hair and sniffing haughtily, "Don't call me that."
"Whatever, dude." I rolled my eyes, sticking up my middle finger at the blonde, who just glared in return.
"Amélie," He started in a warning tone, I flashed him a grin and went back to the pancakes, turning on the cooker and pouring some batter into a pan.
"You'll be lucky if there's any of that left after you dumping it on my face." Arthur joked, a chuckle rumbling from his throat. I giggled, waiting for the batter to begin to bubble before flipping it and making sure it was cooked.
"Hey!" Francis suddenly shouted, pointing at the big-browed Brit, "You! Get out!"
"What!? That's completely unjust-,"
"Out! Get out!" And that was how poor innocent Arthur was abruptly and unfairly shoved from the room, I continued cooking and ignored the strong string of swear words that followed them, "And stay out!"
"That was a little harsh, dude." I said as soon as he came back in, the Frenchman just shrugged, brushing a speck of imaginary dust from his designer suit, "Do you always have to dress all fancy-like?"
"Oui, I do, because I like these clothes." He, again, tossed his hair, shoving his nose in the air, "And you should too."
"Francis, you know I can't afford them." I added another pancake to the steaming stack next to me, putting some more batter on the heat, "I can barely afford food as it is," I ran a hand through my hair, sighing heavily, "And I still don't have my own apartment! Just because that stupid douche-bag cheated on me! I should'a be the one kicking him out! I mean seriously! I literally walked in on them doing the deed!"
"Ivan was a bastard." Lovina walked into the kitchen, clad in nothing but a bra and sleeping shorts, "What the hell are you looking at, wine-bastard!? Don't fucking stare! Amy, listen, that fucker doesn't deserve you, you could do much better, he was a jerk from the start."
"Yeah... I know... but... Is it weird that I don't feel sad anymore? I just wanna stab something really..." I shoved the cake onto the plate, adding more mixture to the pan, "God! I'm just so pissed off!"
"I know, Amélie, I know." Francis wrapped his arms around me, kissing my cheek comfortingly, "But it's been a year, non? Next time you see the bastard, give him a good right-hook, oui?"
"Yeah, don't worry, I will." Once breakfast was up and served we all, somehow, squeezed our way around the tiny kitchen table- it was a miracle that we even fitted in the room, let alone the minute four-seater. As soon as a plate was in my hands, I promptly began to stuff excessive amounts of fluffy pancake into my mouth, adding maple syrup and nutella when needed. Everyone except Arthur completely ignored my animalistic eating habits; they had all tried and failed many a time to teach me such a thing as manners, yet I'd learnt nothing except that I was a disgraceful eater.
"Must you always eat like a bloody starved wolf? At least attempt to take a breath between bites!" The Brit scolded, "Any normal person would have choked to death by now!"
"Sh'rry!" I swallowed hard and flashed him a toothy grin, earning a roll of the eyes from the blonde. I began to pace my eating, taking smaller bites and actually breathing between mouthfuls - as Arthur had told me to - but was rather rudely interrupted by a holler of surprise and the sound of crockery falling the ground.
"MON DIEU!" My sister's whispering yell broke the silence, her exclamation gathering mine and Arthur's attention.
"What?" I blinked and shrugged when I received no further response. Slowly but surely everyone began picking up their dropped utencils and finishing their meals.
"Do... Do I really have to sing?" It had just passed a few minutes after noon and everyone had made their way to either work or back home. I stood in the hallway connecting the kitchen and the dining area adorning a fancy crimson dress which tumbled down in silk ruffles to my ankles. The bodice was embroidered with a few beads and around my neck hung a pearl necklace- with matching earrings clasped to my ears. My hair had somehow been tamed and pulled into a sophisticated side twist, a pearl slide was added for effect.
With Gil, Maddy and Tonio serving, Francis in the kitchen juggling orders and Arthur lent against a wall to my left, reading a newspaper, Feli and Lovi (the only two left) were still trying to coax me into performing.
"Please Amy? People are already starting to arrive and their expecting a live performance!" Feli pleaded, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout and her large brown eyes widening for effect.
"Just do it Amelia," Arthur began from behind his newspaper, "You'll do brilliantly."
I groaned, after an hour or so of incessant pleading together with Feli's puppy-dog eyes, there was no way in hell I could say no.
