Lost Luggage

By~Katrara~

Done for the USxUK Secret Santa Fic/Art exchange on LiveJournal. I pitched hit for the prompt 'Stuck in an air-port together, complete strangers to each other.'

"Flight 76 from New York, New York, America has landed," the voice over the intercom announced, only those listening intently for the announcement hearing it over the sounds the airport produced. Within minutes of the announcement people began flooding in from the exit tunnel of the plane. A sandy blond with emerald green eyes named Arthur Kirkland was among them.

"Finally back home" the Brit sighed, happy to be home from his American university for the holidays and the coming of the new year. He was attending a college in Massachusetts for Art and History, but through the months of studying had found him missing his home in England dearly. Now he was home for the holidays until January 8, when he would than have to go back to America. He only needed to get his luggage and hail a taxi to go home.

Going over to the luggage retrieval from his flight he looked for his two suitcases. A good twenty minutes went by and all the luggage was gone and no more was going around the revolving belt, while Arthur still only had his carry on bag with him, no suitcases.

"Well isn't this my bloody luck" Arthur mumbled to himself, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the revolving empty belt.

"Your luggage gone too?" A male voice asked from across the belt, said voice having a clear American accent. Looking over at the one who spoke to him Arthur found himself looking at an American, maybe a year younger than himself, with hair a rich sunny blond and eyes bluer than the oceans Arthur so enjoyed painting. He was no more than one or two inches taller than Arthur but he definitely had more muscle than him under tan skin, gained from hours spent outside. The American was clad in jeans, a bit lose on his waist, an I love New York T-shirt under a dark blue, unzipped, hoodie, and glasses.

"Yes, is yours missing than?" Arthur asked politely, slightly relieved that he wasn't the only one in this predicament.

"Yeah, this is flight 76's luggage drop right?" the American asked in response. Arthur nodded in confirmation.

"Suppose we should go report it then," Arthur declared, walking off towards the Lost and Found.

"Hey, mind if I tag along?" The blue eyed male asked.

"I don't see why not, you're clearly American. Doubt you know your way around here."

"Hey! Just because I'm American doesn't mean I don't know how to find a lost and found center!" The sunny blonde retorted with a joking laugh as he followed the green eyed man. Arthur merely shook his head as he came up to the front desk with a sign above it reading in bold, Lost and Found Center.

Alfred beat Arthur to the bell resting on the desk, tapping it twice quickly. A moment later and a young women with curly ginger hair pinned back and freckles appeared, giving the duo a kind smile. "How may I help you?"

"We've both lost our luggage, from flight 76." Arthur answered. The women, nodded in response, typing on a computer behind the desk.

"New York to London, correct?" she asked.

"That'd be the flight," Alfred replied to her.

"Alright, could you please give me your names and a brief description of what all was lost than?" the ginger asked politely.

"Arthur Kirkland, I lost two medium sized suitcases. They were a dark red color." Arthur replied first, giving Alfred a nod that he was done speaking.

"I'm Alfred F. Jones. I lost a blue duffel bag and a suitcase that had an American flag design." Alfred replied. At the last three words Arthur found himself shaking his head thinking, obnoxious Americans.

"Alright, thank you. If you'll just give me a minute than I'll let you two know if we've located the luggage." the women said, picking up a phone that was set next to the computer.

Arthur sighed, crossing his arms as the women spoke over the phone before going back to her computer. This went on for a few minutes and Alfred soon found himself leaning back against the desk, his elbows propping him up.

Another few minutes of silence passed before the women spoke again, bringing the two blonds from their musings. "Your luggage has been located. It's all on the next flight over to London, if you would be kind enough to wait the plane will be here within three hours time."

"Alright, thank you ma'am." Arthur said with a slight annoyed tone. He would be lucky if he got home before midnight now. Walking off to a nearby bench he found himself being followed by Alfred. Trying to ignore the man that had followed him still Arthur pulled out his cell phone and called his mother, alerting her to his predicament and letting her know that he would be very late getting home.

