A Visit from a Frog

Francis walked down the hallway from his room towards the Briton's room.He hummed quietly as he walked,a slight bounce in his step to the tune of the song.He rounded a corner and started counting off the door numbers.When he reached room 85,he stopped,staring at the door.He took a deep breath and reached up to knock on the door.He knocked rather obnoxiously,and smirked as he did so."Arthur!It's moi!"

And Arthur had been having such a nice nap, too. He'd been dreaming of Flying Mint Bunny and their wonderful frolicking in a world so perfect and magical when suddenly, a voice ripped him away from his sweet fantasy.

A very annoying and French voice that he recognized perfectly well, unfortunately.

The knocking returned and Arthur groaned sleepily, burying his face in his pillow. Francis wouldn't go away until he answered, would he?

"Come in." he called begrudgingly, pulling his cover further up to protect him from the biting cold of the outside world.

Francis smiled happily.He opened the door and entered the room,kicking off his shoes and shutting the door.He lined up his loafers neatly beside the doorway and walked into the room more.He stretched."I'm glad you let me in,"he said,walking over towards Arthur.He ruffled the Brit's hair."I had a few things to say to toi."He then took it upon himself to fix the hair he had just mussed up.

Arthur lifted a hand and blindly swatted at Francis' hand until he smacked it away, muttering something unintelligible.

"What?" he demanded groggily, his accent thicker with sleep.

Francis knelt down to be at eye level with Arthur."I'm sorry about our little fight last night,mon ami.It was childish of moi,"he said,resting his head on the corner of the bed.He yawned softly.The dark room seemed to make him feel tired also.

"But I do have something to say.Let us be friends,oui?We can have the fights but let's be friends.No denying it,I know you like moi,"he chuckled.He poked Arthur's cheek."Want to go get food,friend?I could cook for toi!"

"Three things to reply to that." Arthur muttered, his voice smothered in his pillow. He raised his fingers to count them off. "One: We're not friends. Two: I don't like you. Three: I'm up for some good old bread pudding. With custard. Or English cream. If you can do that... We'll see about the rest."

Francis rolled his eyes a bit."Of course I can manage bread pudding.Who do you take me for,someone who can't cook?"He gave a soft hit to the back of Arthur's head before standing,going to the kitchen.He looked around for ingredients and started to prepare the meal.He hummed softly as he did so.

"Well..If all it takes it food to win your heart,then I'll be all set,"he laughed.

"You're a bitch!" Arthur growled from the bedroom, pulling the covers over his head. And then, as if he'd head Francis' comment, he added a very smothered-sounding "And if you think that cooking for me is going to make us friends, you're wrong!"

"Tu es méchant,"Francis called to Arthur.He smiled as he cooked,lost in the zone,if you will.He loved cooking,especially for someone else.He hummed quietly as he prepared the food,enjoying it immensely.He set the bread pudding down and began searching to see if Arthur kept custard or English cream.He found both.

"Which is it that you prefer?"he called to the Brit."Custard or the cream?"

"I thought you were cooking, not me." Arthur voice came a bit closer, until he ended up in the doorway, hair strewn everywhere, wife beater hanging off his lean frame, sweats clamped low on his hips. He leaned against the frame and stared at Francis, arms crossed. "But since you require my help, I will aid you in solving this dilemma. Cream goes better with bread pudding."

"You're the one who suggested custard,"Francis said.He waved his hand as he went back to the food."Go sit or whatever.I'm making magic happen.."He then laughed and glanced at Arthur.

"So you're not the only one who is using magic,oui?"He stuck out his tongue and then focused on the pudding,singing softly as he did so.He sang the French national anthem happily.

Arthur watched him work for a while longer, then turned around.

"Yours and my magic are very different. Mine kills people. Yours... captivates." he ended, walking back and flopping back face-down on the bed. "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when it's ready." he called through the covers.

"My magic captivates?Honhon.."Francis smirked a little bit and continued to work on the food."Oui,you sleep,"he then called.

"Don't want you to get in the way,"he added,feeling the need to include a slight jab to the Brit.He focused on the food,trying to get lost in the moment again but finding the things around him rather distracting.He sighed and kept at the cooking.

"You're a bloody idiot and the only real reason I put up with you is because you make good food." Arthur found it necessary to specify as he crossed his arms and tried to ignore the fact that the frog had once again made a jab at his cooking skills.

He didn't care anymore. He was a good cook in his eyes and that's all that mattered.

