Disclaimer: I don't own APH or the beginning of the Porter's soliloquy from Macbeth.
AN: Well, I said I wouldn't be on for like a month because of schoolwork and this trip to London. However, (un)fortunately for you all, I found the time to update. :D
I got the idea for this oneshot while I was walking around London in the rain, but now I'm warm so it's much more cheerful than the original plan. If you were in the London area this evening, I was the girl who looked like she was dressed for breaking into a building and was wearing a Blood Plus hat. XD (I'm a tad loopy from the time switch and getting less than a total of eight hours of sleep in the past two days)
Arthur wasn't in a particularly good mood that evening. It was February 13, the day before Valentine's Day. Sure, it wasn't such a big deal, at least not as much of one as the Americans made it. Still, there was some sentimental value to it.
Japan had promised he come and stay with Arthur for a few days. He was supposed to have arrived that morning and he had his phone turned off, so every time Arthur called him he got the annoying message: Sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone.
Arthur decided that everything was just fine. He moved around the little London flat with the frantic, restless energy of someone who is waiting for something or someone but will deny it with every fiber of their being.
After pointlessly cleaning the kitchen for the third time, Arthur decided enough was enough. It was pouring rain outside, but honestly, it was England. What else could you expect? He ran out on to the streets to the corner store to get some more tea. He ignored the Valentine's Day decorations and roses.
He did not dwell on the single rose he'd found lying in the street that he'd picked up and tucked into his pocket. It was a flower; he liked flowers. He filled up a wineglass (one he'd gotten from the frog a few years ago and which he refused to use but never destroyed) and put the rose in it. Unsure of where to put it, the rose ended up in the sitting room with him as he drank tea and watched rugby. It was surprisingly heartening to see Scotland and Wales play each other. The two of them had always bickered when they were young and raising them and their brothers had never been fun. It had been frustrating as hell.
Arthur was getting very into the whole match when he heard a knock at the door. Confused, he glanced at the time. Seven fifty at night. Who could it be? His heart jumped and he nearly ran to the door. Without bothering to look and see who was outside, he undid the locks and threw open the door and was immediately dumbfounded.
"Privyet, Arthur!"
What the bloody hell was Russia doing standing there? And holding a box of chocolates, vodka, and roses?!
"R-Russia, what the bloo—what brings you here?"
"I am here to see you, da?"
With that, Russia slid into the apartment, pulled the dumbstruck Arthur out of the way, and closed the door. Kicking off his boots, Russia walked into Arthur's kitchen and started moving things around. He came out holding two glasses and moved into the sitting room. Arthur was unable to move, still in shock.
"Arthur-kun, are you going to come or do I have to make you?"
Arthur winced at the use of the pet name. Only Kiku was allowed to use it, nobody else. He finally found his feet and stood in the doorway, arms crossed.
"Come in and sit down—"
"Why the bloody hell are you here, Ivan?" Arthur asked curtly.
Ivan looked up innocently at Arthur. "What do you mean?"
"Shouldn't you be off…I don't know, seducing Alfred or Yao or Liet, I can't even remember who you're after these days."
"Alfred and I are very secure in our relationship, thank you. It was he who suggested I come here tonight. I am not seducing anyone who does not want to be seduced."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"I was in the area and I got a call from Alfred. He told me…I came, da?"
Arthur wanted to be alone tonight. He did not want to have his little brother's scary boyfriend in his house (now that he knew Alfred and Ivan were actually dating and not just exercising their frustration on each other) comforting him. What made it worse was that somehow Alfred knew that Kiku wasn't there already.
So, Arthur was a tad cruel.
"I have two words for you: Crimean War."
Instead of Ivan getting angry and storming off or threatening him, he held up a glass. "Vodka, da?"
Arthur stared at the glass for a moment before grabbing it and draining it in one gulp. He sat down next to Ivan and said, "Get me drunk."
"That is what I was planning on."
It was around midnight when someone knocked on the door. Drunkenly, Arthur pulled himself to his feet and staggered down the hall. He flung open the door and almost fell over, so he hung to the doorframe tightly.
"H-here's a knocking indeed! I-If aman waz the porter of Hell Gate, he'd haf old turnin' the key!"
"Arthur-kun?" Kiku looked concerned to Arthur through a drunken haze.
"Whaddaya doin' here?"
At that moment Ivan came to the door. Talking solely to Kiku, he walked around Arthur.
"He is quite drunk, Kiku. I suggest putting him to bed, perhaps he'll stay there."
"Alfred-san sent you?"
"I get lonely when drinking alone."
"Agritou, Ivan-san."
Ivan smiled, tightening his scarf before walking down the hall. Kiku walked into the flat and took off his wet jacket and boots. Arthur turned to watch him, still leaning heavily on the doorframe.
"Arthur-kun, let's get you to bed. Gomen nasai. The plane had…problems."
It became quite obvious that Arthur wasn't going to help Kiku at all, so Kiku closed the door and in one fluid movement, slipped an arm around Arthur's waist. As soon as they'd made it five steps, Arthur pushed Kiku up against the wall. He was pretending to be drunker than he was.
"Where have you been? Do you know how bloody worried I've been all night? I haven't even been able to even call you and see if you're all right! How the bloody hell does Alfred know? You talk more to that git than you talk to me!"
Kiku leaned up and kissed Arthur. "Gomen. I'm sorry."
"Sorry isn't enough. I want…an…explanation…Kiku!" Arthur attempted to say between kisses.
"I…took a different…route…I had to figure out…some things."
"What things?"
Kiku glanced away for a second, before hugging Arthur tightly. Arthur was a tad confused. The vodka still had made him hazy.
"I…love you, Arthur-san."
"It took you this long to figure that out?"
"At least I finally did. Happy Valentine's Day!"
Alfred got a call at three in the morning.
"What is it?" he asked groggily.
"Alfred, get over here immediately because I have something that belongs to you!" Matthew practically yelled.
"Good morning to you too-"
"Just get over here!"
When Alfred got to Matt's house (luckily he'd been staying in northern New York at the time so the trip was quick), Ivan was standing outside of Matt's house. Clumsily, drunkenly, Ivan got into the car.
"You got on the wrong plane?"
"D-Da."
Trying not to laugh, Alfred kept a straight face. "I thought you were supposed to be getting Arthur drunk, not yourself."
"S-shut up, love.
"You're pathetic, you know that?"
"You're taking advantage of a drunk man, da?"
"After all the times you have? This is actually me being nice!"
Ivan rested his head on Alfred's shoulder and murmured, "Just drive."
Smiling slightly, Alfred grabbed Ivan's hand and whispered, "Thanks."
AN: Honestly now, how many of you thought Arthur was going to end up with Ivan?
