Re: remember the cowboy that loves you so true...

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur attempted to search the crowd and keep an eye on Alfred, but it didn't working out to well. He would get lost searching the faces and clothes of the crowd, and lost Alfred in it. Attempting to find him again, Arthur couldn't help but he had let too many people slip by him. Eventually the crowd cleared at enough for it to be easy enough to spot Alfred and look over the crowd. He made his way towards the young American as the crowd cleared more, he sighed. Alfred seemed somewhat defeated in the fact that they hadn't found the people they were looking for blindly. However, the more Arthur thought about it the more there was a chance the two men had slipped by him. "Maybe they slipped by us Alfred." Arthur said trying to be of some comfort, but he felt it wasn't working.

However, there was suddenly a loud shout and arms wrapping around Alfred. Arthur jumped in shock, he had not been expecting something like that at all. However when he turned to the man who was...hugging Alfred, all he could think was Lovino?. He snapped his head up to see the other approaching figure, praying to god it wasn't Antonio. If it was, someone was going to get shot. However it wasn't, it was a stern blonde looking man with a german accent tinting his voice. Arthur gulped suddenly, it was worse than Antonio and Lovino.

The Englishman was happy Alfred could be enthused to meet them. Arthur was happy they were there, and he was happy to admit he had never really run into the two before while in the world of crime. Biting his lip, watched the three men before him exchange greetings before making himself know. "I'm Deputy Arthur Kirkland, it's a pleasure to meet you." Arthur said with a slightly worried smile. "You look a lot like your brother, Feliciano." He turned to the blonde man, "You wouldn't happen to be Gilbert Beilschmidt's brother, would you?" Arthur said with an even weaker smile, he was totally linking himself to the criminal world.

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred was known for being oblivious, but even he could sense the tension in the air after Arthur spoke. Ludwig’s mouth pressed into a hard line and the hand that had previously been used to keep Feliciano from tackling his new companions went white. Feliciano was not much better, but his reaction was entirely different from his more serious partner. He was red-nosed about looked about ready to cry. “Big brother Lovi and big brother Gil~ Ve, Luddy, but you said--” Ludwig quieted the smaller man with a surprisingly gentle squeeze to the shoulder before stepping in front of him. To the American, he looked protective and strong, but the flash of anger that appeared when he addressed Arthur was not appreciated. “I am sorry Mr. Kirkland. We are both very tired and wish to rest before we begin our duties. May we be seen to our accommodations?”

“Ah, yes of course.” Alfred and Ludwig managed to the luggage and he nodded to Arthur to lead the way to the inn. He could tell that the two men were somewhat reluctant to follow, but made no comment, for which he was grateful for. The young sheriff wasn’t entirely sure why these newcomers appeared to be so against working with Arthur, but he hoped it would pass. He really was looking forward to working with a seasoned sheriff, but if there was a conflict between him and Arthur -- well, he wasn’t so sure as to what he would do. He couldn’t very well ask Arthur to leave (not that he would ever ask his fiancée to do that -- he loved him far too much), and he didn’t want this new partnership to fizzle-out and leave the city with only the two of them again, especially with the whispers of a new criminal underworld stirring. Alfred only hoped that time would heal the tension because he truly believed they could be great together.

It didn’t take long to reach the inn. Alfred kept their pace slow so that Arthur wouldn’t have to strain his ankle too much. When they arrived, Elizaveta greeted Ludwig and Feliciano like relatives (wait, did they know each other?) and set them in rooms next to Kiku’s. Once he was sure they were settled in, he bid them goodbye and lead Arthur away with the promise to meet them all for dinner. “So,” He said with a light smile, “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur mentally kicked himself. Still he felt it was slightly better it was over and done with and there would be no hiding the fact that he was once a criminal. He can't change his past, or how people view him at first based on that. Of course, the change of determiner was weird and he knew he said too much. "Ah...yes...of course, it's this way." Arthur said gesturing towards the exit of the station. He didn't look back to see if they were following him, because if they don't follow him they'll follow Alfred and Alfred will follow him. Arthur falls silent as they walked to their rooms. He knows he spoiled the slightest chance of getting along with them.

Gilbert was the type of person who just did whatever the hell he wanted, wither it was shooting or doing people he hadn't cared much. When him and Arthur meet he instantly liked the Englishman, because Arthur's skills and smarts were handy. Gilbert was a God damn good criminal, he knew when to disappear and "die" it was chilling. He wasn't know by many by his actually name, just the Prussian, Arthur figured Alfred knew that name more than anything, it was a faceless criminal wanted dead or alive. Still Arthur knew he had a brother, and saying he knew Gilbert by his name was bad enough. Still, Gilbert was sentimental and he did occasionally wander home to his brother. He didn't know why Feliciano got so upset over the names though. Lovino was in Antonio's, which wasn't exactly award winning, it was safe to say if any one so much as touched the other twin, well someone wasn't going to wake up feeling well in the morning. Whatever Ludwig said, Arthur just screws it up.

