AN: Hi, that's me again :) Thank you so much for your comments, I love them and they make me want to continue writing^^ I'm sorry that chapter is totally boring, but I think the next one will be more… interesting. Or not. I am actually facing two options for next chapter and that's why I took my time for this one.
Arthur let the soft solar beams caress his face and put on his sunglasses. For once, sunglasses were really useful to him.
The warm weather and light made him forget everything and he felt like reviving for his headache had vanished.
He walked aimlessly in the street for a while, thinking of absolutely nothing, until…
"Oh, FUCK!" He exclaimed, not even giving a glance at people around glaring at him.
He had just remembered he had to change the color of his hair and rushed to the first hairdresser he found.
The place looked normal, like any hairdresser's place. A man with too bleached hair and too tanned skin –and maybe too gay indeed- applied the bleaching solution on his head and left him alone. He kept thinking of nothing, except of his scalp that was getting scratchy. Poor hair! Arthur wondered if he would leave with any this time.
He was surprised after the rinse when he saw that he had still all his hair on his head and that slightly greenish blond looked not bad at all. After all, the first time he dyed his hair red it turned into pink and the last it turned into bright orange. No, no red hair. Greenish blond is great. He had never tried before.
He stood up, put the money on the counter and left before the hairdresser had time to yell.
Arthur put back on his sunglasses. Good! Now he could see the world in a new way… or at least with a new hair color.
Arthur's belly suddenly started to protest. He was actually really hungry. So hungry that he wondered when was the last time he really ate.
He bought some cookies and while eating he recollected about what happened this morning with mister Sexy Pancake –or little Alfred-. He put his hand into his pocket and found a piece of paper with those words 'Call me if stoned again!' followed with an overdose of useless happy encouraging smileys and a cell phone number. Alfred had also written on the other side of the paper 'You punk but cute while sleeping! '8D '
Arthur was totally taken by surprise. He was a punk, hanging around most of the time drunk, with torn clothes, new greenish blond spiky hair, and thirteen piercings (five on each ear, one on the lower lip, one on the tongue and one on his left nipple); and that normal kid, virgin of any vice and any drop of alcohol, found him CUTE.
First Arthur blushed for he was working his imagination on that night shared with him, but soon felt like insulted. He was a PUNK. And not CUTE. Why? Because PUNKS are not CUTE. CUTE stuff are stupid and hypocritical, just like that Alfred. He was too warm, kind and welcome. Such gratuitous kindness was weird and distrustful.
Disgust for Alfred grew up in Arthur's heart. And swearing they would never meet again, he tore up the paper to pieces and let them fall around him in the street.
What a pleasure for Arthur to destroy all that attached him to Alfred! No more Alfred! That brat had vanished for ever from his life!
Arthur's mood then totally agreed with the weather. So much that he didn't even notice he almost hit someone while performing some victory dance among the poor pieces of Alfred's number.
Arthur was high and he let his feet bring him on a beach. He removed his heavy shoes and enjoyed the feeling of the warm sand under his feet and the fresh salty air. No matter where in the world, Arthur had always loved the sea. His souvenirs brought him back to Brighton, to his grandmother's. She was one of the rare persons Arthur really loved. Now he could imagine she was probably playing bridge with her friends, with her favorite flowered hat and a cup of tea, in front of another sea.
Arthur now felt nostalgic and in his heart he felt he was already missing his country. How could he have thought that he would feel better elsewhere than at home? What about getting a flight back to London tomorrow?
"Hey! Arthur!"
Arthur's whole body turned into ice when he heard the voice. Oh no. Not Him.
But yes indeed it was Him. Alfred soon ran to him with his usual permanent big white smile and a ball in his hands.
"How cool we meet again! Oh I love your new hair color! D'ya like the beach?"
Alfred's eyes were full of excitement, like a puppy.
"Err… yes- "
"Great! Hahaha! Who doesn't like the beach anyway? Hey, you want to join us? We need a fourth player! Because Mei is giving up!"
Arthur then noticed a volleyball net and two guys behind him –Asians, probably Japanese and Chinese- and another Asian/Chinese looking girl all dressed in pink –probably Mei- that was sat near them with ice cream.
"Hey guys! This is Arthur! He's joining!" Alfred told them before Arthur could express his will.
"Arthur! This is Kiku and Yao!"
"Hi…"
Yao expressed his relief and happiness to have found a new player and Kiku bid a timid hello and the game could start.
First he was with Alfred, facing Yao and Kiku but soon they found that the game was not fair because Yao and Kiku were both smaller than Alfred and even himself, though he was not much taller than Yao.
That's why he eventually played in Yao's team, facing Alfred and Kiku.
It had been a real long time Arthur didn't play volleyball and first he thought it would be difficult to handle the game for Alfred was tall and good at it –and Kiku was good too though he was a lot smaller-, but fortunately Yao was fast and he could catch the ball almost all the time.
Yao jumped and smashed violently yelling a powerful "Ayaaah!" and the ball hit the sand in the other camp. Yao and Arthur had just got one point more than Alfred and Kiku.
A light appeared in Alfred's eyes.
"Hold on a sec." He said with a –so sexy- defying glance.
