Arthur had chased his brother after he had opened the closet door. Francis couldn't help but feel the outrage in his brother's eyes when he saw them pressed together. 

Francis trotted out of the closet and crawled on his hands and knees; sticking his head into the opening. He saw Arthur and Alfred's backs to him, they were standing in the living room as Alfred's voice was low and hissed. 

"Are you going to tell him…?" 

Arthur didn't answer right away as Alfred kept talking. "He deserves to know the truth." 

"Look," Arthur said softly, he didn't snap at his brother as he would've done to Francis. "I supported your relationship with Kiku. Why are you making me into a bad guy…?" This sentence was full of frustration, that it had startled the daunting Alfred. 

"I… I know you have, and I am thankful for your support!" Alfred cheered as he then clapped his hands together. "Maybe it's time to accept that you aren't….?" 

Arthur didn't say anything as Alfred glanced towards the kitchen and silence developed around them. 

"I'm going to be taking my boyfriend out to dinner tonight to propose to him," Alfred responded as Kiku waved from the kitchen. "You're going to be alone for the evening." he crossed his arms and he glanced back and noticed Francis who only gave a small smile. 

Alfred placed a hand on Arthur's back and brought him out of earshot and they faced each other. There was clear anger written on Arthur's face as Alfred talked and at the end, it loosened into a tired, defeated look. Arthur seemed tired of fighting a losing battle; however, what it was would probably never surface to Francis. 

The thought of what could've been nearly anything; however, one dark thing stuck in his mind like glue - he was playing with his feelings like his first relationship had. His purple orbs turned down towards the bedroom carpet as his legs took him towards the bed. 

He wants to play me like a fiddle? I'll show him… I won't repeat the same mistake I made with Nicole, never ever. 

Arthur clapped his hands to announce his presence and gave a petite smile, his eyes didn't crinkle and the smile felt fake to the Frenchman. The façade made his stomach writhe as he began to rub his temples. 

"Hmm.. Would you like to go on a forest walk with me…?" Arthur asked. Sitting down next to Francis on the bed, his eyes glimpsing at Francis every minute or so. 

"It wouldn't be wise to go. Hunter and Hooke are onto us; thanks for the offer." Francis used the small excuse and left the British man alone in the bedroom. Although Francis thought about heading back inside, he felt like he couldn’t. Kiku was adjusting the tie of Alfred, who gave his boyfriend a large smile, his brilliant blue eyes twinkling as Kiku leaned in for a kiss. 

"Hey Francis!" Kiku smiled as Alfred's blue eyes scanned the frenchman up and down. 

"Hey… Kiku. I hope you guys enjoy your date!" 

"Thanks! Please try not to trash the house…" murmured Kiku as Alfred gave a small wave, never breaking the silence between them until replying, "take good care of Artie. Make sure he doesn't go off to his favorite bar, Gilbert's." 

"Don't worry, he won't," Francis gave a wry smile as the front door opened as the two left. Francis sat down upon the comfortable sofa and felt a chin rest itself on the crown of his scalp. 

"... We could watch a movie if you want. You seem like the kind of chap to enjoy romance flicks."

Francis let out an annoyed huff as Arthur sat down next to him, his petite smile never fading as butterflies began to gnaw on his stomach lining. 

"Not interested," Francis sighed as his purple orbs began to cloud up, his stomach flipped. 

"That's alright! Should I make dinner for us then? What would you like to do?" 

"You're acting weird," Francis pressed his lips together as Arthur glanced at the Frenchman nervously. 

"Are you… upset with me? Cause you're also acting weird, frog," he hesitantly placed the name calling at the end of his sentence and crossed his arms. His eyes gleamed with disinterest as Francis stood up. 

"No, I am not," he lied as he felt his nails scratch his purple sleeve. "I wanna train. I can't get the idea of failing out of my head." 

