Teach me

(An: This is gonna be really REALLY strange for me. However, this goes out to a friend of mine as bday gift and I think she well deserves it. Sorry if it seems a little too sappy for your taste. XP)

"You used to be…so big."

Dark times…really dark times yes.

Arthur shook his head of such thoughts as he focused his eyes back on the towering tree in front of him. Reaching out his right hand; he allowed his fingertips to graze it just lightly so. He chose to keep his eyes a straight distance ahead, neither looking up nor down. Had he chose to face the ground; he would be no different than the day of that 'incident'. Had he averted his eyes skyward; he would just be reminded of the memories spent before the 'dark times'.

He mentally cursed himself as his eyes darted skyward. Despite it all, a small smile still grazed his lips.

*flashback*

"How come?" Big blue orbs looked into his own emerald ones with deep curiosity. "What does it do?"

Arthur threw back his head in proud laughter. "You have much to learn lad. It doesn't DO anything. As for its purpose…what better place to have a 'secret base' wouldn't you say?" He looked back down at the little boy with a sincere smile grazing his lips. "Would you like to climb up and take a look, Alfred my boy?"

He watched the boy shift from foot to foot; hesitation was apparent in his eyes. However, he also saw a deep determination within his eyes. Sometimes, when he looked deep enough, the determination appeared to be so overwhelming strong that he feared what future it would bring. He awoke from his thoughts at the boy's bold response.

"Okay! But you gotta promise that we can name it after me!"

He recoiled at this and it felt as if something heavy had dropped in his stomach. 'Name it after him? What in the bloody hell gave the boy such a bold idea? It wasn't like HE made the treehouse! NO! He most certainly would NOT stand for that.'

Or, that was what he inwardly felt anyways. His response was polar opposite. He gave a warm smile and replied softly. "Why of course! Pick any name you wish and it shall be yours."

"Really? Awesome!" With a small cheer, the boy darted for the ladder and began to scramble upward. Arthur watched with a small frown and a deep sigh.

'This is why, one day, he will be able to walk right over me. I've gotten too soft.'

*end of flashback*

He didn't know when it happened but at some point; he wound up climbing the ladder once more. It creaked with every shift upward of his body weight. He felt very strange climbing the old creaky ladder again after all this time. When he reached the top, he gasped at what he saw.

There, huddled in the left corner with a blanket wrapped around them was the same boy who shared the name of the wooden setup. Albeit, he wasn't the same age he once was but…

"You! What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

He saw the familiar pout appear on the younger man's upper lip. "It's my fort too, you know? I should have every right to come here when I want! It IS in my name after all!"

He felt an old familiar feeling of heaviness in his gut at these words. Of course it would come to this. All the names and claiming and…and…

Independence

A jolt soared through his body as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and met a pair of sad blue eyes. It was then he saw it. The same innocent determination that he had seen all along. This was the same boy. The same boy he had helped raise. The same boy who used to crawl in bed with him when he had nightmares. This was…

"Alfred…"

Alfred smiled at the mention of his name. "Do you…do you remember when I used to get scared and crawl in your bed sometimes from those scary made-up stories you would tell me?"

Arthur lowered his eyebrows at this. "Are you insinuating that the supernatural is made-up?"

Alfred's eyes widened at this. "I…well…who would wanna believe that that stuff is real?"

Before Arthur could put in another word; he was cut-off. "Anyways, that isn't the point. When I was little and I used to get scared…" He smiled a sad smile at this and cast his eyes downward. "I used to tell myself that one day; I would become a strong superhero and be able to beat all those scary things up."

Arthur wrinkled his nose at this. The LAST thing he wanted to hear about was how the boy became independent from him and went his own merry way. He didn't need to be told that story…he had seen it first hand. What he DIDN'T expect was the immediate embrace he was pulled into. He felt warmth like no other flood through his entire body. It was like a piece of him that had been missing was finally put back in its place. He shivered a bit as he felt the breath of the other man against his ear and had to strain to hear the soft words spoken.

"The truth is…I knew that being next to you would make me safe. Because…because back then…back then I saw you as my hero."

"Alfred…" He closed his eyes at this. Reaching his right hand up; he began to pat the top of the other's head lightly. Tears began to start forming at the corners of his eyes. He loved him, God he loved him so much. He pulled apart to face the other boy.

"Alfred…why did you come here?"

He saw the other bite his lip and close his eyes. "Because…because I felt I left things unsaid, I think. I wanted to be on my own but I don't want to leave with regrets. You taught me a lot. I'm grateful to you for it." He opened his eyes and smiled a soft genuine smile. It dropped just as quickly as it had appeared however when he saw the tears streaming down his elder's face. "Did…did I say something wrong?"

"Of…Of course not!" He immediately wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and put on a stern face. "Well, was that it? I can't imagine that you came all the way here to say just that."

The broad smile he saw awaken across the other boys' lips made that sickening twist in his stomach reawake. He watched with a wrinkled brow as the younger boy reached for a loose floorboard and lifted it up. What he pulled out from underneath had Arthur's jaw dropping to the floor.

"WHEN IN GOD'S NAME DID THAT GET THERE?"

Alfred laughed his trademark laugh as he proceeded to untie the ribbon around the parchment he had pulled out from below. "I actually put that there a few years ago when I came back here for a visit."

"You came here…without MY consent?"

He watched the boy unraveled the flimsy poster paper and gave it a small shake so as it displayed its contents in full view. "Yep, it got me through the lonely nights of when I was sleeping up here alone."

"You were WHAT? LONELY NIGHTS? You Git! What in bloody hell makes you think you had the right to stay here with THAT?"

He pointed his finger at the accusing object; his face beet red at this point. Alfred just nonchalantly glanced from him to the poster. "What? You don't like it?"

"DON'T LIKE IT? It's a disgusting display! I want that pin-up out of this treehouse, NOW!" He began to seethe as he noticed Alfred just looking down at the thing with a frown on his face. The boy obviously was ignoring him.

"I think Betty Grable is really gorgeous. You more of a Rita Hayworth fan then, Arthur? ….Unless, are you…?" His eyes shot open wide at this and he made direct eye contact as a follow-up. "Not-into-girls?"

Arthur felt the color drain from his face. "No you dolt! That's not it! I…"

"Wow that would make so much sense now. Especially with the relationship with you and big brother Francis…"

"Good Lord lad! I don't know where the bloody hell you are getting these ideas but this is really…!"

He was startled as a determined Alfred came up to him, nose to nose. "Then prove it! If I kiss you now, you're not allowed to respond, k?"

"Not allowed to…"

His thought was forever left on his lips and replaced with lips of another. Time itself had frozen or it had felt so as the kiss seem to deepen on its own. His arms had taken a life of their own and made their way around the other's neck. He began to relax and surrender his mouth to be delved by the other. It was then as if something in his brain clicked on and he gasped in the other's mouth and immediately pulled away. He opened his eyes to find Alfred's face flushed quite similar to how his own felt. Through the gasping and panting Alfred gave a small smile which Arthur blushed at this.

"Heh…*gasp* you…ha…you lose…*pant*."

"Oh put a sock in it twit!"

END

(An: okay, not as explicit as I expected it to be but it was pretty cute right? Reviews plz!)