Losing Grace
By Ryukansen
Chapter Seven: Inches Closer
------------------------------------------
Alfred stared absentmindedly at the ceiling wall, trying his best to wink a sleep at least, but no such luck ever came to him. The stupid television had done this to him! Showing him some information that he had to register before night time, was a no - and now he lay awake with nothing but thoughts of a certain Briton that both puzzled and angered him.
He fidgeted in the bed, moved side to side, closed his eyes, inhaled, exhaled, and then ended up groaning in defeat. The sandman wouldn't come to him for a few days to come.
That was a fact.
Morning soon came , and the twins sat on a small breakfast table munching rather gloomily on a new brand of cereal. Matthew was sure Alfred was rather, skeptical of his views on Arthur now - seeing that a popular idol had just…entered his household, and kissed him for that part. "Are you okay, Alfred?" The long-haired blonde murmured bashfully as he stuffed the cereal in his mouth and looked down hard at his brother who was gazing at the pool of milk left in the bowl.
"…Why didn't you tell me Mattie?" Alfred replied rather remorsefully as he stared into his twin's violet eyes. The younger one looked ashamed, but he knew that revealing Arthur's true status wasn't fair for the Brit who was running away from the media. "Honestly, you made us look like fools." Alfred quipped as he pushed the bowl away from him with disgust and stood up towards the coat hanger, ready to leave.
"Alfred! I couldn't, you know it! Arthur was having a hard time in England, and I didn't want anyone else to be burdened by him having to be a celebrity. Please understand that Arthur didn't want it either." Matthew could see his brother quickly contemplating on his words, but his brother always, always never accepted any of his reasoning unless he just had to. In this case, Arthur was a celebrity, and Alfred would have none of him knowing nothing of someone so popular.
"…Mattie, I'm tired." The blonde murmured softly. "I'm going home, see you later."
------------------------------------------
In all his life he had never expected to have housed a celebrity in his gritty, unstable farm. It was completely embarrassing and yet he found the most fault from Arthur who had secretly decided to become a refuge in his house until the media would fade on his current scandal or whatever. He was used! And yet, he knew he had to forgive the young man. It wasn't his fault, he had to remind himself, but the thought always lingered in the back of his mind.
"I'll have to pray for forgiveness, I guess." The American sighed as he traveled down the stairs of the apartment complex towards the ground floor where he found his truck sitting there with all it's disgusting glory.
"And he sat in it." Alfred rolled his eyes and slammed the car door with great force.
He was absolutely ridiculed.
------------------------------------------
He had arrived back at the farm after the mass, and found the two siblings gently speaking to one another in whispers. Liechtenstein was giggling while Vash was blushing furiously telling her that her manners were not much of a lady's angering her, but making Vash's blush disappear with triumph. "Hey." Alfred leaned at the side of the door while staring at the two who's conversation ended, and both smiled upon his return.
"So, how was your day off?" Vash smirked suggesting that Alfred owed him one more time since he had skipped a day and a half to drive to and back from the airport. Alfred's smile turned into a frown but he promised to help Vash with one of his chores later on. It was his duty anyways.
"Fine, I guess." He lied half-heartedly while sitting down on a sofa and reclining his view back to the ceiling he found so interesting. Liechtenstein and Vash gazed at one another finding Alfred's behavior off a little, but decided not to intervene with his trains of thoughts knowing that Alfred wanted privacy at the moment.
The young American farmer let out a heavy sigh and imagined Arthur coming back here. What would he do? What should he do? He might come at any moment!
He shook his head feverishly, he was thinking too much of him these days - time to forget.
And yet he knew he couldn't…
------------------------------------------
The next morning there were all sorts of rumors unraveled by the press in which Arthur was having a difficult time to avoid for some odd reason. Kiku had engaged himself to go wherever Arthur decided to, afraid that maybe the idol would soon hop on a jet and leave him without notice, again. And Seychelles, well…she was ignoring him for some odd reason. The last night conversation with Francis and his irresponsible answers certainly pissed her off, and the young girl fled off into her own limousine completely furious, but he didn't think his vague answers would send her running away.
Now he found himself in a small coffee shop with Kiku ordering him a small coffee cake - the young manager knew that the man could barely stand the drink itself, so he ordered a small cake slice sprinkled with coffee powder but covered in more flavorful fruits and whip cream. "Here you go, Mr. Kirkland." Kiku murmured while taking a small sip of a caramel latte himself while checking out their surroundings.
It was a small, pristine shop covered all in a beige wallpaper and chocolate cream flower prints. The door and window hinges were all made of dark, hazelnut oak and the doorknobs and other lacings were patterned with gold and occasionally silver on a the chinaware they were eating on.
"Are you enjoying it?" Kiku replied rather nervous that Arthur had been silent the whole trip towards his favorite bakery. The young Brit remained silent as he focused on the magazine laid on his lap.
