-That One Awkward Moment-
A/N: Double Update! Go back one chapter! I updated twice guys since I wrote too much and wanted to split the chapters. That and I planned chapter 9 to be on Sunday and this today so… yeah…
I also had to look up swing dance moves for this and I mentioned something I found on tumblr. Oh look! Chapter 10! I guess I have to work on my one-shot more before working on chapter 11~ Plus, I have something else to say. All will be explained at the end note and HOLY COW THIS IS LONG. When I make up for a short and un-eventful chapter, I seem to mean it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything mentioned but the plot.
Warning: I want cheese steak and I don't know how to describe dancing. Oh and, song references ahead.
chapter 10
We got out of the restaurant moments later, to walk Matthew to Alfred's car. "Are you sure you're gonna be fine?"
Matthew cracked a forced smile and nodded. "Yeah, good night Al, I'll see you tomorrow morning since…"
"We still live together and stuff," Alfred joked along, he and Matthew then laughing a bit. "Night."
After we saw the car drive away, Alfred stopped waving and dropped his arm. "I'm so fucking worried about him."
"Then why didn't you insist upon going with him?" I scoffed.
"Because Mattie needs space!" Alfred sighed as he threw his arms up in the air before promptly stuffing them back in his pockets. "I'm so conflicted over being a hero by being annoying or being understanding! It's just… ugghhhh!"
I snickered as I watched Alfred making all sorts of dramatic poses as we were walking before he finally kneeled down, looked up to the sky, and had his hands gripping on his hair. "Are you always so melodramatic when you're upset?"
"I have a sad condition," Alfred sighed as he dusted himself off when he stood up. "It can be only cured by so many things."
"Like?"
After that, Alfred lit up as if he were a Christmas tree and took my hand. "I'll show you!" He almost began running, but he immediately stopped. "But you have to be fast! It'll take all night but it's worth it!"
I stared at him. "Excuse me, but what?"
"We're gonna f—" Alfred began to explain, but stopped after realising what he thought I meant. "Some lady you are, you don't even have a clean mind!"
"Well what were you going to say?" I asked as I crossed my arms in defense.
"Full of fun!" Alfred exclaimed. "We gonna be so excited and it ain't even Friday!"
I punched his arm. "Don't you dare bring that song up and improve your grammar! Also, define fun."
"Are you serious?" He asked. "Do I have to sing it for you?"
"Sing what—?"
"F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me~" Alfred sung as he began walking me through the streets of New York. "N is for anywhere and anywhere at all up here in the NYC~"
"Bloody hell, please don't tell me that there's going to be a flash mob for this," I groaned as I saw him release my hand and him throwing his arms in the air as he spun around in circles.
Alfred grinned as he took my hand again. "Nope! There isn't gonna be one until for a while. Plus singing randomly in public is on my list!"
"What's the second thing on your list?" I asked, wanting to skip this part as soon as possible, only for Alfred's smile to grow wider.
Before I knew it, after being basically dragged through the streets of New York—wearing heels, nonetheless, I was pulled into this medium-sized club with music surrounding both Alfred and I as we stepped in. It felt different from the usual clubs I was forced into, since as we walked in, the music was far different.
"What is this?" I asked.
"A club!" Alfred replied as he guided me to a table for two. "It's like those clubs where you listen to old music and stuff, and you can dance to them or eat here."
"So you're taking me out to dancing?" I concluded and Alfred nodded when he took off his blazer and loosened his tie as I set down my purse and shawl. "I don't even know how to dance."
Alfred blinked and stared at me before an upbeat music began. He winked at me as he took my hand again. "I'll show you, just watch and follow!"*
It wasn't long before he had pulled me on the dance floor and began guiding me through what I assumed to be swing dance. Through the song, he had spun me around, as I was trying to keep up to him. Like I have mentioned, I'm not very good at dancing, so the fact that I'm wearing heels while doing this didn't really help. But, it was quite fun…
"Be glad that I'm not cruel as to carrying you up in the air or anything!" Alfred laughed as he spun me to face him again, which he had mentioned that it was called 'the barrel'.
"In the air?" I asked.
"Do you want me to show you?"He offered. I nodded reluctantly. "I'll do something simple then. Just let go then hold on tight!"
