[Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24g/25]
anonymous
September 7 2011, 16:55:50 UTC
He leaned back, resting his weight on hand while the other held Tony to his stomach, and just looked at the other Companion in complete bemusement. The idea seemed nearly ludicrous-Alfred had thought every computer merely focused solely upon their owner. It made sense-they served them and their masters (in theory) repaid them with care and protection. Sure a computer could leave their master if they felt threatened enough, but to willingly attached themselves to another person without losing their owner… Alfred couldn’t grasp it. “How?”
Sakura’s face finally dimmed as she looked back to him. “How what?”
“How could you love someone other than your master?” he finally managed.
She glanced back down to her lap but gave the tiniest shrug. “It was not my intention to… grow unusually fond of Amelia.” She paused, glancing back up at him and then around the crowd-perhaps checking for Amelia herself-before settling back into her chair. “Due to my master’s occupation, I could not accompany him to his work. He did not wish to leave me at home alone either for long periods of time either, especially in the beginning when there was a string of robberies in our neighborhood. With no one else to turn to, Amelia agreed to watch me for some of the day in exchange for using me to help her with her studies.” She stopped again, glancing out into the crowd, but when Alfred looked there was no one there so she went on. “Over time, my master would sometimes work very long shifts or stay after to complete projects. With Amelia being the only other person I saw regularly, it makes sense that I grew close to her, doesn’t it?”
“I guess,” Alfred replied, stumped. It did make sense, but all the same Alfred just couldn’t get the idea to sink in. “So, do you love her more than your real owner?”
It was Sakura’s turn to gape. “I-I do not l-care for her more than my master,” she insisted before cringing at her own volume. She mumbled on, focusing on her hands again. “I just… care for her in a different way.” She looked up at him from below her lowered lashes.
There wasn’t anything he could think of to say to that. However, as he thought it over, the more he started to feel something intensely pleasing about the idea that perhaps he knew of another computer that cared for a human like he did. What that feeling could be called, he wasn’t sure, though. Stewing in his own thoughts, he missed Gupta, Raivis, and Amelia’s return. He watched with muted curiosity as Amelia curled up almost instantly with Sakura, practically nuzzling the smiling Companion.
I wonder if me and Arthur could ever be like that. Well, maybe not cuddling in public since Arthur didn’t seem to like that, but the idea of reaching out to Arthur and for him to reach back brought up a warm feeling and a deep ache as well. Maybe one day they could be like that; perhaps not soon, but one day. I would like that. I want to be near you, Arthur.
Reaching out, Alfred snagged Sakura’s skirts and gave them a tug, grinning up at her as she turned her face to him. “You know, I think I understand what you mean. I like someone like you like her.”
Amelia gawked while Raivis started in confusion and Gupta stared at him. In his sweatshirt, he felt Tony moving, raising his head up, perhaps staring at him as well.
Sakura paused, but then she nodded after a moment, a small smile blooming on her lips. “It’s good to have someone important to you, don’t you agree?”
Alfred beamed. “The best.”
“…What’s going on?” Amelia finally asked, turning to Sakura. The Companion merely smiled. “Alfred and I were having a conversation while you were away. I asked him a question just before you returned.”
The woman blinked. “Oh… all right, I guess. Was it a fun conversation?”
Sakura and Alfred shared a glance; Alfred grinned all over again. Sakura’s smile was just as sweet. “It was an… interesting one.”
“I’ll say,” Alfred laughed. Amelia glanced between them in bemusement, but didn’t comment. Instead, Sakura shucked off the blanket and stood, gazing down at Alfred.
“Mr. Alfred, would you like to come with me up to the barricade?”
[Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24h/25]
anonymous
September 7 2011, 16:59:02 UTC
Alfred blinked, taken aback then laughed and jumped to his feet. “Sure, although, you know, it sounds really weird to be called Mr. Alfred.” He paused, patting his stomach and Tony to get his attention. “Hey, Tony, do you want to stay here or come with us?”
“It’s warmest here!” the laptop shouted back; Alfred laughed and shrugged as he curled his arm around Tony to hold him better.
“Is this a private party or would you mind if I came along, too?” Amelia asked. Alfred almost mentioned that she’d only just sat down, but Sakura nodded and the woman joined them. Leaving the other two Companions behind, they forced their way through the crowd.
