Sta.sh
"Hey, Arty! Are you ready?" you yell up the stairs, waiting impatiently for your friend.
"No, not yet!" he shouted back.
You sigh and lean against the wall, your arms crossed over your chest.
He had invited you to go to a watch party for the Times Square ball drop at Alfred's house, and you had quickly accepted, happy to spend some time with your British friend. Unfortunately for you, he seems intent on waiting till the last possible minute to leave his house for the party.
"How long does it take for you to get dressed?!?"
"I'm dressed, I just can't find my gloves!"
You roll your eyes and run up the stairs, jog down the short hallway and open his door.
He turns and gives you an annoyed look. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"
You ignore his comment and look him up and down, trying not to laugh.
He's wearing a grey sweater, and tan slacks. It wouldn't have looked half bad, if there wasn't a huge pink kitty on the front of his sweater.
"What?" he asks defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Nothing," you say, totally poker face. "I was just thinking about how jealous Mint Bunny's gonna be when it finds out."
You lose your composure and burst into a fit of laughter, leaning against the doorway for support.
He frowns at you, apparently not amused. "Well, if you are finished, would you mind helping me find my gloves?"
You wipe a tear from the corner of your eye, your sides hurting from laughing too hard. "I'm sorry. It's just that I can't take you seriously with that sweater on."
He glares at you while you try to smother your laughter. "You, Miss (name), are the one that suggested I try something different."
You frown. He hardly ever takes your advice. "And you thought that this was the different I meant?"
He turns red, and you can't tell if he's angry or embarrassed. Probably both.
Being the good friend that you are, you walk over to his closet and quickly look through his shirts, picking out an outfit for him.
You lay the clothes in his arms and smirk. "This'll probably look better than big pink kitties."
He turns a darker shade of red and you hurry out before he changes his mind about going to the party altogether.
As you wait impatiently out in the hallway, you twirl your (h/c) hair around your finger, tapping your foot on the floor. Finally, he opens the door, your smirk returning as you look him over. Now he's wearing a white button-down, a light blue, non-Kitty vest, and a pair of jeans.
"Well, how do I look?" he asks, and you smile when you notice the light blush on his cheeks.
"Not bad, if I do say so myself. Did you find your gloves?"
He smiles and closes his door behind him. "Yes actually, they were in my pocket."
You chuckle. "Figures."
"Shall we go?" he asks, offering you his arm.
You roll your eyes, but take his arm anyway. "Yes we shall, good sir."
-----------------------Time Skip-----------------------------
When you had gotten to the party you and Arthur had stuck together for a while, talking and laughing, but as was expected, Alfred had challenged Arthur to a chugging contest, which the hot-headed Brit hadn't been able to turn down.
Now, you sit at one of the couches, a soda can in hand, trying to estimate what state your friends would be in by midnight. Hopefully Arthur would be well enough to kiss you at midnight.
You groan, trying not to think of the possibility. The ninny hasn't realized that you have a crush on him, and you don't want to tell him, so you've been trying to get him to figure it out.
Unfortunately, he's a hopeless romantic, which leaves you in quite a pickle.
"Who will be your lucky kiss, (name)?"
You're jolted back into reality by the sound of a familiar French voice.
Francis sits next to you, a small smile playing on his lips, amusement in his eyes.
"Uh, I don't know."
"Hmm, zat is unfortunate. I think I know someone who would enjoy it very much."
You raise an eyebrow. "And who might that be?"
His smile widens. "Me."
"Hmm, really?" you pretend to think it over, playing along.
"Yes. Unless zer is someone else?"
You flush, knowing you're caught. Unlike Arthur, Francis notices even the tiniest hints of romance.
"Ah, I see." he says, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Someone else has caught your eye, no?"
"Uhhhh...."
He laughs at your discomfort and pats you on the knee. "Don't worry, mon ami, I will take care of it."
"You don't even know who it is!" you protest, your face red from embarrassment.
He grins and stands. "I have a very good hunch."
He runs off, and you drop your head into your hands. "Great, just great."
-----------------------Time Skip----------------------------------
"I WON YOU BLOODY LIAR!"
"NO YOU DIDN'T, I DID!"
You make your way to the kitchen, where jugs of (is that milk?) lay strewn on the floor. Arthur and Alfred are yelling at each other, and you mentally facepalm. Seriously? A milk chugging contest?
"Guys." you say, trying to get their attention.
"YOU SO DID NOT!"
"Guys." you say, louder this time.
"I DID AND YOU KNOW IT!"
"HEY, IT'S FIVE MINUTES TILL MIDNIGHT!" you shout over their fighting. That gets their attention.
"Really?" Arthur asks, checking his wristwatch.
"Yes, so you'd better get a move on before I smack you both."
"Whatever you say dude." Alfred raises his hands in a 'I surrender' gesture.
You make your way to the living room, your hand clasped firmly around Arthur's wrist.
When you get there, you relax a bit, letting go of Arthur's wrist to lace your fingers with his.
"Five!"
You feel him squeeze your hand and you smile.
"Four!"
Francis catches your eye and winks.
"Three!"
You begin to get nervous, wondering if you should actually go through with it.
"Two!"
No, you can't do this. You try to let go of his hand, but he won't let you. What the-?
"One! Happy New Year!"
You grab his shirt collar, and he grabs your waist at the same time, your lips crashing into his.
You kiss him hard, and to your surprise and delight, he kisses you back with just as much force.
When you finally separate, your faces are red and you stare at each other for a minute before you smile and hug him.
"Happy New Year, Arty."
"Happy New Year to you too, (name)." he says softly into your hair.
You stand there for a minute, before a thought strikes you. You pull back and look at his red face, a small smile on your lips.
"Hey, what was your New Years resolution?"
He grins. "To be the best bloody boyfriend you've ever had."
------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere.
"See, I told you I would get them together!" Francis gloats.
"But you didn't do anything...."
"Oh..... You're right."
Great story! :3
Thanks so much!
Thats happened to me WAY too many times.
Y U NO REAL ARTHUR!?
Either way great story!