I regretted it immediately as I felt him untwist me from his grasp, pulled me back in, when as he did, he told me to let go, he repositioned his right hand around my waist with his left hand on holding on to my right where he began to spin me around. "Now wrap your legs around me and then try to touch the floor when I spin you for the third time," So I did, and when my feet touched the floor, I almost tripped, since I was still inexperienced to both the heels and the dancing. Luckily, Alfred had caught me and pulled me in before we both stumbled out of the dance floor laughing.
"Holy crap," He managed to say as he let go while I caught the table. He leaned back, facing the opposite direction as me. "You don't do this often do you?"
"Especially not in high heels," I added, turning my head to look at him.
"I have so much to teach you, Alice," Alfred continued laughing as he turned his head, looking up.
"Well, you need to work on your grammar, so we're even," I replied while I attempted to sit down on the chair.
"Haters gonna hate!" He proclaimed as he sat down. "That dance move by the way is called the Wrap."
"I could tell," I responded as I took two glasses of water from the waiter who was walking around. "What do they have here to eat?"
"Nothing interesting—this is why we're going to the next stop!" Alfred proclaimed as I gave him the glass of water which he gulped down.
I raised an eyebrow as I sipped the water. "Which is where?"
"Philadelphia," Alfred answered as he placed the glass down. I almost choked on the water, and coughed after I set the glass down. "Are you ok?"
"Are you insane? Do you know how long it takes to go to Philadelphia from New York and back? About three hours!" I cried. "And that's only for the train! Plus the money will be too expensive to go there! It'll cost around $150! And it'll take longer if we take the New Jersey transit—why do you even want to go there?"
"Pat's Cheese Steak," Alfred stated. "If you're gonna get a Phili Cheese Steak, it might as well be done right and in Philadelphia!"**
"Are you serious? You go through all that trouble for a cheese steak?" I asked him, not believing him.
"And the cheese fries..." Alfred sighed as he rested his head on the palm of his hand.
I sighed. "No, it's about… 10:45 in the evening! We are not going out late again."
"Aww! But this time it's on purpose and besides," Alfred began. "You get to see more things in the world when people aren't awake."
"I doubt by the time we get there, the restaurant would still be open," I scoffed as I folded my arms.
Alfred took out his iPhone and looked up from it a couple of minutes later. "It's open 24/7, we can go!"
"We still don't have enough money to go," I reminded him.
"I have enough," Alfred persisted. "Let's just go!"
"Why should we—" I began to ask before Alfred interrupted me.
"Have you ever tried a Phili Cheese Steak before?" He questioned.
"No…"
"Then this is your chance to try one!" Alfred beamed as he jumped off of his seat and put his blazer back on. "Come on, it'll be fun! It'll take a while, but it's worth the trouble!"
"You have no boundaries do you?" I sighed as I put on my shawl and took my purse as he began to pay a waiter.
He handed the checkbook back to the waiter and turned to me before leading me to the door. He then opened the door first before taking my hand again and began swinging it back and forth. "Nothing can limit me, Alice! I can… I can…"
"If you sing, I am going to push you into the streets to be hit by a car," I hissed.
"Fine," Alfred huffed. "I'm not gonna sing."
"Thank you!"
"I would catch a grenade for you, Alice; throw my hand on a blade for you," Alfred told me as he clenched his free hand into a fist with a determined look before looking into my eyes. "I would jump in the streets for you too."
"It's 'jump in front of a train'," I pointed out. "I told you not to sing either."
Alfred shrugged. "I didn't sing; I told you it. Like a boss."
I slapped his shoulder. "If you make any more song references in anyway, you will have to owe me a quarter."
"Fine," Alfred grumbled as he hailed a taxi cab.
When a taxi managed to stop for us, we climbed in the back seat and Alfred had told the driver our destination. "So, New York-"
"A quarter," I interjected.
"Have you ever been to Boston?"
"Two quarters,"
"Hey, you have to remind me to talk to your brother again," Alfred replied.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"Well, there's life outside his apartment, and he might find out how to save a life by fixing them and making them smile. Plus it's the summertime and I doubt that there'll be an uprising, I bet he hasn't met anyone yet and maybe have a love story by being a nice guy or something and have a kick ass summer like a boss. Maybe even see something and shed a tear and cry," Alfred explained. Before we knew it, we were already at the train station and led me out of the car, continuing.
"Alice, I'm gonna get you both to raise your glass even though everyone's changing and I don't know why. Maybe even get you to fall for me, because I will be your American boy—no, American Dream Man," He finished as we fell in line.***
I blinked as we stepped forward. "Do you purposely want to give me money? I'm surprised that you even know good songs."
