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Nov. 11th, 2010 12:50 am
[Fic] Searching For Atlantis [6/6]
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fivedayslaterSorry that took so long, but hey, it's done now. *tosses streamers*
Title: Searching For Atlantis [6/6]
Characters/Pairings: America/Belarus, England/France, Romano/Spain, mentions of Monaco and Prussia
Rating/Warnings: Romano's mouth
Summary: Alfred Jones wants to find his real parents. Arthur Kirkland would like to find some form of employment. Natalia Alfroskaya needs to get away. The solution: a road trip to California. Along the way they meet a mysterious hitchhiker called Romano and his problems, as well as discover what exactly utopia means to each of them.
Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
July 6, 20XX
Alfred drove the rest of the way today, with Natalia navigating. I slept in the back most of the way there and only woke up for lunch. Romano informed me that nothing of interest happened.
We arrived in Los Angeles today. Alfred and I have decided to go look for his parents, Romano and Natalia have decided to do their own thing. We’ll meet back in the hotel room tonight.
-Arthur Kirkland
“Bonjour! You have reached Francis and Arthur! Unfortunately we are busy in the bedroom right now having very kinky sex and cannot possible answer your call-”
“Stupid frog! Don’t put that on there!”
“-But we will get back to you as soon as we’re done, although that may take awhile. The English are very perverted.”
“Delete that this instant!
“What the hell am I doing anyway,” Arthur muttered into the pay phone. As he went to hang it back up, he heard a voice shout “Arthur, wait!” Against his better judgment, Arthur put the phone back to his ear instead.
“Well what do you want?” he barked into the receiver.
The French voice at the other end chuckled. “You do realize you are the one who called me?” Arthur chose not to reply, so Francis continued, “I am glad you called.”
“Yes, well, Alfred seems to have it in his head that you cheating on me isn’t enough of a reason for me to leave your froggy arse.”
“I never cheated on you -”
“Oh yes, right. Just happened to be walking some random girl home and she just tripped and fell into your bed is that it?! I’ve known you for too long, Francis Bonnefoy; don’t think I know how you operate!”
“I’ve known you for quite some time as well, Arthur Kirkland. I trust you got well and drunk last night? I do hope Alfred and Natalia didn’t get tired of your complaining and leave you tied to the bed naked in some sleazy motel room after running off with your wallet.”
“That was one time! And you never did return my pants.”
“The point is you’ve gotten everything out of your system now yes?””
“I’m…not calling to apologize. Quite the opposite.”
“...May I please explain first?”
“…You’re not going to make me change my mind.”
“Do I ever?”
Arthur remained silent once more, prompting Francis’s explanation.
“You weren’t far off actually. It did start raining and I was walking her home.”
“So our apartment is now home for whatever disease ridden-”
“You remember the cute girl with the glasses who moved in on the third floor last week?”
“…What cute girl?”
“Her name is Monique,” Alfred helpfully shouted from outside the phone booth, “She’s a French Literature major from Monaco who’s studying in America for a bit.”
“Yes thank you, this is a private conversation.”
“She’s dating some music grad student, in case you were wondering.”
Arthur kicked the door to shut him up as Francis chuckled.
“I met her walking home from work that night, recognized her and made polite conversation, in which she told me just that. It started raining on our way back, so I let her come in and dry off and gave her something warm to drink. You called while I was in the kitchen. ”
“…I knew that.”
“I find your jealous side incredibly sexy you know…”
“Thus why you go out of your way to make me so…not that I was jealous, mind you.”
“I am starting to miss you. When will you be back?”
“That depends, we’re already in California. Probably by the end of the week.”
“You know I love you, yes?”
“Yes…I may possibly feel something quite similar myself.”
“It’s three words Artie,” Alfred shouted, “just say them!”
“No one asked you!” he shouted back before muttering a quick, almost so soft you could miss it “I love you” into the phone himself.
***
Natalia and Romano found themselves sitting outside a café, eating something that wasn’t hamburgers.
“Now that we’re in California what are you going to do?” Natalia asked.
“Whatever I want, I guess,” he leaned back and looked up at the clouds, “I wouldn’t put it past Gilbert or my grandpa to follow me all the way out here, so I may have to keep moving.”
“I hear Canada’s lovely this time of year.”
“Maybe. What about you? Going to head back to New York?”
She took a sip of her drink and looked away from him, “There’s nothing for me there.”
“Is that so? I thought Alfred was heading back to New York.”
“I ended up at New York because I was following my love. I’m not about to make the same mistake again.”
“You sure it would be a mistake this time?”
“Pardon?”
He shrugged, “I’m just saying, fate has a funny way of working sometimes. Sure you originally went to New York because Ivan was there, but that’s also where you found Alfred, isn’t it?”
