Arthur rubbed his temples and sighed. "Why are you here?"
Allistor smiled and puffed some smoke out from in between his lips. "Somethin' wrong with just wanti'n to come and see our brother?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow and watched the birds in the bird bath flick the water off their wings. "When it's you, yes."
Allistor chuckled. "Alright. A little birdie, told me you were seeing someone."
Arthur's eyes widened and he turned to face his brother. "What!? Who in the hell told you that?"
The red head. "Who do you think?"
"Francis."
Allistor nodded. "Yep. He was pretty excited for ya too. I mean, so am I. I just felt like I needed to see it for myself." He turned to Arthur and winked. "Give 'em my blessing."
The Brit groaned. "Please, stay out of this. I am very busy with work and you are not making this any better." He turned to look at his brother. "Where the hell are you going to sleep anyways." Allistor smiled at Arthur. "Oh no you don't. You cannot come here without a notice and just expect to crash at my house!"
Arthur slammed open the bedroom door. "You can sleep here." Allistor walked in a dropped his bag on the guest bed. "Please, don't bother me." He turned to walk out, but stopped at the door way. "And don't bring any women home."
Allistor chuckled as he watched his brother walk out of the room. "I won't."
"Or any men!"
He laughed and flopped back on the bed. He fished his phone out of his pocket and set it against his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey Francypants. I told you, he's letting me sleep here."
Francis laughed. "Ah, I should never have underestimated you! So I assume this means you'll be helping us then?"
Allistor nodded and folded an arm behind his head on the pillows. "Yeah, guess so." He raised an eyebrow. "Wait. Us?"
"Oui, Alfred's little niece is aiding us in this."
Allistor laughed. "Awesome. His own family is against him too. Alright Frenchy, what do I need to do?"
Francis chuckled. "How about dinner?"
"Amelia!"
The girl snapped her eyes away from her phone and looked at her distraught uncle. "Yeah?"
Alfred narrowed his eyes. "Are you listening to anything am saying?" Amelia continued to stare at him. He groaned. "Nevermind."
She smiled and stared out the windshield. "Yeah, I heard you." He looked at her briefly, unconvinced and she sighed. "You're stressed because you kissed Arthur and now hes acting like a d-bag and you think he doesn't like you at all."
He was quiet for a moment. "I didn't say he was a d-bag."
Amelia groaned. "Dude, you gotta make a move!"
Alfred gripped the steering wheel and parked the car. He sighed. "I was going to at the party! But then his brother kind of changed that."
"Yeah, I know." They both got out of the car and began walking towards the school. "You gotta try again though."
Alfred nodded and held the door open for her. After she walked in quickly, she made sure she had lost him in the crowd of students, then jogged up the stairs towards the art room. She stepped inside the room and found Francis at his desk looking over projects and grading. She shut the door and he looked up smiling. "Bonjour ma cheri."
She set her bag down and smiled back. "Hey, Mr. B. Alright, you said you had a plan?"
The man nodded and stood up, sliding his glasses off of his nose. "Oui, I do, it involves a dinner date!"
Amelia laughed. "No thanks. I don't want extra credit that badly."
He smiled. "Not like that. I mean, we are going to set them up for dinner, though we will have to go." She raised an eyebrow. "Or at least say we are going."
The teenager smirked. "Oh, I see where you're going with this."
"Let me get this straight." Arthur gripped his phone tighter and rubbed his temple, attempting to calm his headache. "You, want to take me to dinner?"
"Yes."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch here?"
Allistor sighed. "There's no catch. I havent seen you in three years Art. I just want to hang for while. That so much to ask?"
Arthur sighed. "Alright fine. Where will we be going?"
"I was thinkin' Feli's place."
"That's...very fancy."
Allistor cleared his throat. "Can't I treat my brother to a nice dinner once in awhile?"
Arthur smiled. "Alright, fine. I'll be there."
"Six o' clock."
Click.
Arthur was taken aback. He hung up the phone and tapped his desk as the students began to stream into the classroom. Something was off about this. Drinking loving Allistor, his brother who pestered him for years at home, wanted to take him out to a nice dinner. He shrugged. I guess even Allistor could surprise him.
"Alright, let's start from the top. We'll run this bad-boy down!" The kids nodded and readied their instruments. Alfred counted off and the band began to play. A screech emitted from the center of the band and his eyes widened in surprise. He tapped the baton on his stand and looked over the band. "Whoa, who was that?"
Amelia raised her hand sheepishly. "Sorry. That was me, I think somethin' is wrong with the tenor."
Alfred groaned and stood up. "Isn't there always? Come on, let's go into the office and fix it." They left the band behind and went into Alfred's small office. He took the saxophone from the girl and began to look over it. Amelia coughed. He stopped and looked up. "Something you need?"
"Well, I was wonderin'. We haven't really spent any time together." Alfred raised an eyebrow quizzically. "What I', sayin is...I thought maybe we could like go out for dinner after school. Just you and me."
Alfred smiled. "Really?" She nodded. "Aw, Amelia. That sounds awesome. Where do you wanna go-?"
"Mr. Vargas' place."
