"I have to get going Alfred! I don't have time for this!" Arthur said as he tried to detach Alfred from his tie.
"Awww~ come on Arshur! I jush want a few nibbles! You look sho tashty in tis tie!" Alfred said around the black tie in his mouth.
"Come on you git...! Off!" Arthur gave Alfred a small whack to the top of his head. He finally released Arthur's tie but quickly moved behind him and nibbled the top of his ear. Arthur shivered out of pleasure but pushed Alfred away from him and turned back to his half packed briefcase. It was made of black leather with gold clasps and handle. It was something that Alfred had insisted on buying him.
"You know I have an important meeting with my boss today! As much as I want to, I can't play with you right now; no matter how dashing you do look in that suit." Arthur said peering up at the clock.
"Oh, bloody hell! Look! You've made me late!" Arthur griped angrily. He snatched his coat from the hanger with one hand and nabbed his briefcase with the other and headed for the door.
"Arthur, wait…," Alfred said catching up to him.
"What is it?"
Alfred quickly pecked him on the cheek and Arthur blushed.
"I love you and good luck."
"I love you too. Thank you." Arthur said awkwardly. Surprisingly Arthur put his brief case on the floor and draped his coat over it.
"What are you doing? I thought you had to-"Alfred began to say but Arthur wrapped his arms around Alfred's neck and kissed him fully even slipping in some tongue. Before he realized it Arthur was already out the door waving his goodbyes to Alfred. He watched as Arthur drove away feeling a tad bit lonely.
Alfred closed the front door and went to Arthur's room to finish getting ready for his own meeting. He had to go talk to the president about some sort of security issue in the military. He put on his loafers and dug around in the cherry wood dresser searching for his American flag tie. After 10 minutes of looking he gave up his search and decided to call Arthur and see if he knew. He yanked his cell phone quickly out of his pocket and called Arthur. After it rang twice Alfred began to think that he was already at his meeting but luckily on the third ring he answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey Artie!"
"What do you want? I'm about to enter the meeting room so make it quick."
"I was looking for my America tie; do you know where it is?"
"We bought two of them so there should be one in the dresser."
"I looked there already."
"Then the other one is in my nightstand."
"That's a weird place for you to put a tie."
"I really have to go. See you at home, love." Arthur said quickly and hung up.
Alfred listened to the dial tone for a good 30 seconds before hitting the end button on his IPhone 4 and sliding it back into his front pocket. Alfred went to the cherry wood nightstand (also picked out by the golden haired nation) and opened the top drawer to find his tie neatly folded on top of a pile of hand crafted English parchment that looked like it was starting to yellow.
Usually Alfred would ignore such pieces of paper because, one, Arthur always had documents lying around and second, Arthur was probably having a panic attack knowing that Alfred was rummaging through his drawers demolishing his clean and organized nightstand. But what caused Alfred to pick up the top document was that scrawled out in Arthur's most elegant writing was his name at the top of the page.
Alfred sat on the corner of their bed and red it silently to himself surprised at what he found.
Dear Alfred,
July 4th, 2010
I know you may not understand how I feel about today but to put it simply, it's... a painful day. I look back at that rainy day in 1783 and believe that we were both right on our opinions. I still remember clearly what you said to me.
"You've given me so many things, but the price for it was freedom. Today will be the day I lose everything but I gain something more valuable than the world; and I will protect it till the very end of my life." It hurt to know that you'd rather have this freedom rather than stay with me. That's when I realized you became an adult and you were leaving my side. You had left me alone to suffer in whatever sorrow that hadn't already surrounded me yet.
Sleepless night's passed. The sun rose and set many times. Time didn't seem to matter anymore. But as each day went by the more I missed you and the more I cried.
I started to notice at conferences and other events that we would have to be near each other that my eyes always wondered to you. When you tried to talk to me my heart would beat faster and faster and my cheeks turned bright red. I couldn't look you in the eyes; it would have reminded me of before when everything was right. When I saw you coming I would dash out of sight and watch you from afar. I thought I did this all out of sadness and the yearning for things to return to the way they were. I soon realized that it wasn't because of that. It was something else entirely.
