Arthur quickly approached the doors of the hospital, hands in his pockets. As embarrassing as it was to admit, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about what happened the other day between him and Francis. After leaving work and going back to his home, he found himself up for longer then he could say. He had tried hard to push such memories and thoughts from his head. But no matter what he tried, the kiss continued to pop up in his head and make him cringe. He hadn't meant to kiss him, it was an accident! It shouldn't make him as flustered as it did. It didn't mean anything. He supposed if he held feelings for the man, or if they had something between them, then it might be reasonable to feel this way. But he wasn't fond of him. Admittedly, they had grown quite close in the past month. But as friends. He was used to being kissed by Francis on his cheeks. He just hadn't expected to be kissed on the lips. Yes. That was why he had grown so flustered. Because he had been surprised. That had to be all it was.

Arthur glanced at his watch and quickened his pace down the sidewalk. Damn it all. He usually came a bit earlier than this. But he had neglected to set his alarm and ended up falling asleep in the rather early hours of the morning. Because of this, he had slept in quite late and hadn't had the chance to come to the hospital. Admittedly, he was still just a tad fatigued, because he hadn't fallen asleep until rather late into the night. But, that wasn't really a good enough excuse, was it? He made a promise to him. He just hoped Francis hadn't been waiting too long.

Eventfully, he was able to make his way through the sliding doors of the hospital, and inside the building. He took a quick moment to catch his breath, before entering the elevator. Up, up, up to the designated floor, before letting him off. This time, he took his time walking down the long hallway, hoping his cheeks weren't still as flushed as they felt. He made sure to straighten out his hair just a tad and make sure his clothing wasn't all rumpled. Once he was sure he didn't look a mess, he approached the room and peered inside. Usually, Francis was sitting up in the bed, waiting for him. Sometimes, he was asleep, and sometimes, he was in the restroom. But, this afternoon, it would seem things were a bit different.
Arthur couldn't enter the room right away. Because when he looked in, Francis was sitting up, and speaking with a young woman in blue scrubs. He could only assume she was a nurse or a doctor. He could make out what they said if he chose to listen, and he knew that. But, he wasn't sure if that might be an invasion of privacy. He would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little curious. But, he knew better. He stepped a pace or two away from the door, and lent against the wall, waiting to see the woman walk out, leaving him the chance to walk in.

"Francis, good morning. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said. Francis had been staring at his lap before Arthur made his presence known, and he managed a little smile.

"Ah, good morning Arthur. No, I wasn't waiting too long, don't worry about it," he assured him. Something about his expression was just a bit different. He was smiling like he always was, but his eyes seemed a bit conflicted. That made Arthur a bit worried. What had the doctor said beforehand? What had just happened?

"Is...everything okay?" Arthur asked hesitantly, coming closer to the bed. Francis didn't answer right away, and Arthur could feel his heart beating ever so quickly.

"Come, sit on my bed for a moment. You do not have to stand so far away," Francis assured him, patting the side of the bed, encouraging him to sit with him. Arthur obliged, coming closer, and sitting down on the edge of the bed. He wished he was able to read that expression, but when he tried to define it, he only came up with a blank. "I'll admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to come or not. I was worried you'd be too upset after what happened yesterday," he chuckled.

Arthur's nose wrinkled a tad as he fought off a blush. "P-putting that aside. I saw the nurse was in here a moment ago wasn't she? What were the two of you talking about?" he asked. Francis hesitated, before smiling once again, and answering honestly.

"It would seem, that I am preparing to be discharged." Discharged?! Arthur didn't seem to know what to say, only staring at Francis as he shifted in his bed, feeling a tad awkward. Could he be discharged, so soon? Well...he had been in the hospital for a good long while now. And, his skin had taken on a brighter tone. He had certainly put on weight. He even seemed happier. Most of the time anyway. He expected that this would be one of his happiest moments. But instead, he seemed conflicted. He looked as though he was thinking a lot when he should be celebrating.

"Well, that's wonderful Francis," Arthur said after clearing his throat. "But erm, it doesn't seem to me that you're too thrilled about the news. You must have enjoyed your stay quite a bit," Arthur joked. He had meant to tease him, but when Francis didn't answer, he raised a brow. "You weren't hoping to stay were you?" he asked, a bit unsure.

