Author's Note:
WARNING: This contains mild language and boyxboy love. Don't like it, don't read it. Otherwise enjoy!
Hey, folks! Name's Chiby! I decided to round up my writing skills and my IMAGINAAAAAAATIOOOOOON~ and write some fanfic! Since I know my writing is a little choppy, some reviews are greatly appreciated. :)
Here's the story on my deviantart (just get rid of the spaces and you'll be fine): http : / / animegirl54321 . deviantart . com / art / A - Change - of - Diet - UsUk - Fanfic - 203440619
Disclaimers: Alfred F. Jones/America and Arthur Kirkland/England belong to Hidekaz Himaruya. I claim no ownership to the characters used in this fanfiction.
"Alfred, mind coming over to the dining room for a second?" Arthur called to the so-called empty floor of the house, his accent flowing with ease.
I do hope this works… I'll change his eating habits if it's the last thing I do... he thought. If this plan doesn't work, then nothing will...
"Coming Artie!" chimed the one named Alfred from... God knows where! Probably the weight room, he's always in there, Arthur thought. His eyebrows furrowed with impatience. He then heard footsteps coming from the basement. Arthur brushed his hand through his messy pale blonde hair, his heart beating fast. For the love of the Queen, stop being so nervous, Arthur...
He looked up to find the American turning into the dining room. Alfred looked like he just ran five miles outside, since he was drenched in sweat, holding a water bottle in his right hand. His loose cotton shirt was sticking to his bare chest underneath. He was panting like crazy.
"Yeah?" he said as he took a swig from the bottle. He then pulled up his red Nike shorts for they were starting to feel loose.
Arthur cleared his throat. "Well," he started, "It has come to my attention that your eating habits have gotten worse and worse. So-"
"Hey, I'm exercising! Isn't that good enough? So what if I can chow down on five hamburgers and three extra large fries and is still hungry? Besides, didn't we already discuss about this a while back?" Alfred argued back, downing the rest of the bottle. Alfred frowned, "I need another bottle..."
Arthur knew that he discussed about Alfred's atrocious diet with him before, yes, but that was almost 5 months ago. Alfred was gaining more weight, no matter how many times he runs on that damn treadmill downstairs. This was getting out of hand!
Alfred opened the refrigerator and grabbed another bottle of water. He opened the cap and downed the whole bottle in one gulp. Arthur sighed and placed his forehead in his hand, "Yes, we have discussed this before, but I'm still worried about all of this."
"So why are we bringing it up again?" Alfred said, before he let out a huge coughing fit. It only lasted for five seconds until Alfred gained control again. He straightened his square rimmed glasses. "... Excuse me..."
"... This is exactly my point..."
Alfred looked up. His bright sapphire eyes showed confusion through the Texas rimmed glasses.
Arthur continued, "Alfred, I was looking around the internet and I happened to stumble across something that I believe you should take a look at..."
"... And you think this is going to change the way I eat, isn't it?" How predictable Arthur is.
Arthur blushed, "Look, it's for your own good, alright? I really care about you, and I don't want you to have any more health problems in the near future..."
"Since when have I had any health problems?"
"Just watch the video I found, alright?" Arthur snapped, his patience growing thin, "I have absolutely no idea if it'll change your mind, but I am very confident with this."
Alfred was ready to protest, thinking Arthur was kidding around, but Arthur continued, "Look, if you don't change your diet, you are not going to live very long, no matter how much time you put into your exercising routine... I... I'm really scared about your future..." It was then that the American saw those emerald eyes start to water.
... Oh shit, he's actually serious... Alfred thought, his eyes widened a little. He sighed, ran his hand through his hair and said, "... Alright, I'll take a look at this video..."
Arthur looked up, surprised by the answer he got. How the bloody hell did I get him to say yes? ... Oh, who cares? He said he'll watch it, which I'm glad...
"So, what is this thing you want me to watch?" Alfred asked, sitting down in front of the laptop, ready to go.
"Well, it's at least 22 minutes long..."
"... Isn't that a little too long for a YouTube video?"
"It's not a bloody YouTube video, you twat!"
