Alfred was howling with laughter and glanced back at Arthur's expression as they zoomed away.
"I dunno if Arthur approves. Are we doing something illegal? Not that it's going to stop us!"
"I have a feeling this is illegal," Matthew said as the bike spread up and pulled into traffic.
"But we're wearing helmets so it's fine, right?" Alfred dismissed as he excitedly glanced around and waved at the other occupants on the road. "So where are we going, Francy?"
"If you keep calling me that I will have to think up an equally lovely nickname for you, American."
"That sounds like a nickname to me, eh?" Matthew teased, not at all hiding his encouragement for his brother to be harassed. Alfred deserved it.
"You say that like it's a bad nickname because you think I gave you a bad nickname but I'm just pointing out that your name sounds like your country!"
"If that's what you think American~" Francis singsonged. "As for where we're going, you come all this way to check out this miserable country, you might as well have a tour."
"Sounds good," Matthew asserted.
"Hell yeah! Personal tour!" Alfred cheered, "So where are we going?"
"Let that be a surprise. Just enjoy the ride and take in the sights!" Francis turned off the main road and weaved into the side streets.
From the back of the motorbike, the twins saw more of the city in a couple of hours than they did in the past few days as they weaved through traffic and scenic streets. Despite the lack of sleep the night before the group was invigorated as they took in the sights of the foreign city. It was definitely different to New York in more ways than they expected.
By the time lunch rolled around Alfred and Matthew were arguing about where they should eat. Alfred argued in favour of fast food because 'we already know what it tastes like' while Matthew argued they should eat locally because that was the tourist thing to do and 'when in Rome, do as the Romans'. Francis cut them both off with a laugh.
"Non, I have already picked a place."
Then the twins focused their efforts on finding out what Francis was planning. Their efforts were in vain.
"I cannot ruin the surprise," Francis repeated as he parked the bike and led the group through the narrow stone streets.
"I'll be just as surprised if you tell me now versus if you tell me when we get there!" Alfred argued.
"But we are here!" Francis walked into a pub and Alfred glanced unsurely at Matthew, who raised an eyebrow at his unsureness making Alfred even more unsure because was his own brother scheming with the Frenchie? Definitely a possibility. Alfred knew he totally would and that made him paranoid. Matthew walked in and not wanting to be alone on the street, Alfred hurried after him.
Francis was standing at the bar with a menu in hand. Alfred was about to ask Francis if you could order a pub meal from a bar in England, but then he leaned over his shoulder to be annoying and saw it was a drinks menu-
"Holy shit!" Alfred whisper-screamed as he grabbed Matthew and Francis and dragged them out of the pub before the other patrons or staff could see them.
Francis said something in French and fought to free himself so Alfred let him go and dragged Matthew out. If he was going to save only one of them it was going to be his brother. Matthew tensed at the treatment but let Alfred take him.
"What is it?" Matthew said with concern when they were back on the street again.
"We can't go in there!"
"Why not?" Francis asked sceptically as he stood in the doorway. "Not greasy enough for your American standards?"
"Whaddaya mean why not?" Alfred let the jab pass and instead glanced around the street to see if anyone was watching. Fortunately, it didn't seem there was.
Matthew had initially trusted Alfred's judgement to get them out of there but now he was wondering if his brother had made a mistake.
"Alfred, they sell food in there, it's not illegal to go in."
"Uh, sure it is! Francis was looking at the drinks!"
Francis' face morphed into utter confusion as if there shouldn't be a problem. Matthew couldn't see the problem.
"He's allowed to have a drink, he's an adult?"
"There's alcohol in there! It's an alcoholic drink!"
"Yes Alfred, I know." This was why Matthew was a really patient person. See what he had to put up with?
"We're not old enough to have alcohol! They'll check our IDs. Do you wanna get arrested over here?!"
"Hold on, just wait a moment," Francis interjected. "You're- you're underage?"
Matthew wanted to facepalm. Alfred made a scene because he was an idiot.
"Uh yeah, we're underage so there's no way we can go in there!" Alfred stressed.
"I thought for sure you were adults! Haven't you finished school? How old are you!?"
Alfred threw his hands up in mock surrender as he was interrogated.
"18... thank fuck I'm outta school but we got a while to go before we can drink... unfortunately."
"The drinking age here is 18, Alfred," Matthew said as he brushed past to go in. Exaggeratedly rolled his eyes to Francis to hint that this was just typical and there wasn't actually a problem.
"Are you sure you finished school, American?" Francis teased as he went inside.
"Wait, really? I can drink here?" Alfred's voice climbed a couple of octaves. "Why didn't you say so sooner!? Holy shit let's go!"
They ordered a meal and some drinks before sitting in a booth by the window. Alfred was still a little embarrassed by his misunderstanding but the excitement of having a legal drink outweighed it. To shut Francis up from teasing him he had to explain that in the US underage drinking was like a death sentence and so it was just drilled into him not to do it. His explanation didn't save him from any harassment.
