USUK story:: Ghost

Accident

Arthur hummed, a small smile on his face as he cooked - smoke already staining the air in the kitchen. He was so happy. The reason he was happy? He loved his boyfriend, or more accurately, his fiancé. They had gotten in a fight that morning before the other male left for work, but they called while he was on break and apologized. Arthur had decided to make something for his significant other while he was on his way home.

He heard the front door open after a car pulled up, and his smile widened to a grin as he pulled out the slightly burnt scones. "You're home early. Wanted to see me that bad, huh?" Arthur turned, expecting to see his lover, then frowned in disappointment. "Oh. It's you. What do you want Francis? Other than leaving my fiancé and run to you?"

The Frenchman stood there, a grave expression over his normally flirtatious features. This disturbed Arthur. "Francis?" He stepped around the kitchen counter, slipping his apron off. "What's wrong?"

Francis gulped hard then breathed in deeply. "Arthur... Mon ami..." Tears gathered in his dull blue eyes as he stared into shocked, emerald eyes.

"F-Francis?" Arthur stuttered, subconsciously grasping the fabric at his chest. "Wh-what's going on?"

Slowly, tears started streaking the Frenchman's cheeks. Worry piled up in Arthur's gut as his own tears started. "Francis, what the hell is going on?" He felt himself tremble and he didn't sous as angry as he wanted to be. He sounded frightened.

"Arthur..." Francis shook his head and pulled Arthur into a tight hug as he began to sob. "He's not coming home, Arthur! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

The Brit's eyes widened and he grasped the other blonde's shirt. "Wha... What?"

Francis wept into Arthur's hair. "Th-there was... An accident... The other driver was-was high... They ran right into his car.... He was... They rushed him to the hospital... He screamed... Mon dieu, he screamed... He suffered... Then he-he was just gone... I watched it! I saw it! I heard it! They-they were helping him! Then he was just gone! He was gone! And I was with him... And he's gone... He's not coming back..."

Arthur shook heavily as he listened to what Francis had to say. Slowly, sobs started tumbling past his lips. With each passing second, the broken story sunk into Arthur and he got louder.

He got louder until he was wailing.

He started screaming his name.

He started begging for him to come home.

Arthur started to pray that this way a lie and his fiancé would stride through that door with his brilliant grin and Arthur's nickname being shouted from his lips.

The Brit couldn't breathe. He felt as if the walls were closing in around him. He felt as if someone was crushing his chest and clenching his aching heart. His tears soaked Francis's shirt he hadn't noticed that was bloody until now. That only made the pain worse.

"NO!" Arthur shrieked, shoving Francis away. "NO! HE CAN'T BE! HE'S NOT DEAD!" Arthur fell to the ground, weeping. He furiously wiped away his large tears. "Stop lying to me! H-he's going to waltz through that door like he always does, you stupid frog! Just wait a-and see! H-he's not... Not dead..."

Denial settled in Arthur's head as he tried convincing himself that Francis was playing a cruel joke.

"Arthur? Brother?"

The blonde on the floor looked up at his name and he smiled weakly at the redhead. "Big brother Ali!" He attempted to stand, needing help from his older brother. "Did he leave work? Is he on his way back? Francis is playing an awful joke on me."