Chapter 7, A Little Talk
William sighed for the upteenth time as Arthur got him to nod again, as per the agreement that he wouldn't go homicidal. Yes, yes, he understood by now, killing and threatening bad, don't kill and or threaten. Geeze, he wondered if he ever gave this speech to the other brothers, but chances are highly probable. Besides, he was probably the only one who could get away with it while making it look like an accident, so he guessed the goal was to get it into his head first.
"Yes, yes Arthur," he said out loud, trying not to roll his eyes at the lecture he was getting, "I freaking get it, no homicide, stop busting my balls about it".
Arthur just sighed and shrugged, approaching the teenager currently seated in a lax, gentlemanly fashion.
"Still, doesn't mean that I don't particularly like it," he added, looking up to be faced with a questioning look, "I did have a boyfriend. Sort of".
Mouth agape, Arthur was at lost at what to say, to which William just shrugged. It was a fond memory, but that doesn't mean he liked to remember it. It was a one stop at Wantage back in UK, but he did have to leave. That should say something.
"H-How? Who?" Said Arthur, in which William chuckled and just proceeded to close Arthur's jaw.
"Honest," he said raising his hand near his head, "nothing happened than the occasional talkback and tongue dance".
"Tongue dance?!"
Okay, maybe I should have kept that to myself, William thought but proceeded to wave it off the repeated question. Who? Why, he was very similar in looks with a certain person here, a bit he was more gentlemanly. Not to mention he was a brunette with slightly longer hair, not much of a big difference. The fact remains, he wanted Arthur to let this one go. Let go Arthur did when he saw the slight pleading look in William's eyes.
"Anyway, Will," said Arthur, continuing at William's nod of acknowledgement, "I still need your help to get the sale up and running".
"There's a but at the end of that sentence isn't there?" William drawled, yet looking serious about the whole thing.
"Yes there is," Arthur said, clearing his throat, "do you remember when we were children? We used to go up to strangers and sing random songs so that we could get you some money to eat?"
"I remember that very well, why do you ask?" Said William, then it clicked together, "you want to do the same thing to promote the sale don't you?"
"That is the plan, yes, however, there are several things you missed since you've been gone".
"You got a tattoo?"
"I happen to gain- wait a minute, yes that's exactly right," Arthur stared at William who was nodding with a faint smile on his face, "how did you know that? And don't say it's because we're brothers, I would have known if I got naked in front of you".
William snorted in amusement, as if the whole concept of him being one of the only people Arthur was comfortable being naked in front of was hilarious, still. He was rather touched by the thought that he trusted a little boy who turns out to be his twin out of nowhere, comes back after a few years from their first meeting, compared to his brothers who despite rocking off the boat a bit so to speak, Arthur still remained to trust him over them.
"I went through the same thing in a way," he said in answer, "got a phoenix on my stomach that goes to my back slightly. Well, I have three, you?"
Arthur smiled in amusement, "Same, Lion, a rose and a copy of my guitar. Even got piercings, still there".
"I got a rose too, on my side, wings on my back. However," William smirked as he sat up, "I won't say how I got one without a parent when I'm not even 18. Or I wasn't 16 either for that matter".
"Same, I stole Dylan's license," said Arthur, matching William's smirk, "some would say I was a wild one".
"If we're gonna get this gig going for the sale tomorrow evening, we're going to need to recruit a few people brother dear," said William, jumping slightly out of the chair. After the chasing of one Lovino Vargas, he opted to change into a simple grey button down shirt with a black tie, black slacks, and black rather new converse. Arthur decided to go and change as well (there was a particular reason why he kept a secret stash of clothes under his desk, mainly to throw at Francis whenever he decided to well. I believe you know when) wearing a white button down shirt, black jeans, and another pair of surprisingly well kept clean yet aged converse.
"Who do you have in mind?" Asked Arthur, standing up as well. Assuming that they were going to go out and recruit said members of their little band.
