The Virtues Of Literature

Part 17

Chapter 17

Arthur was just about ready to leave Francis and the woman alone, not going to bother trying to get acquainted with this new person, but the way she spoke to Francis made him stay. He can practically smell trouble.

"Rebecca? What're you doing here?"

"Same as you probably. Don't talk like I decided to come back and find you, because that totally wasn't my intentions. Although... it's not I wouldn't have been happy staying"

Lukas promptly leaves, shuffling away from confrontation he obviously doesn't want to be involved in. Arthur and Antonio step back a little, but don't quite yet leave Francis. They feel like they should stick around.

Arthur hates to admit it to himself, but this woman, Rebecca, is beautiful. The set of her face is just right; soft where it should be soft, sharp where it should be sharp; she's one of those people you just want to be able to stare at for a long while so as to appreciate their beauty.

But Arthur doesn't like her. The way she speaks to Francis, the way she holds her slim frame. The way she looks at them with that judgemental, selfish, almost predatory gaze makes him distrustful. He hopes she leaves soon.

Francis looks around consciously, seeing only Antonio and Arthur attentive in the nearby crowd. He turns back to her.

"Look, Becky, it's nice to see you and everything, but we said we were over a long time ago now. So... just enjoy yourself."

Francis moves to turn back to Arthur and Antonio, but Becky grabs at his arm.

"Francis! You obviously have different ideas but there are some unresolved things I'd like to work out. We can't just pretend nothing happened."

"Becky, please, not here, not now. Is it that important? I told you, we're done."

Arthur feels his substantial brows pinch together. Francis looked flustered, embarrassed, uncomfortable, and all the while Arthur is wondering who exactly this woman is. Well, it's quite obvious really, and Arthur questions why she pisses him off so much. Of course Francis would have had other partners before him. He's handsome, charming, stylish, flirty, Arthur doesn't even know why he assumed he was special. But he isn't angry at Francis, of course not. He's pissed off at this Becky; she just comes across as so unkind and controlling, and she's upsetting Francis.

"You don't want to do this here? Fine. We'll do it somewhere else."

With her hand still clutching Francis' arm, Becky drags him away into an unused room, shutting out the noise of the forgotten party behind them with the slam of a door.

Arthur exchanges a bewildered look with Antonio.

"Do you know who she is?"

Antonio nods, "Sí, a little. I know she and Francis were dating for a while last year, I guess before you met him. I'd never liked her and I only met her a couple of times, I don't know what he saw in her. But they broke up after not too long. It wasn't working between them and I think Francis started to realise that some people only want one thing. I doubt he wants to have to confront these old things again, I could tell he wasn't very happy at the time."

"Hmm..." Arthur frowns. He feels a little better about Francis now, but worse about her. She's probably interrogating and brainwashing him or something right now, and he's too nice to really get out of it. Arthur needs to save him.

He leaves Antonio as he stalks towards the door, who wanders off to pester the grumpy Italian, and quietly pries open the entrance to the room where Francis and Becky went. Arthur peers in, and sees the two of them on their feet and arguing in what looks like a study.

"Becky, I told you! We moved on! I have new relationships now, and so should you. We didn't work, so we shouldn't make the same mistakes again."

"But we could work! I've changed, anyway."

Francis raises a sceptical eyebrow. "Really? In less than a year?"

"Yeah."

"That's not even the point. I keep on telling you, none of this matters because I can't! I have new commitments."

"Drop them." Becky snarls, and Arthur is so astonished at her words he forgets that they're ignorant to his presence. He leans forward on the door and it squeaks open further. Becky finally notices him.

"Hey! Who the fuck are you?"

Francis turns to look at him, and Arthur sees from his face that he is similarly aghast; his lips are curled back in anger and his usually happy eyes are narrowed. But this expression softens at the sight of Arthur. He is paused for a moment, but then abruptly walks towards Arthur. He feels almost frozen in his position half-in the room until Francis pulls him all the way in.

"Rebecca. This is Arthur. He is my boyfriend. Fuck you."

Before Arthur can process what the hell is happening, Francis has pulled them together chest-to-chest, and their lips are pressing together all of sudden in an impromptu but passionate kiss. Arthur is stiff with shock for a moment, but the familiarity of Francis' lips lets him embrace the moment, closing his eyes and relaxing in his hold. He feels butterflies in his stomach again, and the passion and lovingness coming from Francis reassures him with happiness, tells him far more clearly than words would that Francis truly does love him. He isn't just using him to drive away his ex, it's far more than that. The word 'boyfriend' flutters numbly around his head, and amongst his distant thoughts Arthur finds he loves the term. It feels just right.

When Francis begins to pull away, he is reluctant but lets him go anyway. Arthur suddenly remembers what was happening beforehand, and as he opens his eyes he finds the room empty other than him and his boyfriend. The bitch is gone.

"Arthur, I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Arthur finds himself simply overpowered by the other man suddenly, so completely in love. He steps close to the Frenchman again and grabs his collar, pulling him down a little a planting another kiss on his softened lips.

"I love you Francis."

He hears Francis' breath hitch, and a couple of moments later he whispers back, "Je t'aime, fleur."

They come together again, two surprisingly lonely men fully discovering their unlikely but strong mutual love.

~~~~~~~~~~

Yay, a (half) chapter on a Monday! I hope this wasn't too bad lol. One more left! <3