Arthur wasn't quite sure what to make of the three. All so different yet so similar in essence, he could deduce that they were long-time friends. He watched them argue about something a little ways off, feeling as awkward as ever. He couldn't go up yet, because, believe it or not, he still wanted to talk to Francis and as a matter of fact, the latter had asked him to wait while he "finishes some business" with the two strangers, whatever it may had been. About 5 minutes later of hearing only heightened voices, the three joined Arthur again. He looked at Francis who was staring back apologetically, not knowing how to strike a conversation. "What's wrong? Who are those two, Francis?" he asked and watched the two chuckle into their hands. Francis cursed in French and said with a bitter tone: "These are my idiotic best friends - the tanned bitch is Antonio Fernandez Carriedo and the white whore is Gilbert Beilschmidt. Idiotic friends, meet my new NICE friend Arthùr Kirkland." Not sure how to react, Arthur decided to stay neutral when he shook their hands. "Look, man, I really don't blame you," Gilbert said to Francis when looking at the Brit, "he is cute. And liking dudes, there's no problem with that, hell, remember von Bock with who I messed around from way up north? That was some fine ass." Francis cursed some more as Arthur stood still, not quite registering what he had just said. "Mon dieu, it's nothing like that! He is my neighbor, Gilbert! I am really sorry, Arthùr, I really am." He was surprised when he saw Arthur laughing. "So you have those type of friends too, huh? It's nothing, my mates and my brothers make fun of me too, guess that's something we have in common." Francis let out a laugh too, relieved that he didn't take the comments the duo made seriously. "There's one more thing!" Antonio nudged Francis when they started to head up the stairs. "Oh, that," Francis grumbled and once again looked at Arthur with a pained look. "You see, they caught wind of the fact that we're going to a pub tonight, so they want to join us and your friends." As he suspected, Arthur didn't mind that and they carried along to the elevator. He opened the gates and entering it with Francis he was ready to put his key to the slot when he was suddenly pushed against the wall. "Sorry, king Artie, we just wanted to fit in too!" he heard Gilbert exclaim from behind his back. Jammed between the wall and Francis, there was no way he could move his hands to insert the key and push the button. "You are such morons," he heard Francis say near his ear, sending a chill down his spine from the low sweet tone due to his oversensitive hearing from playing different musical instruments over the years. If he would go to a bar for 15 minutes, he could tell you what every guest was talking about. "Couldn't you just take the next ride up?" he asked, only to receive word from an apologetic Antonio that he had already locked the gates, jamming them inside even more. "Great," he grumbled and tried to shift his hand, but to no avail. "Francis, do you have your key with you?" "Well, yes," the Frenchman started, "but there is no way I could take it. I have room to insert it and push the buttons though." "Great, then grab the key from sir Kirkland and let's get going," Gilbert said, frustrated from the heat which was generating from too many people in too little space. "Pardon, Arthùr, but where is your key?" Arthur didn't answer for a few moments, but then, quietly that Francis' stupid friends wouldn't hear, he replied: "It's in my hand, between the wall and my thigh." "Well, this is going to be a little awkward," Francis replied and started shifting his hand so he could find the Brit's. "No homo, right, Francis?" Antonio chuckled and was immediately somehow kicked in the knee. Arthur felt Francis' right hand snake around him when he was looking for his left, making him grow uneasy when remembering all the stories he's heard of the French. Finally feeling the Frenchman's warm fingers around his fist, he let go of the key into his hand. "You should wear gloves, your hands are so cold," Francis commented when he pulled back his hand and inserted the key to the slot, pressing the button after that. Slowly but surely the elevator started moving up. "Well, this is gonna be a long ride," Gilbert said, breaking the awkward silence. Arthur felt something soft brushing against his cheek and turning his head a little, he saw that it was the scarf he had finished as a quick apology-gift for Francis. He wasn't sure why, but seeing him actually wear it made him happy, gave him a sense of accomplishment. Three very long minutes later, they finally made it to the top floor. Having opened the gates with some difficulties, they got out of the elevator, panting for air. "I just hope none of the groceries got damaged," Francis said when he was rummaging through the bags. "Nah, I'm sure everything's A-OK," Antonio said and waited for Francis to take out his key. "Well, see you guys tonight then," Arthur said, having already opened his door. "Bye," Francis smiled and looked between the closing door how Bosey couldn't care less that his master came home. "Alright, show us your love-pad," Gilbert said smugly when snatching the key from his hands. Having opened the doors, they all stepped in.

Arthur opened the fridge to put the vegetables in when he stopped his hand. Sharpening his ears he could hear Francis' friends laugh and tease his neighbor on the other side of the wall. He sighed, cursed the thin walls and hoping they wouldn't be staying with him, he continued to stuff his fridge. Finished, he looked at his wristwatch. "Only 2 PM, huh? Wait..." he remembered that the job interview's he had had this morning results would have been sent to him for that time. He rushed to his office, nearly tripping over his leizuring dog, and turned on his laptop. A few minutes later he cheered out loud, causing Bosey to wake up. He had gotten the job he had applied for, although it wasn't such a big surprise for him, the cheering came from the fact that he wasn't unemployed for no longer than a day. Even when he was working for the company he got fired from the day before, he had gotten job offers every now and then from other firms who had noticed his talent. Even though he hated the job, it was well-paying and that's what mattered most at that time. He was happy he got the job he hated in that particular company though, since it was the rival of the one he got fired from. He took his phone and dialed the number of one of his best friends, Kiku Honda.

Kiku Honda was a short Japanese man with who he met in the International University of London. Even though weird at times, he was one of the most reliable people Arthur has ever known. Introduced by his distant hyper cousin Alfred, he was skeptical at first of the man, but countless get-togethers later he was sure he had made an excellent friend.

"Moshi-moshi~," a calm voice came from the other side of the line. "Kiku, you're in Japan?" Arthur asked worriedly. Usually he didn't answer his phone like that unless he had to answer it all the time in such manner. "Ah, no, sorry, I was just on the phone with my father, so it just got stuck on me. You know how he hates the English language," Kiku apologized. "So, what's up, Artie?" "You see, I met this bloke the other day and I kind of became friends with him. He's new in town so I asked him to come to the Hellhound with us to catch up on the life here. Well, today two of his friends showed up too and I thought that why the fuck not - the more, the merrier, right?" "I hear you," Kiku laughed, "I'll call Al too." Arthur sighed. He had never been too keen on his jolly cousin. He was an American, for Christ's sake, never knew when he might cross the line. Then again, he had never hanged out with a Frenchman, a Prussian and a man from Spain, so he had no idea what to expect from tonight. All he could hope for is that they won't tear the place down, immediately remembering a stupid situation he and his brothers found themselves in a few years ago. "You still there?" the man asked and Arthur was snapped back to reality, to today. "Yeah, well, see you at 9 PM, then," he said and they ended their call. More heightened voices were heard from the apartment next door and sighing, Arthur went to make himself a cup of tea.