Along the way, Alfred realized the crowd was thinning out-either people were taking more breaks or they were leaving. He glanced back over his shoulder to Sakura and Amelia as they neared the barricade. “Is there less people here than before?” he shouted over the song that people had begun to sing.
“Probably just getting something to eat,” Amelia shouted back. “But some have definitely gone home-some of the guys over there have left, too, you see?” Turning back, he did see. Behind the empty space where police paced, watching the crowds, and the other barricade, the crowd looked smaller but just as determined.
Next to him, Amelia joined the song, her voice rising sharp and clear into the air. Sakura tapped his arm. “Do you know this song?”
Smiling a little sheepishly, he shook his head. “I haven’t known any of these songs. I feel a little left out.”
Sakura smiled. “Would you like me to send you the lyrics?”
He beamed and gave her his email address. A moment later, he got her message and found added at bottom a phone number and a note. In case you need to speak with me and I can’t hear.
He grinned up at her and sent her a reply with his number as well before they both turned and joined the song.
As the song winded down, after nearly two repeats, Amelia turned to them and jerked her head to the back of the crowd. He nodded and started to follow her and Sakura. As he walked away, he hummed the song quietly to himself, reveling in the fun he was having, that warm feeling from before welling up in his system. Even if it was murder waiting for the day to end, at least he was having fun.
It was then that what sounded like a thunder clap behind slammed into his back, staggering him into the people in front of him. Ahead, he saw Amelia fall to her knees while Sakura nearly tumbled over her. Stunned, Alfred tried to stand and look back over his shoulder.
Across the street, dust and smoke swirled up into the air-the demonstrators on that side laid on the ground, some stunned, but others, Alfred realized numbly, lay on the ground unmoving, some in growing puddles of deep red. Staring, he thought of the small girl laptop he’d seen get struck down, her head smashed and spilling open like an overripe fruit. Around him, people began to scream.
“Oh my god, was that…?” He heard Amelia begin to say. Before he could find his voice to say he didn’t know, another thunderclap further off to his left crashed into the air.
Again, he staggered, falling to one knee as alarms began to blare in his head. His Third Law protocols tripped and forced him to his feet. Around him, people began to run, pressing in on him as he struggled not to run into Sakura, who was trying to help Amelia up. Without a second thought, he pressed hand to Tony-who was cursing furiously and telling him to run already-and started to run when the woman got to her feet.
What is happening? he thought dazedly as Gupta and Raivis found them and joined them in running. What is going on?
Not for the first time, but now more than ever, Alfred wanted to curl into Arthur’s arms and hide from the rest of the world.
[Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24i/25]
anonymous
September 7 2011, 17:04:48 UTC
Arthur heard about the explosions less than half of an hour after they happened. It didn’t take long for police officers from other districts to get called over to help. Arthur found himself helping calm the remaining demonstrators, herd away curious gawkers, or help direct paramedics to injured people. And by God, there were a lot injured-it seemed that none of the protesters escaped without some wound or dent. Arthur had personally seen several unfortunate computers that had been smashed open from the blast, their electronic insides spewing out and over the pavement, splattered with both coolant and human blood.
For every snapped chip and frayed wire that Arthur saw, his stomach gave itself a new knot. It would be a miracle if he didn’t have an ulcer by tomorrow morning. At one point he realized he hadn’t stepped on a piece of rubble, as he assumed, but instead on a cracked motherboard, Arthur had felt himself go green. It was ridiculous, amateurish almost, to be so affected by some broken circuitry, but the only thought in his head the entire time was Oh God, what if that someone could do that to Alfred before I can see him? He hoped Alfred was inside somewhere safe and warm, with all his fingers and toes and circuits attached.
It was nearly two in the morning before another wandered up to him with news that he was to relieve Arthur of his duty along with a strict warning coming from Sergeant Beilschmidt himself to go home and get some rest.
Arthur didn’t have to be told twice; he left his replacement to his task as he dug his borrowed touchpad out from his pocket and switched it back on. He had turned it off, instead using a small cat shaped mobile phone that Elizabeta handed him as they left, the standard emergency phone for their station. As he waited for it to boot up, he hazarded a look up to the sky. Clouds hung thick and full in the sky now, hiding any sight of the moon or stars bright enough to fight through the cities’ light pollution; perhaps it would snow and blanket the city and all its ugliness in a temporary mantle of pure white. It would make working at the riot scene a pain, but Arthur wouldn’t have to worry about that.