Arthur didn't realize they had dropped the two off at their room until Alfred said something as he lead him away. "Oh that went swimmingly." Arthur said with an extra thick accent, as he often did when he was annoyed, upset, or uncomfortable, or worse all three. "I honestly wouldn't be surprise if they thought I was behind the whole thing." Arthur said glaring at the floor. "Why in the world did I say what I did?"

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred sighed and dropped his false confidence. There was no use beating around the bush, especially around Arthur. He already was aware of the tension between his deputy and their newest partners; it wouldn’t do any good to deny it any longer. “No, I’m sure they don’t think that at all Artie.” At least, he sure hoped they didn’t think that. Sure there might be some slight animosity between Arthur and the others due to his colorful past, but surely they couldn’t believe he was still involved in the criminal underworld. No, this was all just tension that would eventually fade away once they all got used to one another. Alfred may be overly optimistic, but he truly believed that things would get better given time. Once Kiku and the others got the chance to really know Arthur, they would see how responsible, kind, and intelligent he was. And, more importantly, how he was utterly devoted to the side of justice now. Yup, Alfred knew one day, they would all trust one another like a perfect team should.

The sheriff placed a comforting hand on Arthur’s shoulder, leading him back to their private bedroom for a bit. “It was an honest mistake Arthur, you were only trying to be welcoming.” If anybody understood about messing up a first impression, it was Alfred. He would do a little damage control and smooth this whole thing over. “I’ll have a talk with them tonight and clear things up, okay?” Alfred leaned in, placing a sweet kiss against Arthur’s lips. “No need to beat yourself up over this. We’ll get it all worked out.” Still, as confident as he sounded, he doubted that Arthur would listen. The Englishman had an unhealthy tendency to fixate on his mistakes until that was all he could think about. Alfred worried that he would give himself a heart attack or something equally horrific with all the stress he placed upon his shoulders. He would do his best to reassure him that there was no need for that sort of behavior, but his wishes fell to deaf ears. So, Alfred often times would have to resort to using other methods to get Arthur to relax, if only for a few moments.

“Come here.” Alfred gently tugged the deputy forward and sat him down on the edge of the bed. “You are going to take a few minutes to relax before we head back to work. And no arguing, got it?” Of course, he couldn’t very well expect the stubborn Brit to just lay down and rest. Oh no, he would never make it that easy. It was time to use the secret weapon. Alfred slid behind Arthur and before he could protest, grasped his shoulders and began to knead his fingers into the tense muscles. Arthur was always tense, no matter what the circumstances were. Even after they had made love and were basking in each other’s presence his shoulders retained the same tenseness. Alfred supposed it was simply one of his traits, so he did not question it. But, in response, one of his favorite treats was to give the other man a long massage. He hadn’t been able to do so in a few months due to the increase in work load, but he had not forgotten where Arthur’s most tender points were. It wouldn’t be long before he was putty in his hands. And good thing too -- he needed to give himself a rest.

[Crocky Kirkland]

"Alfred," Arthur said turning at the American's words. "You and I both know that crime needed someone in the town watching everything." Arthur sighed his shoulders dropping. A sheriff or deputy position was the best thing for it, and Arthur's slate wasn't clean. It would only be a matter of time for fingers were pointed in his directions because it made everything make since to an outsider, maybe not so much the townspeople, but it would be enough to get him in jail. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Alfred's words are little help in cheering him up. When someone is welcoming, they don't bring up criminal relatives they know. There was little clearing up Alfred could do. He returned the kiss lightly. "I'll believe it when I see it."

He left Alfred guide him to the room, plopping down on the bed next to Alfred as he pulled him. A bit of a sigh escaped him as Alfred started talking. Arthur eyes widened a bit. What was Alfred going on about rest, there was no one out protecting the town currently. For all they knew someone was robbing the bank right now and there was no one there to stop him. He turned to object when Alfred climbed on to the bed behind him, grabbing his shoulders. Arthur immediately went ridged for a second and then he felt the kneading. The sly bastard was all Arthur could think, more than ready to give Alfred some of his mind about how the bank could be in the process of being robbed. But his neck tension was easing away and Alfred's hand are warm.