Matthew and Francis were talking in French and bonding over pronunciation or something, Alfred didn't know because he couldn't join in and had to settle for staring out the window and watching the world go by.
It wasn't too different to New York. Sure the scenery was completely different but the people were the exact same.
When their drinks came the conversation steered back into English territory (thank fuck, Alfred had just started to regret not taking French himself, a testament to how he was losing his sanity) as they tried the drinks. Because Francis had ordered, they didn't taste like shit. In the movies, people's first drinks always made them wince or spit it out so Alfred was surprised when it actually tasted good. Maybe it was because he was French?
"So..." Alfred started conversationally and glanced at Francis. "How old are you then?"
"19. I've been in this dreadful country for a year now. I should probably go see a doctor to check my head because there must be a reason I haven't left yet."
"But if you left you wouldn't have met us," Alfred sent him a blinding smile.
"I suppose that's true," Francis mused. "So, what do you want to do now that you've left school? Are you doing anything?"
Oh. The dreaded question. The twins had been hearing it excessively since 12 years old and more so in the past year before they graduated than ever. When you were 12 you could get away with not knowing, but as time went on the question that was presented so casually started to weigh on them as they felt their time running out. Alfred's face twitched as he didn't let his enthusiasm slip because he really didn't want to say he didn't have an answer for that. Because he was meant to, wasn't he? He should have one by now, right?
He'd be fucked if he didn't have an answer by the end of the year and one gap year stretched into two and then it was all just downhill from there he tried to not let the pressure get to him but it wasn't just something he could shake off when it had slowly sunk into him and-
Matthew could tell that Alfred was hesitant beside him. His brother always had to be so sure of everything and he really didn't like feeling otherwise. Matthew spoke up, his voice more sombre than a casual conversation but it was full of honest vulnerability.
"We don't know."
Francis tilted his head and Matthew could see understanding.
"That's perfectly fine, I don't really know either."
"You have music," Alfred said, a little bitterly because he was just upset with himself and at what seemed to just be a statement to try and make them feel better.
"Oui, I'm really lucky to be able to do something with a passion, but even then it can't be the career I'm expected to have..."
"But you could turn it into a career," Alfred argued. "So lucky you, you have something."
Matthew didn't say anything to chide his brother for being so confrontational because he agreed. At least Francis had that option. The twins were still left afloat in an ocean of opportunity but without a life vest or any inkling of what direction held land they could swim to.
Instead of rising to Alfred's challenging tone, Francis just sighed and tilted his head as he gazed out the window.
"You know, the French believe it's beautiful to simply live. Just being alive is an experience and achievement in itself. I can tell that the stress of obligation is weighing on you but why don't you just try to forget the bigger picture? Forget becoming a cog in a machine that would work with or without you and try to enjoy the little things."
Francis gestured outside the window.
"Like this beautiful warm summer day. You can actually see the sun today, why not enjoy it? It's not every day the sun makes an appearance in this country. Why don't you notice the blossoming flowers making the street lovely and colourful? You're here now so enjoy it now instead of worrying about tomorrow. Who cares about our life's purpose? Perhaps our purpose is not to seek out the purpose and it will come to us. I don't know or care if creating music is my purpose or not, it is simply something I enjoy. Seeking out enjoyment gives me motivation to live each day and purpose will surely be an overarching theme that can only be seen from the outside."
Alfred wrung his hands together and Matthew bit his lip as Francis continued.
"Have you considered you should just do what you want? Even if it's not a career, even if it's not a job. There's more to life than working! We were never meant to live to work, only work to live and I know my purpose is not working, but living. I think that might be the 'something' you say I have but I think that as long as you have a zest for life, then you have 'something.'"
Alfred found himself nodding along and trying not to show that he was getting just a little bit choked up. Maybe he just really wanted to believe in what Francis was saying because it was just so damn hopeful! It sounded good! But he worried it was too good to be true...
"You know, my grandparents were... ah, 'fancy pants', as you say. But my mother disappointed them by marrying beneath her, for true love." Francis sighed wistfully. "I think it's romantic, but my grandparents... it cost my mother their approval and love. They disowned her. She gave everything away and I still think it's romantic because surely that means what my parents had was truly special and true. It also meant I had a modest upbringing so I think I have a realistic view of the world compared to the stuffy 'fancy pants'."
Matthew was hanging onto every word and found himself leaning in his seat to make sure he didn't miss any of Francis' unexpected lore drop.
"Well, I shouldn't be too hard on my grandparents. They have a soft spot for me so at least I'm not in debt. And because of them, I'm closer to the upper class than anyone normal so I can network 'gigs' like the one I did last night... though perhaps not anymore," Francis cringed. "Not after what happened..."
"But Peach and Pear said they'd take the blame for that so you're prolly fine," Alfred dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"I guess we'll see," Francis chuckled. "The 'fancy pants' have short memories. Once the next piece of gossip comes along it'll all be forgotten about."
Neither of the twins felt the stress that was plaguing them a few minutes earlier and from a shared look, they both knew they felt the same. Carefree, and willing to enjoy this holiday.