Soon Francis was finishing the bread pudding.He sighed a little bit and brought it out to Arthur.He made a face as he handed it to the Brit."Sorry..Not my best work."He sat beside him and hung his head,annoyed with himself.

"I could try to remake it,if you wish.I mean,if you dislike it.."He looked at Arthur and shrugged."I've never cooked this poorly before,mon dieu."

Arthur lifted his head and looked at him with a raised brow, reveling in how the Frenchman looked utterly tortured. He kept himself from smirking, though, because some part of him told him that he'd feel bad afterwards if he rubbed salt into the wound.

"It'll be fine." he sighed, taking the plate and delicately taking a bite. In all honesty, it didn't taste as bad as the Frenchman made it sound. In fact, it was quite good.

It reminded him of his mother's pudding, the smell of baking in the house, the tastes of sweet custard and smiles mixed on his lips, and everything that was home.

"What are you doing, standing up?" he raised a brow at Francis, trying to dispel his current train of thought. Last thing he needed was to get nostalgic. Those times were long gone, and he had to move on now. "It would be horribly un-gentleman-like of me to keep you standing. Take a seat."

Francis blinked and slowly sat down.He smiled happily at Arthur."Well,if you like it,that's all that matters."He watched the man for a moment before stealing a bite of the food.He didn't comment,merely shrugged a little bit and stretched.He leaned back and looked around.

"I'm glad you're gentlemanly even to me,"he commented happily.

Arthur blushed at that and quickly returned to his food to cover it up.

"Git, I'm a proper gentleman, so I must respect even those that annoy me." he muttered under his breath.

"Except your brother,"Francis said,pointing over at Arthur."He's not that bad.He's nice."He nodded a little bit.He had always been rather friendly with Rory,and it was through him that he became closer to Arthur.

"He's funny.And rather attractive,with that flaming red hair."Francis laughed at this and leaned over slightly as he tried to calm himself.He wiped pretend tears from his eyes."And your families bushy eyebrows."

Arthur gritted his teeth and went darker red, clamping his hands over his large eyebrows on reflex.

"Shut it, my eyebrows are perfectly normal." he replied haughtily. "And Rory's a right git. He's always making fun of me and just because he's older, he thinks he can pick on me, and he's always smoking those god-awful fags of his." he frowned in disgust. "It's absolutely repulsive, but then again, if you enjoy his 'manly charm' and 'flaming hair', as you put it so eloquently, why don't you go stick to him instead of me? God knows I'd like it better if you did. Besides, two idiots together are more than compatible." he mumbled that last sentence as he looked away.

His bedsheets suddenly seemed all that more appealing to look at.

Francis blinked and looked over.He laughed and shook his head no."I couldn't be with Rory.For one thing,he isn't my type.Another is I doubt he would even like moi."He leaned over to pat Arthur's back gently.

"And I don't like Rory.So there."He yawned a little bit and pulled back to curl up on the chair he sat on.He closed his eyes."Mm..It's calm here.Peaceful.Makes me want to sleep."

"Oh, so now Mr Fancy-Pants has a type. Because his type isn't just anything that moves and breathes." Arthur muttered sarcastically, crossing his arms. "You better not fall asleep in my room or I'm kicking you out. Think of how awkward it would be for someone to find you asleep in my room... I mean... you can stay, but..." Arthur tripped over his words a bit. "Just... Just don't fall asleep on me!"

"I won't,I won't,"Francis chuckled.He looked away,thinking.He sighed."Plus,I have a type.It's not anything that moves.I'm offended."He pouted and then gently hit Arthur.

"Mon amiiiii,amuse moi!"he demanded.He laughed and then moved to hug Arthur through the blankets and such."I am a guest,so you must."

"What do you think I am, a royal jester for His Froggy Majesty? My forced politeness only goes so far." Arthur wiggled out of Francis' reach, staring at him warily. His cheeks still hadn't lost their red tint and his eyes were half-lidded as his clouded gaze swept over his companion's figure, tense for any movement. "Besides, I'm tired. Just because you decided to come annoy me, doesn't mean I am ready to entertain you."

"Oui,you are my royal jester!"Francis laughed.He pictured the Brit in a jester costume and burst out laughing,unable to contain his giggles.When he calmed down,he slowly stood."Well..If you say it like that,I can just go.To make you happy."He flashed a kind smile at Arthur and then began to put his hair up in a high bun.He stretched.

"I'd hate to really get on your nerves,you know."

Arthur glared murderously at him for a bit then huffed. "Too late."

But then he realized that it felt good to hear the voice of someone who is not Flying Mint Bunny and sighed, reaching out and lightly tugging at Francis' uniform.