"Baby, baby, baby, oh, I will never say never to good songs," Alfred snickered before I punched his arm. "Because I whip my hair back in forth!"
"Git, it's our turn, and you owe me $5 so far," I told him as we stepped in front of the counter.
"You two made it just in time! The train for Philadelphia is going to leave in 15 minutes, so you two better be fast!" The girl at the counter said as she handed our tickets after Alfred gave her the money. After that, he got my hand and we began running through the train station, both of us looking for the train station.
"You wanna know what would be so awesome?" Alfred asked as we ran through the station. I caught a glimpse of a clock. Ten minutes left.
"What?"
"If this were turned into a flash mob!"
"It's not like we even have the time to be in one," I replied, rolling my eyes. "Just look for our train!"
"Oh look! It's there!" Alfred grinned as he pointed to the train that was being boarded with people. "It's like they know!"
The train ride was long and it took a while before we reached Philadelphia, where we had to manage to get a taxi cab, to get to our destination. It was long, but before I knew it, Alfred had sat me down on a bench and placed a sandwich in front of me, filled with meat, cheese and onions along with cheese fries, but those were his.
"No Coke?" I asked, surprised.
"They serve Pepsi," Alfred stated. "I'm dedicated to Coke. I made a friendship bracelet with it once when I was fourteen."
I snickered. "Well that isn't girly at all!"
"I was fourteen! And I had a bet with Mattie too…" Alfred whined.
"What bet?" I asked.
"A bet that no one will ever find out, unless I trust them enough," Alfred stated. "Now, do you want to know the story about what I did to Francis?"
My lips curled up into a smile. "In detail."
Alfred nodded and began to tell me the story. "Ok, so it was April Fool's day on my calendar, right? Francis always pranced around campus basically going, 'Ohonhonhon! My silky beautiful 'air is better zen silk itself! Honhonhon! ' And it pissed me off to no end, even more since he kept on saying my hair is like the second horrible one in the world, next to this guy he knew. Even so, it still pissed me off. So, I did the only thing I could do on one of the few days I allow myself to be unheroic."
"Which was?" I asked as I took a bite out of the sandwich.
"I shaved his hair," Alfred replied nonchalantly. I almost choked on the food before swallowing it down and laughing.
"You did what?"
"I shaved his hair!" Alfred exclaimed. "Don't tell him this, but I didn't wash it after, you know…"
I laughed even more when he looked down. "Not the legs either, I can tell you that. So, when he was having his beauty sleep in the middle of the day, I got home after my calculus class, and saw him on the couch sleeping. Bad decision. When he woke up, somebody assumed that we kept a girl hostage in our dorm room. Francis had to wear a wig afterwards."
"Please tell me that you have pictures, if you don't, I am going to throw you in a lake," I managed to say in between laughs.
Alfred grinned as he stood up and walked around the table to slide on to my side of the bench and took out his iPhone and began browsing through his gallery, only to show me pictures of a bald Francis or with a wig. "Here's my favorite!" He pressed an icon for a video and turned his iPhone horizontally and showed me a video. Apparently, he was hiding behind a couch when security came in and saw Francis passed out on the floor and Matthew coming in, only for security to come bursting in some time afterwards. "Do you know how much I'm tempted to send it to America's Funniest Home Videos?"
"Then do it!" I urged. "You said that nothing can limit you!"
"I would, but I still live around them, so they would kill me, and plus they thought I deleted this!" Alfred replied. "This can only be in my memories…" I rolled my eyes as he held his iPhone closely before stuffing it back in his pocket. "So, until I'm super far away from them, it's forever in my phone!"
After that, he slid back to his side of the bench and resumed eating. We ate in silence after that before I looked over across the street, seeing a similar restaurant, but flashier. "Why didn't you take me to the one across the street? I thought that you would have liked it better."
"Yeah, I know," Alfred shrugged as he crumpled his sandwich wrapper up in a ball before putting it in the rubbish bin. "I don't know why, but I like Pat's better for some reason."
I wrapped my sandwich around in a wrapper and held it along with my purse, which was unfortunately, was not big enough for me to put the sandwich in. "If it was still early, I would have taken you to Penn's Landing but… it's past midnight and stuff…"
"Penn's Landing?" I asked.
"Yeah! It's sort of an amusement park," Alfred explained. "You should see the fireworks!"