Before they could discuss the topic further, a cry of “Lovi!” rang out through the streets, and Romano was tackle hugged by a passing stranger.
“Lovino, this is where you disappeared to!” he prattled on, “I was so worried about you when you just got up and ran away like that!”
“Shut up, bastard, get off of me!”
“You’re real name is Lovino?” Natalia asked calmly.
“N-no, this stupid Spaniard clearly has me mistaken for somebody else!”
“Then how did you know he was a Spaniard?”
“…Lucky guess.”
“Lovino! Do you not remember me? It’s me, your amore, Antonio!”
Romano blushed and tried to pull away, “G-get off, you clearly have me mistaken for someone else!”
“I cannot possibly have you mistaken for anyone other than my little Lovi,” Antonio pulled away, but kept Romano close by holding his shoulders, “because I love him, and I love you, so clearly you and he must be the same person.”
“Unless you’re the kind of guy who hands out his love to anyone who passes by.”
“Eh? But I don’t. I only love you!”
“Then what the hell were you doing with Feliciano in that sleazy motel room!” Romano shouted, “Not that I know who that is, because I am not Lovino!”
“Motel room?”Antonio sat on the ground and leaned back, still keeping his grip firm on Romano, “You knew about that?”
“Yes, I mean no, because I am not Lovino. But Lovino did know about it, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That wasn’t what you thought it was Lovi. Feli and I were just talking.”
“Yes, because places like that are just known for their talking points!”
“No, listen, Lovi, we went there because it was one of the very few places we knew your grandpa would never think to look for us. Your brother heard about what you said to me the week before, about how you wanted to leave the family business for good.”
“Yeah, I bet. Probably was after mine, I mean, Lovino’s position and bodyguard too.”
“Position, yes, because that needed to be filled, but I already promised you that if you wanted out, I would go with you, remember? Feliciano was offering to help us!”
“He…what?”
“Yes! He, Ludwig, and I had a plan and everything, but you went and ran away on us, and that made your grandpa panic and send Gilbert to chase you down, so I followed Gilbert, because I wanted to find you again, and I did!” Antonio went back in for another hug and Romano put up less of a resistance this time.
“Does that mean…Gilbert’s here too?”
“Yes, he should be around here somewhere…do you want to see him?”
“Hell no!”
“Okay,” he leaned in a placed a kiss on Romano’s nose, “Then we should get out of here as soon as we can.”
“I, uh…” he glanced up at where Natalia was still sitting, observing them, “Can I say goodbye first?”
Antonio’s smile brightened, if that were possible, “Of course you can. I’m so happy you managed to make friends Lovino!”
“Shut up bastard!” Romano stood up and escaped Antonio’s grip before turning to face Natalia. “Th-thanks for bringing me here.”
“That wasn’t my choice to make…but you’re welcome, Lovino was it?”
“Yes,” Antonio chimed in, “Lovino Romano Vargas.”
“Bastard shut up!” he hissed, “About that…”
“I’m sure you had your reasons, but your secret is safe with me.”
“Arthur may already…whatever, doesn’t matter. Tell them I said…something. And thanks, I guess.”
“I’ll pass along the message.”
Antonio grabbed Romano’s hand and beamed at him, “You ready to go.”
“Yeah, let’s go,” he gave one final wave to Natalia before disappearing into the crowded street.
Natalia contemplated telling Alfred about Lovino, but decided against it. Not because he’d care, although it might damage his hero complex to know he had let a criminal in his car, which wasn’t a bad thing, but because he would be the kind of person to chase Lovino down, crime heir on the run or not. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, she quite liked Alfred where he was.
***
Alfred hit his head against the wall again just for good measure, “This whole trip was a waste…”
“Don’t think of it that way,” Arthur commented, “And stop hitting your head against the wall. You really can’t stand to lose the brain cells.”
“But it was,” he looked at the paper the nice lady at the front desk had given him when he asked about his parents, their new address somewhere up in Alaska written on it, “I dragged you and Natalia and Romano all this way to search for them and they weren’t even here…”
“First off, you didn’t drag Romano anywhere. You picked him up. Secondly, even though your original idea sounded like a preposterous waste of time, this trip was…not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Alfred looked at him, sparkle in his eye, “Really?”
“Yes, really. It was certainly interesting, perhaps something I could maybe consider writing about, and I haven’t heard Natalia complain since we left New York.”
Alfred blushed a little and glanced down the street at that comment, “I guess so.”
“Besides,” Arthur continued and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “we can always save the Alaska trip for next summer.”
Title: Searching For Atlantis [6/6]
Characters/Pairings: America/Belarus, England/France, Romano/Spain, mentions of Monaco and Prussia
Rating/Warnings: Romano's mouth
Summary: Alfred Jones wants to find his real parents. Arthur Kirkland would like to find some form of employment. Natalia Alfroskaya needs to get away. The solution: a road trip to California. Along the way they meet a mysterious hitchhiker called Romano and his problems, as well as discover what exactly utopia means to each of them.
Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
July 6, 20XX
Alfred drove the rest of the way today, with Natalia navigating. I slept in the back most of the way there and only woke up for lunch. Romano informed me that nothing of interest happened.
We arrived in Los Angeles today. Alfred and I have decided to go look for his parents, Romano and Natalia have decided to do their own thing. We’ll meet back in the hotel room tonight.
-Arthur Kirkland
“Bonjour! You have reached Francis and Arthur! Unfortunately we are busy in the bedroom right now having very kinky sex and cannot possible answer your call-”
“Stupid frog! Don’t put that on there!”
“-But we will get back to you as soon as we’re done, although that may take awhile. The English are very perverted.”
“Delete that this instant!
“What the hell am I doing anyway,” Arthur muttered into the pay phone. As he went to hang it back up, he heard a voice shout “Arthur, wait!” Against his better judgment, Arthur put the phone back to his ear instead.
“Well what do you want?” he barked into the receiver.
The French voice at the other end chuckled. “You do realize you are the one who called me?” Arthur chose not to reply, so Francis continued, “I am glad you called.”
“Yes, well, Alfred seems to have it in his head that you cheating on me isn’t enough of a reason for me to leave your froggy arse.”
“I never cheated on you -”
“Oh yes, right. Just happened to be walking some random girl home and she just tripped and fell into your bed is that it?! I’ve known you for too long, Francis Bonnefoy; don’t think I know how you operate!”
“I’ve known you for quite some time as well, Arthur Kirkland. I trust you got well and drunk last night? I do hope Alfred and Natalia didn’t get tired of your complaining and leave you tied to the bed naked in some sleazy motel room after running off with your wallet.”
“That was one time! And you never did return my pants.”
“The point is you’ve gotten everything out of your system now yes?””
“I’m…not calling to apologize. Quite the opposite.”
“...May I please explain first?”
“…You’re not going to make me change my mind.”
“Do I ever?”
Arthur remained silent once more, prompting Francis’s explanation.
“You weren’t far off actually. It did start raining and I was walking her home.”
“So our apartment is now home for whatever disease ridden-”
“You remember the cute girl with the glasses who moved in on the third floor last week?”
“…What cute girl?”
“Her name is Monique,” Alfred helpfully shouted from outside the phone booth, “She’s a French Literature major from Monaco who’s studying in America for a bit.”
“Yes thank you, this is a private conversation.”
“She’s dating some music grad student, in case you were wondering.”
Arthur kicked the door to shut him up as Francis chuckled.
“I met her walking home from work that night, recognized her and made polite conversation, in which she told me just that. It started raining on our way back, so I let her come in and dry off and gave her something warm to drink. You called while I was in the kitchen. ”
“…I knew that.”
“I find your jealous side incredibly sexy you know…”
“Thus why you go out of your way to make me so…not that I was jealous, mind you.”
“I am starting to miss you. When will you be back?”
“That depends, we’re already in California. Probably by the end of the week.”
“You know I love you, yes?”
“Yes…I may possibly feel something quite similar myself.”
“It’s three words Artie,” Alfred shouted, “just say them!”
“No one asked you!” he shouted back before muttering a quick, almost so soft you could miss it “I love you” into the phone himself.
***
Natalia and Romano found themselves sitting outside a café, eating something that wasn’t hamburgers.
“Now that we’re in California what are you going to do?” Natalia asked.
“Whatever I want, I guess,” he leaned back and looked up at the clouds, “I wouldn’t put it past Gilbert or my grandpa to follow me all the way out here, so I may have to keep moving.”
“I hear Canada’s lovely this time of year.”
“Maybe. What about you? Going to head back to New York?”
She took a sip of her drink and looked away from him, “There’s nothing for me there.”
“Is that so? I thought Alfred was heading back to New York.”
“I ended up at New York because I was following my love. I’m not about to make the same mistake again.”
“You sure it would be a mistake this time?”
“Pardon?”
He shrugged, “I’m just saying, fate has a funny way of working sometimes. Sure you originally went to New York because Ivan was there, but that’s also where you found Alfred, isn’t it?”
Before they could discuss the topic further, a cry of “Lovi!” rang out through the streets, and Romano was tackle hugged by a passing stranger.
“Lovino, this is where you disappeared to!” he prattled on, “I was so worried about you when you just got up and ran away like that!”
“Shut up, bastard, get off of me!”
“You’re real name is Lovino?” Natalia asked calmly.
“N-no, this stupid Spaniard clearly has me mistaken for somebody else!”
“Then how did you know he was a Spaniard?”
“…Lucky guess.”
“Lovino! Do you not remember me? It’s me, your amore, Antonio!”