"What? No no, of course not!" he said quickly. "Trust me, I want nothing more than to be out of here and finally get back to my life!" Francis insisted. "Trust me on that. The scent of this hospital is probably permanently engraved in my hair. And the gowns aren't exactly flattering either." Francis sighed, pushing his blanket aside, and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Unlike the last time, Arthur didn't protest. "This is wonderful news, really it is."

"Then, why do you seem so...?"

"Worried?" Francis finished for him with a smirk. Arthur only shrugged. "I don't know. It's just..." Francis laughed softly. "It's silly, really it is. But, I can't help but worry."

"So, you really are worried, aren't you?" Arthur asked. "But, why? Are you not feeling strong enough to leave?"

"No, that's not it, that's not it at all. If anything, I feel stronger then ever," Francis chuckled. "It's not a matter of my health, not at all. I really and truly want to leave. But, it's something else." Arthur kept his mouth shut, waiting for Francis to speak. After a moment, Francis looked back at him. "If...if I were to give you the number to my house phone, would you call me once I leave the hospital?"

"I...what?" Arthur asked, a little confused.

"It's just...I don't know. I had a nice time with you. You were the only part of this stay that I enjoyed. I liked spending time with you. You just made everything a lot better. I like to believe that you made me feel a lot better," Francis chuckled. "But, just because I have to leave the hospital, I don't want that to mean I have to lose contact with you. So, I'd like to talk to you again, even after I leave."

"That's what you were worried about?" Arthur sighed. "Whether or not I would still be talking to you or not? You should be worrying more about your health, and getting ready to get back to your life."

"I know I know. And it is a priority of mine. I'll be calling Roderich after you leave and letting him know I'll be back to work within the month. And I need to get back into the swing of things. My home has been collecting dust, so it'll need a good cleaning as well. Of course, I'm worried about those things," Francis assured him. "But, don't I have the right to be at least a little worried about the little things?" Francis asked. "You never answered my first question by the way. will you be calling me if I give you my number?"

Arthur placed a hand on his hip, pursing his lips as he thought it over. It was a bit of a bummer to lose contact with him anyway. He considered Francis to be a friend if nothing else. It pleased him that Francis didn't seem too bothered by yesterdays little slip-up, and was still willing to keep in contact with him. And Arthur had only managed to mostly forget it by now. But still, it still lingered a bit. It was good that it hadn't made things too awkward. Francis still wished to be his friend...
Staring at Francis, his mind was taken back. Way back to the day they met. Francis had asked Arthur to come back. He had seemed so lonesome. He had a look in his eye that time, as he had grabbed Arthur's sleeve, wanting to keep his new-found friend. Arthur couldn't help but wonder if Francis felt the same as he had back then. Lonely, and full of hope.

"I'll do you one better."

How many ruddy clothes did this man bring with him? Arthur huffed as he dragged a suitcase out of the back of the taxi, huffing and puffing all the while. If Francis had been admitted to the hospital right after his little attack, there was no way he could have brought all this himself. He likely had someone bring it for him or something. As Arthur heaved it out, Francis climbed out of the passenger seat, and tipped the driver, before hurrying to help Arthur. His cheeks seemed to be glowing in the warm sunlight, and his smile was as bright as his golden hair. when Arthur had offered to see him home, he had practically burst into tears. Arthur had doubted the offer was a good one at first. but as soon as he had seen Francis's response, he knew he had made the right choice.

"Pray tell," Arthur huffed as Francis took the handle of the suitcase, and seemed to remove it from the trunk with ease. "How did you get all of this to the hospital? I trust that you didn't hurry home after you collapsed and gathered it all up."

"Of course not," Francis chuckled. "When my old college friends heard I had collapsed, they flew over to visit me for a little while. They both live in Europe, but one is a few cities away, and the other is in Spain. So they don't come to see me too often. But, we always try to be there together when we need each other. Funny enough, one of them is married to my boss. And you'd better believe I flew over for their wedding." Ah. It would seem he was still the same chatty man he had been before, wasn't he?

"It must be a bit hard, not being able to see them on a whim eh?" Arthur asked.

"Sometimes. But, we talk a lot over the phone," Francis assured him. "Anyways, let's head to my home shall we?" Francis said, leading him across the parking lot of the apartment complex.