There was a trill as the touchpad finished loading and then an unfamiliar chime. Glancing down, he saw that the phone program’s icon was blinking bright yellow. Tapping the program, a message popped up informing him that he’d missed a call. When he checked the caller ID, he nearly choked on air.
One missed call from: Arthur. Alfred had tried to call him, the first time in three, nearly four weeks, and he missed it.
Letting out an impressive string of curses that earned him a scolding shout from a woman he passed by as he hurried away, he fumbled through the instructions for the waiting messages. “One missed call from Arthur,” a synthetic woman’s voice said with unnatural pauses after every word. Arthur wanted to snap at it to hurry up. “Beginning playback of message.
“Hey, Arthur, it’s Alfred.”
In spite of himself, Arthur nearly stumbled over his own feet as he stopped quickly. If he thought just texting to Alfred was an amazing relief and joy, hearing his voice could have given him a fit of utter glee. Never had one voice sounded so good before, and it was only a recording of Alfred, even if it was unnatural sounding-since Alfred could record a message directly, he didn’t need to speak aloud. There was no echo to his voice and no background noise either. Arthur shook himself back to reality as he nearly missed Alfred continuing.
“Um, slight change of plans. I kinda can’t make it home.” Arthur’s heart seized painfully and his throat nearly closed up, choking his breath while his worse fears and doubts tried to gang up on his mind. “The streets are kind of… um, not a good place for me at the moments. I think everyone’s a little messed up from the… I dunno, explosions? Yeah, well, we kinda got tired of people screaming and chucking stuff at us.”
One of the bones in Arthur’s hand popped-if he had been around, he would chased down and beaten every single one of those people that tried to hurt… wait, did he just say “us”?
[Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24j/25]
anonymous
September 7 2011, 17:07:38 UTC
“We decided to head over to a friend’s place-Feliciano Vargas and his brother’s apartment. You know, Sergeant Beilschmidt’s boyfriend? I met him. He’s really nice,” he paused and suddenly there was background noises-distant voices, a television turned up way to loud, a quiet scrapping of metal against porcelain like a fork against a plate-before Alfred spoke again, this time with an actual echo like he was now in an open room. “Hey, Feliciano, say hi to Arthur!”
A cheerful voice piped in. “Hi, Mister Arthur! It’s nice to meet you-well, speak to you, since we haven’t really meet yet, heh. Maybe if I get better soon I’ll get to see you at the Christmas luncheon Ludwig’s station holds, won’t that be fun? Or-oh, oh! You could come here! Then you could take Alfred home with you so he won’t have to wander the streets alone and I can meet you too. That’d be really nice.”
“That would be okay? Hey, Arthur, let’s do that,” Alfred agreed before the background noises died away again. “I miss you. See you soon, Arthur.”
“End of message. To repeat message, press-” Arthur tapped a button, silencing the recording. “No other new messages. If you would-”
He exited the answering program, Alfred’s words still ringing in his ears like a bell heralding a miracle. See you soon, Arthur. Alfred still wanted to see him, he was waiting for him still. It took everything he had not to race over to the apartment complex on foot, or call Elizabeta up to badger her for a ride, not that she would probably need much begging.
Feeling an overpowering mix of hope, fear, and eagerness, Arthur started to hurry away. He didn’t get very far before he had to stop again and pull out the touchpad. Scrolling through the numbers, he found the one he wanted and then waited until the ringing finally stopped and a man picked up. “Hello?”
“Ah, Sergeant? Kirkland here. I have an odd request, but I need to get your boyfriend’s address.”
After getting the address, he fumbled around with his touchpad until it gave him directions. Luckily, it wasn’t as far as he feared-no wonder Alfred and whoever he was with headed there, then; it was only a few blocks away.
His legs ached and his lungs burned as he ran as fast as he could, only slowing down or pausing to check the directions again before taking back off. It felt like there were fishhooks sunken into his skin, pulling him along, closer and closer. When he felt the slight immature urge to cheer when he finally arrived at the building, but by then he was so out of breath he could barely raise a hand above his head in muted victory. He groaned at the sight of the stairwell, knowing that he had a few flights to climb.
By the time the time he reached the right floor, he had to stop and sit on the top stair to catch his breath. Only after he finally calmed his breath-there was nothing to be done about his aching legs and feet, he would just have a long soak in the tub-he forced himself back up before staggering over to the door Ludwig named. Rapping his knuckles against the wood, he waited, wincing when he shifted unconsciously on his feet.