"Gilbert can definitely rock a guitar of some kind, I've seen him air guitar some songs with accuracy when he wasn't looking. Also plays the violin, but he doesn't want anyone to know cause of Edelstein," said Arthur.
"How 'bout Mathias Køhler? He any good?" William asked, he's seen him in the music room every now and then since he's been here.
"Master at the drums, him too? He get's a bit.."
"Handful?"
"There's a reason why Lukas calls him annoying".
"Well, seems to me like we got our band," William snorted at a thought, to which Arthur aimed a questioning look at him.
"Aren't Mathias and that Swedish fellow brothers?" Asked William. Arthur didn't understand where he was going with this, but he nodded all the same to answer the question.
"If you think about it, just you, Gilbert, and Mathias would sort of make up some sort of bad brothers trio".
Arthur almost smacked Will up the head with that one, all the same, they set out to search
for the two members of their little 'gig' as William called it.
"So you vant zhe awesome me to be the guitarist in your little gig," Asked Gilbert with a raised eyebrow.
"Ja DummKopf, what else do you think we were telling you about this whole gig for?" Said William, who stood cross armed and was leaning to his right. Which happened to be where Arthur was, who was also presenting a expression which just plain read 'Duh, that's why we told you'.
Gilbert snorted at the site, now that he knew they were brothers, it was easy to see that in some way, one would always mirror the other. As William was leaning to his right, Arthur leaned to his left. Where William's arms were crossed, Arthur's was the same to a degree. Head's tilted in the general direction of where the other was, he bet if he bleached the rest of William's hair, it would be impossible to tell who was who. Though admittedly, now that they were looking the same in posture, it was easy to tell the difference in appearance. Where Arthur had varying shades of green depending on his mood, William's was the same, a bit in a darker shade and depending on the lighting with tiny flecks of yellow in the iris.
"Ja, fine I'll do it," said Gilbert, "that will just tell everyone how I awesome I am".
William snorted at the comment, "You're not the only one in this gig Gil, Mathias is too. He's the drummer and we already talked to him, he's in. Dragged the conversation out, but he's in".
"Not awesome guys! I should have been asked first!" He yelled after them as they turned to exit, as Gilbert had been sneaking around the school band area.
Just before leaving, the two simultaneously turned with a identical smirk on their faces, with the intent to creep Gilbert out they both said with an innocent look on their faces, "Was there ever any doubt you'd say no?" Then they both turned with a chuckle.
Gilbert watched as the two left, shaking his head as he walked over to a well hidden violin case and started using it. Least to say, I believe William has leverage over the albino german-prussian.
"Got it," Said William in a sing song voice as he scared Gilbert and waving a video of Gilbert playing the violin in his face and standing in front of him. "I'm keepin it," he said with an after thought, "gig rehearsal is right now, so...yeah. Common".
Gilbert unwillingly walked with William, with that video he was essentially blackmailed into doing anything William wanted, but William was right. Without rehearsals they wouldn't be able to do any songs right. Totally not awesome.
The four alleged band members practiced for tomorrow, with Gilbert on bass, Mathias on drums, Arthur on guitar on vocals, and William on main vocals. Of course, with suggestions from Gilbert and Mathias since they had nothing else to do, they decided to switch instruments to suit the songs. Mathias wasn't going to switch instruments, but he was going to be dressed. The four of them were set to dress up as kings, Mathias was going to be dressed in a red buttoned shirt with a black tie and black with white trimming trench coat, Gilbert was going to be dressed in a white shirt with a striped grey vest and a red rimmed with gold trimming blue trench coat, Arthur was going to wear a green buttoned down shirt with a white cravat with a emerald colored jewel in the middle, to which he was also going to wear a red coat with white fur trimmings. William was going to where a darker green button down shirt with a black vest which was trimmed in silver with clipped on cloak swaying behind him. They all wore black pants and black laced up boots to match, as well as Mathias wearing a crown closely resembling the danish crown with cross held up by a white stone. Gilbert wearing a crown closely resembling the Prussian crown with interlaced pearls. Arthur was wearing a crown resembling the English royal crown with matching fur trimming. William was wearing a simple crown not resembling any other known crowns used by royalty with a lion roaring in the middle. It was all grand, and they all semi stole it from the theater department of the school.