He bit back a moan, he hates letting Alfred know he won. Honestly though, he can't remember the last time Alfred did this too him. It's been way to long almost. "You're playing dirty," Arthur worked out in a somewhat complaining yet pleasured tone.

[Sorry this took like forever...I've been busy with work and stuff]

[Sheriff Jones]

As much as Alfred would have liked to disagree, to try and convince Arthur that nobody could possibly assume or even suspect him capable of assisting in such a heinous crime, he could see his point. It was too much of a coincidence for someone to break into the jailhouse after Arthur left and was out of there before he returned without outside help. But Arthur had served this town faithfully and had helped bring down the largest criminal empire in the west -- nobody could honestly think that he was still capable of that after he had sacrificed so much, right? “Come on Artie,” He said with a light grin “Nobody would think you had anything to do with it. You are an amazing deputy and everybody respects you for it. I’ll get these newcomers straightened out and we can set to work on finding the real bad guys.” Alfred had faith in the townspeople to protect their beloved deputy as well as sheriff Beilschmidt’s willingness to let go of the past. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see Arthur.”

Alfred could see how much the Englishman wanted to protest. No doubt he thought something terrible was happening at this very second, and the town would be doomed because the two lawmen were foolishly relaxing. But Alfred thought a few moments to themselves wouldn’t hurt. Besides, from the way Arthur’s usually rigid posture was relaxing beneath his skilled fingertips, it was clear that he wasn’t too upset. Arthur has never once admitted it, but he loved being pampered every once in a while, particularly in this way. The young sheriff knew that he had talented hands. While his mother still lived, he would often give her massages to help her relax, and the trend continued on with his foster mother. He never minded. In fact, he took a kind of pride in knowing he could help somebody relax after working so hard. Naturally, once he and Arthur had time to themselves, he made a point to use his knowledge to help the uptight gentleman relax every once in a while.

He chuckled when the older man spoke, his hands moving down his back to work the sore spots out. “I know, but how else would I get you to relax?” Alfred leaned in, planting a hot kiss against the shell of his ear as his hands moved lower. How Arthur could stand being this tense all the time would forever be a mystery to him, but if he could only give him a few moments a bliss before they were forced to return to the real world, he would be content. “I think the town can spare us for a few minutes. Just relax… I’ll take care of you.”

[Not to worry my love! This took a few days too XD Also, I'm going to be out of town until Tuesday. Also, I have a couple ideas, so check your PM's darling!]

[Crocky Kirkland]

"I relax." Arthur shot back before his body begged for Alfred's hands' attention. He hated how Alfred knew he could win so easily. It is true though, he relaxed, and while his body might not drop every ounce of tension like Alfred's, it still relaxed. Arthur was always raised to sit and stand up straight, his shoulders will always be slightly squared. The only time his body drops tension is when he is passed out asleep. Arthur still doesn't understand why Alfred doesn't get that fact. "That doesn't mean you don't have to do this less than you already do however." Arthur was in complete bliss

A shiver ran down his spine as Alfred kissed his ear, and his body always responded to any movement of Alfred's hand. The young sheriff had to be related to the devil or something, always so careless and addicting. "The town can spare a few moment's yes, but it can't spare us waltzing around in the afterglow." Arthur cut in, slyly, time to be a bit of a downer. He did, however, want something like that to happen in after the massage and whatever the hell might be happening. He leaned his head back letting it rest on Alfred's shoulder. "Be mindful, Kiku could be coming back to town any time now." Arthur warned.

[Okay, I'll be away for a week on Sunday]

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred couldn’t help but scoff a little. Arthur relax? Pfft, he wasn’t even sure that the Englishman knew what the word meant. “Uh huh, of course.” It would do no good arguing. He was sure they had gone back and forth about this subject at least a hundred times without either side making any real progress, so they both settled on disagreeing. Well, sort of settled. Arthur still insisted he was as relaxed as anyone else while Alfred made a point to poke fun at the older man whenever he said so. Honestly, how could anyone stand to have perfect posture all the time? It was exhausting, ugh. But Arthur never changed -- and, if he were to be honest with himself, Alfred wasn’t sure if he ever wanted him too. However, he couldn’t help but laugh when Arthur told him he better not dare to stop giving him massages. Was it possible for him to get anymore adorable? Alfred thought not. “I know,” He said with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t dream of it Artie.”