For a moment he started to pull the touchpad back out when the door cracked open. A hazel green eye peaked out at him. “What do you want?”
He wasn’t one hundred percent sure if this was Ludwig’s boyfriend or not, but he decided to try his luck. “Mr. Vargas?” “Maybe-what do the police want with me? Did the potato bastard send you?”
[Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24k/25]
anonymous
September 7 2011, 17:10:25 UTC
Potato what? And how did he know I’m a… He glanced downward to his dusty uniform. I’m too tired for this. “I’m here for Alfred-he called me.”
The eye blinked. “…You’re his owner?”
“Who else would I be?” he snapped back waspishly, longing to shove the door open. Somewhere on the other side of it, Alfred was waiting for him, damn it. “Look, is he there or isn’t he?”
Now the eye was scowling at him. “Don’t get bitchy with me, I don’t have to let you in here. As a matter of fact, why you go blow it-”
“Lovino, who are you talking to?” a higher pitched voice interrupted. The eye vanished and the door nearly shut.
“Seborga! I told you to stay put.”
“Oh, is it Mr. Arthur? Alfred said he might come. You’re going to let him in, aren’t you?”
There was a pause and a long stream of grumbles before the door finally swung open, revealing a scowling brunet and a small cheerful laptop. “Alfred’s with Feliciano, hold on, I’ll get him-and don’t you dare track in filth everywhere!” Lovino hurried over to a door on the far side of the room, past a couch where a dozing woman and inactive Companion cuddled. Before Arthur could shuffle in awkwardly, the Italian stuck his head in the door of the room, shouting in, calling Alfred’s name. Arthur felt intensely in tune with the sounds of that room when the distant noise of a conversation died instantly. Even over the quiet drone of the television in the living room, Arthur could hear the quiet creak of an old chair and then the soft footfalls as someone walked to the door.
When he appeared at said door, Alfred looked dusty and a little worn. Worryingly, there seemed to be something wrong with his shoulder-it dipped inward unnaturally, liked he dented it by running headlong towards a street post. In his unharmed arm, he carried a strange gray bundle that clung to his sweatshirt. Despite this, he was still one of the most achingly beautiful sights Arthur had ever seen and when his knees began to quake, it wasn’t just from fatigue.
“Arthur,” Alfred began, his voice soft, perhaps from exhaustion as well, and it was twice as wonderful as any phone message, hundreds of times better than any damn text message. “You’re here-you really came.” He paused, and slowly, a tired grin spread across his lips. “You look terrible-did a vacuum explode on you?”
There was a strange choking noise in the back of Arthur’s throat as he tried not to splutter in disbelief. “You-you hardly look any better. What have you done to your shoulder?”
“Oh, that?” He tried to shrug it off, almost managing nonchalance. “Had a little accident. I, um, might need to go see Kiku about it. Still, what happened to you?”
Arthur stared in dumbfounded silence; almost an entire goddamn month, countless hours of agony, many restless nights, and this is how Alfred chose to greet him? Without another thought to his weariness or his pain, Arthur strode across the room, dug his fingers into the hood of that sweatshirt, and yanked Alfred downward into a hug as he buried his face against his neck. “Will you shut up and actually greet me?”
For a moment, Alfred was stock still, as if he’d suddenly lost all power. However there was a small shift as he moved whatever his bundle was over towards his weaker arm before yanking Arthur so tightly against he swore he felt his vertebra cracking while Alfred returned the favor and buried his own face into the crook of Arthur’s neck. “I missed you,” he whispered, sounding as pained as Arthur felt. “I missed, I really, really missed you. I thought you weren’t going to come and you didn’t want me back after all and-”
“Oh, you silly boy,” he murmured back, tugging one arm free so he could wrap it more comfortably-and comfortingly-around Alfred’s head and neck. “Hush.”
Beside them, Lovino and the laptop, and maybe even whoever it was Alfred had been talking to or the women on the couch, were probably staring at them. Arthur couldn’t bring himself to care.
He had Alfred back and for him, that was all that mattered and all that ever would. “I missed you too, you dear silly git.”
Alfred laughed, a small wet sounding thing, clinging to him even more.