"You think they'll be mad that we basically stole the costume departments stuff for a few like two days?" Said William, turning his head at the costumes hanging from his coat hanger. After practice, they got themselves over to the theater departments stash of costumes. Not like it would make much of a difference, there was not a play in session. They were mostly concentrating on blocking anyway.
"Hardly, once they hear that it was the head of the student board who borrowed it, I highly doubt they would actually complain," Said Arthur hanging on securely to his costume.
"A little arrogant don't you think?" Said William with a raised eyebrow. Arthur motioned to the Danish and the German ellegide Prussian, who were claiming how awesome and deadly handsome they were going to look once wearing it,
"Besides those two, I would think that it would sound a little selfless".
William followed Arthur's motion and sighed, as he nodded his head to agree, "You have a very valid point bro, though I would think it would be appropriate to ditch them".
"Right now?"
"Yes right now".
"That would be within the consideration of rude".
"You're calling my suggestion rude when this would be Gilbert and Mathias we're talking about here?"
"It's still rude".
"Do I look like I care?"
"You would if you want to keep that image of a gentleman".
"Okay, okay, then we'll politely excuse ourselves to the two loudly talking people over there to the far end of the theater, then leave fairly quietly so as not to disturb their conversation on how awesome they'll look why trying to one-up the other; we good?" Arthur could practically hear the oozing sarcasm from William's mouth.
"Better".
"Yeah, well hope your conscience is clean your majesty".
"Well, I am a king in my own right".
"Yeah, and I'm the jester of the festival that freakishly looks like his majesty king Arthur".
"So is this how it feels like to have a healthy bickering with your brother?"
"I would think so, why?"
"Thought I'd ask, been a long time since I actually had them".
"Same. Well, I never had one for all intents and purposes, but yeah there you go. An argument between brothers. On how we ditch these guys no less".
"Shall we exercise the plan then?"
"But where should we go?"
"Local book store?"
"I like the way you think".
"It's the same way you think".
"Very true, maybe we should start talking-"
"-like twins? Sure, not a bad idea. Freak people out and such".
"Ah, but never act like such a criminal, we would lose the image. Wouldn't be good".
"Wouldn't be good at all".
And so Arthur and William quietly muttered they're need to leave and promptly left the school grounds, went back to the house, dropped the clothes off, then went back to the small bookstore runned by, guess who? The insane doctor!
"How the bloody hell are you running this and the hospital at the same damn time?" Deadpanned William who was pointing an accusing finger at the crazy doctor with glasses.
"What can I say? I get bored, and when I get bored, I drop everything on my little underling with the exception of the very complicated paperwork and do other stuff. I own this quaint little bookstore and that bar across from here," said the doctor, pushing up her glasses and straightening the black shirt she had on from the counter, "besides, it's how I keep up with my favorite series".
"None of which those information given were even remotely valid," chimed Arthur, who was in the corner reading the Alchemist.
"Ouch, could you get any colder up there? I mean, I basically saved your life, twice".
"Both times were caused by events that happened by a couple of crazy people and those of which you let in the hospital".
"Hey, in my defence, I filtered most of your visitors by carrying around a medieval sword and a big knife. That's gotta count for something".
"What did you threaten to do with it?" Asked William. Arthur looked at William from his little nook of the bookstore,
"Why does that matter exactly?"
"Oh it matters, very much Arthur," William said, then turned back to the doctor," Now, what did you threaten to do with it".
"I agree with Arthur, it's highly irrelevant what I threatened to do with it".
"It's very relevant to me, now answer the question and stop hiding behind Arthur's words," said William.
"Alright fine, I happened to drop the hint that I would shove it up anyone who even attempted to peak through your door while the two of you were sleeping, satisfied?"