"That's quite alright," Arthur responded as the male heaved himself off the couch and left for a few seconds. Francis's mind raced as millions of thoughts buzzed like insects. The male opened the slider door as he watched Arthur throw his sword into the grass as the sky began to darken, clearly unhappy. 

"Show me what you learned." 

"Why do you keep saying that?" Huffed Francis as he readied himself watching the male harden up like drying clay. 

Francis charged forward, striking and aiming at the male's chest area, his anger writing itself intensely as he slashed at Arthur's left hand. 

"You're going was on me," Francis remarked as Arthur dropped the silver blade. He swiped at the Brit, who only rolled off to the side as he kept himself low to the ground. "Or am I getting better?" 

Arthur lunged at the male's legs, bringing the male down into the dewy grass, letting out a scowl. Arthur glared down at the male he was on top of as he hissed, "you're lucky you didn't cut off my left hand that I am practicing with!" 

His green eyes muted him as he bit his lip, not knowing what to say. His stomach fluttered as Arthur leaned forward, fixing the Frenchman's sideways collar and rolled off, offering the Frenchman his hand. 

"Zut Alors!" Francis shouted as Arthur cocked one of his bushy eyebrows. Small rain drops dropped out of stormy clouds as Arthur turned up towards the sky. 

"We should probably go inside." Arthur moved towards the glass door; however, Francis didn't move. 

"I like the rain." The speed began to pick up as the rain fell like bullets piercing the frenchman's silky fabric. 

"Seriously, what's wrong?" Arthur frowned, his voice seemed disinterested; however, his emerald orbs showed clear sympathy towards the male. 

"I don't want your pity over what I said last night. I know you don't care and I don't want you to worry," Francis crisscrossed his arms as Arthur's bushy eyebrows narrowed down. 

"Pity!? You think I'm bloody pitying you!? What I said was the gentleman's word, which I don't break," his voice heightened as lightning crashed against the murky backdrop. He sighed as he turned his attention towards the woods and crossed his arms. He went to open his mouth; however, his throat clamped up the words he wished he could say. 

"My brain says no but my heart is thumping yes," Francis murmured out as his purple orbs flashed down towards his feet. "I remember feeling this way behind a cheerful smile; however, it seems fake." 

Arthur took a step towards the Frenchman, who only took off towards the soft glowing of the house. He glanced over his shoulder at Arthur, who stood quietly out in the rain. 

Francis turned towards the glass window, his mind pacing. Why was he reliving the trauma he had endured? Was it because he was scared to open himself up? Was that why he turned everyone away if they wanted something serious out of him? 

He heard muttering coming from the door sliding open as he couldn't bear to look at the male. Arthur was nothing like Nicole so why must he think and feel this way? 

"I'm going to the bar for a while, Alfred and Kiku should be back." 

"W-wait-! Alfred told me to keep you here."

"Of course he did," muttered Arthur as he crossed his arms. Silence filled the room between them as Arthur quietly whispered, "I can't stand this." 

Francis didn't say anything as Arthur moved towards him. "I can't stay quiet while you're suffering so much. I may not know what happened to you but…" 

"I'm unhappy that someone can be completely fine without me," Francis murmured as Arthur's eyes perked up. Francis glanced down at his feet. "Can be completely happy while I feel jealous that I have to do my own thing. That one can be confident while butterflies dance in my stomach. It…" 

"..." 

"It isn't fair that I went through what I did at fifteen. It isn't fair that in the end I'll sound whiny when the only thing that keeps me safe is gone… just, fuck off Arthur." 

Arthur's green eyes darkened as he turned his head towards the window. "As you wish. Whenever you wanna talk, just, you know where to find me." 

"You're so oblivious and I hate that!" Whined Francis as he pushed Arthur away. 

"What am I even doing???" Arthur began to raise his voice and stopped when he noticed the frenchman sobbing harder. 