Alfred was caught off guard. "Oh, ah- I guess you've already planned this out huh?" She nodded. "That's kind of expensive for just us, don't you think? Super fancy too."
She shrugged. "Yeah, but we deserve it."
He nodded. "Guess you're right. What time do you wanna do this?"
"Six." Alfred nodded and continued to look over the saxophone. Amelia sighed. It was going to take a while for him to find the vital missing screw. The very screw she was twisting in between her fingers in her pocket. She smiled to herself. Damn, I'm good.
Arthur looked at his watch again. It was five fifty-five and Allistor was still not here. He sighed and sloughed in his chair. The restaurant was buzzing quietly with people, the only really audible noise was Dean Martin music in the air. He looked at the red candle on the table and glared at it. It was probably just another joke of Allistor, and Arthur had been pulled into it. If he didn't show up in five minutes Arthur was going to leave.
"Oh no."
As he scanned the room his eyes locked on a tall blond man walking across the floor, reading a sticky note. His hair was messily brushed back, all except a cowlick popping up in the front. He had on a black blazer over a red dress shirt and a black tie along with khaki pants and for once, nice black dress shoes. The man fixed his glasses and scanned the room, his eyes falling on Arthur and freezing, just as Arthur's had done on him. He quickened his pace and stopped in front of Arthur, who was starting to get what was actually going on.
"Arthur?"
The Brit gripped his wine glass, his knuckles turning white. He took a small sip and set it down heavily. "Evening, Alfred."
Alfred looked at the sticky note, then back at Arthur, and then to the candle. He repeated this several times before plopping down in the chair across Arthur. He held up the sticky note. "Did you-?"
Arthur nodded and held up the note he received from, whom he assumed was, Allistor. "Yes." Alfred leaned back in his chair, taken aback. Arthur laughed. "Amelia?" He nodded and Arthur raised his glass again, before finishing it with a gulp. "Clever girl."
Alfred sighed. "So...it's just us then?" Arthur nodded. "Well then, we might as well make the best of it, yeah?"
Arthur looked up, surprised. "You're not going to leave?"
Alfred shook his head. "Nope. You and I were promised a dinner date, and I'm not going to leave my date unsatisfied." Alfred smiled and winked, sending Arthur's heart fluttering.
The meals had been finished, and the bill had been paid. But they were both still drinking and talking. With each smile and laugh Alfred gave, Arthur fell more in love with him. He got lost in the American's eyes a total of sixteen times, and counting, the whole night. Alfred never looked away from Arthur's, he was permanently MIA.
"Ah- Mr. Kirkland? Mr. Jones?"
Both men turned to find Feliciano standing in front of their table, wiping his hand son his white apron. Arthur smiled. "Hello Feliciano, wonderful food tonight."
Alfred nodded. "Yeah. Spectacular!"
Feliciano smiled sheepishly. "Grazie, but em- you two have to leave now. I'm sorry but we're closing."
Arthur raised his eyebrows and looked down at his watch. "Oh my. It's already ten-thirty!"
Alfred whistled. "Damn, time flies when you're havin' fun."
Arthur nodded and stood up. "We had better get going."
The two men said their thanks and goodbyes, then left. They stopped in front of the restaurant. Alfred smiled at Arthur and chuckled awkwardly. The Brit smiled softly and cleared his throat.
"So...I'll see you at work?"
Alfred's smile faltered and became more..forced. "Yeah."
Arthur's heart fell. "Wonderful."
Neither of them moved. It was dark, and the cras in the distance were the only noise around them. Arthur looked away from Alfred, embarrassment flooding over his face. It was so awkward, it felt like a middle school relationship. He heard Alfred chuckle and he looked up, surprised.
"What?"
The American shrugged. "I just realized something, and it's so stupid."
Arthur crossed his arms and annoyance flooded over him as romance disappeared. "If you must laugh about it outloud then you obviously want to share."
Alfred sniffed and laughed again. "It's just, you're such a stuck up man. So pretentious and proper." Arthur frowned. "You hardly laugh, and we barely like the same things but some how- for some god damned reason-." He sighed. "I still fell in love with you."
Arthur smirked to cover the explosion of emotions in his chest. "Oh and that's how you express your feelings to a loved on, is it?" Alfred smiled and nodded. "Well it's awful."
Alfred laughed. "Well how would you do it?"
Arthur shrugged. "Usually tell them nicely and kiss them, followed by, other activities."
Alfred moved closer. "We can do that if you want."
"I think I'll settle for punching you in the nose as well." Arthur smirked.
Alfred smiled and pulled Arthur flush against his chest. "Shut it limey. Their lips touched once again, sending fireworks off in Alfred and Arthur's chest. How cheesy.
They parted and Arthur smiled. "Now what?"
"Did you drive here?"
Arthur shook his head. "Took a cab."
"I could take you home. Or to my place." Arthur smiled and nodded. "My place it is!" He shouted with a wink, and grabbed the Brit, pulling him towards his car.
They were so lost in bliss and happiness, they never heard the celebration going on in the only other car in the parking lot.
Ohhh, what will happen next?
Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Translations:
Grazie - Thankyou
Bonjour ma cheri - Hello my darling