He turned his attention back to the task at hand. Arthur held most of his tension in his neck and shoulders, so he paid special attention to them. As he worked a particularly sore spot, Arthur spoke again. “Afterglow? What are you talking about?” It’s not like they were having sex or anything. Unless, that’s what the Briton was implying. Wait, did he want to have sex? He was usually so careful about their private moments for fear about being caught, but if that’s what he wanted, well, Alfred couldn’t see anything wrong with it. After all, he did want Arthur to relax. “Alright,” He said in response to Arthur’s comment as he leaned back against his chest. “Do you want me to just continue this or uh… do you want me to like, suck you off or something?” Subtly was not the American’s strong suit. He would rather be blunt and be totally confident that he knew what the other man wanted rather then waste time bumbling around trying to decipher Arthur’s cryptic messages. Was it unromantic? He didn’t really know, but communication was far more important then worrying about acting like prince charming or something.

[Crocky Kirkland]

"What? No!" Arthur said flustered at the the American's words. Yes, he did want something like that, but didn't he just say they couldn't do that. Arthur sat up and turn to Alfred with a blush on his face. "Okay, something like that would be lovely but I was just saying we can't do something like that. Weren't you bloody listening?!" Arthur snapped before rubbing his head with some slight embarrassment. The last few times Alfred had given him a massage, it had lead to something like this, or at least that's what Arthur remembered. "If I remember correctly this usually ends up in something like that...I think." He wasn't sure the more he thought about it.

He sat their awkwardly for a few moments before getting up from the bed and straightening his clothes. "I think we should see if the bank was robbed while we were resting." Arthur said weirdly, he was not a fan of when he miss read Alfred or Alfred misread him. Usually their rather good and understanding each other, but Arthur is still use to a fancy way of talking that it gets lost in translation somewhere in Alfred's head. Sometimes he can be a bit to horny to understand the simplest things from Alfred.

[Sheriff Jones]

Clearly that hadn’t gone as well as it could have. In response to his question, Arthur became flustered and snappier then usual. He supposed he shouldn’t be all that surprised. This always seemed to happen when he misunderstood something that the Englishman thought to be obvious, but it never failed to make him feel suddenly inadequate. But that still did not stop him from flinching away and letting his hands drop back to his sides. “Sorry Arthur,” He mumbled, shifting awkwardly. Every once in a while, they would hit an awkward miscommunication, but it happened so irregularly that he always forgot what was the best thing to do to mend this situation. He was never particularly good at reading people. Sure, he has gotten better while his relationship with Arthur progressed, but he was by no means perfect. Obviously. “I was just trying to help. Sorry.”

Then came the hated awkward silence. Alfred wished he could say something to break it, but thought better of it. Arthur was already upset with him, no need to make it worse. When he brought up the bank robbery, the young sheriff let out a sigh and stood up from the bed. “Okay. We can do a quick patrol before heading back to the jailhouse.” Alfred copied the Englishman and straightened his clothes with minimal results. He didn’t know what else to say now that this strange barrier was wedged between them. Thankfully, these awkward rifts never seemed to stay for long. Alfred would give it a half hour or so and everything would be back to normal. For now though, he flashed Arthur a cautious smile and opened up the door. “Come on. We don’t want to let the bad guys get away, do we?”

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur bit his lip when Alfred responded. Shit, he really screwed up. Usually when they miscommunicated, it was awkward and Arthur would be mad while Alfred was trying not to make him any angrier, but Alfred didn't look so hurt. Sometimes Arthur wished he wasn't so snappy, and he would just keep his mouth shut about things. He watched the American get up and head to the door. Arthur sighed when he opened it, his shoulders dropping slightly as he walked towards Alfred and the door.

"I know you were trying to help, love." He said with a small smile as a peace offering, because Alfred was already walking around him with such caution. He took the young sheriff's hand and squeezed it lightly. "I'm sorry too. We both miss understood each other." He was slightly happy with the fact that Alfred was in a way playing along with his constant worry of the town being robbed. "I quick patrol sounds decent." Arthur said as he left Alfred's hand slid out his own and he existed the room.

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred’s lips tugged up into a small smile. He had known from experience that this minor misunderstanding would easily run its course, but it was still relieving to hear Arthur apologize in return. “It’s no big deal Artie. I think we can recover.” The jab was playful, diminishing some of the tension that had built up from before. Yes, they would be just fine. A little spat like that was nothing to worry about, no matter how scary the Englishman got when he was angry. Alfred returned the comforting hand squeeze before Arthur pulled away. “Everything is alright Arthur, okay? I promise nothing is broken, so please get that guilty expression off of your face -- you have nothing to feel sorry for.”

Alfred kept the smile on his face even when Arthur exited the room. One quick patrol and they would head back to the jailhouse to complete the day. Once tomorrow morning hit, they would worry about the new arrivals, but for now, they needn’t worry. “We best hurry, before those bank robbers get away,” He said with a laugh, following Arthur out the door.