"Fine." Feli let out a screen of joy and imediately disappeared through the kitchen doors, her angelic exit followed by some harsh Italian swearing along the lines of: 'Che cazzo stai facendo!? Fuori dalla mia cucina, ora! Prima di skin e si mette in quella minestra!' [*]
The doors to the kitchen were pushed open and through them dashed a sobbing girl with soup down her front. I watched in pity for the girl as she fled from the building. This was actually a rather regular occurrence, Arthur flipped to the next page in his newspaper and sniffed. Felicia then skipped back out of the kitchen and linked arms with her sister.
"Andiamo, sorella!" She sung, "Now that Charlotte's gone I need some more help in the kitchen!"
"Well that's your fucking fault isn't it?" Lovina grumbled, glaring darkly at the floor, her tone causing her twin to pout. Feli opened her mouth to speak but was abruptly cut off when the doors to the restaurant were promptly thrown off of their hinges. I squeaked in alarm, along with the two Italian's, and proceeded to throw myself into Arthur's arms. After a few seconds of hair-raising silence, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed monstrosity appeared from seemingly nowhere; electing more than one scream (not from me of course, I'm the HERO!).
"Felicia." His voice was dangerously low, eyes glowering, suit and hair disheveled and a pair of black smudges placed underneath his eyes, "Where the hell have you been? I was searching all damn night for you! You weren't here! You weren't at home! You weren't at the restaurant we booked! I was worried sick! I called the police! Several times!"
"Restaurant?" She clambered out of her twins trembling arms and made her way over to her long term boyfriend. Her puzzled look slowly turned into one of recognition, then one of disbelief, "No... Dio mio! Luddy! Mi dispiace tanto! I can't believe I forgot about our dinner!" Tears sprung to her honey golden eyes, her bottom lip bitten and cheeks flushed with anger at herself she began to sob.
"Feli..." Ludwig's face instantly softened, he crouched down to the blubbering Italian and encircled her in a warm embrace, "I don't care about the dinner, I was just worried."
"B-but I f-f-forgot about our Christmas e-eve dinne-e-er!" She wailed, burying her tear-stained face into his white shirt. She the gasped, springing away from him and staring in shock, "Luddy! You're ice-cold! How long have you been in the cold!?"
"Um..." The German scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "All night?"
"Dio mio! Luddy!" She stood, taking her boyfriend with her and pulling him towards the kitchen ovens, "I know you were worried but it doesn't mean that you stay outside in the cold all night long!"
"Gesù Cristo!" Lovina sneered, she then brushed herself off and rolled her eyes, stomping towards the kitchen, yelling something about always having to do everything.
I sighed and took a step away from the blinking Brit, "That was an eventful couple of minutes." I checked my dress to see if any damage had been done during my time in Arthur's- rather warm- arms, finding nothing I smiled.
"Yes... And a rather frightening couple of minutes at that... Never have I seen that man so bloody worried before!" With a giggle and a roll of my eyes and punched his arm playfully, earning nothing more then a raised eyebrow and mutter of 'that hurt'.
"So, do you know what you're going to sing?" I groaned, burying my head into my hands.
"No... What does a down-town girl like me sing at a fancy-pants place like this?" I hissed, pulling Arthur further down the corridor now that more people were arriving.
"Well, seeing as it is Christmas Eve, why not something Christmas-y?" I thought for a moment then smiled brightly, grasping the Englishman's shoulders and shaking him with joy.
"Yes! It's something I know and love! And I'm comfortable with singing it!" Then my face fell, "But it's a duet... You... Yes! You can sing, can't you Arthur?"
"What?" Arthur looked at me with complete disbelief, "Well... Sort of, but that doesn't mean I will, you'll have to find someone else!"
"Arthur please! I can't do this on my own; at least not this first song!" He sighed heavily then motioned for me to tell him which song it was. I grinned and lent over whispering the title into his ear, then pulled away. I watched as a smile broke his face.
"Bloody brilliant! But, not quite sure it's appropriate for this restaurant."
"Well, yeah, but everyone loves this song!" I argued, "I bet everyone will start singin' along."
He shrugged and smiled, "It's your choice, Love."
[*] What the fuck are you doing!? Get out of my kitchen, now! Before skin you and put you in the soup!
A/N: Well... after what, like a year? I come back to this... well... yeah... so... um... I'm just going o leave this here and FLEE.
Reviews are very much appreciated! ;)