"You're a sadist," deadpanned both brothers. In response, the doctor threw her hands up in the air in exasperation and plain old tiredness,
"You lot are the ones who asked!"
"You were carrying two big weapons with you in a hospital," said Arthur, who decidedly closed the book with a finger within his saved page.
"You're still the ones who asked! You didn't even give me a choice!"
"Incorrect, how do you know we weren't going to back off at the second rejection? Oh, and you're still a sadist, it's a bloody hospital," William threw back with a copy of Catcher in the Rye in his hands. Joining Arthur in the reading and piss off the book owner corner.
"Oh come on! You would do it too if it were Arthur," protested the doctor from the stool. In all honesty, she wasn't even paying attention to the other people in the bookstore. Even if someone were to steal something she would just track them down and ask for it back. Not much of a sadistic streak on her part except for the fact you would wake up with your hands glued together with some sort of adhesive that only went so far before they snapped back together. Okay, it was gum glue, but letting the person know that was something you didn't want if you wanted the fun to continue. As well as a little well placed box that makes it sound like there are rats scurrying about whenever the lights go out. Which would be pretty easy to make if you can get to a Radio Shack or a Frys.
"You're right," said William over his book, "I would, but I would actually do it. Not dance around it".
"Who's the sadist now? But I stole all the toilet paper in that French guys house".
"And?"
"I uh, stole all the tomatoes in that Spanish guy's house? I hid it in this chest he had in the basement".
"And?" At this point, William and Arthur were taking turns asking the 'and?' question.
"Stole all the wurst from the germans, hid it in the back of the fridge behind the beer".
"And?"
"Took the McDonalds gift cards from the really loud guy?"
"And?"
"Directed the Belarusian lady to the shaking Russian in the broom closet".
"And?"
"Told the guy from switzerland to buy some good cheese".
Arthur and William looked up from that, to which Arthur asked, "You told Vash to buy good cheese? That's cruel".
"So he's in that stereotype where the people from switzerland like to save money?" Asked the doc.
"Yeah, what cheese did he buy in the end?"
"Um, kraft I think. Made some garlic bread with it".
"On a different matter entirely, was he carrying stuff with him?"
"A rifle".
"He didn't use it?"
"Who I assumed to be his little sister kept telling him not to, while he said that it was okay since he was in the hospital, so they wouldn't be hurt too badly. Which in retrospect is true".
"Odd, he really didn't use it?"
"She said that Arthur and his cousin wouldn't be too happy with him if he shot anyone other than the French guy, Francis I think it was?"
"Well," started William.
"She's not wrong," confirmed Arthur.
"I'm surprised she even suggested to shoot Francis," said Arthur, "she's a sweet girl, despite the constant threats from Vash".
"Well, maybe she knows you better then you think," said William.
"A possibility I highly doubt, anyway. Antonio, did he chase you around with his axe?" Asked Arthur, who knew that the happy go lucky spanish man kept a family axe close at hand when someone threatened his tomatoes.
"I would think that she wouldn't allow herself to get caught brother," said William, closing the book after some thought that he wouldn't be able to finish it anyway.
"But seriously, I had begun to nickname that attitude conquistador Antonio, I've been seeing it a lot lately," said Arthur.
"Really?"
"Well yes".
In the house of said Spaniard, Antonio sneezed as he looked for his basket of tomatoes. Wondering if he should stop and start breathing some clean air for the time being.
"Well, sorry to cut this short, but i've got to go back to the hospital, paperwork and stuff. I'll lock the back door, so when you guys leave just turn the key before you actually leave," she said, grabbing her stuff and going out the back door with a bang and a click.
"What do you think of the Italian brothers?" Asked William as the doctor left, as well as collecting evidence on who Arthur could actually genuinely liked.
"Lovino and Feliciano Vargas? They're alright, but I feel a bit uneasy around the two of them when I feel an ominous aura. Lovino is edging on weird ever since the kiss, but I figured it was a dare," said Arthur, with an after thought he also added," I feel like they could turn around and go mafia on you though".
