Admin: Thank you for all the lovely reviews!I love hearing all your reactions. Sorry this took forever, I accidentally deleted the file... But anyways I would like to make one thing clear to whoever started this rumor about me.
Just because I'm not very well inclined on some grammar and spelling, does not mean that English isn't my first language. The English language is very hard to learn you know! Even if I've been speaking it my whole life! If you're going to spread such a rumor don't. Instead of coming up with a theory, why not just ask the person.
Now enough with that little rant. I am actually shocked that someone thought I could make this into a book! ('A') I took some of the ideas from dramas I watch. Even though like the plot is like about 90% my doing, and the other 10% dramas. I am so thankful to know you guys think so highly of me when I don't!
Now for this new chapter, their lives just got harder. Lots more fluff and building more on the main conflict. Time for the fight for love to begin!
POV: Third
"Did you miss me?" the French man asked again, still waiting for an answer. There was no such luck.
Two stared at him in shock, and the third stared at the other two, trying to figure out how they knew him. No one dared to move from their spot. Like plants, it was as if they were rooted to the ground.
How the hell does this guy know them? Should I know him? Especially since Mattie does... Taking a closer look at Francis, Alfred narrowed his eyes in concentration.
Spacing out for a quick second, Alfred remembered the man he had bumped into earlier that day. He had only seen a glimpse of his face, but Alfred knew it was him. Hitting his palm with the bottom of his fist, Alfred held up a finger and pointed at the Frenchman.
"Dude, I know you! You're that guy I bumped into earlier!" Alfred announced confidently.
"W-well, that wasn't the answer I was expecting…But oui, I am," Francis replied. He did not sound pleased.
"F-Francis, w-what are you doing here?" Matthew asked, moving closer towards him.
"Oh, my little brother, how are you mon petit?"
"F-Fine."
"I thought you were supposed to be in France," Arthur said with an angry expression.
"Ah, yes, but I have come back for a visit. Is that such a crime, mon ami?"
"Oh, shut it!"
"Oh, how you wound me, Arthur. Now, would you do me the honors of introducing this beautiful young man to me?" Francis grabbed Alfred's hand and kissed it lightly.
Feeling a shiver run up his spine, Alfred was about to slap the man away. However, an easily angered Brit beat him to the punch.
"Hands off! He's my property, frog, not yours!"
"Oh honhonhon, really? How so?"
"He's my lover-!"
"Wait, wait, can we just back something up here?" Alfred spoke up suddenly.
"What?" Arthur and Francis both asked.
"Like how I'm suddenly your stupid property! I'm not a prize to be won, stupid! I'm your stupid boyfriend!"
"I-I'm sorry, Alfred, I'll never say it again. It was an honest slip of the tongue."
"You better be right. If I hear you say that again, you're going to get it."
"Feisty, aren't we?" Francis winked seductively. "I have also come here to discuss something private with Arthur. If you will, could you spare your lover for the rest of lunch…?"
"Sure thing, dude! He's all yours, but can I have Mattie?!"
"I don't see why not."
"Sweet! Come on, Mattie!"
"A-Alfred, I-I told you not to-... And he's gone," Arthur said to the wall before turning his attention to Francis.
"Well, shall we follow your 'lover's' wish and have our discussion, mon ami?" Francis held his hand out, inviting the Brit to take it. Arthur slapped it away. He walked ahead, waving his hand forwards.
"I suppose. But no funny business, or else."
"I would never even imagine doing something like that to you."
Once they were at the cafeteria, Arthur sat opposite Francis. Both of their lunches were laid out to their liking, and neither one of them dared to speak as they chewed their meals.
Every now and then the two Europeans would look up and catch each other's eyes. They would immediately look away again, not sure what to say. As people either entered the cafeteria or left for work, Arthur and Francis stayed. The atmosphere around them was heavy, both trying to figure out what would happen.
Taking a sip of his tea, Arthur coughed into his fist with closed eyes. This alarmed the Frenchman, and he blinked up at his lunch mate.
"Well then, now that we are both done eating, what is it that you wanted to discuss?" The tea seemed to have relaxed Arthur, making him ask this question in a calm tone.
Francis reached over and grabbed Arthur's hand. He held it for a few seconds before placing their hands down onto the table. Glancing up at Arthur's face, Francis stared at him determinedly.
"I want us to get back together."
