So apparently I couldn't let sleeping dogs lie with this one, and wrote a sequel. I'm going to write one more called 'Dear Mum and Dad, We're Sorry' as well, and then I promise I'll stop. That will have to wait until I get back, but it's going to happen, mark my words!

Enjoy! ;)

Dear Arthur,

It's been a while, huh? Who'd have thought they'd make us wait this long to see each other again? This is good though, it means they trust us again, which I say sceptically, mind you, I'm sure they won't trust us fully for a long while after this.

I'm writing this mainly because I want to say these things without Mum and Dad hovering over us like vultures, because they sure as hell aren't going to leave us alone, not completely at least. I'm not sure how I'm going to sneak this letter to you, but I'll find a way. I always do, somehow.

Five years is a long time. I mean you're 21! A full adult, there's not a thing you can't do! (Unless you count cooking, Francis tells me you're still as bad as you used to be) And I'm 25 and I've only succeeded in being a mopy lout for the majority of our time apart. I'm a sentimental bugger, really.

My love life has been kind of shit since we've been apart. I've had a few girlfriends, decided that wasn't my scene. Then I had a few boyfriends, and decided that wasn't my scene either. So now I genuinely wonder if I have a scene at all, or if my scene was just you all along.

Shit, I'm not supposed to be doing this. I'm being selfish, I'm sorry.

I heard you've had a few girlfriends, that's good.

I'm sorry, I'm trying to make small-talk through a letter, and it's not working.

I hate small-talk.

I still have that letter you sent me, five years ago, and I still haven't found Doilidh so I assume you stole her too. I don't mind, I just hope you've been taking good care of her. And taking care of yourself, of course, if I find out about anything dodgy I swear Mum and Dad will turn into the good guys!

I'm sorry, I can't do this. Meet me in the woods down the road, tonight at 2am. I don't care how you sneak away, I just need to talk to you in person.

Alistair

Arthur frowned at the letter, but couldn't help the jolt in his chest, as he re-read it in the dark, glancing warily between it and the door.

He must be mad, their parents had only just begun to trust them again and here he was throwing it all away just to... what am I thinking? He swallowed deeply, chewing on his lip for a moment, I'm mad, completely bonkers, what am I doing? But there was a part of him, a part so large it was impossible to ignore, that wanted to go out into those woods, because if that letter meant what he thought it meant, then it would mean Alistair still loved him and then-

He stood up, walking stiffly over to the window and opening it to slip out onto the flat piece of roof outside it. He pushed the window almost shut, creeping with his head down to the edge of the roof and sitting on the edge, throwing his legs over the side before dropping to the ground with a muffled thud and a curse. He took a moment to recover before sprinting across their back garden, careful to stick to the shadows so their motion-sensing light wouldn't turn on.

His trip to the woods after that was rather uneventful, other than a cat that insisted on following him most of the way. Once he turned into the woods he took a deep breath and glanced around warily before continuing down the path to the place he was sure Alistair would want to meet him.

He sucked in another long and nervous breath to calm his nerves before he pushed through the thick bushes and into the clearing, lit only by the light of the moon. That breath got caught in his lungs as he spotted Alistair laying in the centre of the clearing, staring up at the starless sky.

"Alistair?" he asked, his voice so small and vulnerable he wanted to punch himself.

Alistair looked up, pushing himself up on his elbows, a sad grin coming to his face, "Hey Arthur."

Arthur felt his heart jolt at that smile, feeling one of his own come to his face, because even though he'd seen Alistair over the last few days, he hadn't really been able to see him until now. Oh god, he was just as stupid and ginger as he remembered, five years had sculpted him, his stubble less patchy and more alluring, his hair less ratty and more fluffy, his eyes almost sad.

He couldn't help himself.

He ran forward, dropping to the ground beside Alistair and wrapping his arms around his brother as tightly as he could. "I missed you so fucking much, you pisshead," He ground out into Alistair's neck.

Alistair just laughed and hugged him back, just as crushingly tight.

After a moment, Arthur pulled himself out of the hug and pressed their foreheads together, "We're going to get into so much shit for this," he said, a frown creasing his brows, and his eyes closing tightly.

Alistair touched his cheek lightly , making him open his eyes, and stare into Alistair's, "You're a big boy now," he chuckled, "What can they do?"

Arthur rubbed their noses together with a deep sigh, "They can stop paying for my education is what they can do."

Alistair bit his lip, "I'll pay for your education."

Arthur smiled, "Will you now?"

Alistair nodded, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face, "I'll do anything to get you to run away with me."

Arthur's expression turned soft and fond, "Where would you have us go?"

"Fucking anywhere, I don't care."

"We'd have to give up everything."

Alistair nodded, cupping Arthur's face in his hands, meeting his eyes, and refusing to let Arthur look away, "I'm not living like I have for the last five years anymore Arthur." He sighed, gritting his teeth, "I don't want what I have, so I don't care if I have to give it up. But if you don't want to, then I don't want you to resent me for taking anything away from you so-"

He was cut off with a kiss, a long, searing, desperate kiss that cut directly into his heart and made it ache painfully, in the best possible way. It was perfect, if a little clumsy and awkward, but that was just so them, so utterly everything he remembered, even down to the slight taste of tea and biscuits. He found himself falling all over again, for the taste of tea and biscuits and hot lips and hotter tongue. Alistair couldn't have asked for a better second-first-kiss if he tried.

When he pulled away, Arthur clenched his hands tightly in Alistair's shirt, his teeth bared and tears visible in his eyes, "Don't you dare imply that my life hasn't been hell these last few years either! I love you, you self-centred fucking wanker, so stop implying I wouldn't do anything for you that you'd do for me!" He sighed, letting his hands slide shakily up from Alistair's chest to his face, "God- fuck. I tried so hard to get over you," he groaned, his voice shaking as much as his hands as he wiped angrily at his burning cheeks, "I tried, so you can have a normal life, and Mum and Dad won't disown us, and- fuck, shit- Alistair, what are we going to do?"

Alistair steadied his own breath, determined not to cry, to be strong for Arthur, because Arthur needed him to be strong more than anything right now, "We'll work something out, and I can't guarantee we'll be okay, or even anything like it, but we'll be together won't we?"

Arthur let out a shuddering breath of laughter, nodding, "We will," and then he choked out another laugh, pressing their lips back together in a quick but meaningful kiss, "We'll be together. Oh fuck Alistair, I missed you so much."

"Me and my stupid, ginger face?" he laughed, making Arthur smile a watery smile.

"You and your stupid, ginger face," Arthur nodded.

And then Alistair brought him down into another long kiss, through watery, beaming smiles.

When Arthur and Alistair's parents awoke the next morning they found no sign of their sons, only two empty rooms, a missing car, and the crushing realization that their sons were gone for good.