In the eyes of a child, anything is possible, even love seemed like magic when it was cast. And the magical spell was cast upon two children.
Francis was a natural artist, his teacher told him so. He would draw with all his concentration and show it to his teacher who would praise him with that glowing smile and warm hand upon his head. His teacher even told his mother he had a talent and she should nurture his gift, that made Francis beam with confidence and pride. He really liked his teacher, he can even say, he loved him. Then he decided.
One day during class, he held onto his teacher’s leg, tugging at his pants to get his attention.
“Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, if I become an artist will you marry me?” Alfred smiled as he patted his head, kneeling down to Francis’s height.
“If you become world famous, maybe then.” Francis smiled big as he ran off to go brag to his cousin, who currently was sitting in the corner reading a book.
“Hey, Arthur! Guess what! Mr. Jones said he will marry me if I become famous!” His cousin groaned as he put down his book, a slight pout on his lips as he looked at Francis.
“He’s an adult, we can’t marry adults.” Francis looked like he was about to burst into tears as it suddenly dawned upon him.
“We can’t? Why?!” Arthur picked the book back up and kept reading.
“Because adults don’t marry kids.” Francis then ran over wailing to Mr. Jones, yanking on the teacher’s pants to get his immediate attention.
“W-What’s wrong Francis? Did Arthur stick glue in your hair again?” Francis then wiped his eyes as he tried to speak.
“A-Arthur sa-said you won’t m-m-marry me b-becuase I’m a k-kid!” Alfred then gave a weak smile as he patted the boy’s head.
“Well, Adults don’t marry kids, adults marry adults.” Francis then looked up.
“Then will you wait for me until I become an adult too?” Alfred jumped at the statement, but gave a weak smile. After all, kids didn’t mean what they say.
After class ended, Arthur quickly ran to the library, he was excited to see his favorite person in the whole world. As he entered the empty library, he caught sight of the librarian putting books away before noticing him.
“Ah, hello there Arthur. Decided to spend recess again in the library?” Arthur nodded as he clambered up the large chair by the librarian’s desk where the gentle eyed man brought a large book to the desk. He opened the book to where a bookmark was placed, he began to read to Arthur who smiled at the soft tone the librarian read in. He silently listened to the fairytale, enjoying the company of the librarian and the quiet library. Before the bell rang, the bookmark was put in place and Arthur tilted his head as he looked upon the man.
“Mr.Braginski, do you like books?” Ivan nodded as he closed the book, his fingers stroking the cover.
“I like books a lot. Do you Arthur?” Arthur had to think for awhile before nodding enthusiastically earning a smile from the tall man. Everyone was scared of Ivan since he towered over all the children, everyone calling him a giant. Arthur knew the truth, he was an adult that was misunderstood, just like him.
“I want to be an author when I grow up so you can read more books!” Ivan laughed as he smiled at Arthur, making the small child fill with joy.
“That would very nice Arthur.” However the child didn’t think that was enough.
“Mr. Braginski, if I make a really famous book will you marry me when I grow up?” Ivan jumped in surprise and blinked before chuckling then ruffling the child’s hair.
When Francis and Arthur left elementary they both had their goals in their mind. As they grew up, they passionately followed their dream. Still enchanted by a childish spell upon them. While Arthur felt his feelings for the gentle-eyed librarian grow stronger as the years went by, Francis struggled to understand his feelings for his teacher.
He knew he liked his teacher, the reason he was pursuing his dream of being an artist, but every once in awhile, he felt his feeling falter. He would try and see if his feelings were just a childhood crush. Dating only those that struck him lovely, but every time without fail, his feelings would come back to those baby blue eyes and blinding smile. He put his emotions into his art, letting the pieces tell his emotions. Eventually, his talents were recognized and his first showing received critical acclaim for “a sense of heart breaking emotion”. He continued, pouring his confusion and feelings into his paintings, each pieces showed his thoughts on canvas.
Then he decided that the only way he can calm his thoughts and continue onward without distractions. He chose to hold a show in his hometown, a place he hasn’t seen in a decade. In the first day, people crowded his gallery, he walked around and their praise fell upon him as one of the hometown heroes. They felt empty to Francis as he continued to walk the gallery, looking for something, seeking some one. Then he stopped in his tracks, there, gazing upon one of his most critically acclaimed pieces was none other than Alfred. The man looked like he hasn’t aged apart from the glasses now resting on his nose and the slight wrinkle to his eyes. Francis felt his heart beat incredibly fast, his feelings melting into a solid answer.