Re: [Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24k/25]
anonymous
September 9 2011, 01:47:17 UTC
Words cannot express how happy I am that they are back together again. There was a lot that went on in this chapter. A lot of things that they two of them learned--an especially useful observance for Alfred of how another human can interact with a companion, which was incredible. And, Arthur, I'm can't even sort out all my thoughts. Still, I've read it twice now, and have no words.
Their reunion was perfect; couldn't have imagined anything better.
Re: [Part 8] Anything Goes: USUK, AU based loosely on Chobits (I Can't Stop Loving You) - [24k/25]
anonymous
September 9 2011, 07:05:56 UTC
Ahhhh, this fill <3 I missed it! I saw the update when I was at university, and I grinned so much, I think people started to stare at me.
I'm so glad they finally could see each other again ;w; I liked how awkward it was when Arthur went to see Alfred, and I'm so happy that it was Arthur who went to Alfred first (and even told him to greet him properly), I think Alfred needed that reassurance that Arthur wanted him, and that was a nice way of showing it.
Can't wait for the last part! (Ngl though, I'm going to miss waiting for updates)
Sakura’s face finally dimmed as she looked back to him. “How what?”
“How could you love someone other than your master?” he finally managed.
She glanced back down to her lap but gave the tiniest shrug. “It was not my intention to… grow unusually fond of Amelia.” She paused, glancing back up at him and then around the crowd-perhaps checking for Amelia herself-before settling back into her chair. “Due to my master’s occupation, I could not accompany him to his work. He did not wish to leave me at home alone either for long periods of time either, especially in the beginning when there was a string of robberies in our neighborhood. With no one else to turn to, Amelia agreed to watch me for some of the day in exchange for using me to help her with her studies.” She stopped again, glancing out into the crowd, but when Alfred looked there was no one there so she went on. “Over time, my master would sometimes work very long shifts or stay after to complete projects. With Amelia being the only other person I saw regularly, it makes sense that I grew close to her, doesn’t it?”
“I guess,” Alfred replied, stumped. It did make sense, but all the same Alfred just couldn’t get the idea to sink in. “So, do you love her more than your real owner?”
It was Sakura’s turn to gape. “I-I do not l-care for her more than my master,” she insisted before cringing at her own volume. She mumbled on, focusing on her hands again. “I just… care for her in a different way.” She looked up at him from below her lowered lashes.
There wasn’t anything he could think of to say to that. However, as he thought it over, the more he started to feel something intensely pleasing about the idea that perhaps he knew of another computer that cared for a human like he did. What that feeling could be called, he wasn’t sure, though. Stewing in his own thoughts, he missed Gupta, Raivis, and Amelia’s return. He watched with muted curiosity as Amelia curled up almost instantly with Sakura, practically nuzzling the smiling Companion.
I wonder if me and Arthur could ever be like that. Well, maybe not cuddling in public since Arthur didn’t seem to like that, but the idea of reaching out to Arthur and for him to reach back brought up a warm feeling and a deep ache as well. Maybe one day they could be like that; perhaps not soon, but one day. I would like that. I want to be near you, Arthur.
Reaching out, Alfred snagged Sakura’s skirts and gave them a tug, grinning up at her as she turned her face to him. “You know, I think I understand what you mean. I like someone like you like her.”
Amelia gawked while Raivis started in confusion and Gupta stared at him. In his sweatshirt, he felt Tony moving, raising his head up, perhaps staring at him as well.
Sakura paused, but then she nodded after a moment, a small smile blooming on her lips. “It’s good to have someone important to you, don’t you agree?”
Alfred beamed. “The best.”
“…What’s going on?” Amelia finally asked, turning to Sakura.
The Companion merely smiled. “Alfred and I were having a conversation while you were away. I asked him a question just before you returned.”
The woman blinked. “Oh… all right, I guess. Was it a fun conversation?”
Sakura and Alfred shared a glance; Alfred grinned all over again. Sakura’s smile was just as sweet. “It was an… interesting one.”
“I’ll say,” Alfred laughed. Amelia glanced between them in bemusement, but didn’t comment. Instead, Sakura shucked off the blanket and stood, gazing down at Alfred.
“Mr. Alfred, would you like to come with me up to the barricade?”
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“It’s warmest here!” the laptop shouted back; Alfred laughed and shrugged as he curled his arm around Tony to hold him better.
“Is this a private party or would you mind if I came along, too?” Amelia asked. Alfred almost mentioned that she’d only just sat down, but Sakura nodded and the woman joined them. Leaving the other two Companions behind, they forced their way through the crowd.
