It was a few days later that he had to face his difficulties again. It was the afternoon. The meeting had ended earlier that day and he and Mathew were out on the streets near where he lived shopping and just walking around. Mathew seemed to be having fun sightseeing. Then again, it wasn't that often that he got to come to London so his excitement was perfectly justified to Arthur. He'd probably enjoy going to Ottawa or any of Mathew's other capitals too. He had already seen everything around him though. It wasn't too exciting to him.

What was more exciting was the person darting around beside him and looking every way. That was what he found exciting. Too exciting. Most people like exciting things. Most of the time he would too, but not with this. Not with Mathew staying so close to him. It might give him away. And that, that would not be good. It wouldn't be good at all.

Mathew had cooked lunch for them both earlier, which was awful for England. It wasn't the taste or anything like that he didn't like. It was the situation itself. Mathew cooking for him had just felt too...domestic.

He had to leave the room eventually, and live through Mathew's inquiring stares while they were eating. He was probably wondering why he had left the room so suddenly, in the middle of a conversation too. Mathew seemed to have no idea what he was thinking about him, which was good.

And yet, he couldn't help wishing that he would just get it already so that he wouldn't have to live through all these disjointed thoughts, and all the nervousness, and the fear of rejection that was always accompanying them.

What would Mathew ever see in him? A former father figure? Definitely nothing even the slightest bit romantic. He stood no chance of being seen as otherwise in Mathew's eyes most likely. He could never be seen as a love interest that was for sure. And a relationship where Mathew saw him as a father would be too creepy.

'I'm doomed.' Arthur thought as he watched Mathew lean forward to sniff at some flowers artfully displayed on a stand in front of a small store.

He looked so beautiful like that. His hair had fallen forward to frame his face and it shone a honey gold colour in the afternoon light. His eyes had closed to concentrate on smelling the flower better. Mathew looked so happy and at peace with himself in that moment. The scene was perfect for him. He wanted it to last forever.

Arthur looked towards the store. A florist shop.

"Could you wait here for just a moment Mathew? I just need to get something really quick." Arthur was already heading for the entrance to the store as he spoke. Mathew barely even looked up from the flower that had caught his attention so easily to nod his acknowledgment of Arthur's words.

The inside of the store was mainly filled with orchids. They were all very pretty flowers, and delicate looking like the flowers on display outside. But, they weren't what he was looking for. Thankfully they did have what he wanted. Which was unusual as his order was very strange. How was it that they had exactly what he wanted?

He swiftly paid and walked out of the store with a red prairie lily, a dogwood flower, and eleven other colourful flowers. Each one the provincial or territorial flower of Canada's different pieces of land.

He hoped that Mathew would understand the special meaning attached to them. That he noticed him. He saw him. He honestly cared about him. Why else would he know such otherwise useless information like what his flowers were but for that reason? Who would know those kinds of things? He wanted to see Mathew hold the flowers and be happy because of them during their whole walk to his home together. And with this kind of gift, maybe he would get to see the look that Mathew gave those flowers outside the store one more time.

Hello everyone, sorry for such a short chapter. I just want to tell you that I haven't forgotten this story, and that while I was camping this summer I wrote out the entirety of the story. So, when my internet connection is more stable, probably when school starts, I'll be able to update faster. Sorry for the wait and everything. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer vacation.