Fountain of Youth (Fruk)

9

I looked at the paper, then the building, and felt confused. "Are you sure this is it?" Arthur asked. I looked at him and watched as he crossed his arms. He really was attractive...if we get to do one more thing while we are like this, I will hope it would be—

"Don't look at me like that; it's creepy..."

"Ah! Sorry! But yes...this is the building..." I spoke. I looked down at the paper and turned it over. "A nursery home...how fitting...I never liked these places," he spoke. I nodded in agreement, and he began to roll his sleeves. "Well, let's not waste any time; the boys will be visiting us tomorrow, so we can't stay like this forever," he spoke. I followed him inside the building, and once we entered, many of the residents turned to look at us.

"Ahh...I love the smell of old people; they smell like envelopes and cream," I laughed. "Darling, you are describing yourself, don't include me," Arthur laughed. I looked at him unamused but still followed him. I hope this will not take long at all.

We walked up to the counter, and Arthur began to hit the bell multiple times, and I looked at him, annoyed. "Calm down," I spoke. "No, we are in a hurry...HEY! ANYONE HERE?" He called. I got annoyed and shoved him a little, but he shoved me back. "Hey! Don't shove me!" He spoke, shoving me back. Eh?!

"Can I help you?" Someone asked as I shoved Arthur back. We both straightened up, and I smiled. "Hi! We are looking for someone named Gilbert...we don't have the last name..." I spoke nervously. I wonder if that would make a difference.

"Hmm? Who is looking for me?" A sudden voice spoke. Arthur and I turned to where the voice came from and met eyes with this albino man. He was tall and lanky and wore a nurse outfit. "We are!" Arthur spoke. Gilbert tilted his head and looked flabbergasted. It was like he was shocked at Arthur's forwardness. "I see...and what interesting characters you both are..."

Gilbert suddenly smiled, turned to the nurse that was at the desk, and closed his clipboard. "Alright then! I can take it from here, broski! I will be exactly what they need! Only someone as awesome as me can help them!" He cheered.

"Yeah...could've lasted my whole life without hearing you say that for the millionth time this year," the other worker spoke. He looked done with Gilbert and proceeded to grab the clipboard. "I swear, I don't get paid enough for this," the man spoke, leaving.

"Sorry about him, Roderich can be very impatient and temperament," Gilbert laughed. He suddenly put his arms around Arthur and me and leaned his body weight down. "I think maybe it's because of you," I laughed. Arthur glared at me as if telling me to shut up.

"Me? Possibly...we've worked together for ages!" He started. He began to pull us to one of the side rooms, and I looked behind me, trying to find where that worker had gone. "I'll let you in on a little secret! Only close friends call him by his real name!" Gilbert cheered.

"Hmm, we aren't close friends..." Arthur spoke.

"Not yet! But you will understand in time why Thanatos over there is such a stick in the mud for working here," Gilbert laughed. Hmmm? Was that the name they called him? It seems kind of long and redundant.

Gilbert pulled us into a room, closing the door behind him. "I am no fool, despite the obvious change...I can see who the two of you really are..." He started. He gestured for us to sit down and began to lean against the wall with his arms crossed. "I already know she did this! she is so dense when it comes to these things; she really screwed the two of you over," he spoke, annoyed.

"What?" Arthur asked, horrified. He was holding himself, and I began to move closer to him, so it could make him feel a little better. Gilbert only looked at him with sorrow for some reason. I felt more anxious and did not want to be young anymore; I just wanted to go home with my love and be with him. Do the things we usually do and nothing more.

"Well, can you help us?" I asked. He puckered his lips and scratched the back of his head. "Arthur, I hope you don't mind, but can I speak to your husband alone?" Gilbert asked. Arthur looked at him, confused, and then looked at me. "Hmmm....oh...right..." he spoke. He gave me this odd looked, but I was still concerned about why Gilbert wanted to talk to me alone.

Arthur stood up, moved away from me, and looked at me slowly before leaving the room. "I will be outside," He spoke. I nodded at him and watched as the door closed behind him.

"Why did you ask him to leave?" I asked, annoyed. And why did he willingly leave? Usually, he would put up a fight. "Before you continue talking, let me at least start," Gilbert said. He walked over to me and sat beside me. He put an arm around me and leaned his head close to me. "Francis, I am a very honest person; I would not be the awesome person I am if I wasn't...so I have to tell you that your husband is screwed," He laughed. My eyes widened, and I pushed him away. "What?" I asked.

"Yes! it is a funny story...so two options are offered to you, and you alone..."

"Me?"

"Let me finish!"

"...uh..."

"So, as I was saying... you have two options right now. If you choose to go back to how you both were right now or shortly, you both, mostly Arthur, will suffer..."

Hearing him say those words with a suddenly serious expression did not sit right with me. I moved away from him and stood up. "What are you talking about?" I asked. I started laughing at what he said, and he pulled me back beside him. "Listen to me; this is not good...Arthur has Alzheimer's...and it's been undiagnosed for a long time...he is already losing his memory at a really fast rate, and changing the two of you back would guarantee that he will be in late-stage..."

I didn't respond to what he said.

I turned away from him and walked toward the end of the room, where there was a window. "That can't be true...I know he has had memory problems, but it hasn't been that bad..."

"It is..."

"Well, what is the other option?" I asked. He shook his head at me sadly and took a deep breath out.n"It is not much of an option, but more of a warning...if the two of you don't change back by the end of tomorrow, you will be stuck like this...and both of you will lose your memory."

My heart was racing, and I held onto my chest. There was no way out of any of this. I lose Arthur in both scenarios. "Memories of your kids, your life, all will be gone, and you both will be young again but will have to age..."

I felt like my heart was aching. I looked at him, and he had sorrow in his eyes. "This is Elizavetas fault...she knew the consequences and still did this...I am sorry, but it is not much for me to do..." Gilbert stood up and began to comfort me. "You need to decide what to do; Arthur is starting to forget...he did not remember you were his husband for a moment...he won't be able to decide; it has to be you..."

"Why me!"

"It has to be...and you must decide soon before it's too late..."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and moved away from him.

I won't accept any of this!

I pushed him away from me and forced my way through the door. I stormed out of the room and saw that Arthur was talking to one of the residents. "Arthur! Let's go!" I demanded. He looked at me, shocked but hurriedly stood up to follow me. "What happened? Will we turn back?" He tried to ask, but I did not answer him. "Francis?" He asked. However, I only grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the building without saying anything.