Along the way, Alfred realized the crowd was thinning out-either people were taking more breaks or they were leaving. He glanced back over his shoulder to Sakura and Amelia as they neared the barricade. “Is there less people here than before?” he shouted over the song that people had begun to sing.
“Probably just getting something to eat,” Amelia shouted back. “But some have definitely gone home-some of the guys over there have left, too, you see?” Turning back, he did see. Behind the empty space where police paced, watching the crowds, and the other barricade, the crowd looked smaller but just as determined.
Next to him, Amelia joined the song, her voice rising sharp and clear into the air. Sakura tapped his arm. “Do you know this song?”
Smiling a little sheepishly, he shook his head. “I haven’t known any of these songs. I feel a little left out.”
Sakura smiled. “Would you like me to send you the lyrics?”
He beamed and gave her his email address. A moment later, he got her message and found added at bottom a phone number and a note. In case you need to speak with me and I can’t hear.
He grinned up at her and sent her a reply with his number as well before they both turned and joined the song.
As the song winded down, after nearly two repeats, Amelia turned to them and jerked her head to the back of the crowd. He nodded and started to follow her and Sakura. As he walked away, he hummed the song quietly to himself, reveling in the fun he was having, that warm feeling from before welling up in his system. Even if it was murder waiting for the day to end, at least he was having fun.
It was then that what sounded like a thunder clap behind slammed into his back, staggering him into the people in front of him. Ahead, he saw Amelia fall to her knees while Sakura nearly tumbled over her. Stunned, Alfred tried to stand and look back over his shoulder.
Across the street, dust and smoke swirled up into the air-the demonstrators on that side laid on the ground, some stunned, but others, Alfred realized numbly, lay on the ground unmoving, some in growing puddles of deep red. Staring, he thought of the small girl laptop he’d seen get struck down, her head smashed and spilling open like an overripe fruit. Around him, people began to scream.
“Oh my god, was that…?” He heard Amelia begin to say. Before he could find his voice to say he didn’t know, another thunderclap further off to his left crashed into the air.
Again, he staggered, falling to one knee as alarms began to blare in his head. His Third Law protocols tripped and forced him to his feet. Around him, people began to run, pressing in on him as he struggled not to run into Sakura, who was trying to help Amelia up. Without a second thought, he pressed hand to Tony-who was cursing furiously and telling him to run already-and started to run when the woman got to her feet.
What is happening? he thought dazedly as Gupta and Raivis found them and joined them in running. What is going on?
Not for the first time, but now more than ever, Alfred wanted to curl into Arthur’s arms and hide from the rest of the world.
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For every snapped chip and frayed wire that Arthur saw, his stomach gave itself a new knot. It would be a miracle if he didn’t have an ulcer by tomorrow morning. At one point he realized he hadn’t stepped on a piece of rubble, as he assumed, but instead on a cracked motherboard, Arthur had felt himself go green. It was ridiculous, amateurish almost, to be so affected by some broken circuitry, but the only thought in his head the entire time was Oh God, what if that someone could do that to Alfred before I can see him? He hoped Alfred was inside somewhere safe and warm, with all his fingers and toes and circuits attached.
It was nearly two in the morning before another wandered up to him with news that he was to relieve Arthur of his duty along with a strict warning coming from Sergeant Beilschmidt himself to go home and get some rest.
Arthur didn’t have to be told twice; he left his replacement to his task as he dug his borrowed touchpad out from his pocket and switched it back on. He had turned it off, instead using a small cat shaped mobile phone that Elizabeta handed him as they left, the standard emergency phone for their station. As he waited for it to boot up, he hazarded a look up to the sky. Clouds hung thick and full in the sky now, hiding any sight of the moon or stars bright enough to fight through the cities’ light pollution; perhaps it would snow and blanket the city and all its ugliness in a temporary mantle of pure white. It would make working at the riot scene a pain, but Arthur wouldn’t have to worry about that.
There was a trill as the touchpad finished loading and then an unfamiliar chime. Glancing down, he saw that the phone program’s icon was blinking bright yellow. Tapping the program, a message popped up informing him that he’d missed a call. When he checked the caller ID, he nearly choked on air.
One missed call from: Arthur. Alfred had tried to call him, the first time in three, nearly four weeks, and he missed it.