“Mr. Jones, it’s so good to see you.” Was his teacher always this short? The man turned to gasped and smile big as he recognized him immediately.
“Francis, my goodness. You’ve grown incredibly handsome and tall, I haven’t seen you for years!” That voice sent a pleasant ring in his ears, like he missed the sound of his teacher and it was relieving him. The longer he looked at his teacher’s face the more his feelings came back to him, a childish crush that lingered onto him. Forming into something akin to love at first sight.
“Do you remember that promise you made when I was little?”
Arthur was sweating as he had a box full of his works, he walked the hallways he used to run down to get to that special place. The walls seemed smaller than before, everything seemed smaller now that he was an adult. He passed some children running by, down to the playground. He reached his destination, he knocked on the door frame to bring attention to the man putting books away on the numerous shelves.
“Arthur?” The gentle-eyed librarian asked as he walked forward, his heart beating faster with every moment.
“Yes, I wanted come see you. I haven’t in years and…and I wanted to bring you some of my works for you to have.” He placed the books down on the the desk, realizing that it no longer seemed tall and big, just looked cramped and short below him.
“It’s so nice of you to visit me. But i can’t take your books.” Arthur looked at Ivan who stood before him, he no longer seemed like a giant to him, his eyes seemed older and he seemed bit more tired than before. He felt his breath stop as he looked away.
“Oh…I see…” Ivan picked up on the disappointment in Arthur’s voice and got flustered as he lifted the book he was hold, ready to put into the shelf, it was his first book.
“I can’t take anymore because I have numerous copies already. The kids are a big fan of your books and they’re always checked out. I even have copies for myself at home.” Arthur blushed as he looked away, of course he knew his books were a hit, he just didn’t know the Ivan was a fan of them himself.
“Oh…ah ha ha… I guess I brought these for no reason then.” Arthur made a move to grab the box, but Ivan stopped him by gently lying hand on his shoulder.
“It’s alright, I don’t mind having a second copy.” Arthur flushed as he stepped back, the librarian was really close and the heat in his face was making it hard to think. He has to do it now or he won’t be able to forgive himself.
“Did you remember the promise you made when I was younger?”
Francis and Arthur both sat at the bar, both were in miserable states, maybe Arthur more than Francis. The author was currently crying onto his cousin’s shoulder, nursing a cup of whiskey as he sobbed to his cousin.
“H-H-He rejected me Francis! He said he won’t date me!” Arthur sniffed as Francis watched him with concern. Well, what would Arthur expect, 14 years to go by and a childish promise to be remembered? Francis laughed as he thought that himself too.
Alfred looked at Francis with a confused look and then raised a brow before answering.
“What promise? Are you asking about the one you made as a child?” Francis played it off as a joke, but Arthur’s was worse.
Ivan started at Arthur with surprise before his face flushing extremely red as he chuckled nervously, Arthur getting anxious from that reaction.
“Oh, yes, but Arthur you were a child and I thought that was just another thing children say. And even if you do mean it now…I can’t date you, you’re 23, the prime of your life. I’m 40, I’m almost a grandpa. You should date someone who’s right for you.”
Francis tried to keep the pain in his chest down, but he kind of expected it. He was a child. Francis blinked as he realized something. He was a child. He is now an adult, an adult who can make his choices and fall in love with who he wants.
“Arthur, I’ll be back. Just try not to leave.” With that Francis ran from the bar in search of one person. Arthur sat there nursing his cup of alcohol, he kept drinking as the minutes went by, his cousin not returning anytime soon. He had to be drunk considering the amount of alcohol he has been downing this whole time. He stopping crying, but the red puffiness of his eyes still stung.
“Arthur? What are you doing here?” Arthur looked up to see the gentle eyes librarian again, he was looking pretty concerned too.
“Why wouldn’t I? I got rejected by someone I ha-had a 14 year old crush on. A-And won’t even give me a chance.” He slurred as his drink sloshed in his hand before taking a sip at it.
“Alright, I think it’s time for you to go home. Your cousin told me to pick you up.” Ivan looped an arm around the man’s waist after paying the bill, the drunk seeming to allow this for a strange reason. Arthur pressed himself closer to the librarian, humming in content. As they walked in the darkness of the night, the drunk author got to sober up a bit.
“You’re so unfair Mr. Braginski. You hold me close, but push my feelings away.” Arthur felt a tear drip off his face as Ivan stopped walking for a moment.
“Because you shouldn’t date an old man like me Arthur.”
“But it’s what I want.” Ivan held Arthur still in front of him, his eyes not so gentle anymore, they were stern and a touch cold, leaving Arthur a bit scared.