Everything fell silent. In that moment, you could have heard a pin drop. And then Arthur spat out his tea. Arthur wiped his mouth and Francis tried to clean his suddenly tea soaked face.
"Y-You w-want to what? P-please tell me this is a joke."
"I want us to get back together," Francis repeated firmly.
"W-why would say such a thing? You were the one who left me. Or have you forgotten?"
*Flashback six years ago*
It was around winter time, and Jack Frost had decided to visit New York. Cars were covered with frost and snow, as were the shop windows and sidewalks. The snow quickly and silently fell to the ground.
Outside a coffee shop, both freezing and anxious, Arthur waited for his lover. Today was the day he would finally say it. He would tell him, 'I love you'. He waited in the cold for the next half-hour, a cup of tea in hand.
Getting dangerously close to the desired time the Frenchman was supposed to arrive; Arthur could feel butterflies in his stomach dancing frantically. The scene was just right; all they had to do now was set the mood. Of course, Francis always made the air wonderfully romantic between the two of them.
Humming Phantom of the Opera to himself, Arthur glanced around to see if he could find his lover. Noticing a new figure in the distance, Arthur focused his attention on that mystery person as they moved closer. He hoped to God that it was Francis, and Arthur tightened his grip on his tea. He breathed in deeply, trying to stay as composed as usual.
The figure neared even closer, and Arthur could now confirm that it really was Francis. Standing up and walking towards him, Arthur gave him a simple smile. That smile quickly vanished at the sight of Francis' sad face.
He moved faster, placing a hand on the long haired blonde's shoulder. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Arthur asked his seemingly heartbroken lover.
"Oui, mon cher. I think it would be best to tell you inside," Francis replied with a heavy heart. They entered the coffee shop together and sat at the first two seats that were free.
Sitting opposite each other, Francis folded his hands together with his elbows on the table. Still keeping a close eye on his lover, Arthur arched an eyebrow, wondering why the other was so sad.
"You see, Arthur..." Francis began, making himself comfortable in his seat.
"Yes?"
"You know my little brother Matthieu, yes?"
"Of course I do. What about him?"
W-well, his little boyfriend's parents have passed recently. While attending their funeral, Matthieu thought he should comfort his boyfriend. But he couldn't find him. He had run away, taking everything he had inherited from his parents with him. My little Matthieu was devastated; he hasn't been the same ever since. Shy, yes, but he has become more distant."
"Oh, that's terrible. Is he alright? Has he been eating?" Arthur asked, sounding more concerned than ever.
"No, he has not. The comments he has been receiving from others at his school aren't helping."
"I-I'm so sorry, Francis. I do wish the best for you and your little brother."
"And for you as well."
"W-what do you mean?" Arthur asked curiously, not comprehending what the other was saying.
"I wish you the best as well because, mon cher... I think we should start seeing other people."
"W-WHAT?! WHY?!" Arthur slammed his hands down on the table, alarming everyone around them. Blushing from embarrassment, Arthur sat back down and coughed into his hand. He spoke again, but in a more hushed tone.
"W-why?"
"I have fallen for another, not you, and my brother needs all the attention he can get right now."
"…Y-you've been cheating on me haven't you?" Malice was suddenly evident in Arthur's voice. Francis did not answer. He did not make many move to deny the claim, and Arthur decided that was answer enough. Grabbing his things in anger, Arthur stormed out of the coffee shop, leaving Francis alone.
*Present*
"Oui, but now I see what a mistake that was. I should never have done that to you, and I regret it with every bone in my body. Will you take me back?"
"No. I've already told you, I'm courting another. And I also plan on marrying him at some point in our lives."
"Arthur, I know you. You are not the type to do such things."
"Hush up. You're just jealous that I love him and not you."
"I cannot deny that, but I doubt that he loves you back."
"How so?"
"I saw how he acted towards you; he acts like he is the boss and that he knows better. Also his actions do not match what comes out of his mouth. There is hesitation."
"And how do you know this?"
"Body language. I can read bodies; it's a rare talent I possess."
"You sound like a complete and utter imbecile."
"But I am right, non?"
"No, you are not." Arthur sipped the rest of his tea in silence and started to gather his things before leaving; the same way their last encounter had ended. Moving away, Arthur finally noticed that Alfred and Matthew were too close for comfort. Matthew was about an inch away from kissing Alfred, and Alfred didn't even seem to notice.