Letting out an impressive string of curses that earned him a scolding shout from a woman he passed by as he hurried away, he fumbled through the instructions for the waiting messages. “One missed call from Arthur,” a synthetic woman’s voice said with unnatural pauses after every word. Arthur wanted to snap at it to hurry up. “Beginning playback of message.
“Hey, Arthur, it’s Alfred.”
In spite of himself, Arthur nearly stumbled over his own feet as he stopped quickly. If he thought just texting to Alfred was an amazing relief and joy, hearing his voice could have given him a fit of utter glee. Never had one voice sounded so good before, and it was only a recording of Alfred, even if it was unnatural sounding-since Alfred could record a message directly, he didn’t need to speak aloud. There was no echo to his voice and no background noise either. Arthur shook himself back to reality as he nearly missed Alfred continuing.
“Um, slight change of plans. I kinda can’t make it home.” Arthur’s heart seized painfully and his throat nearly closed up, choking his breath while his worse fears and doubts tried to gang up on his mind. “The streets are kind of… um, not a good place for me at the moments. I think everyone’s a little messed up from the… I dunno, explosions? Yeah, well, we kinda got tired of people screaming and chucking stuff at us.”
One of the bones in Arthur’s hand popped-if he had been around, he would chased down and beaten every single one of those people that tried to hurt… wait, did he just say “us”?
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A cheerful voice piped in. “Hi, Mister Arthur! It’s nice to meet you-well, speak to you, since we haven’t really meet yet, heh. Maybe if I get better soon I’ll get to see you at the Christmas luncheon Ludwig’s station holds, won’t that be fun? Or-oh, oh! You could come here! Then you could take Alfred home with you so he won’t have to wander the streets alone and I can meet you too. That’d be really nice.”
“That would be okay? Hey, Arthur, let’s do that,” Alfred agreed before the background noises died away again. “I miss you. See you soon, Arthur.”
“End of message. To repeat message, press-” Arthur tapped a button, silencing the recording. “No other new messages. If you would-”
He exited the answering program, Alfred’s words still ringing in his ears like a bell heralding a miracle. See you soon, Arthur. Alfred still wanted to see him, he was waiting for him still. It took everything he had not to race over to the apartment complex on foot, or call Elizabeta up to badger her for a ride, not that she would probably need much begging.
Feeling an overpowering mix of hope, fear, and eagerness, Arthur started to hurry away. He didn’t get very far before he had to stop again and pull out the touchpad. Scrolling through the numbers, he found the one he wanted and then waited until the ringing finally stopped and a man picked up. “Hello?”
“Ah, Sergeant? Kirkland here. I have an odd request, but I need to get your boyfriend’s address.”
After getting the address, he fumbled around with his touchpad until it gave him directions. Luckily, it wasn’t as far as he feared-no wonder Alfred and whoever he was with headed there, then; it was only a few blocks away.
His legs ached and his lungs burned as he ran as fast as he could, only slowing down or pausing to check the directions again before taking back off. It felt like there were fishhooks sunken into his skin, pulling him along, closer and closer. When he felt the slight immature urge to cheer when he finally arrived at the building, but by then he was so out of breath he could barely raise a hand above his head in muted victory. He groaned at the sight of the stairwell, knowing that he had a few flights to climb.
By the time the time he reached the right floor, he had to stop and sit on the top stair to catch his breath. Only after he finally calmed his breath-there was nothing to be done about his aching legs and feet, he would just have a long soak in the tub-he forced himself back up before staggering over to the door Ludwig named. Rapping his knuckles against the wood, he waited, wincing when he shifted unconsciously on his feet.
For a moment he started to pull the touchpad back out when the door cracked open. A hazel green eye peaked out at him. “What do you want?”
He wasn’t one hundred percent sure if this was Ludwig’s boyfriend or not, but he decided to try his luck. “Mr. Vargas?”
“Maybe-what do the police want with me? Did the potato bastard send you?”
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The eye blinked. “…You’re his owner?”
“Who else would I be?” he snapped back waspishly, longing to shove the door open. Somewhere on the other side of it, Alfred was waiting for him, damn it. “Look, is he there or isn’t he?”
Now the eye was scowling at him. “Don’t get bitchy with me, I don’t have to let you in here. As a matter of fact, why you go blow it-”
“Lovino, who are you talking to?” a higher pitched voice interrupted. The eye vanished and the door nearly shut.
“Seborga! I told you to stay put.”