"Well EXCUUUUUUUSE ME, Princess..." Alfred teased, noticing the impatience in Arthur's remark. Arthur cursed under his breath, noticing Alfred's sarcasm.
"It's from a website called . Now shut your trap and watch!" Arthur leaned forward to click the play button. Alfred noticed the title on the video 'Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food'.
"... Dude, I'm not a kid, Artie..." Arthur growled, telling him to just watch the video. Alfred shrugged as he watched a ton of video clips starting to form an orb, circling around. Then he saw three big red letters pop up that read "TED". On the bottom of it read "Ideas worth spreading".
"Well, that was entertaining! Can I just grab something quick-" Alfred started.
Arthur gave him a death glare. Oh how Alfred hated that glare, but it always works. "Umm... Never mind, let's watch the video!" Alfred nervously smiled and his eyes drifted back to the video.
Soon applause was heard and the screen faded to a man. He was wearing a blue plaited neck collar shirt and a darker blue shirt underneath with a little 'v' cut into the shirt. His bangs were pushed into the air as if gravity told it to do so. He was holding note cards in his hands and then Alfred noticed the little caption on the bottom of the screen that read 'Jamie Oliver'. He then noticed the man's accent as he started speaking.
'Sadly... in the next eighteen minutes... when I finish this chat... four Americans that are alive, are now dead... for the food that they eat.'
Alfred raised an eyebrow. Oh, the dude's British. No wonder Iggy wanted me to watch this. Alfred thought but that one sentence that Jamie said caught the American's attention and he continued to watch as the little British man continued his speech to a vast audience.
Arthur studied Alfred's expression as Jamie said that sentence. Arthur smiled and was relieved that it caught his attention. This might actually work after all... But I shouldn't get my hopes up, though... He sighed and continued to watch Alfred's facial expression, which looked focused on the video and nothing more.
'We have... an awful... awful... AWFUL reality right now... America... you are at the top of your game... This is... one of the most unhealthy countries of the world...'
Alfred continued to watch the video. The news that America was number one as the most unhealthiest countries sort of shocked him. Dude... How is that even possible...?
Alfred continued to watch as he saw Jamie talk about how this generation of American children has a shorter life span than the parents. He even saw a chart of causes of deaths in the US, heart disease being number one while on the bottom of the list was homicide.
"W-What the hell?" Alfred paused the video. "Homicide's on the bottom of the list? I thought it'd be higher than THAT!" Alfred yelled in disbelief. He turned to Arthur, surprised by his neutral expression.
"Well, according to statistics, it is... Do you know how heart disease is formed?" Arthur asked the disbelieving Alfred.
"... Uhh... too much exercise...?"
"Too many burgers... French fries... Sodas... and many unhealthy foods that you and your people consume, Alfred..." Arthur told him. Alfred gulped, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He then regained his focus to the video and pressed the play button and continued to watch.
'Diet related diseases are the United State's number one killer...' Jamie proclaimed. Alfred felt as if someone squeezed his stomach really hard. His chest all of a sudden started to feel tight and he felt he couldn't breathe normally. All of this shocked the little American that watched Jamie persuade the audience with every word he had to say.
Arthur looked at Alfred. ... He doesn't look good, maybe this was a bad idea... he thought. Then he shook his head. No, I can't abandon the only ray of hope I have of persuading him now... He continued to stare at Alfred. ... My god, he actually looks cute when he's paying attention... He turned his head to hide the little blush that was forming on the gentleman's cheeks.
Alfred was so focused on the video, he didn't even notice Arthur turn his head. He watched as Jamie showed a video clip of elementary school children in West Virginia. Jamie showed them different kinds of vegetables and asked them to guess what they were. He held up a vine of tomatoes and showed them to the children. One of them said that it was a potato. He then showed them cauliflower, to which a child said it was broccoli. As he presented each vegetable to the children, they would either guess it wrong or proclaim that they did not know what it was.
Alfred felt stupid. Even HE knew what radishes and eggplants and other types of vegetables were. He just refused to eat them. He was never taught how to cook so he didn't know what to do with himself once he got a job. He just kept buying cheap food and McDonalds (his favorite fast food place next to Burger King and Wendy's) just so he'd have something to eat. He buried his head in his hands, not wanting to see more of the video.