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur let a small smile grace his lips at Alfred's acceptance of his apology. He watch Alfred leave the room with a smile on his face, that was always a better sign. "Oh stop," Arthur shot back, with a roll of his eyes. Sometimes he wasn't sure if he enjoyed the fact that Alfred made fun of him for his slight phobia of being robbed without noticing. Still if someone actually was robbing the bank, someone would have surely would come and get them. The town was a rather nice size, big enough for few crimes to go unnoticed, which was always a comfort.

Arthur hurried down the stairs, tipping his hat slightly as he past Elizaveta. "I don't think we need to get Liberty and Victoria from the stables for a quick patrol." Arthur said as he stood on the porch. "I think my ankle can handle walking around the town."

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred wasn’t so sure that Arthur should be walking about on his ankle so soon, but he decided against arguing. A quick patrol was hardly strenuous. And besides, the trip to the stables and back was only slightly shorter than the route they usually took for short excursions such as this, so it was hardly worth a fight. Instead he just smiled, agreed, and helped Arthur down the steps and onto the street. “Maybe we should drop by the mayor’s house as well. You never know. Our bank robbers may have decided to try their hand at kidnapping. ” He teased as they walked down the length of the street. Of course, this was all meant in good fun. He wanted Arthur to huff, call him out for being an idiot, and let all the tension from before fade off into distant memory. Although neither of them voiced it, they really were good together. Alfred was easygoing and idealistic, but lacked any real focus when it came to everyday life. Arthur was the kind of level-headed planner that could handle Alfred’s personality and set him to work his strengths. On the reverse, Alfred liked to believe he helped his stubborn deputy relax and feel comfortable in his own skin. That was what he liked to believe anyway, because when they did hit snags in their relationship, the tension never lasted long. It was because, despite all the odds piled up against them, they really were perfect for one another. A true match made in heaven.

As they came to the end of their patrol (and no, the bank had not been robbed during their quick break), Alfred began to feel odd. It was as if a cloud had settled over the sun, coloring the afternoon in a deary, foreboding light. He couldn’t explain why he suddenly felt so nervous, considering the fact that Arthur and him now seemed to be on good terms and they now had three extra pairs of hands to help lighten the workload. Perhaps he was simply relieving the anxiety he felt after those men had been murdered? Yes, that makes sense. There was absolutely no reason to raise Arthur’s concerns then -- he was simply being silly. Yeah, that was it, silly. But no matter how he tried to reassure himself, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. And, as they walked up to the jailhouse, the pit of his stomach suddenly began to feel worse then a little queasy.

Sitting on a small suitcase by the door was his brother, looking pale faced and lost. “Matthew?” He left Arthur’s side, rushing up the stairs to pull his twin into a warm hug. “Matthew, what’s the matter? What are you doing here? Where’s Francis?” The name brought a dry sob from the doctor. Alfred’s concern mounted and he hooked a strong arm around the other’s waist, helping him into the jailhouse. “Francis...” Matthew tried to say through his heaving and sobs. “Francis is gone.”

[Crocky Kirkland]

"Oh shut up," Arthur huffed, giving Alfred a light shove. He knew he was teasing know, it was light and fun, like things were back to normal. They probably were, but sometimes with Alfred it was hard to tell. However, Arthur wasn't going to push and find out. It was a beautiful evening and he was happy Alfred hadn't put up too much of a fight to the foot patrol.

Arthur wanted to move around more now that he could, and he's ankle would only get better with practice and use. So going for a which patrol was nice. Besides, Arthur rarely gets to walk with Alfred anywhere in town all that often. Sometimes they would walk to the stables together, but it was a short walk, and then they went separate ways so Arthur didn't count that. They couldn't be like any of the other couples in the town, if they were walking together there always had to be a reason, there was never mindless walking, which annoyed Arthur. Sometimes it bothered him that he and Alfred could walk side by side and not be thinking similar things.

As they rounded the jail house, Arthur knew Alfred wasn't thinking about the pleasant walk like he was. However he didn't say anything, what had happened there weighed down on both of them heavily. However, then Alfred noticed something and hurriedly left Arthur's side. Arthur followed after when he noticed what the American say and approached the two brothers.

"What do you mean Francis is gone?" Arthur asked for he caught the tail end of the conversation. "Evening Matthew." Arthur greeted the other twin. He cringed a bit at his crying, feeling like there was little he could do for him.