It was one of those gossip magazines designed for, particularly women, and he was not at all amused on how much rumors they managed to squeeze from him out of no where. "How the bloody hell do they get all of these nonsense?" He asked detest fully while tossing the magazine to the trash and biting bitterly onto his coffee cake slice.
Kiku let out a soft smile, "When you agreed to act for us you agreed to sell some of your privacy - remember?" The young Japanese replied softly as he took another sip of his caramel drink. Arthur sighed and slumped down.
"Sometimes I wish I was back over there." He mumbled and realized the paparazzi was starting to slowly form up in an obscure alleyway. He put on his sunglasses on and adjusted his trench coat firmly with his gloved hand. The celebrity took a sigh under his breath and heaved himself up from the quiet bake shop. "Let's go." He replied while taking out his golden car keys and preparing himself to take another quick get away.
Kiku nodded and walked towards the counter paying the cashier and heading towards the rushing wave of camera men and women.
Flashes of light nearly engulfed the whole scene while the two men walked rapidly across the street towards the Mclaren F1, Arthur was swatting the cameras away from them while bluntly cursing at a few anchorwomen trying to gain access to more information. Kiku followed silently while trying to evade some questions from the paparazzi and skillfully speeding towards the now opened vehicle.
"They've been getting worse I tell you." Arthur whispered, his face heated up with scarlet all over. Kiku sighed and ruffled his own dark mane. It was true, the paparazzi was going ballistic with Arthur's sudden disappearance in the last two weeks and the almost all British magazines were covered with rumors concerning about what he did there.
Some rumors were completely nasty. Like the ones that spoke of a love affair. Those was the worse type that he could not bare. That was also one topic that Seychelles was very confounded about and disliked. He knew it well, that was one reason why she had stopped talking to him.
Stupid rumors.
------------------------------------------
Kiku left early that day to get his own rest, also very tired of the paparazzi stalking his celebrity. He had never in his life experienced so much discomfort from the camera or the talkative bunch of women and men, maybe it was because of Arthur's discomfiture as well? He had no idea, but his heart had been pounding quickly whenever someone came to ask Arthur personal questions that would annoy anyone asked.
"I'm so sorry that you have to be put through all of this." The Japanese manager whispered softly as he clutched onto a memory pillow where he tried his best to sleep. He sighed while shutting his eyes, and letting out a small prayer to gain some sort of slumber, be it only an hour.
For the past several days he had had no sleep in worry for the Briton who was slightly losing his sanity over the press. He bit his lower lip pondering about the next few days and how they should spend it.
These moments they were never getting any of their own privacy, and he knew well that Arthur, no matter what, longed to go back to New York and rest.
Well, he could suggest going back to the area, no matter how much he hated it, for the next few months to clam down the excitement from England, but in return he would have to follow the Brit everywhere.
No objections.
The manager then decided to look into his phone book of old friends he had managed to still contact with in case of emergency. Flipping through his note pad his eye caught on one name he remembered very well, and a small smile seemed to lift up on his face, followed by a blush.
Maybe he would let Arthur and him stay for a few months.
The said man was very generous despite the poverty he lived in, and Kiku knew very well that the young man wouldn't mind as well.
He began to dial the phone with great excitement, longing to hear a voice from an old time friend.
------------------------------------------
Wang let out a sigh while he found news about Taiwan and how she was doing. "It appears that she got a nursing job in the hospital three towns over." His youngest brother replied stoically as he took a sip of tea and crossed his legs with a mere disapproving look written across his face.
"Well, she'll come back, aru. She won't last that long." Wang replied softly as he stared at his youngest sibling with a small smile. Hong Kong always made him more happier and light-hearted unlike those brutes who ran away from responsibility.
He was sure Im Yong Soo would have been the last to refuse their parents inheritance and title; however he was proven wrong when the young male left suddenly without a letter or a trace to his whereabouts. That wild, wild boy would sooner feel depressed when Hong Kong received the inheritance and gained the most of their parents work.
A sigh escaped from his lips as he clutched onto the handle of a teapot and started slowly pouring the ginseng tea into another porcelain holder.
He never expected though to have had to sever all ties with Kiku unless it was a family emergency ironically. Taiwan though was also troublesome, and he knew she would be stubborn to have inherited their fortune.
The last time he had contacted her was on her 18th birthday, when she ran away to pursue her dream.
"Dreams." He scoffed while slurping his tea with dissatisfaction. "What dreams?"
------------------------------------------
Arthur continued to stare at the lights illuminating from various buildings. He was in his own condo and he couldn't sleep, too afraid to even lose any security. The media, after all, was basically everywhere and letting down his guard was the most frightening he could ever do to himself for the time being.
He adjusted his patterned scarlet tie and let loose his stiff jacket. Seating himself down on one of his armchairs he slumped while putting a hand over his forehead signifying the stress he had accumulated from the past few days upon returning to his hometown.