Stomping towards them, Arthur stole Alfred away and dragged him to the elevator. "We have things to discuss. Mr Williams, go back to work. I expect a fresh batch of tea ready for me when I am done with my meeting."
"Yes, M-Mr Kirkland," Matthew said sadly, watching as his crush was taken away by his rival. The moment Matthew was just about to leave, Matthew suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Slowly twisting his head to the side, he sighed in relief when he saw his brother.
"Y-You s-scared me, Francis!" Matthew shouted, or at least attempted to.
"I am sorry, mon petite. It has been a long time since we last saw each other, non?"
"Yeah..."
Leaning in closer, Francis smirked as he watched Matthew longingly stare after Alfred. When he was mouth next to Matthew's ear, Francis whispered:
"So you have fallen in love with your boss's lover? How naughty of you." Francis giggled at the sight of Matthew blushing from ear to ear.
"I-I d-did not! H-he was m-mine from the s-start! H-he was just..."
"Go on, we have plenty of time."
"Okay…W-well you remember how I got r-really depressed w-when I was small because my boyfriend had run away?"
"Oui, I remember."
"W-well, w-when I left to search for him a few months ago, I found him again. N-now he's fallen in love with my boss, a-and things are pretty serious. H-he was mine to begin with, b-but he doesn't seem to remember. I-I even got this job so that I could be closer to him. I fail as a Bonnefoy, Francis. I-I can't even get my old boyfriend to love me again..."
Wrapping his arms around the smaller blonde, Francis stroked his hair reassuringly. "So that man, the one Arthur is dragging away, was him?" Francis asked, taking a sudden interest in the subject.
"Y-yes, b-but now that he has Arthur he'll never love me again. I-I've been nice and supportive to him and been his friend; but I only get friend zoned." Drawing back a little with his arms still around Matthew's shoulders, Francis smiled.
"Don't worry, Matthieu,I will help you with your love problem."
"B-But how? H-he's already in love."
"Yes, but don't worry. Big brother has some tricks up his sleeve to help him change his mind. In no time at all, I'll have him in love with you instead."
"R-really?"
"Have I ever failed you?"
"No."
"Then you know I am right."
Matthew hugged Francis tightly, letting tears of joy stream down his cheeks. "T-thank you, thank you," he chanted into the other's chest, feeling his spirits lighten as he thought about his bright future with Alfred.
-What happened at Alfred and Matthew's lunch-
"Yes! I'm finally away from that thing!" Alfred yelled as he skipped to their usual lunch table.
"I-I don't think you're supposed to talk about your boyfriend t-that way, Al?"
"Sure I can. He won't hear it, and it's what he is anyway."
"O-okay...?" Matthew's voice grew higher with confusion, wondering how Alfred could love Arthur.
"So how have you been, Mattie?! It feels like I haven't talked to you in, like, forever, dude!"
"I-I'm good. H-how about you, eh?"
"You know, busy and stuff!"
"O-oh..."
"N-no, not in that way! Work, dude! I don't roll like that!"
"Y-yeah..." Sitting down next to each other, the two North Americans pulled out their lunches. Alfred's lunch consisted of a hamburger, fries, and a milk shake, while Matthew was having pancakes and maple syrup.
They remained silent for what seemed like forever to Alfred. Alfred decided to talk, even though his mouth was full. Every now and then Matthew was able to catch a few words, but he couldn't hear most of his sentences and they disappeared along with the food. Swallowing his own food, Matthew cleared his throat to speak.
"W-what did you say, Al? I-I can't understand you w-when there is food in your mouth." Putting a finger up, Alfred swallowed what was in his mouth and smiled.
"Dude, I was talking about the good ol' times when we were small. How we use to play weird games and how you saved me when I hurt myself."
"O-oh, yeah, I remember."
"Hey do you remember the time we went looking for butterflies?! And you thought that you could catch them all for me, but then you looked like you were doing some kind of funny dance?"
"Y-yeah, t-that was funny. H-hey, didn't we make that into a dance a-anyway? W-what did we call it?"
"We called it butterfly catch, duh! It was named after what we were doing."
"H-hey, not all of us have good m-memory."
"I know, just saying that I know most things!"
"Oh, really? Do you know what a butterfly kiss is?"
Alfred paused for a second.
"That, I don't know. What is it?"
