Chapter Text
Arthur stared at the blinking cursor on the screen in front of him. He knew how depressing it was that he was hiding in his office during the newspaper’s Christmas party, but he also knew how much more depressed he would feel if he saw him . Arthur looked up when he heard a knock on his door, pausing to decide if he wanted to gently tell whoever it was to go away or if he was willing to socialize for a small amount of time. Before he could respond, the door opened to reveal his frowning best friend. “What do you want, Gilbert?”
“I know you hate fun, but this is ridiculous. Why are you in here when there are booze downstairs?”
“I’m just not feeling in the holiday spirit this year, I guess.”
“You haven’t been in the holiday spirit for a couple of years, Arthur.” Gilbert sat in the other chair in Arthur’s office, giving him a look of pity that Arthur had come to know well and hate. “Are you avoiding Francis again?”
“Maybe I wanted to get ahead on a project before we go on vacation.” Gilbert looked at Arthur incredulously. “Okay, fine, so I’m avoiding Francis. Are you surprised? Here I am, surrounded and inspired by beautiful love stories, and I have been in a miserable, mostly one-sided relationship for three fucking years. I am constantly reading and writing about how love is special, how it’s different from what people may think. That love is a promise and that love is blind. And yet, I am the victim of a cruel, unrequited love. I have spent three years, three fucking years , loving a man who refuses to love me back. And every time I think I’m finally starting to get over it, here he comes, waltzing back into my life and heart.”
“Arthur, we’ve been over this multiple times. You caught him cheating on you repeatedly! You should no longer be in love with him, let alone talking to him. You told me you weren’t anymore.”
“Well…”
“Arthur, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me…”
“It’s not often! He just called me the other day, and we talked on the phone, that’s all.”
“For how long?” Arthur turned his head back to his computer, trying to hide his guilt. “Arthur, how long did you talk to him?”
“...a couple of hours. And we may have also gone out to lunch last week.”
“Arthur, you know I love you, but this is pathetic.”
Arthur sighed. “I know! I just-” he was interrupted by another knock on his door. Arthur looked up and immediately sucked in a breath. There he was. His long, blonde hair. His piercing blue eyes. Arthur could feel his heart pounding and his throat thickening.
“Am I interrupting something?” And there was that all too familiar French accent.
“Not at all!” Arthur instantly replied. Gilbert glared at him, but he could only give him a hesitant smile in response.
“Wonderful,” Francis said. “I’ve wanted to talk to you all evening, Arthur. Gilbert, could you give us a minute?”
Gilbert turned his glare to Francis, holding eye contact for several seconds before begrudgingly standing up. “Fine.” He gave Arthur one last warning look before leaving and purposefully leaving the door open.
Francis watched Gilbert retreat with amusement before turning back to Arthur. “Is he alright?”
“Yes, perfectly fine,” Arthur replied. He was thankful that he was already sitting and didn’t have to worry about his knees going weak. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
“Anything and everything. I miss talking to you, mon cher. Oh, and I got you a Christmas present!”
“That’s convenient because I got you one too!” Arthur turned around, looking for his messenger bag.
“Oh, darling, I don’t actually have it with me now, I must’ve misplaced it somewhere. Do you want to know what it is? I’ll give you a hint: it’s something red and sexy.”
“Uh, no, that’s alright,” Arthur said softly. He bit his lip, feeling the tears starting to prickle at the corner of his eyes. He tried to laugh casually as he took the present out of his bag and handed it to Francis. “Unfortunately, mine is not technically something sexy, but it is red.”
Francis opened the bag and took out the bottle of wine. “Arthur, this is the vintage red I have been looking for all year! How did you remember?”
“Oh, you know me, I remember everything.” Arthur could feel his face heat up, and he looked down at his feet.
Francis reached out and lifted his chin with a finger. “ Mon cher , you are simply the best. I got so lucky with you.” Arthur felt himself lean forward as if a magnet was drawing him closer to Francis’s lips. Before their lips could touch, Francis leaned backward and clapped his hands together. “Let’s head downstairs! I think Roma should be making his end-of-year holiday party speech by now.” Francis held his hand out for Arthur, who released an uneven breath before taking his hand, allowing him to help Arthur up. He frowned slightly when Francis quickly dropped his hand and led them to the main area where the party was being held. As soon as they joined the crowd, Francis had disappeared. Thankfully, he found Gilbert, who gently bumped his shoulder. Before Arthur could tell Gilbert what happened in his office, he heard the clinking of a glass followed by the sound of his boss’s voice.
“How is everyone enjoying the holiday party?” Roma smiled as everyone cheered. “Now, I know everyone is excited to go and enjoy their holidays and time with their families. However, I have a special announcement! This announcement involves an insider tip for us, specifically Arthur Kirkland.” Gilbert sent Arthur a look of confusion and questioning, but Arthur could only shrug in confusion as well. “Arthur, where are you?”
“I’m over here!” Arthur called, raising his hand for Roma to see.
“Perfect! Here’s your tip: an engagement was privately announced that no other newspaper in London has heard about, and it was requested that you be the first to cover it. It is my pleasure to announce the engagement of none other than our own Janine Prescott and Francis Bonefoy!” When Arthur heard Roma announce their names, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he couldn’t breathe. He could feel Gilbert touch his shoulders, but he couldn’t hear what he was saying over the sound of his heart pounding and everyone else in the crowd cheering.
“Breathe, Arthur, breathe. Take a deep breath in for 4, hold for 5, and let it out for 6.” Gilbert placed Arthur’s hand on his chest so they could breathe together. “Good, good.”
“I need to leave,” Arthur gasped out, clutching onto Gilbert like a lifeline.
“Let’s get you some water first and sit down for a minute.”
“No, Gilbert, I need to leave now. ” Gilbert frowned but nodded and quickly took Arthur back to his office to collect his things. As soon as Arthur heard the door to his office gently close behind him, he burst into tears and fell into Gilbert’s arms. “I can’t believe he’s marrying her!” he sobbed. “The woman he cheated on me with!”
“Arthur, I’m so sorry,” Gilbert whispered.
“He told me he wasn’t ready for a commitment! But he just didn’t want to commit to me. I’m not good enough for him to commit to.”
“Arthur, that’s completely ass backward. He’s the one who is not good enough for you. He never deserved your constant love and forgiveness.” Gilbert helped Arthur sit in his desk chair, then squatted in front of him. He gently held Arthur’s face in his hands so he could look him in the eyes. “Arthur, I know this is the last thing you want to be happening right now. But try to think of it as the perfect opportunity to get over that arscholoch and move on! You deserve to live your life to the fullest, and that is a life that no longer revolves around him.”
“I have been trying for years, Gilbert! I have been in therapy for almost as long as I’ve been seeing Francis, for Christ’s sake! How the hell do I stop loving him?”
“Focus on yourself for once, Arthur! Do something crazy during your holiday! Get completely plastered! Fuck hot strangers!” Arthur gave Gilbert an unimpressed look. “Okay, I know that’s more my style than yours, but now is the time to take care of and start loving yourself.”
Arthur let out a shaky breath. “I hate it, but I know you’re actually right for once.”
“Okay, rude, but yes, I’m absolutely right. Why don’t we head out? I’m done seeing these people for the year. Do you want to stay at my place? Your goddaughters aren’t there, so we may get some peace and quiet.”
Arthur laughed. “No, no, I’m fine. I just want to go home and sleep for at least 12 hours. I should probably see if my therapist can move up our appointment.” Arthur stood up and clapped his hands on his thighs. “Alright, let’s get out of here.”