Solidarity.

I feel this is one of my weakest chapters, but it needed to be written for the plot to make sense.

Looking forward to writing more BFT interaction. (Also, UK fans, Arthur will be in soon.)

Francis passed another customer their coffee and cake with a winning smile, getting a flirtatious wink in return. He wanted to follow Gilbert into the back room, where he was no doubt curling up on the couch in Francis' office and trying not to cry, but he couldn't leave the counter with the business they were getting. When Feliciano stood and followed him he felt a little better about staying; Lovino's abrupt departure was something he would have to think about another time.

When the line began to thin out, Antonio walked in, ruffling his riot of curls with his own black apron draped over his shoulder. "On break?" Francis asked, grinning absently at the customer he was serving.

Antonio nodded and covered his mouth as he yawned. "Took it a little early. Gil texted me and said he was taking his early, too."

"Ah." Francis glanced at Antonio meaningfully, and the Spaniard started to sport a very uncharacteristic frown. "His little play-Dom came in and upset him. I don't know what they were talking about but I wish I had stepped in earlier."

Antonio worried his lower lip with his teeth. "Did he go home early?" he asked, and Francis could tell he was very anxious by his tone of voice. Antonio felt every emotion very keenly, and he Dominated like a mother hen rather than a demanding master. He had taken Gilbert into his home and by his logic, Gilbert was now his charge (despite their long standing friendship and close ages).

"No, he's in the back." He turned away to make another coffee, leaning slightly to peer down the back hallway. The light to his office was on but he couldn't hear anything over the noise of the shop. "Feliciano went back with him. I'm not sure what he's meant to do, because Lovino is his Dom and he doesn't seem the type to share."

"Gil was telling me Lovino wanted him to come to Italy with him." Francis almost spilled the coffee all over himself, turning to look incredulously at Antonio, who had a hand up to stop him from interrupting. "He said it would just be a visit, but I know that panicked feeling, amigo."

"Do you mind going to see him?" Francis asked, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. The sub on the other side of the counter blushed beautifully and he added an extra pastry to their order, free of charge. They were the last customer waiting at the moment; Francis leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, looking calmly at Antonio.

Said waiter nodded again, more vigorously this time. "Absolutely." He gripped his wrist in his opposite hand in a nervous gesture. "Do you think he'll want to talk to me?"

Francis shrugged lightly. "Gil doesn't have any sub friends in the States. As a Switch, you probably know best what he's feeling and how he'll react."

He watched Antonio rock back and forth on his heels for a moment before he looked up again. "I don't want him to leave us," he said in a small voice, far less cheerful than Francis had heard him in a while. Francis stepped forward to touch him, maybe stroke his hair or hold his hand, but Antonio stepped back just as far. "I'll be back in a minute," he continued, and then walked into the back room with the same purposeful step Gilbert had.

Please send your well-wishes and luck to me these next few months! I have a few highly stressful events coming up and I need all the help I can get.