“Oh, is it Mr. Arthur? Alfred said he might come. You’re going to let him in, aren’t you?”
There was a pause and a long stream of grumbles before the door finally swung open, revealing a scowling brunet and a small cheerful laptop. “Alfred’s with Feliciano, hold on, I’ll get him-and don’t you dare track in filth everywhere!” Lovino hurried over to a door on the far side of the room, past a couch where a dozing woman and inactive Companion cuddled. Before Arthur could shuffle in awkwardly, the Italian stuck his head in the door of the room, shouting in, calling Alfred’s name. Arthur felt intensely in tune with the sounds of that room when the distant noise of a conversation died instantly. Even over the quiet drone of the television in the living room, Arthur could hear the quiet creak of an old chair and then the soft footfalls as someone walked to the door.
When he appeared at said door, Alfred looked dusty and a little worn. Worryingly, there seemed to be something wrong with his shoulder-it dipped inward unnaturally, liked he dented it by running headlong towards a street post. In his unharmed arm, he carried a strange gray bundle that clung to his sweatshirt. Despite this, he was still one of the most achingly beautiful sights Arthur had ever seen and when his knees began to quake, it wasn’t just from fatigue.
“Arthur,” Alfred began, his voice soft, perhaps from exhaustion as well, and it was twice as wonderful as any phone message, hundreds of times better than any damn text message. “You’re here-you really came.” He paused, and slowly, a tired grin spread across his lips. “You look terrible-did a vacuum explode on you?”
There was a strange choking noise in the back of Arthur’s throat as he tried not to splutter in disbelief. “You-you hardly look any better. What have you done to your shoulder?”
“Oh, that?” He tried to shrug it off, almost managing nonchalance. “Had a little accident. I, um, might need to go see Kiku about it. Still, what happened to you?”
Arthur stared in dumbfounded silence; almost an entire goddamn month, countless hours of agony, many restless nights, and this is how Alfred chose to greet him? Without another thought to his weariness or his pain, Arthur strode across the room, dug his fingers into the hood of that sweatshirt, and yanked Alfred downward into a hug as he buried his face against his neck. “Will you shut up and actually greet me?”
For a moment, Alfred was stock still, as if he’d suddenly lost all power. However there was a small shift as he moved whatever his bundle was over towards his weaker arm before yanking Arthur so tightly against he swore he felt his vertebra cracking while Alfred returned the favor and buried his own face into the crook of Arthur’s neck. “I missed you,” he whispered, sounding as pained as Arthur felt. “I missed, I really, really missed you. I thought you weren’t going to come and you didn’t want me back after all and-”
“Oh, you silly boy,” he murmured back, tugging one arm free so he could wrap it more comfortably-and comfortingly-around Alfred’s head and neck. “Hush.”
Beside them, Lovino and the laptop, and maybe even whoever it was Alfred had been talking to or the women on the couch, were probably staring at them. Arthur couldn’t bring himself to care.
He had Alfred back and for him, that was all that mattered and all that ever would. “I missed you too, you dear silly git.”
Alfred laughed, a small wet sounding thing, clinging to him even more.
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OH
MY
GOD!
THIS!
THIS!!
YOU WONDERFUL ANON YOU!
THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING!
I LOVE IT!
Thank you A!A for this utterly wonderful and beautiful and downright amazing story.
I am sat here grinning like an idiot over this update!!
I AM SO HAPPY THEY HAVE FINALLY MET BACK UP.
MARRY. ME.
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sorry about that!
OMGGGG they finally met up again!
Poor Arthur and poor Alfred... I'm so happy they're hugging at the moment, oh god.
This is an amazing story- you should be proud of yourself. Thank you so much for writing this!!!
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It was a long time coming, no? (Well... not counting my long delays. Whoops.)
I'm really happy you've liked it. Thank you for commenting.
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Their reunion was perfect; couldn't have imagined anything better.
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I'm so glad they finally could see each other again ;w; I liked how awkward it was when Arthur went to see Alfred, and I'm so happy that it was Arthur who went to Alfred first (and even told him to greet him properly), I think Alfred needed that reassurance that Arthur wanted him, and that was a nice way of showing it.
Can't wait for the last part! (Ngl though, I'm going to miss waiting for updates)
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If it makes you feel better, I plan on continuing this AU through some drabbles on my ff.net account and lj. It won't go away forever.
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usxuk.livejournal.com "I can't stop loving you"
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