As he hung up the phone the blue eyed foreigner spoke up. "Hey, um Arthur right," a nod yes, "could I kinda, borrow your phone for a second. I'm suppose to go to my grandparents house but I'm, you know, stuck here while we wait for the plane."

"Alright." Arthur replied, handing his phone over to younger. Alfred took it with a thanks and called his grandparents, telling them what was going on at the airport. Arthur started to question Alfred's grandparents when he went on explaining, in detail, what happened for the fourth time though. Eventually Alfred just hung up on his grandparent, handing the phone back to a snickering Arthur with a sigh.

"Trouble explaining I take it?" Arthur asked, pocketing his phone.

"Yeah, I don't know what happens to people when they get old. Drives me insane when they keep asking me to repeat myself and telling me they don't understand." Alfred answered, shaking his head.

"I understand, I really wonder where my grandmother's sanity has gone these past few years." Arthur said, laughing quietly at some of the memories that had entered his mind.

"Oh? Like confusing countries that are across the ocean?" Alfred asked, laughing at his own statement.

"How about confusing houses across the street, that your own child lives in." The elder retorted laughing with the blue eyed American.

The hours that followed went by far to quickly in the duo's mind, having lost themselves in conversation on the bench. Christmas carols being played on the intercom between announcements for flights playing in the background. Families reuniting around the airport, children being dragged along by parents, and couples running to their significant other all took place around the two blonds. Neither took any notice, absorbed in talking to the other. When the announcement that the next flight from New York had landed, flight 17, the two were both glancing at the time in shock.

"Well, those three hours and twenty minutes sure flew by, now didn't they?" Arthur mused as he stood up.

"Yeah, lost complete track of time there." Alfred replied, following the brit towards the luggage pick-up.

A few minutes later the duo had all their belongings in their possession as they headed towards the exit together. An almost awkward silence had settled between them.

The American was the one to finally break the quietness between them, "So um, do you wanna hang out some time? I mean, your parents' house is apparently a short drive from my grandparents' house if I gave you the right address, and I would really like getting a tour around the city. You seem to know the place pretty good."

Arthur smiled, "I would hope I know the place 'pretty good' I only grew up here," a laugh, "I would love to. I gave you my cell phone number right?"

"Yeah you did." Alfred replied, patting the pocket that held the paper Arthur had scribbled his number on.

"Lovely." the Brit commented, looking away with a slight blush. "H-hey Alfred. You said you live only twenty minutes from my apartment in the states right?"

"Yeah, your college is in Boston and I'm right on the outskirts of the place. Why?" Alfred replied, pushing his glasses back up his nose a bit.

"Well, I was w-wondering if you would, possibly, like to come by my place in America. I really don't know the city at all, could use a tour around the place myself." Arthur responded, biting his lip from bad habit.

The sunny blond smiled at the shorter male, "Yeah, I think that can be done easily."

Silence passed between the two again as Arthur managed to hail a taxi finally. "Will you be alright on your own? Getting a taxi to your grandparents and all?"

"Yeah, thanks Arthur. I'll see you around?" Alfred replied, getting the door for the Brit. The blue eyed blond was fidgeting in place, mind pondering over whether he should or shouldn't do something.

"Yeah..I'll see you ar-" Arthur found himself interrupted by a soft pair of lips, resting briefly on his own before pulling back. Normally, Arthur would have screamed at the American for how rude and rash that was, but he couldn't will his mind past any action beyond blushing like a fool as he bit his lip, clearly hiding a smile.

Alfred smiled in reply at his response, "Happy Holidays, Arthur."

Arthur climbed into the taxi, rolling the window down to reply, "Happy Holidays... oh and Alfred."

"Yeah?" Alfred prompted.

"It was a pleasure losing my luggage with you."

Notes: This has been on the USxUK community since sometime in December, but I figured I'd put it on here as well. As a little sorry for not updating...anything, and not finishing a request I've had for a while now either. (I am so sorry for the delay on that!) Today seemed like a good day to upload this since we recieved a cancellation due to snow (which is my new best friend might I add.)

Still, this was a Secret Santa fic for mizu_from_kumo on LJ and I hope she liked it, she said she did on LJ at least. Lol.

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