"I'm surprised you live in an apartment of all places," Arthur admitted. "I imagine the pay for a chief is more than enough to pay for a rather decent home, wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you're not wrong," Francis shrugged, taking him inside, and across the lobby. The cool air of the air condition blew gently across his face, a welcome stimulus after the exposure to the sunlight. "I could easily afford a three bedroom home I think. I thought about placing a down payment on a nice home I saw not too long ago. But, I think an apartment is a bit more convenient right now. I'm the only one living here in any case. What's the point in purchasing a larger home for only one person?" Arthur pursed his lips. He couldn't help but think about his own situation. He lived alone as well, and in a moderately sized home too. He supposed when one lived in a smaller home, then they were less likely to be reminded of just how...alone they were. He decided not to comment, for now, focusing more on following Francis along. Francis led Arthur across the lobby, and to the elevator. He pressed the button for the third floor, and off they went.

"Once we arrive, I would very much appreciate it if you stayed for something to eat. I do hope you didn't plan on leaving after seeing me home." Well, truthfully, Arthur hadn't been sure what he was going to do. Was it inappropriate to linger, or would it be ruder to simply leave? "You'll have to forgive me. I imagine the house is a bit dusty after not being tended to for so long. I asked my friends to give it a good dusting when they came to see me, but that was a few months ago. I can't imagine what it must be like now."

"No, bother," Arthur shrugged. "It's no fault of your own anyhow." That seemed to reassure Francis a little, as he smiled back at him in response.

The trip was short, and the two of them soon exited the elevator. Francis led Arthur out of the small elevator and down the hall, past the door of several rooms before coming to his own. "Here we go!" Francis hummed, fishing his key from his pocket and unlocking the door. Once it was unlocked, he cheerfully threw open the door and led Arthur inside. "Welcome to my little home~"

Well now, this was certainly a modest little place. There was no entryway. Rather, the door led straight into the sitting room, which had a sofa, and a television set, as well as a coffee table, and two bookshelves. From the doorway, he could see the dining room which was connected to the kitchen. Across the room, he saw a door that likely led to the bedroom. The bathroom, he could not see, but he was sure it was off somewhere. A very small place, just right for one man. "Just wait over at the table okay? And I'll be right with you!" As Francis approached the door to the bedroom, Arthur went and settled himself at the little table that sat next to a sliding glass door. He could see that the door led out to a balcony, looking out upon the city. What a quaint little place to sit. There was an even smaller table out there, and two chairs. So he could only assume that Francis enjoyed sitting out there from time to time. It seemed to have a nice little view for how small the home itself was.

Arthur could hear Francis return from the room only a moment later, leading him to assume that he had only tossed his suitcase onto the bed before coming out again. "Say, Francis," Arthur said. "Pardon my asking, but do you think we could sit out here?" he asked, pointing at the balcony.

"Hm. Oh, sure!" Francis agreed. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I make us some tea okay? I'll be right out!" Arthur nodded and slid open the door. The rays of the sun gently bathed his face, making him feel a bit calmer. He supposed he had been feeling slights pangs of anxiety since first entering the house that he couldn't quite control. He wasn't used to visiting the homes of friends or anything of the sort. He couldn't help but feel a little out of place. It was refreshing to have a nice breath of fresh air after all of that. Rather than sitting down, he approaching the balcony barrier and gripped it, staring out into the streets and the city. What a nice little place to be. Still though...
He glanced behind him at the two chairs that sat on the balcony. One for Francis. And one for him. But he could only assume that most of the time, one chair went unused. How depressing. Glancing back out again, he realized he had to admit to himself. That this was the same for himself. He had only one garden chair. One big reading chair. But four dining room chairs. With only the one at the head of the table being used. He too was alone. Utterly and embarrassingly alone.

"Arthur?" Arthur nearly jumped clean out of his skin when his name was called. "Heh, you were zoning out there a little," Francis teased as he stepped out, with a tray in his hands. On it, he had two cups of what smelt like peppermint tea and a small plate of cookies. "Eh, I'm sorry I couldn't bake anything on such short notice. I didn't expect to have a guest."

"No, don't worry about it. I wasn't exactly expecting a delicacy," he chuckled. "It's fine." Francis smiled in relief and set the tray on the table, before settling into one of the chairs.

"I really do appreciate you for coming. It's been much too long since I've had a guest. If I had known, I would have brought out the works," Francis joked, picking up his own cup and saucer, as Arthur made his way to the other chair.

"When you say it like that, I can't help but worry," Arthur teased, picking up his own saucer. "In any case, this is a nice little place you have here."