"Some other time," I replied. "Just take me home, unlike the last time, we have to move."
Alfred nodded as we began walking back to the train station. As we did, I felt a gust of wind, and rubbed my arms as we walked through. Alfred yawned and put his blazer over me. "Hey, it's like on the Ferris Wheel!"
Unlike New York, we weren't able to easily hail a cab in 1 in the morning. He spoke up. "Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she goes, up she goes…"
"Five dollars and a quarter," I yawned.
"What? I sing when I try to keep myself up!" Alfred whined.
"Then sing something that won't make us fall asleep more!" I replied, nudging him.
"Fine," Alfred huffed. "How long 'til your surrender…"
"Just don't sing at all!" I grumbled as I began stumbling before I fell against his shoulder, until he helped me back up. A few minutes passed by before I spoke up again. "By the way, where did you learn how to dance?"
"Dance?" Alfred asked as he turned his head to face me as we walked. "Well, mom wanted me to learn how to dance for events and stuff, but not break dancing or something like that, which I learned anyway so—"
"It's leant not learned," I interjected.
"—So, I got the option of attending other classes that I actually wanted to take, so I chose swing," Alfred continued. I bet he didn't even hear me. "But seriously, you just need to feel the beat and music, and it'll just come to you. All my past partners had no trouble in feeling it, but you'll get there."
"Oh, that's just gross," I cringed.
"What are you—Hey! I was talking about dancing partners not—oh jeez—" He huffed.
"You know what, let's keep our stamina up," I interjected, wanting to change the subject.
"How?" Alfred asked as he stopped walking.
I smirked and pointed to a lamppost. "Do you see that lamppost over there?" Alfred nodded. "Alright, you win, I dance for you; I win, you'll dance for me."****
Alfred gave out a sly grin. "On the pole?"
"If you like, then yes," I replied, snickering a bit.
"Alright, this seems serious. What are the rules?" He asked.
"There are no rules—" I answered, but for him only to start running. I immediately began running myself, having a hard time running. "Oh! You bastard!"
Alfred laughed and began to run backwards. "You challenge me in those shoes!"
I grumbled and began to slow down and raised my arms up. "Okay wait—you know what, fine; I shouldn't do this, I'll twist an ankle."
Alfred began to slow down. "But you said no rules and—" I smirked as I punched him in the gut before running again. Eventually, I won, and Alfred had walked to the lamppost and looked up at it before frowning at me. "I can't dance."
I frowned. "A deal is a deal."
"No seriously; I can't dance, my gut hurts, thank you," He replied. "Some other time then."
"I'll hold on to that,"
We eventually returned to the train station and there was barely a line since it was now… 2AM in the morning. So, we got our train tickets quickly and we headed for our train afterwards. We had both managed to fall asleep when we got in, but we could have cared less. It was 3AM in the morning and we had to hail a taxi cab, to get home. But, unfortunately, Alfred was still asleep when we arrived, so I had to drag him into the taxi cab.
"Evening!" The taxi driver called and I jolted up. "Where to?"
I blinked before I realised who it was. But I shook it off and just gave him the address to Elizaveta and Kiku's flat and he began driving. As he did, he started up a conversation. "So… what are you two doing out late at night? Or in the morning."
"He," I began; he indicating Alfred. "Insisted upon going all the way to Philadelphia just to get their cheese steak."
"Really now?" He asked as he made a turn.
"Took a bloody long while to do so, I may add," I sighed as I was waving the sandwich in the air.
"Doesn't it like, cost a load of money to get a last minute trip?" The driver questioned.
"That's what I said! But he didn't listen," I huffed. The driver snickered.
"You need as much as luck as this one guy I met a couple of days ago," The driver added. "If my brain's right, I think his name was Arthur Kirkland."
"Why does he need luck?"
"Well, his brother's coming to town in a while, and while he was in my cab, his brother Rick Rolled, trolled, and insulted him all in one spam," The driver answered as he made a turn and parked at the sidewalk next to the flat. "It would be really hard to handle his brother, I bet."
"I see," I said as I opened the car door, but stopped when Alfred fell over and snored. "Wait, I should take him home… but then again, I don't know where he lives…"
The driver blinked and grinned. "No worries, I know him! Plus, as a payment to your troubles, he'll just pay for the cab ride."
"How can I trust you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm married and I have a kid!" The driver cried. "I see no reason in raping him at all!"
"You could always sell him off," I replied.