[Sheriff Jones]

Matthew was an absolute wreck. He leaned heavily against his brother and cried into his chest for a good ten minutes before he could speak again. Alfred rubbed his back, whispered reassurances, and did everything he could to help his brother through the pain, but it seemed to do little to help. Matthew had always been the strong one. When they were young boys, he had been the one Alfred had come to when he had a nightmare or had been called a mean name by one of the neighbor kids. He had always known what to do or say to bring a smile back to his face. But when he was the one in pain, Alfred felt utterly useless. “It will be alright, I promise Mattie.” How could he promise anything? He hadn’t a clue what had even happened, let alone if it was fixable. “I’ll take care of everything Matthew.”

By the time Matthew had stopped his crying, he had sunk down to the floor with Alfred, his eyes red and his hair mussed. “He’s gone.” He repeated, gaze flickering up to Arthur. “I came home the other day and he was just gone. Nobody in town saw him leave. He just disappeared.” Alfred felt anger beginning to burn within him. His sweet, sensitive brother had let that man into his life, trusted him and loved him, and this was the treatment he got? He had been right to think that Matthew was too kind to keep Francis around like that. He was just about to tell his brother that he would be sure that if he ever found Francis, he would make him pay for hurting him, when Matthew spoke again. “All of his things were still in our room... just where they had been that morning.” This brought Alfred’s thoughts to a screeching halt. “I did my best to try and find him, but Alfred, somebody took him! I know they did! Please, you have to help me find him.”

Alfred looked at Arthur and then down at Matthew, trying to match the pieces together in his mind. Five murders in the jailhouse, their home being burned to the ground, and now Francis kidnapped. What in the world was going on here? “Of course I will help you find him. Arthur and I both will.” He hugged his brother close. “Don’t worry. We’ll get ol’ Franny back.”

Or at least, he certainly hoped so.

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur had dealt with the wreckage of Francis disappearing before. The man had seemed to be with countless people before Matthew, not all sexual relations, but a night of falling in love, or making a deal he couldn't keep. Woman would cry on Arthur or demand to know where the hell Francis ran off to, and Arthur had been held at gun point to see if he would turn in Francis. It annoyed Arthur that the Frenchman left the left overs to him when he was there. So Arthur wasn't too surprised to find out Francis up and left, however, Francis seemed to enjoy Matthew and his company, their connection was similar to Alfred's and his, and Francis was not one to walk away from something like that. That seemed to be the only irregularity as Arthur thought about what could have happened as Matthew cried. He skillful kept his mouth shut though, and he made a note to shot Francis in the foot for causing trouble for him yet again.

However, upon hearing all his things were still there, Arthur raised an eyebrow. Knowing Francis that probably meant he was returning at some point in time. Again, Arthur made a note to shot the man in the foot. Still, Matthew seemed fixed on the fact that someone took Francis. Arthur somewhat shrugged when Alfred looked at him. He knelt down next to Matthew and Alfred as Alfred assured his twin they would find Matthew.

"I know it's highly unlikely, Matthew, but maybe he went on a heist." Arthur said holding up a soft hand to stop Matthew and Alfred from talking to hear out his point. "As a criminal, Francis and I did not boast our departures, and if we were lucky no one saw us leave town. Now, I'm not saying he did that, but it's a possibility to weigh unless you have something that proves other wise." Arthur gave a soft smile.

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred could tell that his brother was ready to fight to defend Francis’s honor when Arthur spoke, but stopped himself at the Englishman’s signal. As much as he wanted to side with Matthew, he could see Arthur’s point. After all, Frenchie was a criminal, and as far as he knew, he had yet to renounce his ways for Matthew’s sake. So, there was a possibility that he took off for a job and didn’t tell Matthew in hopes of not upsetting him. A dumb move on his part, but Alfred could see the logic behind it. “He could be right Mattie. Before we jump to conclusions, let’s wait and see if he turns up. It does seem like the kind of thing he would do.” Matthew just looked distressed though and kept shaking his head over and over. “No! You guys are not listening to me. Somebody took him! He would have told me if he were going, I know he would have.” Alfred went to wrap his arms around his brother, but was pushed away. “No! You have to listen! You have to help!”

“But Matthew,” He tried to reason. Arthur had a good point. Arthur knew what Francis was like. This explanation made sense. But Matthew could not be swayed. “You have to believe me, Alfred,” Matthew pleaded, big tears pooling underneath his lilac eyes. “I know something is wrong. Francis loves me and he would have told me if he were leaving, even if it were a heist. I have this feeling, and I thought...” He stopped and let out a sob. “I thought you would believe me.”

Alfred stared down at his brother for a long time, picking apart the situation and putting himself in his brother’s shoes. He understood then. Had it been Arthur, he wouldn’t have listened to reason -- he would have acted and found the truth for himself. “Arthur, I think we need to find Francis.” The sheriff tilted his head up to meet his deputy’s vibrant green eyes. “Even if it’s just a heist, I wanna at least see his face and make sure he’s okay. And if he is, I’m gonna beat his ass for making my brother worry like that.”