On his small table desk beside him lay his laptop where it was opened to his email server in which read there were basically around 100 total emails in his inbox, 1/3 of which belonged to Matthew which basically told his concern about the alleged kiss he had given to his brother.
He had never replied back to that young man. Maybe it was due to the stress? But his heart told him it was from embarrassment. He rather die first than admit he was in love with another man.
It was not acceptable, not for him at least. He worked too hard for too long to have fallen for someone of the same gender. It wasn't even right!
He massaged his aching head with the tips of his forefinger and thumb while trying to think of an appropriate reply.
Hello Matthew,
I'm sorry that I haven't replied in a while - you know me, I have so many things to attend to ever since I returned to London. The other celebrities are not giving me a break right now, and so I'm a little exhausted for the moment. Upon reading your previous emails, please - I know…I was shocked myself! I think I was a little bit down in the dumps that day since I had to return to my "loveable" hometown. Before that time, I went out to a local pub and got…heavily drunk. I'm sorry if I had done something. Yes, early in the morning drinking is unhealthy; however, that's the only thing that console me at the moment of crisis.
I hope this proves to be sufficient enough to answer your questions.
Arthur
Staring back at the written email he sighed, this wasn't sufficient at all.
------------------------------------------
Toris swore that Ivan had been acting strange lately. Ever since his last, most cherished patient, left to attend to a more rural hospital he had been acting very peculiar and it bothered the young man greatly.
First of all Ivan was extremely too happy. Before his smile would only appear whenever he felt like it, but these days he would always be found smiling no matter how awful the news.
For example, the previous few days he and Ivan had been invited to a funeral for one of the doctor's patients and the only thing written on his face was a wicked grin and twinkling, lively lavender eyes. It scared Toris so much he pleaded for his co-worker, Feliks, to change his job and become Ivan's personal RN.
Feliks never left him off the hook after his begging, but it made him happy to be at least secure with a fellow co-worker around him all the time.
The receptionist let out a sigh while Ivan took his time speaking to the patient's family with that same grin placed upon his cold, pallid face. Toris then decided to venture back towards the room where he had interrupted the young woman to see if she needed anything. "Excuse me ma'am, I'm sorry to have let your meeting with Dr. Braginski get interrupted, but is there anything you need at the moment?" His tone was so kind, startling the woman who had been gazing at a family portrait after Ivan had left.
"Um, well…no, I'm fine…" She hesitated and let out a blush finding herself stupid in communications. "Actually…if it's alright, can I have a cup of water?" She let out a timid laugh while seating herself down on one of the scarlet couches near Ivan's desk.
"Ah, so you're trying to fill out to be one of Mr. Braginski's personal RNs too?" Toris was surprised to see why a young woman like her would want to get into a position like that. She nodded solemnly while clutching tightly onto her skirt, she was obviously nervous - but who could blame her? Ivan Braginski was the most fearsome of the doctors around the hospital, even more fearsome than the director of the hospital, himself. "What made you decide to pick a job like this, anyways?" Toris smiled as he gave her the cup of water. She thanked him and looked rather hesitant which made him feel uncomfortable and idiotic to have probably asked her a supposed personal question.
"I just…felt like it…" She first retorted quietly but then their eyes met and she shook her head furiously with might. "Actually, no, I just need the money! And I've studied being a nurse at my parent's expense." Her voice faded in as her eyes dimmed, scaring Toris for a moment before they lighted up with such energy.
Before he could apologize the door swung open revealing a smiling Ivan who had collected various medication forms for the previous family he had spoken too. "Ah, so shall we get back to business?" The stocky man sat down on his chair and let out an eerie smile scaring the two.
The young woman handed him official approvals with stamped golden seals, and the young doctor took them appreciatively and obsessively.
"Ms. Yao?" He replied with his best to pronounce her last name without insulting her pride. The young woman nodded her head slowly but seemed to dislike the pronunciation…or maybe the name itself? "It seems here that your brother is…Wang Yao, if I'm right?" Ivan's eyes turned rather quickly towards her revealing a crazed sort of stare.
"Y-Yes…I am related. We're siblings." He replied honestly while fidgeting in her seat. Ivan nodded, biting his lower lip. A rare occasion that Toris had not seen for a while.
"What patients does your brother handle?" He replied with a strange, cracking voice. The young woman stared straight at him with alertness. "I'm just curious that's all." Ivan calmed her down while letting out his grin that would scare anyone.
"…He….he takes care of our parents local hospital near the countryside." She automatically replied feeling the strange aura seeping from the scary man repress her inner feelings. Ivan nodded slowly while letting out a chuckle that both seemed to make Toris and her spine shiver.
"Alright." He passed her back the papers while letting out a radiant grin. "Starting tomorrow you will be working with Feliks in the Main 6th Floor." He took off from his seat while adjusting his doctor's suit. "I'll be looking forward to working with you." With that said he left immediately, a strange excitement seemed to have suddenly consumed his normal calm energy.