"Miss, no offense, but do you have something against him or something?"
"What?"
"Well, you just seem to know how to get rid of him, or other people for the matter so—"
"I don't!"
"Then I don't either," He interjected. "Plus, he looks like a strong enough guy to take on people, doesn't he?"
"I… guess…" I replied. "But, how do I—"
"Look, I'll just tell him to call you and stuff tomorrow, so he can explain," The driver said, trying to convince me. "If he doesn't, then you can freely kill me."
"Fine…" I grumbled as I stepped back from the car.
"Also, can I have that? I've been working late…" He laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. I sighed deeply and gave him the sandwich willingly. "Thanks; have a nice sleep! By the way, the name's Franklin Jones."
I stared at the cab driving away with confusion. How is it possible that I got the same driver more than once? Must be a coincidence.
After fetching my clothing and changing into them, Elizaveta offered to drive me back to my flat, which I agreed on since I was still sleepy. When she dropped me off, I waved good-bye before heading upstairs to the 4th floor. As I did, for some reason, I remembered Kiku telling me one day about Japanese superstitions and how four was an unlucky number. I think it was because it sounded similar to the word for death or something. I shook the thought away as I made a turn when I reached my floor and began walking down the hallway.
Only to find Francis knocked out on the floor beside my door. I poked his body with my leg. "What the bloody—"
After that, he woke up seconds later and began leeching on my leg. I attempted to shake him off, but he couldn't get off. "Francis, get the hell off of my leg before I throw you through the window!"
"Arthur," At that, I stopped shaking. Francis barely uses my actual name, and only says it when he's dead serious about the situation. "Help me, s'il vous plaît!"
"Francis, no, it's around 3 in the morning and I just want to—"
"Please," He begged, and I blinked. "My heart has been broken."
chapter 10 /end.
* Alfred knowing how to dance swing; I was on tumblr one day and saw this reblog on my dash where someone having a head canon of Alfred knowing how to swing! He invented it after all! By the way, listen to Benny Goodman's "Sing, Sing, Sing" if you wanna hear the song that they danced to. It's beyond catchy~
** Getting Phili Cheese Steaks in Philadelphia & Penn's Landing; up until this summer, I have never eaten a cheese steak before. We stopped by Pennsylvania and my sister insisted for us to try one. But we went to Pat's so I'm biased, lol. The same night, we went to watch fireworks in Penn's Landing. We arrived there late though, so we just stayed for the fireworks.
**** Song references; who ever can name any of these songs I have mentioned, I will hug you all. I wish I could do something more, but I don't know how to. I guess I can just mention you in the A/N?
***** Racing down the street; asgdjhasfgfff—am I the only few who liked the Adjustment Bureau? Well, this is a reference to this scene: www. Youtube .com/watch?v=cRJSHLCdfP4
A/N: HEART-BROKEN!FRANCIS. How fun he will be to write! Especially since he mostly flirts with people, it's kind of nice seeing a change and him resorting to the last person he'll ever ask for love advice, which happens to be Arthur…. Oh shoot me. I'm a sadist.
Announcement!
Holy shit. I already have 45 reviews? Damn. I fucking love you guys! -pulls you all in a hug- Now, if you are reading this on fanfiction, 69th reviewer (yes, 69) can request a one-shot from me. As for dA readers… erm. Well, that's a tad bit more difficult. I guess you guys can catch my kiriban and who ever reaches the 3000th page view, can request a one-shot there too! Both requests are limited to T rated fanfics, since well; I'm just 12 here guys (problem?) I feel weird when I even attempt in writing sexy times, plus, I fangirl too much. I don't even wanna start doing that until I'm 14-16. So I just stick to reading them.
I prefer to write USUK, but pairings like AusHun, GerIta, Franada, and Spamano, I would love to start on. I would do other pairings, but I don't think that I know enough on their characters and reactions to write about them. A pairing that I would love to write on besides USUK is Awesomecest. Yes. Awesomecest. It's Prussia with his female self. Actually, I've been planning to write a fanfic for them, but the idea's still in the process.
Again, thank you for all the reviews/comments, alerts/favorites guys! I really appreciate and love them. Whenever I see one in my inbox, it just makes me so happy knowing that people enjoy my works. Any kind, actually. So, thank you! –throws you all cookies-
Anyways, expect my one-shot to be published at around the end of the week hopefully, chapter 11 as well!
[I love it when my inbox is spammed with reviews, just saying.]