Matthew threw his arms around him. “Thank you. Thank you.” He sobbed. “Thank you so, so much.”

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur sighed. Matthew was so fixed on the fact that someone possibly took Francis, which wasn't something they should rule out either. He nodded at Alfred though when he looked at him saying they would have to find Francis. However there was so little for them to go off of. "Why don't we head back to the inn and you can tell use everything." Arthur said softly, putting his hand on Matthew's shoulder.

Knowing Francis and his love for Matthew he would have left Matthew some clue about what he was doing. So if something was off. surely Matthew would have picked it up but might not have been able to make to much sense of it. Arthur started back towards the inn.

[Sheriff Jones]

It took a few minutes to get Matthew to calm down enough to make the move from the jailhouse to the inn. But even so, he kept a firm grip on his brother’s shoulders for support. When they reached the inn, he sat Matthew on the edge of his and Arthur’s shared bed, taking the place beside him. “Tell us everything Matthew.... if you can.” He didn’t want to press his sibling in this fragile state, but if they were going to get results, they needed something to go off of. Matthew just nodded and settled his gaze down to his own hands as he spoke. “We’ve lived together for months. He never seemed bored of our life together... he was actually very helpful! We worked the practice together and made enough to support ourselves comfortably. He never went back to his old lifestyle, not once. Why on earth would he start now?”

Alfred could provide no answer. He didn’t know Francis beyond what Matthew and Arthur had told him, but he didn’t strike him as a particularly reliable fellow. Still, his brother was convinced of his innocence. “But why do you think he was taken?” He prompted, hoping Matthew would provide a more solid explanation. His brother’s expression suddenly tightened and he tilted his head up to give Alfred a piercing glare. “Because the day before he received a letter in the post. He wouldn’t tell me what it was about or who it was from, but I could tell it made him nervous. He was acting strange the rest of the day, and that night he....” Matthew’s pale eyes suddenly went watery. “He said he loved me very much and always would... and the next morning he was gone. No money, clothes, or weapons taken. He was just gone.”

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur's head is spinning a bit when they reach the end and get Matthew to their room. He could think go a lot of reasons why Francis might just vanish suddenly. However, Arthur lets Alfred do all the talking, waiting for the right moment jump in. Arthur can tell that Matthew is more on edge that usual, and telling him Francis might like a life for a while, however, commitment wasn't exactly a word with a solid meaning, Francis had a balanced helping of serious relationships and flings, and he might eventually flutter away. Arthur has heard enough "Arthur, they're the one," for the words to just be a phrase. However, when talking about Matthew, Francis wasn't like he usually was, he was invested more that Arthur has ever seen him in all the time he knew him.

"Wait, a letter?" Arthur perked up at the mention of a letter. It could mean nothing, Francis might have been absent from the criminal world, but there were ways for criminals to find each other. There was one people who would message Francis when he 'settled down' with someone. "If it was for a heist though, I would have been contacted as well." Arthur muttered to himself. Francis would have a appeared or someone else who Arthur could stand enough to not just flat out arrest them for asking.

Arthur bit his thumb in thought for a moment. "And you're positive he didn't take anything. Nothing was missing?" Arthur questioned before he felt the need to explain. "A 'colleague' of ours could have possibly contacted him, and Francis could have for once followed instructions." Arthur held out a hand a bit. "I can't be certain however, unless they contact me as well, which will look bloody fantastic to the new help." Arthur trailed off.

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred was at a complete loss as to how to handle this. Matthew was beside himself and there wasn't much for either him or Arthur to go off on. If Francis was truly kidnapped like his brother seemed to think, there were bound to be signs by the house that showed a struggle. And if he had walked out on his own, he would have at least taken a few things with him for the journey. Either way, Alfred saw no other way to help his brother besides traveling back to the scene himself. He didn't want to seem uncaring when Matthew was so clearly distressed, but it was for that reason that he didn't trust his usually careful sibling's instincts entirely. There must have been something that he had missed. No criminal could be that good not to leave a trace.

Matthew shook his head again, tears still clinging to his thick lashes. "I didn't see anything out of place..." Alfred sighed heavily and pulled his brother close. "We'll take care of everything Matthew. We'll find old Franny and bring him around, don't you worry." He placed a kiss against the other man's forehead before pulling back. "Just rest for now. You've had a long day of traveling. Arthur and I will look in on this and see what we can find." He flashed his brother a confident smile as he gently took Arthur by the arm, signally that they needed to talk in privacy about how best to proceed. "I'm a hero, remember? Everything will be just fine."

