Gilbert is concerned.

He knows that something isn't right from Antonio's short explanation and the anxiety in his friend's eyes, but the feeling of worry grows when he sees the tiredness in the blue eyes that peer up at him from behind the glasses as the young woman opens the door.

"Bonsoir? Can I 'elp you?"

The woman's blonde hair and blue eyes are unmistakably similar to Francis, and it takes Gilbert a moment to connect her to the small child Francis had introduced him to years ago. Gilbert grins encouragingly at her.

"Ja, we're looking for Francis. You probably don't remember me but we've met before. You were only about this high. "

Gilbert measures a space just about hip level and the woman give him a polite but blank smile. Antonio shakeshis head as though Gilbert is embarrassing him, which Gilbert thinks is pretty unawesome of his friend. Antonio doesn't care and flashes her one of his winning smiles.

"We're friends of Francis. Can we come in?"

The phrase "friends of Francis" seemed to do the trick, and Lucille lit up.

"Oh, of course! I 'ave' eard of you! Please come in!"

She ushers them in excitedly, and then another woman with brown hair appears, and Lucille explains the situation, and she lights up. In moments, Francis is ushered downstairs, looking confused and apprehensive about what's going on. Then he sees them.

Gilbert only takes a second to assess Francis. His hair is messy and his clothes rumpled as though he'd fallen asleep in them, unusual for their tidy friend, and his eyes are tired and dark. Gilbert's seen this look before, back before Francis had ever met Arthur. Antonio's hand brushes against his and Gilbert knows Antonio sees it too, but he doesn't say anything about it, not now.

Gilbert raises a hand and grins mischievously, and Antonio throws himself onto Francis, nearly knocking him over. Gilbert cackles at the look of surprise on Francis's face. Really, it's stupid that Francis thinks his friends wouldn't have come. It's stupid that he didn't call them. But Arthur had always said that Francis was stupid, and Gilbert's done plenty of stupid stuff himself. Gilbert doesn't have time to focus on that right now.

Instead he wiggles against the hug that Antonio had pulled him into, flinching as Antonio blows in his ear, and then goes still for a moment as Francis leans his head on Gilbert's shoulder.

"Mon amis, I am glad that you came. Merci."

The words are serious and genuine, and Gilbert knows why. This isn't the first time that Francis has fallen into depression. Gilbert doubts this will be the last time either, though he wishes that's the case. Just like the time before, Gilbert intends to be by his side this time too. He knows Antonio feels the same way when Antonio chips in cheerfully, but with a weight behind his words.

"Of course! We're a trio, after all! No matter what, we're always here for you!"

There's more they want to say, but the two women nearby are watching them hopefully with shining eyes, and the things Gilbert wants to say are something that must be said in private. Gilbert meets Antonio's gaze, and then claps a hand on Francis's shoulder as Antonio steers him inside. For now, they'll focus on bringing a little bit of light back into his dear friend's eyes.