Many years later when I could hide this new found feeling, you reminded me of what you said years before. When I implied that the thing you said you'd protect was freedom you laughing and ruffled my hair. You said "That's not what I was talking about! It was something far more important than that." "What? What's more important than freedom?" I questioned knowing that it was going to be something stupid like the biggest burger in the world or something along those lines.
I remember the seconds it took you to speak and the awkwardness that was on your face. It seemed you were building up the courage to say whatever it was but I was too naive to know why. But the one word you spoke next froze me to the very spot.
"You." You half whispered with a small smile. It felt like al electric shock went through my body. It made me realize what that feeling was that I fought with for so many years. It was love. My eyes grew bigger and I blushed but I didn't move from my stiffened position. I remember you waving you hand in front of my face and called my name. You seemed so far away and everything was hazy. I think you asked if you broke me or something. You're large hands grabbed onto my shoulders and you shook me trying to get me to snap out of it but I wasn't there mentally only physically.
Love? My mind wouldn't process this emotion towards the man who ruined my life; the man who tore me apart and left me for the dogs. But my heart screamed for you; for your embrace; for your love.
My eyes started to water because of the emotions swirling inside of me like a hurricane.
"You git!" I had said as I ran into your chest and hugged you as tightly as I could. You were surprised but soon enough you wrapped your warm arms around me and buried your face in my hair. You didn't see but I scowled into your jacket knowing that I was just going to get hurt again but I couldn't resist you're love. Time and time again I would fall under your spell and time and time again I knew you would rip me apart.
Before I realized what was going on you lifted my chin up and kissed me. You had to bend down some because of your bloody height and I tried to be as tall I could. For never kissing someone before I had to admit you were quite good. Our lips parted far too soon but instead of moving away you went to my ear. "I love you." You whispered softly.
"I love you too." Was that all I could offer you? A simple I love you?
Then you took me to your house and, well..., lets just say that's one of the only times I haven't had a drink before doing it. I remember you were so awkward that night. Not knowing exactly what to do. You're hands we so shaky unbuttoning my clothes and you always asked before doing anything. You were much different then than you are now.
I know you may not think of this as an important moment nor do I expect you to remember it as I do. But to me this has to be my favorite memory of us.
Right now I'm slightly sitting up in bed writing this as you cling to my torso after one of you're many scary movie marathons. I honestly don't know why you watch them if you know they scare you.
Even though you're a pain in the ass sometimes I'm glad to have you now.
I plan to give this to you one day when I have the courage that you do every day. You are truly my hero.
Love,
Arthur Kirkland
Alfred was stunned. These were Arthur's true feelings about their relationship, himself even. Alfred pulled out the whole pile of letters; every single one of them was addressed to him. They were all different dates between present day and the last day of the revolution. Some were on important dates such as both of their birthdays but most were on random days talking about different things they did or talking about his love or hate for Al.
Alfred read them all starting with the revolution. As he re-read the one from his previous birthday he heard a key stubbornly get shoved into the keyhole to the front door. Alfred quickly put everything back the way in was, including the tie, making sure everything was exactly as it was. Alfred raced to his closet and threw on an old pair of jeans and his favorite Ford shirt and hid his barely used clothes.
Arthur marched up the stairs not expecting Alfred to be lying on the bed in the master bedroom. Alfred looked up eagerly from his book trying to seem as if everything was normal. Arthur looked warn out, his tie was loosened around his neck, his hair seemed a bit frizzy, and he had an arm full of papers.
Arthur seemed to snap out of his daze long enough to realize Alfred was in the same room as him.
"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at your meeting for at least another hour."
"It was canceled." Alfred said knowing that he was going to be in a shitload of trouble later. He glanced at the clock for the first time since Arthur left. It had been nearly four hours and the sun had been set for a while.
Arthur went into the closet and returned minutes later wearing his forest green pajamas and slipping into his side of the bed. Alfred slid off his pants and shirt tossing them into the laundry hamper across the room not caring if he had only warn them for ten minutes. Al took off his beloved glasses and set them on his night table then he got under the blankets and snuggled close to Arthur.
Arthur grimaced at first but Alfred saw in the dim moonlight after Arthur quickly fell asleep that he smiled and snuggled close to Al. Alfred wrapped his arms around his love and fell asleep fast knowing he would be dreaming of Arthur as Arthur was dreaming of him.
