Like You Did Before

“Arthur”

Arthur ducked his head, shifting his feet uncomfortably. He could hear the tension in Iker’s voice. He was trying hard not to show it. The expression on his face was carefully neutral, and he hadn’t slammed the door in Arthur’s face like he had half been expecting that he would, but his voice gave him away. It lacked the practised politeness that it had had before. He had always been polite. Even though he had seen through Arthur the first time he’d met him, Iker had always made a point of treating him kindly, and Arthur knew that he did it to make Matilda happy. A lot of the things that Iker did were centred around his desire to make Matilda happy.

“I...I know I shouldn’t be here” Arthur stumbled out.

“If you know that, then why are you here?” Iker asked.

Arthur pushed a nervous hand back through his hair, lifting his stare back up to Iker. “I need to talk to Mattie” he replied.

“You did, last night” Iker countered.

Arthur’s eyes widened fractionally. He was slightly surprised that Matilda had told Iker. He knew that he was a sensitive subject for the two of them and he had assumed that she would keep it from him. Matilda didn’t handle conflict well and if omitting something kept her and Iker from fighting, Arthur had assumed that she would. “We did see each other last night” he confirmed “But I didn’t have the chance to say what I needed to say. We’d barely sat down before...something else came up” he added.

Iker nodded wordlessly. He knew that Arthur was talking about the pregnancy tests, but he didn’t want to confirm it. It was news that he and Matilda would share when the time was right.

“Please” Arthur pleaded “I know I am not your favourite person, and I completely understand why, but I need to talk to her, Iker. No matter how strained things are between us now, she’s still one of the most important people in my life, and I need to say this to her. Please. I’ll be ten minutes tops” he insisted.

Iker glanced over his shoulder, making sure that Matilda wasn’t walking down the stairs, before he shook his head, turning back to Arthur with a slightly softer expression. “Do you understand how hard this has been for her?” he asked “You mean an awful lot to her, and it has killed her to have to put some distance between the two of you. Do you really think it is fair for you to try and pull her back in again?” he asked.

Arthur shook his head. Iker’s voice wasn’t accusatory, just concerned, and it was a reminder to Arthur just how much he cared for Matilda. “I’m not trying to” he said.

“But you’re here” Iker countered “Art...”

“Art?” Matilda’s voice was sudden, causing Iker to jump at the sound of it.

“Mattie” Iker squeaked.

“Is he on the other side of this door?” Matilda asked.

Iker hesitated for a split second before he tipped his head in a tight nod, opening the door slightly more. Offering Arthur a slightly warning look, he stepped back, allowing Matilda to fill the space he had vacated.

Arthur’s face brightened with a shy smile. “I’m sorry for the surprise visit” he quipped.

Matilda, who’d been blinking up at him in surprise, shook her head, her expression slightly bashful. “What are you doing here, Art?” she asked.

“We didn’t exactly get a chance to talk last night” Arthur replied.

“And so you thought it’d be a good idea to show up at our home unannounced?” Matilda countered, stressing the word ‘our’.

“I didn’t think you’d answer if I called” Arthur said, his voice slightly sharp as his gaze wandered up to Iker who still lingered at Matilda’s shoulder.

Iker shook his head. “Do you think that this is easy for Mattie?” he snapped.

“I think things were a lot easier for us before you appeared” Arthur countered.

“Arthur, please” Matilda said. She didn’t want things to deteriorate any further.

Iker scoffed, taking a step past Matilda. “Do you actually care about her happiness, Arthur?” he asked “I mean, has it ever occurred to you that whilst you might not have loved the way things have worked out, Mattie might? Does it matter that I make her happy or do you only think about yourself and how you feel?” he pressed.

“How can you ask me that?” Arthur snapped.

“You keep trying to ruin this for her!” Iker yelped before he could stop himself.

Matilda’s hand gently wrapped around Iker’s, squeezing it gently.

Iker took a deep breath before he glanced back over at Arthur. “Have you ever stopped for long enough to think that I could actually make her happy?” he asked.

Arthur, who’d been staring at their entwined hands, slowly nodded his head, lifting his stare back up. “I know you do” he said gently “It’s actually why I wanted to talk to you, Mattie” he added.

Matilda’s forehead creased.

Arthur quirked a rueful smile. “I...I got a new job” he stumbled out “It’s been in the works for a little while, but it’s official now, and I wanted to tell you about it, rather than have you hear it from someone else. I know that things aren’t good between us right now, but I still thought I should tell you. I know I’d still be pissed if you disappeared without a word” he added.

“Disappeared?” Matilda’s voice was quiet, caught somewhere between curious and anxious.

Arthur offered her a tight nod. “The job is in Lisbon” he said “I’m moving out there in a couple of weeks” he added.

Matilda shook her head. “You can’t” she spluttered.

“I can” Arthur’s voice tried, and failed, to be playful.

“You love it here” Matilda protested “Your family is here, all our friends. You can’t just...”

“Yeah, I can” Arthur interrupted “I kind of have to” he added, sparing a significant look at Iker who’d stepped back.

Matilda followed his stare, studying the sympathetic expression that Iker wore, before she turned back to Arthur. “Because of me?” she whispered.

“For me” Arthur countered.

Matilda sniffled slightly before she launched herself at Arthur, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “I’m so sorry” she mumbled into his shoulder.

Arthur hesitated before he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her comfortingly. “It’s not your fault” he murmured “I can’t make you fall in love with me through sheer force of will” he added, a shaky laugh falling out of his mouth.

Matilda just squeezed him tighter, something Arthur mimicked, determined to relish their last moment together.