Arthur noticed. "Come on now, Alfred."
"I don't want to watch this anymore." Alfred admitted.
"Alfred, I can tell you don't, but please, for me..." Arthur commented.
Alfred sighed through his fingers, then put his head up to watch the rest of the video.
Jamie started talking about milk. Oh, finally, something that is actually good for kids. Alfred thought. It is true, Alfred enjoyed milk, heck, he'd even put tons of half-n-half in his coffee all the time.
'Every child has the right to milk... But milk... aint good enough anymore...'
Alfred's tiny little grin that formed before disaperated. Oh no...
'Someone in the milk business probably decided to have some old geezer put tons of flavorings and dye into the milk that they serve every day at your child's school... I mean, there's sugar in everything... There's no need to put sugar in milk... So milk has not escaped the problem in our society...'
Alfred couldn't believe this. He never knew someone so STUPID would put sugar and flavoring and all of THAT crap into something that children enjoy very much. GOD, no wonder school milk tasted different than the milk Arthur buys at the local market...
Arthur couldn't help but notice Alfred's reaction to the milk comment Jamie was talking about. ... This is not going to end well... Arthur admitted to himself.
Jamie then walked towards a wheel barrel that someone from backstage set up and started moving it towards a huge sheet lying on the floor.
'Now we've got one kid here... you know... having eight tablespoons of sugar a day...' And as Jamie said this, he took a glass cup filled with sugar cubes and tossed them onto the sheet. He then tossed a mini shovel full of the sugar cubes and tossed them to the sheet. 'And, you know, here's your week's worth...' The screen then shows the little pile of sugar cubes on the sheet, which was then being covered in more sugar cubes, which was now being covered in sugar dust. iHere's your month...'
He then proceeded to the wheel barrel. 'And I even took the liberty of putting in... just the five years of elementary school sugar...' He then took the barrel and dump the contents onto the sheet. Dust covered the entire pile of sugar cubes that now piled high on the sheet and to the floor. '... Just from milk...' Jamie then said. There was a stun silence in the audience.
Alfred didn't want to hear anymore of this. He paused the video, stood up and walked away to his room, muting the sudden calls from Arthur to go back and continue. Alfred proceeded to close his bedroom door, lock it and make his way to his bed. He took his pillow and shoved it against his face, his glasses putting pressure against his nose. Getting annoyed, he took his glasses off and buried his face again. He suddenly felt tears forming, not from the pressure of his glasses, but from the video that he just watched.
Jamie was right about everything. And Alfred had to admit, he had started to get sick more often than normal, he just thought it was because he was getting older or something. He now regretted hating vegetables, not giving a damn about learning how to cook, even feeding his food that he doesn't like to the dog when he was younger. It was at that exact moment that he started having his usual coughing fit. He clutched his chest as his coughing ceased. His heart was racing and he felt cold sweat starting to make its way down his face.
He then thought of Arthur. Poor Arthur was just trying to help him and Alfred just took off. He then felt guilty for leaving without even finishing the video. Alfred took a deep breath, put his pillow down, grabbed his glasses and proceeded back to the dining room where the worried British man waited.
Alfred turned into the room. The laptop was still set up the way he left it, but Arthur was nowhere to be seen. Worried, Alfred started to look around, eventually finding him outside on the porch, his face buried in his hands. I must have upset him... Shit... Alfred then sat down next to Arthur, who did not flinch when he heard the footsteps. Alfred stared at the gentleman and proceeded to putting his hand on his shoulder when he was suddenly stopped by Arthur's response.