Alfred took off his sweaty t-shirt, discarded it away and prepared his service, with pride and determination of winning in his eyes, all this in the orange light of the late afternoon sun disappearing behind the sea. Arthur was breath taken by this sight. Alfred was just adorable. Arthur let his mind go away for few seconds, until the ball suddenly hit his face with an unbelievable speed and violence. He fell on his back in the sand with the ball in his hands.
"Oh goddamn fuck…" He mumbled while painfully getting up.
"Ayaah! Man! What were you looking at?" Yao asked with desperation.
"You alright?" Alfred asked anxiously.
"I-I'm fine!" Arthur muttered. Alfred's reaction had irritated him. Did he really think he was fragile?
He had had enough with that stupid ball game and stupid Alfred caring for him. He was going now to show him who he was!
It was his turn to launch that damn ball. But instead of using his hand to launch the ball, he shot a big rugby-like drop kick into it and the so light volley ball got straight and very far into the sky.
"Hey! That is not in the rules!" Yao protested.
"Where is it?" Alfred cried while staring in vain at the sky.
"I'm afraid we've lost it." Kiku calmly said.
"Oh no!" Alfred and Yao pouted.
"Anyway, boys, it's getting late." Mei –who was actually Yao's cousin- said. "What about eating all together tonight?"
Alfred's sad face literally changed into a cheerful one at the mention of eating.
"You right, Mei! I'm damn hungry! I'm ready to eat fifty hamburgers tonight!"
The game was declared equal and they eventually convinced Alfred to not eat hamburgers and all got to Yao's parents' restaurant. As Arthur had expected, Alfred took eagerly three plates of noodles, but was surprised he had managed to finish his own plate -one thing Arthur had never believed himself capable of.
After having eaten and chatted a lot –actually Alfred, Yao and Mei chatted, Kiku barely said a word and Arthur was not interested enough to join their conversation-, Arthur and Alfred said goodbye with a promise to come and play volleyball –or rugby- again and went away in the night.
"Hahaha! We had so much fun!" Alfred exclaimed so loud that Arthur almost jumped. "Did we?"
"Y-yeah…" Arthur replied, not daring looking up at him in the eye.
"Damn yes! Oh! I loved your super kick! That was just purely awesome!"
Arthur smiled. He was the one who lost their ball and Alfred just called him awesome. He even started to wonder about eventually forgiving him for having insulting him with his paper this morning. After all he was just a kid, and a bit idiot.
"Thank you." Arthur said, his cheeks reddening with pride at the compliment.
"Are you free tomorrow evening?"
Arthur stopped and stared at him in the eye for real. He was about telling him he was not, but seeing in his eyes how he was begging him to say yes, Arthur could resist no more. He now felt how parents could feel about eventually accepting to offer their kid the toy he had been wanting for so long.
"Yeah…?"
"Cool! Come home and bring some booze! Sounds great isn't it?"
Arthur's eyes widened for he was not sure he had understood perfectly well. Maybe he would if Alfred had spoken in understandable proper English.
"I-I beg your pardon?"
"Pleeeease! You're the only one I've ever met who would accept!"
Alfred's blue gaze was so wet, like if he would die tomorrow if Arthur brings nothing to drink. Arthur turned his head to hide his smile and embarrassment from him.
"Oh, I thought such immoral acts were forbidden by law in the United States of America, my dear!" he mocked, "Shame on you, man!"
"C'mon, maaan!" Alfred cried. "You're not letting me down, are you?"
Arthur smirked. He was starting to enjoy torturing poor Alfred. Oh dear why being so cruel? Because he loved to tease, of course. Especially Alfred, and he could not explain why.
"Pleeease, Arthur! Say yesss… please-please-please…" Alfred begged.
Oh, how he was lovely while begging. Arthur could feel the power he had on him, and he liked that. He liked that a lot.
"Weeell…"
"COOL! I WAS SURE YOU WOULD SAY YES!" Alfred jumped and shouted.
"Wait! I didn't say yes yet!" Arthur laughed.
Alfred's joy faded instantly.
"Oooohhh… And… What do you say now?"
"I…"
Seeing Alfred waiting with so much impatience was so much fun. But pleasure couldn't last forever.
"I… I say… yes."
"YEEEAAAAHH!"
Arthur didn't have time to understand what was happening that Alfred was already hugging him tight in his arms. He was nearly suffocating, but didn't know whether it was because of his astonishment mixed with embarrassment or for Alfred's strength, or for both.
"I knew you were a cool guy, Artie!"
"My- name- is- Arthur-" Arthur tried to say but it seemed it didn't reach Alfred's ears.
"See ya tomorrow! 6 pm! At my home! With plenty of booze! Right, Artie?"
"Hmmpff-" Arthur wanted to answer something more understandable but was silenced by Alfred's kiss on the corner of his mouth, and went immediately all red.
"G'night! I can't wait for tomorrow evening!" Alfred said before leaving a red and petrified Arthur behind him.
AN: Maybe are you asking yourselves how Arthur's victory dance in the street must look like? (Actually no, you probably don't care at all :P ) Well, have you ever seen Hugh Grant dancing in Love Actually? I was thinking about that while writing that part XD (Yeah, I've said it so now you can hate me for having put old UK pop music in your head for the rest of your day!) You're welcome! :D
