Adventures with Texas

An England x OC Story

Part One: Rendezvous

He could have curse Alfred Jones’ name a million times over for this stupid meet up, if only because Alfred had snuck out of it at the last minute. Arthur Kirkland was loath to return a fully paid for plane ticket or cancel a whole holiday after filling out all the paper work and having it prepared – damn Alfred Jones! Well, even if Alfred couldn’t make it he’d insisted on Arthur coming to meet Texas – Jessica.

Upon shuffling along the airport corridors toward the departure gate he was a little startled by the images greeting him. As usual he’d dress smart-casual, an ironed white shirt and a neat pair of trousers (also ironed) and a tie but already the dry heat was starting to make him conscious of his armpits. He’d spent the flight in economy class, enjoying the fact he would have something to complain about, but now regretted it with his sore neck and back. Around him the local community bustled in delight with big smiles on their faces, wide-eyes and that kind of childish enthusiasm that made England’s skin crawl. He could never understand why Americans never carried themselves as dignified and straight backed as he did – even France knew how to look respectable and proper.

Stepping into the departures area, the sound of hellos and high pitched screaming of people greeting and giggling filled his ears. Oh god what a ghastly sound! He looked about, rather sheepishly because not only did he stick out like a saw thumb but he was supposed to be looking for a black Stetson… everyone around him was wearing the ideal cowboy hat and England felt any confidence sinking away into a latent melancholy – damn it America!

“Hey String-bean!” The non-nonsense, straight-talking high tones of a Texan woman seemed to slap him in the face and to his sense. Such an insult, such an… well that was actually quite an old one wasn’t it? Arthur turned about himself and was suddenly given a great big hug by a well-formed and obviously strong woman who nearly knocked him flat off his back. He almost gave a howl of anger – he barely knew this person and they were hugging him?

“Forgive me madam, but I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” Holding back the snide remark about calling him a string-bean, Arthur tried to maintain some decorum and when the woman unhooked him and he then started patting dust off his jacket, her eyes were boring into him. Her knuckles were pressed to her hips, her body on a slight lean with her elbows bent and her stance frustrated and tough. She was obviously either confused or insulted by him. But on identifying the black Stetson and the random placard with a white flag and five red crosses on it… Arthur heaved a sigh. “If you’re looking for England, i.e. me – then I should inform you that you’re holding a Georgian flag not an English one.”

“Well you must be England if you’ve got the balls to be so rude to someone who’s going to be looking after you. Stuck-up aren’t you? Not everyone expects to be corrected the moment they meet someone for the first time.” The woman snorted and had her eyes not twinkled with something that could have been humour, Arthur might have decided to act like the high-class practically snobbish prick that insulted her further. But when he sagged at the shoulder and made notions of a saw back, the woman gave a snort. “Anyway, if you didn’t know it was Alfred that gave me the flag. I told him it must be wrong but he believes the more on a flag the better – or haven’t you seen ours. I’m Jessica Stone, but most folks call me Texas.”

One minute she speaks with an educated charm and the next she’s putting on a yokel persona… is she trying to confuse me or ease me into this situation. Doesn’t she think I appreciate intelligence? Or does she think I’m only going to react to what I expect? What a cruel individual.

Despite his thoughts of irritation, Arthur knew she’d probably been just thrown out here like he had been and it was obvious they both held some irritation for Alfred or surely she would have referred to her real surname, Jones. So with a gently sigh he held out a hand to shake and was given another hug before being grabbed and practically dragged out to the car and on to where he was going to be staying.

“I hope you’re interested in trying some new things and what not – I thought I’d take you to a real bar and have a drink to get to know you.” Jessica chuckled in amusement as she started the engine and began to drive off with Arthur fiddling around to put his seatbelt on. He wanted to say no, but in the confusion of trying to find his seatbelt he yelled out his agreement before he was even sure of himself.