"I probably shouldn't have shown you that video if it was going to make you walk away in disgust..." Arthur chimed through his hands. Alfred stared at him in shock. "All I wanted to do was to hopefully persuade you into eating right. Once I saw that video, I thought to myself 'Hey! This could be it! My last ray of hope to change Alfred's mind and get him to eating a whole lot better and to hopefully get him to steer clear from those awful fast food restaurants!' I saw your expressions and said 'I think I have him.' But once I took a closer look, I felt ill. I saw disgust, hatred, disbelief and shock in your eyes. And once you left, I felt guilty. I should've never showed that to you..." His eyes started to water and tears started to roll down his pale face that now showed a pale red blush across his cheeks. He sniffed back and continued, "I really care about you, Alfred. I was just worried. The way you eat, the horrid food you consume, even the massive portion sizes! When I started noticing your coughing fits and the fact that you've been getting ill more often I said that enough is enough. I wanted to take you to a doctor and let them tell you what to do... Because obviously whatever I say doesn't sink into your thick skull..." He then took his hand and placed it on top of Alfred's. Alfred looked down in shock. "Alfred, you might have the thickest brain I've ever met, but you are probably one of my best friends ever... And..." He looked away, a blush ran through his face again.
Alfred placed his fingers onto the Brits lips. Arthur looked surprised at Alfred's action. "Artie, let's just finish that video, shall we?" He then showed off his white teeth with that big Hollywood grin. Arthur stared into those beautiful sapphire eyes of his in disbelief, but then grinned. They both stood up and proceeded back into the dining room, where the laptop sat there, waiting for its master to take action.
Alfred sat down in front of the screen and clicked the play button and once again, Jamie's voice rang through the room with his lecture. He talked about the work places, the homes, schools, etc. The audience applauded Jamie at the exact moments he ended his quarrels. Nearing the end of the video, Jamie walked over to the podium that stood there for the whole lecture and fiddled with his note cards, looking for a specific one. Once he found it, he looked up at the audience, took a deep breath and proceeded in reading off of it.
'I wish... for everyone to help create a strong... sustainable movement... to educate every child... about food... inspire families to cook again... and empower people everywhere... to fight obesity...'
And with that, the audience applauded him. They all stood up with respect. Jamie waved to the people, said his thanks and started to walk away. Thus, the end of the video.
Arthur clicked the close button and closed the laptop shut. The last few words still rang through the young Americans head. Those words were so inspiring, so intense and so professionally spoken. Alfred took in those words. He will forever remember them. He snapped back into reality when Arthur spoke to him.
"So, Alfred, what do you think?"
"... I think I'm hungry..."
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "After all of that, you're still craving a burger?"
"No, not a burger..." Alfred grinned and winked at Arthur, who was shocked to hear that Alfred was NOT hungry for a burger. Alfred then stood up and cupped his hands on Arthur's cheeks, which made the Brit blush even more.
"Alfred what are you-"Arthur started, but was stopped as Alfred planted a kiss on him. It took Arthur some time to register what was going on. Arthur then closed his eyes and kissed Alfred back. His sweet lips rubbing against his as his tongue explored the cavern of his lover's mouth. After about five minutes, they parted and stared into each other's eyes.
It was then Arthur broke the silence. "... Just what brought that on, Alfred?"
"How about you teach me how to make proper meals sometime? And right now, I'm kinda hungry for some veggie soup. Whatcha think, Artie?" Alfred stated and grinned his big Hollywood grin at the Brit.
Arthur stood there in silence. ... Oh Jamie, I think you've done it... Arthur's insides screamed with joy. Alfred is now going to start eating healthy! Oh joy! Rapture! But...
"Y-you know, you don't HAVE to give up on burgers cold turkey..." Arthur admitted.
"Oh don't worry, I'll still eat burgers, just not every day like I always do." Alfred then looked at Arthur, his eyes turning to seriousness. "Arthur, for you, I'm going to change my diet. From now on, I'll start eating McDonalds only once a week, then I'll proceed to once a month. In the meantime, I'm going to help you make breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. I'll eat my vegetables, even though I won't enjoy it. I'll watch even how MUCH I eat. do ANYTHING to eat right, live longer and be with you until death do us part..." Alfred stated.
Arthur smiled. "Well, then, how about we start your diet tomorrow? We can celebrate by going to McDonalds one last time. TOMORROW is when you shall receive your vegetable soup. How about that?"
Alfred thought about it, then he swiped a tiny kiss from Arthur and then grinned, "Sounds good to me!" Arthur blushed.
"I love you, Artie~" Alfred cooed.
Arthur grinned at the boy. "I love you too, Al..."
They then drove up to MickeyD's to celebrate. This was the very last time Alfred ate a burger.