Jealousy is an ugly beast - Arthur (angst, fluff ending)
Spring had finally arrived, and the coming of a new season meant a significant increase in your workload at the mansion because of all the seasonal cleaning required in order to maintain order in such a big building. This made you more and more stressed and tired as weeks of endless work went by, although you hid every displeasure behind a bright yet tight smile.
After finally receiving your first day off since ages from Sebastian, you and Arthur decide to go on a date in the city. Leaving the mansion in the morning, you had lunch at a restaurant with a beautiful view on the Seine and then strolled in the streets, hand in hand.
As you two got near Arthur's favorite bookshop, a blonde, shapely and gorgeous woman approached your lover, claiming to be one of his old acquaintances. There was no snowball's chance in hell the man hadn't had a little "fun" with such a beautiful woman in the past before he met you and you were aware of that, knowing him. And you were cool with it! Or at least you pretended to be, but the more they kept on chit chatting the more she batted her long eyelashes at him, looking him up and down while completely ignoring your presence, and you could feel your heart tightening with jealousy.
You didn't like being jealous over your lover's past adventures, you two were a couple now and you knew he loved you to the moon and back, but the fact remained that he was neglecting you on your day off to talk with that woman.
When you finally had enough, you let go of his hand that was still holding yours and started walking.
"I'm going ahead, Arthur"
The man stared at you for a moment, said his goodbyes to the female and hurried over to you.
"MC, are you okay?"
Silence.
"Come on luv, don't tell me you're jealous~" he jokingly said while chuckling. "Yes, yes, Arthur whatever you want". You were more than willing to drop the subject despite being upset, not wanting to ruin your date, but he just kept on insistently trying to lighten up your mood, though only making it worse.
"Is it because of her form? Well yes, I admit it is quite the scenery and if you had a body like that, my love, I certainly wouldn't complain, but-". And that was the last straw for you. You finally turned to him, tears already streaming down your face and with a quivering and broken voice you just told him
"Then have her warm your bed tonight if you like her so much."
You spun around and started walking away on trembling legs, leaving Arthur standing there as the thought "I messed up" chased every other concern out of his head. He didn't move for some time, thinking it was best to leave you alone for some time, and then proceeded to call a coach and go home, not knowing what else to do.
An hour had already passed and you were sitting on a bench in a secluded area of a park in the middle of Paris, crying your eyes out uncontrollably. All the stress and tiredness bundled together in a massive ball of uneasiness slowly melted away with each sob and tear, leaving only a cold feeling of discomfort. You caused a scene and ruined both yours and Arthur's day for something you didn't even know whether it was true or not, but you still didn't feel ready to apologize. Regardless, you got up and started walking home on legs unstable from all the released tension and strong emotions; it was getting dark and you had to get dinner ready.
When you turned the key and opened the door, you found the blue haired writer pacing nervously across the foyer, evidently waiting for you. As he stopped dead in his tracks and met your gaze with his crystalline eyes, he opened his mouth to say something, probably an apology, but you were in no mood to face him at all.
Feeling the tears coming back and the lump in your throat tightening as if to choke you, you closed the door again and went towards the back door. There, you reached the kitchen and started getting ready. You rapidly washed your face in the sink so as to get rid of the dried tears on your skin then moved on to the cooking part, diligently washing your hands first.
Midway through the preparations, Sebastian stepped in the room.
"MC, I met sir Arthur earlier. He told me about-"
As he saw your red puffy eyes and the sorry expression you wore, he decided not to touch the subject and just leave it be for the time being, moving towards you to help you peeling the vegetables instead.
When dinner was finally ready you left everything in the butler's hands. You went to your room on an empty stomach, feeling as if your stomach wouldn't gladly accept anything that you were to eat, and you fell asleep straight away.
Despite a night of dreamless rest, you felt definitely better than the day before and after quickly washing yourself up, you got ready for another day of work.
The days went on eventless, but you kept on avoiding Arthur persistently. That little accident was still fresh in your mind and you didn't have the courage to go up to him and discuss about it, hence your flee from the man like a scared animal.
One night though, you heard a soft knock on you door and a faint voice said "MC, may I come in?".
You could've recognized that voice everywhere, and after realizing that this was probably the night where you two would've finally talked things over, you got up and let him in. As you sat on your bed, you noticed he kept his gaze low and away from your own, fidgeting fingers folding and then smoothing the hem of his shirt.
Guilt spread all over your body and your heart broke at the sight. Your indecisiveness gave his conscience the time to slowly and painfully embrace Arthur in a tight hold of strong regret and self-loathing for what he did. It was clear in his disregarded appearance and bags under his eyes that he hadn't taken care of himself properly.
"Arthur I-"
"W-wait MC, l-let me speak first"
His eyes finally met yours, and as a pleading expression formed on his face, he gently took your hands in his, with a care and gentleness one would use with a scared child.
"I'm sincerely sorry for those inappropriate jokes I made. It was our day and I ruined it like the idiot I am... I would never, in a hundred lives, want to hurt you like that because...you're the only one in for me, now and forever. Whether you still love me or not, please, please forgive me, I-"
You couldn't bear it a second more. His voice was on the point of breaking and his shaking hands were shaking at the thought of you not wanting to see him anymore.
You threw your arms around him and squeezed him as tight as you could, heart brimming with emotion.
"I-I'm so sorry, Arthur" you sniffled in the crook of his neck, tears coming back once again to blurry your vision.
"I was so stressed and tired I just- I made you go through so much, I'm the one who should ask you for forgiveness-"
Arthur finally embraced you back and with a voice so very full of love he told you "Please my love, you have nothing to worry about". He paused and then proceeded, insecure "Is...is everything alright then?"
You backed away a bit to get a good look at his face and nodded.
"Yes Arthur, yes"
You finally smiled at him and then, after so much time, your lips met in a deep kiss.
As you two parted, out of breath and rasped voice you said at the same time
"I love you, MC"
"I love you, Arthur"