"I'll show you." Matthew scooted closer to Alfred. Remaining seated, Alfred smiled innocently and waited to see what it was. Matthew leaned closer and closer to Alfred. Now less than an inch away from him, Matthew slowly blinked multiple times. Alfred giggled, kind of enjoying the butterfly kiss.
"T-that tickled, du-..." Alfred was aggressively pulled away by Arthur, who was not exactly happy seeing the two of them get along so well.
"H-hey, what up, dude? I-I mean, what's wrong, President Kirkland?"
"I have something to discuss with you. Now." Arthur shoved Alfred into the elevator as quickly as possible, making the doors close so that they could go up to Arthur's office.
-In the office-
"Sit," Arthur commanded as they entered his office. Alfred obeyed and sat on the couch, wondering what he could have done.
"W-what did I do now?" Alfred complained, arching an eyebrow.
"What were you and Marco doing?"
"He was showing me what a butterfly kiss was, duh."
"It certainly didn't look like it."
"Do you even know what they are?"
"No."
"Come here." Alfred beckoned, patting the spot next to him. Arthur hesitantly moved towards the spot and sat down. "What now?" he asked.
"This." Alfred closed the distance between his eyelashes and Arthur's face. Alfred started repeating the same motion Matthew had done to him. Blushing, Arthur actually began to enjoy the ticklish sensation. The kisses made him feel like they were an actual happy couple. However, Alfred backed away, much to Arthur's disappointment.
"See? That's a butterfly kiss."
"How silly. Only a child would do that."
"With all due respect, President Kirkland, you're making yourself sound old."
"Shut it! Now, I have another matter to discuss with you."
"Oh, great, what do I have to do now? Parade in a dress for you in public?" Alfred asked sarcastically, looking up at the ceiling.
"N-No, of course not! T-this is far more serious, Mr Jones!"
"Then what is it?"
"I fear Francis has found us out. He said he can tell by the way we act."
"W-what? That's impossible, dude! I-I mean, sir! I have wonderful acting skills for real!"
"Will you stop being a complete idiot and hear me out? Now that he is on our tail, we must be on our toes. Which means we need to learn more about each other. As much as I hate to say it, we have to talk about our personal lives."
"Ugh, really? Fine, but only because my job is on the line! But, hey, I've got a question for you."
"What?"
"How do you know this Francis guy?"
"He's my old boyfriend."
"Wow... Awkward~," Alfred sang, looking away.
"Now, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why are you so close to Mauricio?"
"We go way back, dude."
"Do tell. This is a good start."
"A-are you sure…? I-it's kind of weird telling you this."
"Very well. Then when you are done, I shall tell you my own life story. How does that sound?"
"Okay, dude, but to tell you my life story we have to go somewhere."
"Where?"
"WoodLawn."
"O-oh...I-I suppose I that is doable."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Venturing back into the limo that they had arrived in, both blondes remained silent. WoodLawn was a cemetery, and they were both aware of that. The cemetery in question was actually where they had first met.
Both occupants of the limo looked out of the window, watching the buildings disappear and turn into miles of woods. Each tree seemed to move past them at the speed of light, and it almost looked like they were passing the same one constantly.
Within around half an hour, the limo stopped and the driver informed them that they had arrived. They stepped out onto the gravel, their shoes crunching against the rocks. Looking forward, Arthur and Alfred reminisced about their first meeting. It had been filled with anger and frustration, both visiting a certain someone at the cemetery.
They had never known who until now. Arthur followed Alfred as he passed rows of tomb stones. When they approached the twentieth row, Alfred took a sharp turn and stopped at two graves.
Bowing his head in respect, Alfred knelt down and began praying. Taking this opportunity to read the tombstones, Arthur's heart ached for the American. Sitting next to him, Arthur bowed his own head before looking at Alfred.
"President Kirkland, I would like you to meet my mother and father. Amelia and Ivan Jones Braginski." Alfred introduced them as if the two people in question were still alive.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Jones Braginski," Arthur played along, smiling sadly. "Alfred, are you Russian by any chance?"
"No."
"Then why is your father's name Ivan Braginski?"
"I'm adopted."
"Oh, I see."
"So, I'd suggest you get comfortable. This is where you better start taking notes for our shameless lie to work."
Arthur nodded and sat Indian style. He looked into Alfred's eyes.
"Okay, here we go. Once upon a time, there was an orphaned baby who had no home or family. Then one day, a couple came in wanting a baby of their own since they didn't have the time to have one.