((Sorry! Sorry! I am so, so sorry! I am the worst rp partner. I swear, I will get better at this. Ugh. This semester just stressed me out so much, but I think I've got a handle on it))

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur was happy when he noticed he wasn't the only one lost on this one. As much as he liked to think he knew Francis, there were times when he really had no clue what he was thinking. Nothing out of place, he repeated in his head. That seemed to be completely unlike Francis, he would have left with something, and somethings would surely be out of place in he left in a hurry in the middle of the night. He was too busy thinking, but he heard the words "long day of traveling" and turned to give Alfred a look. What the hell did the young sheriff mean? They couldn't just up and leave, there was a town, and not to mention three new people who he just had a feeling had it out for his job. There was no way. But, Alfred will be Alfred.

He lets Alfred lead him off gently, rolling his eyes as Alfred declares that he was a hero and the usual nonsense Arthur found annoyingly Alfred. "I'm sorry, did you say, 'long day of traveling'?" Arthur asked once he knew they were out of hearing distance. "As much as I would love to figure out what the Frog is thinking but pulling something like this, we can't just leave!" Arthur huffed a bit, pulling his arm a bit from Alfred's hold and crossing his arm. He knew he couldn't stop Alfred, but he could hopefully get him to think. "What are you thinking about this whole mess?" Arthur asked with sigh.

((No, it's okay. You're not the worst rp partner, you can't help it if life gets in the way, and I can't hold it against you. It's okay. I was busy with school too and I found ways to entertain myself as well.))

[Sheriff Jones]

Alfred had known Arthur's reaction would be something like this. But even so, he couldn't help but wince and rub the back of his head in his usual, guilty fashion. "Look Arthur, I know things are a bit crazy right now, but I can't just leave my brother with nothing. I mean, what is Francis really was kidnapped? If we don't do something right away, we might never find him!" Or worse, they might find him and it would already be too late. He didn't want to fail his brother like that. Not when he could have done something.

The young sheriff placed both his hands on Arthur's shoulders, stealing a quick kiss from his lips to try and calm him down. He understood where Arthur was coming from (he was the one who had the reputation of being the more logical of the two), but still, he couldn't ignore the feeling in his gut that they needed to act quickly. "How about one of us goes to check out Mattie's house and the other one stays to watch the town? It would only be one night..." He hated the idea of being apart for that long, but he couldn't think of any other option. Kiku had already done so much for them in the short amount of time he had been here, he didn't want to take advantage of his helpfulness. Plus there was Ludwig and Feli to think about now. There was already tension building thanks to Arthur's presence.

He sighed heavily and gently gripped Arthur's shoulder. Why did he have to be the one to make this request? "Arthur, I think you should go see what you can find and leave the town to me. That way I can hopefully calm down the newcomers and you can maybe dig up what you can on Franny."

((Still, I'm sorry and I will try and be better. Thanks so much for sticking with me))

[Crocky Kirkland]

Arthur enjoyed the small thrill that ran down his spine when Alfred stole a quick kiss, however he let out a small growl at the action. He hoped Alfred didn't take it the wrong way. "I know..." he muttered before Alfred started talking again. He made a face at the idea of splitting up. As much as he liked the idea, he had a feeling Alfred would make him stay because it was his brother after all. Arthur wouldn't usually mind if they had different people helping them. Ludwig, Kiku, Felicaino, and him were just a miss placed word away from a conflict. A conflict that hopefully the town would back Arthur on. He didn't want to chance anything.

However the moment Alfred said otherwise, Arthur blinked at him. "Are you serious?" Arthur said. He wasn't too shocked by the statement, it was all he could managed. He took a moment and then sighed. "Alfred, this isn't going to calm them down. If anything, I'll just...be judged more by them." Not that Arthur overly cared too much, his life choices were his life choices and he never let anyone's judgement affect him too much. Still, Ludwig and the others were to be his colleagues and there was already unwanted tension left over. "And let's say I find something to take me to the frog, then what do I do? Wait for you?" Arthur didn't know why he was getting a bit worked up, but it was true. He doesn't know what he would do. He sure as hell wasn't going to take Matthew to any lead just in case it was a dark outcome, and he could sit around the two days it would take to send a message to Alfred and his trip there. Yes he could contact some old 'friends', but he would rather not seeing as how there were people more willing to arrest him if he so much a glanced at the criminal world the wrong way.

Arthur sighed, why could his life be easy sometimes.

((I always laugh at how we're all like "we'll do better" and then life blindsides us -shakes fist in the air-))

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