"Aww, you really think so?" Francis said cheerfully. "Well, as my mother always said, only the best for me~" Arthur only rolled his eyes in response. An interesting person this fellow...

"How long have you been living here anyhow?"

"Perhaps...I can't say. A few years now I'd say." Francis sat back and glanced around. "I can't say I'm too fond of this pace though. It doesn't hold many memories for me."

"No?"

"Non. It feels more like my place of residence then my home sometimes. Nothing's changed these past few years. It's just the place where I eat and sleep," he mused, sipping away at his tea.

"I...I can't deny, I know how you feel."

"Do you now? Do you live by yourself by chance?"

"Well, yes. I was given my home by my father once he, my mother, and my brothers moved out. It holds some memories, but it doesn't really hold the warmth that it once had."

"Mm. It seems we are in the same boat then." Well, Arthur couldn't really deny that, could he?

"I suppose if you look at it in that way."

"You know, if you wanted to come and stay with me in my apartment, then I wouldn't really say no." Arthur nearly choked on his tea at the sudden offer. "I mean it! What's the point in both of us being alone right? You kept me company at the hospital. So the least I can do is return the favor and allow your residence in my home hm?"

"I...don't really think those are the same thing though." Arthur sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Honestly, who taught him his lessons in common sense anyhow. "I can't very well just leave my childhood home just to stay with you here," Arthur said with a shake of his head.

"Oh? Why not?"

"I mean, I would think that would be obvious," Arthur sighed. "If anything, maybe I should be inviting you to stay at my house."

"Aww, would you really?"

Arthur quickly corrected himself. "N-now hold on frog! don't try taking that as an invitation or anything! I am certainly not inviting you to stay at my house!" He felt himself becoming a bit flustered at the idea of this man staying with him.

"Are you sure?" Francis teased right back. "I think I would make quite the nice housemate. Better than none right?"

"I don't agree. No one would be better than you by a mile." This comment only seemed to make Francis laugh. Arthur quickly tried to correct himself. "No! Hold on, what I meant to say was..." But he couldn't quite think of what to say next. "I-in any case. I think it's about time for me to leave isn't it?"

"Ah, already? That's too bad," Francis sighed, setting down his teacup. "Well, let me see you out at least okay?"

"Fine by me," Arthur huffed. After opening the back door, the two of them re-entered the house.

"Hey." Arthur stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Francis was playing with a lock of his hair, and his eyes were focused elsewhere. "I hope I didn't upset you at all. I mean, with everything that's happened already." At first, Arthur wondered if he was thinking about what was said on the porch. But then, his mind flashed briefly back to the kiss. He wondered if that's what Francis was talking about. Well, as surprised he had been by it, he wouldn't say he had been upset by it at all. Not really. He wondered if Francis had been thinking about it just as much as he had. It hasn't seemed to have bothered him before, so why would it bother him all of a sudden.

"Well, no. You haven't upset me. More surprised me I suppose." He was pleased those words seemed to be enough to settle Francis's nerves.

"Oh good. I'm glad to hear it." The smile returned to his face rather quickly. The two of them head towards the front door once again, and Francis held the door open for them. "Feel free to come by anytime you wish okay? I'd like to still be friends with you if it's okay."

"Sure."

"And erm...I never got the chance to say it before. But, thank you. Thank you for staying with me all that time. It really made the time fly by. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," Arthur mumbled. He had to look away to ensure Francis did not see his blush.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" Francis suddenly asked. "I mean, I know you don't have to come. But you can if you want to. Today, you didn't see the home or my food at it's best. It would be a shame if that's all you saw from me," he explained. Arthur stared at him for a moment, musing it over. Finally, he turned around fully so he could face Francis.

"Yes, I'll come back tomorrow alright? Now stop that fussing." Francis's smile somehow seemed to get even bigger.

"Tres Bien! Then, I'll see you back here tomorrow okay? Farewell!" Arthur only nodded, and the door was closed behind him. For a moment though, he didn't move. He only stood there, staring up at the ceiling. Was this going to be just like the hospital? Where he would come back once a day? He didn't want to say that he minded anyways. But, Francis's apartment was farther from Arthur's house then the hospital was. So it would be a bigger distance between the two of them.

Francis's offer came back to mind. Offering him residence at his apartment. Ridiculous. He quickly shook the idea out of his head, and marched down the hall. Down the the lobby. And back towards his own empty home...