"How 'bout her?" Alfred pointed out one of the many files spread out on the dining room table to Arthur. The blonde Brit gazed above the rims of his reading glasses as he picked up said file. Emerald eyes darted back and forth in their sockets as he read over the woman's information.
"No, her family has a history of heart disease." He said flatly as he grabbed the file and threw it over the back of his head to join the rest of the profiles in the reject pile. Alfred stifled a sigh and once again gazed over the papers; looking for another suggestion.
"What about her?" He said as he pointed to another file. Arthur picked it up and read it over in the same fashion as before.
"No, she has a history of smoking. For all we know lung cancer could be coursing through her system." He once again announced flatly as he threw it to the reject pile.
"Arthur… do you really think the agency would give us her information if that were true?"
"Well… I suppose not…" The Brit sighed in defeat as he removed his glasses; folding them up and placing them on the table. "But still I don't want our child experiencing that kind of environment before they're even born."
"But you still smoke yourself."
A scowl pulled down on the corner of Arthur's lips. "I do not."
"Yeah you do. I see you on the back porch sometimes blowing away on a pack of Dunhills."
"Well sorry if sometimes I need some kind of stress relief from your infuriating behavior!" He huffed angrily as he pushed his chair back and heaved himself up, storming out of the room. Alfred heaved a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his ash blonde hair- pulling it by the roots in frustration- as he slumped down onto the table; breathing in the scent of the scattered papers.
The two of them had been at it for weeks; searching for the different surrogate agencies, filling out innumerable amounts of paper work, and looking through profile after profile of potential women to carry their kid for the next nine months. It was really starting to wear on not only Alfred, but Arthur as well. The blonde Brit had been snapping more and more lately and usually Alfred would sit there and take it, but the American's rising stress levels were also making him lose his temper more often. He wouldn't be losing him temper so often if Arthur wasn't so goddamn picky with these potential surrogates. The American understood that it was important to choose the right woman, but Arthur was just being absolutely ridiculous.
The door was closing more quickly than Alfred had thought.
Knowing he should probably go and apologize for pointing out the Brit's obvious weakness Alfred heaved himself up from his seat; taking a moment to gather up all the files that had piles up on the floor behind him. He gripped them in his hands and walked back over to the table; throwing them down on the corner of the table. As he did so one of the papers caught his eye. There was a color photo paper clipped to the folder; a girl with short and bouncy golden locks- an ever rebellious strand sprouting from her forehead- and bright eyes as expansive and blue as the skies above the American prairies. She seemed strangely familiar to Alfred… almost like a female version of himself…. Alfred began to reach out for the folder, but was quickly stopped.
"Ah bloody hell! Light damn you!" Arthur's frustrated shriek echoed from the back porch. Alfred quickly snatched up the file before the American headed to the back porch to see what exactly his British counterpart was screaming about. He was back there alright; furiously clicking away at a lighter that refused to spark for him. "Come on… come on…." He growled through the cigarette he held between his gritted teeth. Alfred looked at his fuming husband guiltily as he approached him and took the lighter; calmly sparking it and successfully creating a flame. Arthur shot him a look that said 'I could've done that' before he gave in to his need for nicotine and brushed the end of the cigarette through the burning flame and took a big puff in relief.
Alfred waited patiently as the Brit breathed out a line of the gray haze; his nostrils slightly burning with the pungent scent. "… Maybe we're rushing things…" The Brit breathed out as he reached up and held the rolled piece of paper between his thumb and forefinger.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you know… this whole children business…. Maybe we're not ready… maybe we should just forget about it…" The disappointment in his voice was apparent as his green eyes stared off blindly into the distance.
"Aw c'mon Artie don't say that. You're breaking my heart." Al forced a smile to his face as he breathed out a small laugh.
"But we argue so much… I don't want to put any child through our constant bickering…" He said as he breathed in another puff and then blew it out from his nose and mouth.
"What couple doesn't fight Artie? I mean sure we do have arguments, but that doesn't mean we don't love each other." The Brit folded his arms over his chest; popping out one hip as he stared off into the distance in thought.
"Well I suppose you are right. But still why does this all have to be so bloody difficult? I just can't seem to find the right girl. Every single profile I read over there's just always something wrong – even if it is something really small- I try my best to push it to the back of my mind, but it always come back." Arthur brought the cigarette down from his mouth and breathed out as he turned his green gaze guiltily down to the floor for a moment. "Maybe we'll never find her…" It made Alfred's heart when he heard the disappointment weighing down on his husband's voice.
"Aw, don't say that Artie," The big American cooed comfortingly as he wrapped his arms around Arthur's thin shoulders. "We'll find her we just have to be patient." He said in assurance as he brushed back his counterpart's hair and laid a soft kiss on his head.
"God I hope so Al…" The Brit sighed as he snuggled closer into Alfred's chest. The two lapsed into comfortable silence as Al just held Arthur and soothingly kissed his head; the file folder Alfred was still holding brushing against the Brit's back. "Wait a tick…" Arthur mumbled as he pushed Alfred to inspect what it was exactly the American was holding. "What's this?" He said as he snatched the folder.
"Oh… I just kinda grabbed it when I left the dining room…" Alfred explained in confusion as to why this file was so important at the moment.
Arthur smooshed the end of his cigarette into a nearby potted plant to extinguish it then he opened the folder to read its contents. "'Mary Josephine Wright. Twenty five years old. Half American, Half British. Lives with her fiancé in an apartment in Baskerville. Works as the editor for a local fashion magazine. In perfect health and has no major or incurable diseases running in her family…" The more and more Arthur read aloud the lighter his voice became and the more his eyes became brighter. Alfred found himself unconsciously leaning forward as if he was hanging over the edge of a cliff; just waiting to be plunged back down into the disappointment pit when Arthur would find a flaw in the girl's profile. Remarkably enough Arthur read through the entire thing without even as so much faltering in his speech.
When he was finished he breathed out a shaky breath and closed the folder bringing it close to her chest. "Dear god Al…" His voice almost sounded nervous and his face showed his incredulousness. "She's… she's perfect…"
Alfred wasn't sure he had heard his counterpart right when the statement first passed through his lips. "Wha?" He mumbled intelligently as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
"Her profile it's… it's absolutely smashing. No health problems, both our nationalities, a stable living, not to mention that Baskerville is only about a fifteen minute ride from here…"
As soon as god closes one door suddenly a window opens.
"Al… this is it," Arthur sounded breathless. "We've found her…"
With emotions too powerful for the American to control Alfred displayed a scene similar to the one a few weeks ago as he picked Arthur up and whirled him about as if he was weightless. His booming laugh echoed off into the house and also caused the neighbors dogs to start barking from the disruption in the otherwise peaceful day. "Al! W-what did I say?! Put me down I'm not a toy!" The Brit shouted in annoyance as he squirmed out of Al's grip.
"Oh Artie this is so great!" The American grinned from ear to ear as he placed his fuming counterpart on the ground. "I'm gonna go call the agency right now! I wanna meet this girl A.S.A.P!" Before Arthur had any say in the matter his hulking husband took off into the house and snatched up the telephone; anxiously pounding all the buttons until the phone began to ring.
When one door closes there's always some other exit to help you move forward.
Okaaaaay… so yeah…. I think this story is coming out pretty cute so far. Next chapter you'll meet the lovely Mary Jo –which you haven't figured out by her description- who is modeled after the female Version of Alfred. (Her name is Ameriko, but that didn't sound right…) In any case please review lovies because nothing makes me want to continue the story more than hearing feedback. :D Thanks~