Zenna95, anon, Chishio chuudoku, my darling Germany, themagnificent ME, QueenOfThePirates, MattieCanada, Lady Queria, Hinata28h, Crimson Tomato, apporu and Shizuka Aralia; thank you guys so much for the encouragement, you really know how to make me happy.
The two blonds sat side by side at the bar, matching each other drink-for drink without realising it at all. After a while, Matthew looked across at the man besides him, a tipsily concerned expression on his face.
"You're going to drink yourself into an early grave like that, eh," he said, just a little more loudly than he would usually have. The other blond looked up in surprise,
"I have good reason. Besides, it's not like you're faring any better."
"I have a reason, too," Matt said, a childish pout on his liquor flavoured lips. He sucked on them, the burning flavour of alcohol heavy on his tongue.
"Lad, I just found out that I was the other man for over a year. I ended someone's engagement," the stranger said glumly, searching for a deeper meaning in the beer foam at the bottom of his glass before ordering another, "I really love him though. Bloody idiot," a melancholy laugh escaped him, his eyes still downcast, and the Canadian wasn't sure whether he was talking to him or about his lover.
"Poor bastard," Matt patted the man clumsily on the back, "Same thing. Sort of. I just got left for the other man. I thought we were happy. But," he sighed, "I guess not."
Now Arthur, who was drinking beer and nothing as strong as the whiskey Matthew was nursing, was a lot more sober, despite that he had drunk more than his Canadian counterpart. He looked appraisingly at the man beside him. He'd just broken off someone's engagement and this man had just been dumped… What were the odds that they were drinking about the same person? Nah.
"I think he figured it out," Matthew continued, completely oblivious and fast leaving tipsy behind and heading for drunk. As opposed to the Brit, who was steadily sobering up.
"Figured what out?" Arthur asked, darkly curious. If this really was the man that Francis had left for him, how did he feel about it? Why had he been unhappy?
"M'in love with someone else," he sighed morosely. "Francis was always good at telling that kind of thing. M'happy f'him and his bit on the side."
Well, shit. It was the same guy.
But, wait. What?
"You are?" asked an incredulous Arthur. Was that why? He'd always wondered why the Frenchman had been so reluctant to go on a date with him. He'd thought it was just because his default first impression was 'arsehole'.
"Yup," another shot splashed down his throat, "My whole life, probably. Hit the trifecta, too. Smart, sweet and good looking. On top of that he's my best friend, my boss and straight. I've never told anyone that before."
The Englishman whistled his sympathy.
Matthew couldn't help it. It was such a relief to say it out loud. He was in love with Alfred F Jones. Ever since he was a kid, he'd been organising Alfred's life, making sure that the little shit didn't get himself into more trouble than he could handle. It had become as natural for the Canadian to write down Alfred's homework as it was to write down his own. He'd kept Alfred in his inept brilliance from failing every single class they attended. He'd helped him build his first computer from scratch. Alfred had been the first person he had told he was gay. And his first kiss. That was a sweet memory.
"Al," the fifteen-year-old Matthew – all elbows, knees, hands and feet - muttered, staring fixedly at the ground, hiding behind his hair as he stood watching his best friend race a remote-controlled car around the yard, "I've got something I need to tell you."
"Yeah, what is it?" The American said, tongue sticking out from between his teeth as he focused on the particularly tricky corner he was trying to skid around at high speed. He'd built the car himself, and was trying to fine tune the controls.
"I think I'm gay," he murmured, not daring to look at his friend. Adding the words 'for you' on the end of that sentence would probably be a bit much for him just then. Alfred aced the corner, hit the brakes and turned to face his friend,
"You think? You mean you're not sure?" he asked, uncharacteristically serious.
"Well, I don't know, I mean, I've never kissed a guy before," he shrugged. He was interested in men, sure. He thought they were more attractive than women. But how was he supposed to tell if he didn't know what it was like to be with one? Surely? At least that's what his teenage mind told him.
"Then kiss a guy," Al shrugged, giving him a sincere, lazy grin that made the Canadian's heart thud loudly in his chest.
"What? I can just go around kissing people! Even if I had the nerve, I'd get called a slut!" he protested, waving his hands around to fend off the suggestion.
"Then kiss me. I'm a guy, and I'm not going to call you a slut," Alfred had privately thought that the fact that Matthew was worried about being called a slut was tangible proof that he was bent as a six-on-the-Kinsey dollar coin, but wasn't going to share that aloud. He figured that it would be fine to kiss Matt. They were best friends after all, and Alfred really had no problem if he was gay. And if he could help his bro out, then what was a little tonsil hockey between friends? Alfred had never really been one to think about the consequences of his actions.
"I- What? Mmph!" Matthew's objections were cut off by Alfred taking his face in his hands and kissing him full on the lips. Alfred's lips were warm and soft. A little cracked where he sucked on the bottom one when he was thinking, and a little damp from where his tongue had touched them while he was concentrating. Matt's eyes had closed and he tentatively kissed back, happiness singing in his veins. After a moment that the Canadian wished had never ended, they broke apart,
"Still feel gay?" Alfred had chuckled, cheeks a little flushed.
"Yeah," Matt had answered breathily. The American had let him go and turned back to his model car, a pleased grin on his face. He'd helped Mattie out. He was proud of himself.
"Problem solved!" he had laughed.
"Yeah," Matt sighed bitterly, gulping at his stinging drink faster than he should have, "Problem solved."
