The Little Things

⭐️Thirty-Five⭐️

     Francis sniffled, his face hidden in his arms. He sat in his garden with his knees pulled to his chest.

     Arthur walked up to him. "Hey...."

     Francis lifted his head, quickly wiping at his face with his sleeves as he tried to compose himself. "H- how can I help you, Angleterre...?"

     Arthur took a step back. "You're busy... I'll come back later...." He started turning around.

     "Non!" Francis lowered his head, slightly embarrassed. "Stay... what do you need?"

     Arthur hesitantly walked closer to Francis before sitting down next to him. "I just came over here to beat you up and call you names. You know... the normal stuff."

     Francis smiled sadly as he stared straight ahead, a distant look in his eyes.

     "So... you wanna talk about it...?" Arthur glanced at Francis in the corner of his eye.

     The Frenchman's smile disappeared. "Not really."

     "Okay...."

     Then they just sat there, for hours, it seemed. They sat there until it felt like they were the only people on Earth. Forever spinning on their pale blue dot, in the black abyss of space. Soaking up each others presence while they still could.

     Arthur almost couldn't bring himself to leave. He shook his head and forced himself to stand. "Well... by-"

     "Don't."

     "Hmm...?" Arthur looked down at Francis.

     The Frenchman's eyes were aimed towards the ground, his hair covered most of his face. "Please."

     Arthur's mouth opened and he slowly closed it again, tightening his hands into fists. "Goodbye Francis." He turned and started walking away.

    A small tear slid down the Frenchman's face and landed on the ground, staining the earth a slightly darker shade.