Romano blushed and tried to pull away, “G-get off, you clearly have me mistaken for someone else!”
“I cannot possibly have you mistaken for anyone other than my little Lovi,” Antonio pulled away, but kept Romano close by holding his shoulders, “because I love him, and I love you, so clearly you and he must be the same person.”
“Unless you’re the kind of guy who hands out his love to anyone who passes by.”
“Eh? But I don’t. I only love you!”
“Then what the hell were you doing with Feliciano in that sleazy motel room!” Romano shouted, “Not that I know who that is, because I am not Lovino!”
“Motel room?”Antonio sat on the ground and leaned back, still keeping his grip firm on Romano, “You knew about that?”
“Yes, I mean no, because I am not Lovino. But Lovino did know about it, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That wasn’t what you thought it was Lovi. Feli and I were just talking.”
“Yes, because places like that are just known for their talking points!”
“No, listen, Lovi, we went there because it was one of the very few places we knew your grandpa would never think to look for us. Your brother heard about what you said to me the week before, about how you wanted to leave the family business for good.”
“Yeah, I bet. Probably was after mine, I mean, Lovino’s position and bodyguard too.”
“Position, yes, because that needed to be filled, but I already promised you that if you wanted out, I would go with you, remember? Feliciano was offering to help us!”
“He…what?”
“Yes! He, Ludwig, and I had a plan and everything, but you went and ran away on us, and that made your grandpa panic and send Gilbert to chase you down, so I followed Gilbert, because I wanted to find you again, and I did!” Antonio went back in for another hug and Romano put up less of a resistance this time.
“Does that mean…Gilbert’s here too?”
“Yes, he should be around here somewhere…do you want to see him?”
“Hell no!”
“Okay,” he leaned in a placed a kiss on Romano’s nose, “Then we should get out of here as soon as we can.”
“I, uh…” he glanced up at where Natalia was still sitting, observing them, “Can I say goodbye first?”
Antonio’s smile brightened, if that were possible, “Of course you can. I’m so happy you managed to make friends Lovino!”
“Shut up bastard!” Romano stood up and escaped Antonio’s grip before turning to face Natalia. “Th-thanks for bringing me here.”
“That wasn’t my choice to make…but you’re welcome, Lovino was it?”
“Yes,” Antonio chimed in, “Lovino Romano Vargas.”
“Bastard shut up!” he hissed, “About that…”
“I’m sure you had your reasons, but your secret is safe with me.”
“Arthur may already…whatever, doesn’t matter. Tell them I said…something. And thanks, I guess.”
“I’ll pass along the message.”
Antonio grabbed Romano’s hand and beamed at him, “You ready to go.”
“Yeah, let’s go,” he gave one final wave to Natalia before disappearing into the crowded street.
Natalia contemplated telling Alfred about Lovino, but decided against it. Not because he’d care, although it might damage his hero complex to know he had let a criminal in his car, which wasn’t a bad thing, but because he would be the kind of person to chase Lovino down, crime heir on the run or not. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, she quite liked Alfred where he was.
***
Alfred hit his head against the wall again just for good measure, “This whole trip was a waste…”
“Don’t think of it that way,” Arthur commented, “And stop hitting your head against the wall. You really can’t stand to lose the brain cells.”
“But it was,” he looked at the paper the nice lady at the front desk had given him when he asked about his parents, their new address somewhere up in Alaska written on it, “I dragged you and Natalia and Romano all this way to search for them and they weren’t even here…”
“First off, you didn’t drag Romano anywhere. You picked him up. Secondly, even though your original idea sounded like a preposterous waste of time, this trip was…not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Alfred looked at him, sparkle in his eye, “Really?”
“Yes, really. It was certainly interesting, perhaps something I could maybe consider writing about, and I haven’t heard Natalia complain since we left New York.”
Alfred blushed a little and glanced down the street at that comment, “I guess so.”
“Besides,” Arthur continued and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “we can always save the Alaska trip for next summer.”
;- ;
-peeks between her fingers- I really love your story. It has a nice pace. Not too fast, not too slow. It's hard to describe, but it gives a nice, calming vibe and everything.
Lovino and Alfred sure are funny xD You had everyone in character~! And I seriously, SERIOUSLY, love your portrayal of Natalia~ I'm so happy that not everyone sees her as that crazy, knife wielding, Ivan obsessed girl.
I had a fun time reading this!
And do I sense a sequel with Arthur's last line or am I just wishing too hard?Thank you very much for sharing your story~Re: ;- ;
Thank you very much! I'm happy that it works so well. :)
They are indeed. :P Sweet, that's my main goal! :Db Thank you! She can't be obsessed with him all the time...right?
And I had fun writing it, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
The possibility is there...it's more of a time-constraint thing, as in I have none. DXYou're quite welcome, thank you for reading. :)