"I heard everything Alfred had said. You're playing me like a fiddle and…" 

"No, I am not! Clearly you heard it out of context!" Arthur shouted as his anger began to boil. He clenched his hands together, trying to keep down his frustration; however, he couldn't help but feel like Francis was doing this to push his buttons. 

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Sobbed the Frenchman as he began to pound his fists into the Englishman's chest. "I love you so much that I hate you cause it'll never be returned!" Without warning, the Frenchman spun on his heels, racing towards the front door and slamming it behind him. 

Arthur moved towards the window, watching Francis run in the pouring rain unleashing hell on St. Pierre. He pressed a hand to the glass and softly sighed, "be safe…" 

Francis kept running and running. The darkness grew around him as he burst through the bar doors. 

"Get the fuck out of here, we're closed-!" A woman called from the back until she made her way to the counter to see Francis's puffy eyes. 

"Edward!" Sasha called as the pirate fumbled out, teaching a newbie how to mop the floor correctly. 

Edward peeked his head out and raced towards the front when his eyes made contact with Francis. "Sit down. What's wrong my boy?" 

Francis plopped down on the wooden stool, pressing his head against the table. "I am stupid. I am dumb. I am a fool." 

"You're not any of those. Anyone who says that gets their arse handed to em!" Sasha growled as the newbie glanced over the opening of the door. 

"Did they give away my job?" Francis wetly cackled as Edward handed Francis some napkins. 

"He thought you were dead. He's going to be ecstatic to have his poster boy back." Edward grabbed a dirty glass and wiped out the old rum that clung to the side. "Also, two men are looking for you. There's apparently an award for your capture. I'd leave town." 

Sasha leaned forward, grabbing hold of Francis's hand while saying, "if your girlfriend is being harsh to you, then fuck her!" 

"I love someone so much it hurts. He doesn't feel the same.." Francis trailed off as the two exchanged glances. "Finally the time where I found someone I love to an unbearable amount makes me wanna scream." 

"I get that," Sasha nodded slowly as she squeezed Francis's hand. "I am glad you're finally accepting yourself, unlike Nicole. You're the charming Francis Bonnefoy, who wouldn't wanna date you?" 

"Yes, why wouldn't?" A dark voice came from the entrance of the bar. Hunter and Hooke slowly trotted through the bar as Sasha jumped up on the bar table. 

"Sorry, we're closed." 

"Who called you here?" Edward demanded as the mop dropped onto the floor.

"I did. My Mom is in the hospital and someone needs to care for my 12 younger siblings when my two older brothers won't." Hunter dropped the big stash on the ground, which the intern snatched and ran away. 

"Sorry, but you'll have to get through us if you wanna try anything…" Sasha grabbed at Francis's sword while Edward fumbled with his sword belt and yanked at the sword.

Hunter huffed as he tried to grab the Frenchman, which resulted in Sasha getting in the way. 

"Go, my boy!" Edward shouted as Francis ran through the employee's only door leading to the backdoor. He bumped into a cart full of empty bottles and bursted into the dark, pouring night. 

His legs felt like slipping on the wrt mud as he heard a familiar voice in front of him. 

"Kiku, I have known you for five years and I've enjoyed all the good times while also the bad. Kiku…" 

"... Guys!" Francis shouted out to them, his sobbing never ceasing. They turned around and saw the hysterical frenchman. "... Please help—" his body made contact with the soggy mud as his heart felt like it was going to stop pounding. 

"Hello Francis, miss me~?" She held his arm behind his back as she pressed his face into the gooey mud. 

"Get off-!" Alfred puffed out his chest until a taller, muscular figure came out of nowhere and delivered a punch to the male's lower area. Alfred toppled onto his knees as Kiku hugged the male's waist. 

"Are you okay Alfie??" Kiku buried his face into the male's neck as Alfred fell onto all fours, wanting to throw up from the intensity of the blow. 

"We gotta tell Arthur and find out what happened…" Alfred muttered as they lost track of Francis in the fog that hovered over everyone.