Flowershop

Chapter Thirteen

Kiku woke up, on the floor, next to his bed. He must have been thrashing around in his sleep. He got up off the floor, folding his blanket that he was using as a pillow. He slowly hobbled over to his balcony to water his plants, his leg staticky from laying on it all night. He went over to his kitchen, planning on making breakfast for he and Alfred. He opened his cupboard to see that he was critically low on food. He clicked his tongue, not really feeling like going shopping at the moment.

Kiku walked over to the couch, fully dressed. He put his hand on Alfred's face, slightly tapping it. "Alfred, do you want something to eat? I have to go to the store to buy food..." Kiku said in a louder than usual voice, trying to get Alfred awake. "Yeah, sure..." Alfred said, getting up and rubbing his eyes. "I have to be at work at two today, so, can you-"
"Yes," Kiku replied. Alfred stalked past him, going to the bathroom and washing his face.

Alfred carried most of the bags back to the store, trying to be gentlemanly. He opened Kiku's trunk and practically threw them in, much to the annoyance of Kiku. Just as they were getting in the car, Alfred's phone started blaring an annoying pop song, and he smiled wide. He answered it putting the phone up to his ear. "Allô? Mattie!" Alfred exlaimed happily. Kiku glanced at Alfred before beginning to drive, slightly hearing the conversation. Alfred was speaking a weird mix of French and English, and it just confused Kiku. "Oh? Really? Kiku! Mattie said he's finally gonna come over! Isn't that great? On the weekend!" Alfred said, speaking at lightning speed. "Yeah, he said he wants to see our parents, and he wants to meet you!" Alfred said. Kiku heard Mathieu nervously laugh on the other side of the phone. "Yeah...yeah.. Ok! And Kiku! He's staying for the weeken! You'll get to meet his husband too..." Alfred said, trying to talk and listen at the same time. "Ah..ok! Yeah, see ya!" Alfred finished, turning off his phone. "So...I'll get to meet Mathieu?" Asked Kiku, actually kind of excited. "Yeah, you will! He said he's finally coming over with Gilbert since Dad is getting worse, and he heard about you from Papa, so it made him want to come more!"He said, staring at Kiku. "And-" Alfred grunted as Kiku stopped violently at a stop light. Alfred got out his phone once again, and started calling someone. "Hey, Dad! Guess whose coming over soon? No, not him, Mattie!" Alfred said, an annoyed expression resting on his face. "Yes, so about.... a week? Yes, he's coming over in a week," Alfred clarified for Arthur.

Kiku inhaled as he watched the eggs sizzle, smelling the scent of burning butter. His eyebrows knit as he almost burned himself, but quickly removed his hand. He picked up the spatula, which was dangerously close to the flame. He dropped the thing in agony as it seared his hand slightly, which didn't go unheard by the American. "Dude, what was that?" Alfred questioned from the living room, craning his neck to look over. "Ah, it was nothing, Alfred," Kiku replied, hurriedly putting his hand under cold water. He put his and Alfred's plates on the coffee table, ignoring the burning sensation eating his hand.

Kiku washed their dishes, His hand still pickling unpleasantly. Just as he finished up, he heard Alfred muttering something. He walked over to his living room, curious. "What's the matter, Alfred?" Kiku asked, putting his hand on Alfred's shoulder. "Oh well, it's just that I gotta go to work right now, and I reeally don't want to," Alfred said, looking down. "But whatever, I have to, and for once, I'm not going to be late," he said enthusiastucally, gesturing to the clock on the wall. Kiku looked in surprise to find that Alfred was right. "Well, we need to get going then, you should arrive early more often, " Kiku said, slightly pushing the American's back. Alfred, letting himself get pushed around by Kiku this time, was out the door in five minutes.

"Well, if I had to say, I guess Austria-"
"Dude, that place is actually kind of boring!" Alfred interrupted, watching Kiku drive. "R-Really?" Kiku asked indignantly, actually wanting to go. On one of Alfred's rants, the topic of traveling came up. Questions like, "Where are the places you've been?" and "Where's a place you want to go but haven't gone?" Kind of questions were passed around. "Yep! You totally wouldn't want to go there," Alfred said. His eyes looked up as he was thinking. "Well, actually, you'd probably want to go there, but.." He said, still seemingly in thought. Kiku started to haul the car to a stop as that ridiculous McDonald's came into view. "See you later, Alfred," Kiku said, raising his hand in farewell. Alfred was about to get out before he remembered something. "Oh, yeah, I leave at nine today," He told Kiku.