At that instant, as the two Italians were about to head to the kitchen to prepare for dinner, said two Italians sneezed at the same time.
"Ve~ Fratello, someone must be talking about us," said Felciano, wiping his nose with his sleeve.
"Idiota, don't use your sleeve, and you're reading too damn much into that supersticion. Pretty sure it's just dust," responded Lovino with a scowl.
"Eh? But Fratello, you're wiping nose on your sleeve too".
"Tch, whatever, you don't do the laundry idiota. Let's just get the fuck back to making dinner".
"How 'bout Alfred F. Jones?" Asked William.
"A git, most definitely. Loud and boisterous, but can occasionally be sort of sweet. Once in a blue moon though, admittedly he used to be quite a cute bugger," Answered Arthur, wondering why he was being asked this. He figured it was simply a conversation filler until the night drew near.
"Matthew Williams?"
"He's a fine lad, quiet, if anything. I feel bad sometimes when I don't remember his name when he's always been there. I have no ill will towards him though, didn't bother me when life went to shit for me".
Alfred sneezed as he was about to consume his big mac from Mcdonalds. As well as Matthew as he was about to walk into the kitchen where Alfred was.
"Hey, Matthew dude. Remember that saying that if you sneeze, someone's talkin 'bout you?" Asked Alfred as he swiftly wiped his nose on his sleeve before devouring the burger.
"Why would that matter eh?" Asked Matthew frowned as he approached to prepare a cup of hot chocolate for himself.
"Well you never know man".
"Francis Bonnefoy?"
Arthur scoffed at the name, but stared off to the wall slightly, "He's a frog. Definite frog. Always has, always will, but despite what he normally sets himself as to the public eye; he isn't a pervert," at this Arthur shrugged, "not always. He can be serious when he wants to, when he has to. Either way, he's still a bloody frog for me".
Francis sneezed as he was in the middle of pouring some wine for himself, yes legally he couldn't but it wasn't like anyone was going to be there stop him.
"Ohonhon, someone is talking about moi".
"How 'bout Ludwig Beilschmidt?"
"Ludwig, well. He's fine, a bit of a stickler, but once you get him on beer; there's a whole new Ludwig there, a bit loose to. He's a fine lad, almost nothing alike to his brother, except for the beer. Even then, I still think Rum is better, but yeah. We have drinking contests sometimes. Way back when".
"Drinking contests?"
"It was more to the point where we drank lots of liquid, then saw who would go to the bathroom first," Arthur said with a slight smile to his face.
Ludwig sneezed as he finally pulled his missing wurst from the fridge behind the beer, he should have known that was where they were, but they were there. He looked at the fridge which pretty much had nothing but beer on the top shelf.
"Must have been some dust," he said to himself as he closed the fridge and began to prepare some wurst for dinner.
William snapped out of his questions to look out the window to find that the midnight sky was approaching with vast haste. He halted his questions for now, getting up and motioning for Arthur to get a move on. Arthur nodded and followed, and after locking the door, the two brothers walked in the slowly dimming side walk.
When the clouds overhead began to pour.
As Arthur began cursing, unfazed by the sudden change in weather, William swiftly took out a small umbrella from his pocket, swiftly and easily expanding it to fit both of them under it's shelter as he continued walking. Arthur swiftly realizing and quickly following.
"Do you always carry an umbrella in your pocket?" Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow, staring at the dark blue umbrella, with glow in the dark stars in the bottom.
"Um, habit?" William answered sheepishly, "England's whether changes quite a bit, being in the middle of the sea 'n all. Well, that's my theory anyway. So I sort of learned to keep an umbrella with me, or at least a windbreaker".
"The umbrella?" Arthur pointed to the faintly glowing stars to direct his question.
"Ah, it was a gift," William wouldn't say anything else on the matter as he walked towards the home of these guys of celtic descent.
"I just realized something," said William as Arthur stopped taking out his keys to open the door.
"What is it?"
