Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Francis pulled out a cigarette from the packet and lit it, watching the stars.
Beside him, Alfred awkwardly stood, watching him smoke. He agreed to the dinner Francis offered, to his surprise. "How long have you smoked?" Blurted Alfred, breaking the awful, unwanted silence.
"A while."
That was Alfred's que not to push any farther, bringing them back to the quietness.
"Why'd you bring me to dinner?" Asked Alfred leaning against the railing of the balcony they stood on.
Francis breathed out a puff of smoke. Alfred grimaced, but said nothing. "I know you've been through a lot," admitted Francis. "But of course what I know is none of your business."
Alfred huffed. "It should be!"
Dropping the cigarette and stomping it out, Francis clapped his hands together and smiled. "It shan't."
Alfred raised an eyebrow. "'shan't?'" he echoed in amusement.
"Shouldn't and can't," informed Francis, smoothing out his pants who were wrinkled up from sitting for a long period of time. "Want me to reiterate, just in case?"
The two stared at eachother, Alfred's blue eyes twinkling with curiosity and amusement. After a long moment, Francis looked away and opened the door back into the unusually empty resteraunt. "Care to head back in?"
"Ahem...Uh...Yeah," awkwardly cough Alfred and he slid in and Francis followed after, shutting the door behind him.
This moment is bittersweet. Sweet in the way Francis might be able to comfort the boy, bitter as in it's uncomfortable and Alfred went through a trauma that he doesn't know that Francis knows.
Do you see his problem?
"What's your last name?" Suddenly asked Alfred as they left the resteraunt. Francis froze. What a random question.
"Bonnefoy," he answered and starting leading them down the sidewalk. "Yours?"
Of course he knows Alfred's last name. It's just to keep the conversation going.
"Full name is Alfred F. Jones. You got a middle name?"
Francis shook his head and instead asked, "What does the F. stand for?"
Alfred grinned cheekily. "It's there so I can yell, "I am Alfred fucking Jones!" He yelled.
Pedestrians walking past either snickered or shot Alfred dirty looks, but he ignored them, but Francis silently apologised to them as he blushed. "I-Interesting."
Alfred tugged at the sleeves of his jacket. "In reality, only my brother and my parents of course know my middle name. Not a privelege I grant to many."
"Not any," Mused Francis to himself, scratching at his chin.
"You could say," said Alfred, smiling to himself.
Francis watched cars go past them as a light breeze blew Francis' hair. "You smile a lot," observed Francis. It was good. Something he hasn't seen Alfred do in a while.
Alfred shrugged. "Life's too short to frown. I heard it takes more muscles to frown that smile: so less effort too!" He answered, pushing up his glasses. "We all run out of time."
That was something a bit grim for such a happy boy.
Francis left the conversation end, and they walked in silence, Francis put his hands in his pockets, seaching for warmth. Francis watched Alfred, and saw the frown on his lips. Francis quietly commented, "When you think someone is looking away, you're sad."
Alfred either didn't hear him or chose to ignore it.
They soon arrived at Alfred's house, which was actually very close to the resteraunt. Considering they were in the city part where they lived. Well...The closest thing to a city this town could have.
They stopped on the sidewalk in front of it and Alfred dipped his head. "T-Thanks," he quietly said. So quiet, Francis strained to hear. "I needed ," he whispered and darted into his house.
Francis stood there for a few moments, before continuing his way home. He secretly prayed he told someone so he got the help he needed at home.
Why couldn't he just confront Alfred about it?
A/N: Hey, can you guys please give me suggestions on what you want to see? Like any characters you want to pop in, what you want Francis to do about Alfred's situation, get things angstier or have it get better. Or even have Francis have his own problems? Basically any suggestions except the pairing (Because the pairing is France and America! My children, haha!)