Hey all, thanks for your support and sorry for ranting last chapter...
Like, really reeeallly sorry xx
Enjoy~
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Arthur hummed pleasantly to himself as he showered, running his hands through his blonde hair. The hot water warming his skin where it had cooled from the wintery breeze. It was almost the end of November, after all. England always got cold around then; the country, not the person.
He shut off the water and slipped out the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went searching for a fresh pair of pyjamas. He stopped and smiled amusedly when he realised there was a pair of green ones on his bed, his sister had been in-but of course he hadn't heard her enter. Finding her is impossible, unless she wants you to of course.
Then, for the second time that day, his phone rang.
Arthur cursed, riffling through his draw then realising it was on his bed.
"Hello?"
"Arthur-aru?"
"Oh, hello Yao. Err is there something wrong? You don't usually call me..."
"Is it true?"
"Is what true Yao?" asked Arthur, rolling his eyes. Yao had always been one to complain.
"D-did you really tell Kiku that you'd drop everything to talk to him? Th-that he's one of a kind?" asked Yao in a rather wobbly voice.
"Yes... Wait, Yao are you drunk?" asked Arthur incredulously.
"..."
"Oh god, you are aren't you?" sighed Arthur in exasperation.
"Don't change the subject!"
"Right. You need to get home before you do or say anything you regret-"
"I regret falling in love with you, you really aren't worth a damn to me" muttered Yao.
Arthur froze, letting out a deep shuddering breath. His eyes full of despair, bile rising in his throat.
"You don't mean that" whispered Arthur with tears in his eyes. He hung up before he could get a reply.
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The next morning Yao woke up with a pounding headache. Suddenly, everything came rushing back to him. Oh God; what had he done!
No ,no, no, no, no!
He did it, the one thing he made the other idiots promise he wouldn't let him do; he drunk dialled Arthur.
...And he told him... He told him...
Wow, he really couldn't do anything right could he? First he chased off Arthur: the best thing that ever happened to him. Then he chased off Hong, the exact same way he did with Arthur. Now? The best thing that had ever happened to him was giving him a chance to start over, or at least being civil with one another and he blew it.
Another drink was sounding good right about now.
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"That was cruel Hong" said Alana disapprovingly.
"...I know" he replied glumly. He had told the other Yao was just being over dramatic as usual, Gilbert sniggered and Antonio thought nothing of it. Francis noticed (as did Matthew however nobody ever seemed to see him), but by the end of the night they were all completely drunk. Nobody to stop Yao making an awful mistake that would make his poor father miserable.
"Why did you do it?"
"Arthur needs to realise he's worth it on his own. He needs someone who will guide him with a gentle but firm hand and adore him like no other. Besides, I wanted Yao out of the competition."
"You know Hong, you are one smart cookie... One smart opportunistic cookie." Alana chuckled and shook her head ruefully.
"I learnt it all from my father. Now he has to learn a thing or two from us and it's not cookie but biscuit." His mouth quirked into a smile.
"Mm. Arthur was lovely but... Arthur already has learnt something from raising you." She said, changing the subject.
"What?" asked Leon curiously.
"He has motherly instincts" grinned Alana and Leon rolled his eyes.
"You, dear auntie, will torment him to death one day"
"Nay lad, Arthur's been through much worse than my taunting. Much, much worse..." she muttered, her eyes darkening. Leon shuddered, anything that could scare Auntie North, well...
It terrified him. Anything that could anger she who preaches forgiveness yet her eyes spoke of nothing but wrath... Geez, he really was turning into his father.
...Was that really such a bad thing? If the world was a little more like Arthur, it would be a better place- and prettier too!
/ / / / / /
"G'day mate!" beamed Australia, bouncing around his living room. Kyle frowned at him disapprovingly.
"...Hello Keith." he replied grimly, holding a cup of tea in his hand smelling faintly of roses.
"Woah! What happened to you?" said Keith, raising his eyebrow.
"Whatever do you mean?" Frowned Arthur.
`Who is it?` mouthed Kyle.
`Mum`
"You sound like someone killed your cat!" said Keith indignantly.
Kyle reached for the phone but Keith used his height to his advantage, keeping the phone just out of reach. Then, Kyle tickled him making him shriek with laughter and drop the phone. Kyle grabbed it.
"Who was it." demanded Kyle quietly.
"It doesn't matter Kyle, how are you?"
"Who was it?"
"Just a little tiff with Yao is all" he replied stiffly.
"..."
"K-kyle?"
"He's dead. That Chinese bastard is so dead! What did he say? That little shit... He doesn't deserve you! Whatever he said he isn't worth a second of your attention! Bastard!"
"Now Kyle! There is no need for such language!" reprimanded Arthur but his heart warmed at Kyle's support.
"Sorry mum" he replied sheepishly.
"It's fine Kyle, thank you for your concern but don't call me mum! I am male" he huffed.
Keith snatched back the phone as Kyle plotted doom for all his mother's suitors, grinning goofily.
"I'm back" said Keith warmly.
"I see." replied Arthur, somewhat amused.
"Need someone to talk to?" he asked gently as Kyle seethed in the background, emitting a murderous aura but didn't even make Keith flinch.
"I... I think talking to you two was all I needed. Thank you boys."
"No problem mum!" cheered Keith and Kyle grinned, less creepily this time.
"Mum, just one thing..." began Keith.
"Hm?"
"Can I let my koala maul the idjits?"
"Absolutely not!"
"But muuuuuuum!"
"I said no Keith!"
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase?"
"Shut up and go stop your brother from killing anyone. I want no deaths on my conscious and your a hundred years to long to get away with murder!"
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Arthur hung up and chuckled.
Those boys will be the death of me...
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