Ch.2: A First For Everything

Francis glanced at his daughter as they walked through the school gates. He grinned sheepishly, reaching for her hand. She moved it away. "Pére, I'm twelve. I don't need my 'daddy' chasing after me."

Francis's jaw dropped open. Adrienne had never resisted affection from her father before. Something must have been going on.

He watched carefully as Adrienne scanned the schoolyard, then broke into a run.

The he paused as he saw who Adrienne had run to. Peter?

The Frenchman found himself racing across the schoolyard as well, jacket flapping against him.

As he was running, he scanned the blurs until he collided with something–or, well, someone.

"Oh! Watch it, you–" Arthur began shouting, then did a double take. "Francis? What're you doing here?"

"Well, the same as you, I suppose," he suggested, then grinned.

Francis and Arthur locked eyes for a while before Arthur turned his gaze to Peter, who was in an obnoxious mood. "Dad! Dad! Daddy! Daddy! Father! Father! Arthur Kirk–"

"Yes, Peter," Arthur answered exasperatedly, and Peter started dragging him away.

Francis glanced over at Adrienne. She shrugged and followed after Arthur and Peter. Francis nodded and caught up to her.

"Adrienne... please... you have to... wait... ugh..." Francis was out of breath by the time he reached the staircase, and Adrienne's head poked out from behind the wall, ten steps up. She giggled and her footsteps were heard as she ran back upstairs. Francis groaned, and he hesitantly began walking up the stairs, gripping to the railing. Damnit, he thought as he fought for air at the top of the staircase.

Francis saw Arthur, red-faced and gasping for breath as though he had been laughing very hard. Francis raised an eyebrow in an almost playful challenge, and Arthur sighed.

"Have you ever been this surprised?" Arthur asked out of the blue.

"W-what?" Francis stuttered.

"I mean, that your daughter was going to school. Er, should I say, that you had to let go of her."

Francis felt his face getting hot. "N-no, and I'm not surprised now. What would make you think so?"

"Your reaction when Adrienne rejected your hand." Arthur shrugged and turned to Peter's teacher. The two began discussing grades, and that was a subject that bored Francis to no end. He looked around for Adrienne, but she was nowhere to be seen–

"Pére!"

She jumped on his back, laughing almost insanely. Then she let go, her face red and her blonde hair stuck to her face with sweat. "Where have you been?"

"Here," Francis stated simply. Then he looked Adrienne over and raised his eyebrow again. "And how about you? Have you gone swimming?" he asked, grinning.

"No," Adrienne said with emphasis, "I have been running around with some new friends."

"No more running around in that dress, oui? Tomorrow." Francis shook his head.

Adrienne let out a long, loud groan and sighed. "Fine. But tomorrow."

Francis nodded. He grinned, and Adrienne cracked a smile.

Adrienne turned around and began skipping to her classroom. Francis sighed, his heart a bit aching. Then he turned to see Arthur waving goodbye to Peter, who had a look of exasperation on his face. Peter finally wrenched his arm from Arthur's grip and ran into his classroom. Then Arthur turned, sighing sullenly.

Francis grinned a bit. "Turns out you're the one who is surprised, mon ami."

Arthur glared at him, then his expression softened. "Y-yeah. I guess so. I suppose I was wrong."

Francis let out a low chuckle. "Heh. Well, I guess there's a first for everything, isn't there?"

The Englishman laughed lightly, blinking. "Yes, I suppose there is." Then he turned and walked toward the stairs, a skip in his step. Francis grinned a bit.

There really is a first for everything.

\\A.N./

Alright, I'm super sorry that this update has taken almost two weeks, or more. I don't know.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this part! Next part is going to be adorable. I promise.