“You were just barely a child a few years ago Arthur, I can not date someone who was a child 6 years ago and be fine with that.” However, anger flared in Arthur’s eyes as he slapped Ivan’s hands, tears trailing down his cheeks.
“I’m an adult now, I can make my own choices and I know you don’t really think that. Your sister married her colleague who was the same age as me and you were fine with that?”
“Why are you so insistent on this Arthur? I thought you were smarter than this to realize wh-” Ivan was cut off by Arthur gapping the lapels of his coat, bashing their lips in a clumsy fashion, he gasped in pain and Arthur took that as an invitation to continue. Ivan struggled for a second and pushed Arthur off, holding him in front of himself. His eyes looking anywhere, but Arthur’s face.
“Why won’t you look at me?” Arthur whispered, the librarian refusing to move.
“Because I still see that young little child full of happiness running down the hallway just to hear me read a book. I feel like I’m hurting you by giving in to you now.” Arthur placed a hand on the hand holding him.
“Then compromise with me.”
Francis was running in the darkness of the town, heading for where he knew Alfred would be. He finally reached his destination, he then knocked on the door, breathing heavily as his heart was beating. The door opened making Francis’s heart beat louder in his ears.
“Francis? What are you doing here?” Francis just breathed as he tried to calm himself.
“I am an adult, I can make my choices and what I want. And what I want is you Mr. Jones.” Alfred flushed as he the man in front of him said that.
“But, you know Francis, I’m almost 40 years old, I’m practically an old man.”
“I still want you. You’re everything I want and more. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to stand here in front of you now and ask for you to go out with me.” Alfred gave a sad smile as he shook his head.
“You shouldn’t settle for me Francis, there are probably many people in the world that are better suited for you than your old elementary school teacher.” Francis shook his head vehemently as tear began to form.
“I won’t know unless I try first. Please, give me a chance. One is enough to show you that I am an adult.” Alfred sighed.
“Francis, if we go down this path. I won’t be Mr. Jones anymore. I’ll be Alfred. And I won’t be your favorite elementary teacher anymore, I’ll become your lover. Do you want to exchange your childhood memory of me for what will happen now?” Francis hesitated before looking straight into Alfred’s eyes.
“Yes, please go out with me Alfred.”
“Arthur, are you coming over for Christmas this year?” Francis asked over the phone, his cousin went back to Britain to go back to work, but regularly came back to visit.
“Yes, I finished my project earlier than usual. Is it at the ranch or the house?” Francis leaned on the kitchen counter, the marble looking as polished as ever.
“The house, Alfred is having the ranch renovated now. We won’t be able to be there for another year.” Francis chuckled as said man decided to slide into the room, his glasses missing and went to the coffee machine to pour himself some coffee before kissing Francis on the cheek.
“Morning, is that Arthur on the phone? Is he visiting for Christmas this year with Ivan?”
“I don’t know yet, dear, he hasn’t said anything yet.” Alfred hummed in acknowledgement before walking to the living room to watch some television.
“Wow Francis. You’re such a doting husband.” Francis laughed as he decided to tease back.
“At least I wear the pants in the relationship and married.” Arthur gasped in embarrassment.
“Ivan is just… old fashion and kind of a stickler for tradition, he thinks since he’s older…that…” Francis raised an eyebrow at the break in his cousin’s speech.
“Are you okay Arthur, you seem to be breaking up.”
“I’m fine, Ivan just got home and….Ivan, please, I’m talking to Francis….No, not now….Francis, I’ll have to call you back later.” Arthur hung up the phone, barely a second after, Ivan’s hands were on his hips.
“Ivan, what’s wrong?” The man only hummed as his face was buried in Arthur’s hair.
“What do you think of Francis marring Alfred?” Arthur held Ivan’s hands as he leaned into the hug.
“I kinda envy him.” Ivan chuckled as he laid a kiss on top of Arthur’s head.
“Then want to make an old man happy by marrying me?” Arthur jumped and turned around to face Ivan who began to kneel on one knee, slowly he reached into his pocket to present the ring.
“Yes, I would! Arthur jumped into Ivan’s arms, who groaned as he was tackled.
“Ivan, thank you for giving me a chance.” Ivan laughed weakly.
“You wouldn’t stop asking me to date you, but I’m glad I did.”
Maybe fairytales do exist.
What the fuck is this long ass answer…..wow, also. Alfred and Francis are 13 years apart and Arthur and Ivan are 17 years apart. I might make this into an actual series and retouch it.
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