"I've been sleeping in a tree for the past few days i've been here," muttered William without thinking about it too much.
"WHAT?!"
"Was that the wrong thing to say?" William couldn't get another word out as Arthur dragged him inside the kicked open door, with said door slamming behind him. Well, he was at least able to negotiate a stay in the couch. However, as seconds turned into minutes and he was eating with his fellow twin, and elder brothers, Allistor spoke up about an extra room that was added next to Arthurs.
"An extra room? Why did Mum add an extra room?" Arthur asked frowning as he ate his dinner.
"I don't know, but," Allistor pointed his fork at William, who raised his head to meet the fork, "I suppose good 'ole Mum figured that you were out there somewhere".
"Aye," Sean said continuing to munch, "always had a third eye Mum, always knew what you did wrong".
"What about Dad?" William asked, curiosity peaked.
"Ah, he was fine," answered Dylan, "looked more like Allistor here than anyone else, but he always worked more than mum".
"Huh," William thought to himself as he ate, To think this is what average people thought as a normal family. Though, granted without most of your brothers smelling like booze 70% of the time. William silently observed his newly discovered family, Allistor seemed pretty mellow. Despite the fact that he now knew that he was the same 16 year-old teenager that kicked him in the balls. Sean and Dylan seemed pretty cool, again. Without the booze of course. He suspected that Sean and Allistor took more after their father than they did their mum. If Arthur, himself and Dylan were more like their mum, then it's only logical to assume that the ones with the red hair took more after their father. Of course, their were times when he would look at the mirror and wonder why he had some white hair when he wasn't even in his 30s yet.
"Say," said Sean, nodding toward William, "What's with the black hair? If yer really blond like Arthur 'ere".
William swallowed the last of his food that was on his plate and now going down into his esophagus, putting his spoon and fork down and shrugged in a half answer, "I dyed it because I wanted to stop the stares".
He shrugged again after his response, then continued, "People always stared at it, I had blond hair, then occasionally it turns white all of a sudden. People stare at that sometimes, and ask whether I'm part albino. They tried to get me to become a lab rat, because I was the first reported case of only being partially albino. So I got it to stop. Dyed, it, moved, now no one asks about it. It's not that I hate it, I just don't want to answer anything. Er, does that make sense?"
"To a degree, I suppose," Said Sean, "But just once, can you let it grow out?"
"Yeah, we wanna see!" Said Dylan, drinking his-was that rum? Okay, yeah that was Rum.
William laughed at that, "Yeah, I guess I can".
William soon went upstairs, staring at his room after assuring Arthur that he would be perfectly fine on his own. The room was rather bland, save for the few tones of green and black accents throughout the room. The bed was a simple queen size, and resting near the table was a picture of what he assumed would be his Mum and Dad, happy and together. Not unlike his brothers were now. He hoped it stayed that way.
Walking towards the forest green sheeted bed, he tucked himself in after turning off the light of the lamp, and staring at the picture in the dark before smiling and retiring himself back to his side.
That night, William rested for the first time in a long time in a comfortable, actual bed, and was wondering whether he should cut the black ones as the others grew, or just tie it.
A/n: Well, that look a damn long time. Sorry about that, I got busy with school and science and all that. I don't have time to myself that much anymore. Well, it's safe to say I'm probably going to draw William again (Granted I have drawn him a couple times…) but most likely with a hair tie. A good friend of mine drew them back to back and gave me permission to use it, but I'm debating. I'm probably going to replace my profile picture with it so yeah. Heh, I might even get back to TKB too, if I get some mojo. Anyway, enough about that, if you wanna see some drawings that I did of William I have them posted on Tumblr, it's aki-the-fangirl as the name, but the blog's name is Author and Character(s). So yeah, just type in William and I'm sure most of them will be there. So yeah, I hope I can get the new chapter for this sooner than before so yeah. Laterz, Review, follow, or fave if you like. Aki, signing out!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but William, Dr. Aki (that doctor in the story), and the plot.