"Well, you've never minded being annoying, so why start now? I don't mind if you stay."

Francis blinked and looked down at Arthur.He smile a bit and nodded."Oui.I'd love to stay."He sat on the edge of the bed and put a hand on the Brit's side.He smirked a bit and then started to climb under the blankets on Arthur's bed.He settled down,chuckling.

"Mm,nice and warm and cozy!"he laughed,cuddling under the blankets happily.

Too much contact was happening all too quickly. As if Arthur wasn't feeling too hot already, when another body started creeping closer and closer to him, he panicked.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you pervert!" he flailed blindly, cheeks burning red. He didn't feel so good anymore. "Stop, get out, you're too sticky! This is extremely indecent, get away from me for hell's sake, whoever said you could-" and his voice, slightly more high-pitched than before, broke as a string of violent, wet coughs racked his body.

Silence fell as he coughed, trembling horribly as he was left panting for breath. After a moment, he simply turned his back to Francis, dragging the blanket with him.

"C-Could you... Get me a glass of water?" he finally asked in a meeker voice.

Francis,who had started to look worried when Arthur started yelling and kept the look the whole time,quickly jumped up."Oui,of course,"he said,quickly making his way to the kitchen.He prepared a glass of water and went back to the Briton's side.He nudged the body under the blankets.

"Sit up so you can drink the water.Don't want it spilling all over you,"he said softly,comfortingly.He watched Arthur.

Arthur steeled his look and gritted his teeth, sitting up and taking the cup wordlessly, trying to repress his shivers. He felt cold. And so hot.

"Fucking Gilbert, getting me all wet and forcing me into bed without cleaning up and getting dressed first." he muttered in a low voice, rasping along some of his words. He was sick. Hopefully not too badly, though.

Francis blinked,face slowly going blank."..Quoi?"he asked slowly,curious about what Arthur was talking about."Making you wet..?"He made a face.

"Mon dieu,what did Gilbert do to you,mon cher?I know he's weird when he's drunk but that just sounds really..Really messed up!"

"Hmm?" Arthur cocked his head innocently, sipping on some water and grimacing as it made its way down his throat. "Oh, wait, no!" he coughed it up as he realized what the Frenchman was thinking. "Bloody pervert, nothing happened between us!"

He then sighed and ran a hand through his hair, setting it against his forehead. His head hurt.

"It's just.... After the bar, we went back to Gilbert's room, where we filled the tub and brought out plastic boats and more rum." he hid his burning face behind his hands. "We were.... sinking armadas and Napoleons... until Gilbert fell asleep on me, and... I wasn't thinking right, so I just dragged him to the bed and we fell asleep still drenched. And then he took his boxers off. But not me. That was unnecessary information, wasn't it?" he groaned in embarassment.

Francis gently hit the side of Arthur's head."I wasn't thinking you had sex!But seriously,it's a weird thing to say."He then began to laugh during the telling of the story,and found it quite hard to calm down.He was leaning into Arthur,tears from laughing so hard popping up in the corners of his eyes.When he finally managed to calm down,he looked at Arthur.

"Silly.Do you need me to get you some medicine?Blankets?Anything?"he asked,wiping the tears away.He smiled,a few giggles slipping from his lips every few seconds.

"Stop laughing, I'm suffering..." Arthur rasped, coughing out a bit and then jumping back under his blankets. "Could you take me to the nurse? My vision's a bit blurry. I shouldn't have gotten up to come see you in the kitchen. Hnnnng. I'm gonna die, my head's gonna explode..." he tangled his fingers in his hair and pulled in frustration.

Francis blinked and nodded."Oui,of course I will.Should have asked sooner."He carefully scooped up Arthur,with one of the blankets still wrapped around him.He held the man bridal style before going to the door.He shifted a lot to slip his loafers on his feet,and then to open the door.He somehow managed to lock and close it before continuing down the hall,holding the sick Briton close.

"Hate you..." Arthur muttered under his breath, closing his eyes and leaning against Francis' chest. "Hate you hate you hate you." he sighed and eased in Francis' arms as they made their way to the nurse's office.

"I have the right mind to drop you,"Francis warned,though he knew,and was sure Arthur knew too,that he would never do that.He gave Arthur's body a slight squeeze before continuing down the hallway."I can ditch you there,if you wish.If you want me gone."

((Want me to make a topic in the infirmary page?))

"Hmmmm.... Let me go and I'll kill you..." Arthur growled and flicked Francis' nose out of spite.

((Yes please~ I'm horrible at starting threads xD))