The Kirkland household was a downright mess.

Alfred didn't exactly know what was happening - all he did know was that one moment he was knocking on the door to meet up for an afternoon out, and - after being pulled through the doorway in a spectacularly horror-flick-esque manner - the next he was standing behind a corner as a very distressed Arthur overlooked the onslaught that was his siblings (with the peculiar addition of a lip-cut young man Alfred recognized as their half-cousin, Liam) arguing.

It was all very confusing until Arthur's eyes widened after a silent rumination - and he turned to the American with such force that he could almost hear the faint whistle of air around him.

"Alfred, I need you to kiss me."

"I . . . what?"

"I'm the youngest - he's bound to forget about Rose and Liam if something happens to me," explains Arthur, as if he was making any sense at all. They both flinch at an enraged roar from Allistor, something Alfred's heard only once before in a bar incident involving a spilt drink an an airborne stool. "Quick, Alfred - we don't need another broken table in this household." He takes a step towards the American.

And the American takes a step back. "Whoa, whoa." He places his hands on Arthur's shoulders - something he regrets almost instantly, but he decides it's too late to pull back. "Dude, I'm not doing anything until you explain what the heck's going on here."

Arthur sighs, pulling away from the grip. "I owe her one."

"Your sister?"

"No, my grandmother's ashes - of course my sister." For a second, Alfred's almost glad for the short return of Arthur's annoying-ass sarcasm - finally, something he's recognizes amongst this mess. "Christ, how do you even get dressed in the morning?"

"Not doing a great job convincing me here, Artie."

"Right, right," he reminds himself, pointedly ignoring the nickname and shaking his head a bit to get himself back together. "Rose and Liam have a date today, and - thanks to their brilliant idea to start snogging in the middle of the living room - Allistor's just discovered their secret relationship. Basically, Rose needs help and I need to provide it for her."

Alfred raises an eyebrow, unsatisfied. "And?"

Running a hand through his hair, Arthur explains further. "So long as she doesn't say a word to Allistor about me drinking his prized booze that one godforsaken night, I owe her one favor." He shakes his head, blushing the tiniest bit. "Knowing her, and that receipt I found on the counter two weeks ago, she's going to force me into one of those ridiculously skimpy angel costumes for your halloween party."

Though he honestly wouldn't mind the repercussions, the (strangely familiar) pleading look Arthur currently had on seemed to wear down all his resistance. This isn't how he wanted it to go at all - but better late than never, right?

"All right, but only on one condition."

"Which is?"

"I get to do this again sometime."

"Wh—"

Before he knew it, he was being pushed up against the peony stripes of his living room wallpaper by a pair of (strangely eager) lips. The initial thump of the Englishman's head was surprisingly loud enough to attract attention from the crowd, and - more importantly - Allistor, who'd promptly turned around to catch his youngest brother be devoured by someone he thought was his best friend.

The kiss was sloppy, and obviously lacked rehearsed finesse (why his heart seemed to brighten at that, he'll never know). After the shock wore off, he was pliant in Alfred's arms - lips, tongue, and teeth futilely attempting to coordinate the whole thing whilst stifling the pyrotechnics that seemed to be firing off in his stomach. God, the whole thing just felt so different and strange and dynamic—

It was the best goddamn kiss he's ever had.

And it ended about as abruptly as it began.

All Arthur knew is that one moment he was being pushed up the wall and pinned, the next he was smacking lips with a patch of very, very empty air. He blinked once, twice, a couple of times (just to get the stars out of his eyes, really) before his attention was caught by a very thankful looking Liam and Rose sneaking their way out the front door and a mildly unimpressed but relieved Rhys in the corner.

"So, you're going for lil' Artie now, hmm?" Allistor chuckles, snapping Arthur's attention to the sight of Alfred shirt-balled against the opposite side of the hallway. "Well my fist here's just dying for some action too."

This was going to be a long afternoon.

"Pucker up, lover boy."

A long, long afternoon.

A/N: another one from my writing blog, but it's usuk this time :DD School's being one hell of a pain in the butt, but I'll manage.