So they adopted me and took me in as their own. Thank God I looked similar to my adopted mother; pretty much everyone else was fooled into thinking that she was my real mom. I grew up normally, but there were still things I didn't know.
My parents never talked about work in front of me. They would whisper among themselves, making sure I never heard. I never really cared, but that all changed one day when their work found me. I was in my third year of middle school; I had a boyfriend and everything was going great. But after school one day, I felt a jab in the back of my head."
Alfred paused for a second and brought his hand to the back of his head, as if he could feel the pain all over again.
"I was knocked out. When I woke up, I found I was tied up and there were these weird men in front of me. They called my mom and dad to save me. It was then that I knew what they were... My parents were spies…
I was amazed, but still scared. If I was the bait then that meant something bad was going to happen to either them or me. I started to yell at my kidnappers, telling them to let me go, but they just gagged me to shut me up. Unable to speak or move, I waited for something to happen. And then it did.
My mom and dad blew up the wall, and they smiled when they saw I was safe. My father took care of the men, and my mom tried to come over to untie me. But she couldn't reach me, so she fought the men alongside my father.
I watched them like I was seeing some cool new movie, but it was real life. I was cheering my parents on internally, and my gag started loosening. When it fell to my neck, I smiled, realizing I was able to talk again. I then looked back up in time to see my parents had almost totalled everyone. 'Mom, Dad, you totally rock!' I told them as they rushed to my side to untie me.
When I was freed, I hugged them tightly, crying tears of joy. I opened my eyes again and saw two men coming towards us. I tried to protect my parents. I pushed them to the side and tripped the attackers, but that didn't stop them from punching me and knocking me to the ground. This angered my parents, so they went all out on the two men.
But the attackers cheated. I could see them pull out a gun from nowhere. I started yelling to my parents, begging them not to fight anymore and to stop protecting me. I didn't want to see them die. But my nightmares were realized when I heard two gun shots. My heart sank into my stomach and my mind went blank.
I ran to my parents, not minding the attackers. I hugged their limp bodies close to my own. Crying tears of pain and sorrow, I looked up and saw the attackers through my tear-filled eyes. They raised their guns again, this time aiming at me. But the sound of police sirens stopped them. Running for their lives, I saw their faces, the image burned into my mind for the rest of my life.
Still holding my parents, I could feel their breath grow fainter. My mother held her hand up to my cheek and told me she loved me and that she and my father would protect me. They both kissed me on the cheeks one last time before intertwining their fingers and kissing each other.
After that, there was nothing. I felt no breath, no heartbeat, and then no parents as they were bagged up and sent to the morgue. Still crying hysterically, I did not want to accept that they were dead. I tried to fight and prove they were still alive, but the police held me back. I was now an orphan again, but this time I would remember it.
I was sent to live with my Aunt Maddie, but I knew she hated me and felt that I was a burden. That was how the whole family felt about me. So on the day of their funeral, I said my goodbyes to them. And then I ran away. I ran away with what I had inherited and never looked back. To this day, my family still doesn't know where I am. Or if I'm alive.
And here I am, pretending to be your boyfriend so that I can keep my job and make my parents proud of me."
"W-wow..." was all Arthur could say. He was shocked to hear such a sad story from someone so young and optimistic. It shocked him, but he shook it off when he realized something. W-wait he said he ran away from the funeral, and that he had a boyfriend...Could it be? Is Marvin Alfred's old boyfriend? I-is that why they are so close? Is that why he has such an obvious crush on him?
"A-Alfred, w-was M-Marcus your old boyfriend by any chance?"
"Bingo! His name is Matthew, and how did you know that?"
"Francis once told me a story about a little boy who left his brother devastated by running away at his parent's funeral."
"O-oh..." Alfred muttered, now feeling guilty. He had never actually broken up with Matthew, but then again, he had never told him he was running away. So of course he would be devastated. "W-well, t-that's all passed me now. I-I'm content with my life now...I-It's not like I-I'm planning to leave one day, r-right?"
"Yes, of course," Arthur said with a sad smile. On the other hand, Alfred's reaction did frighten him a little. Would he leave if he got the chance? Would he runaway? He knew that one day they would call off the scam, but somehow Arthur had a deep fear of that.
"Sooooo, now that you've heard my story, what's yours? I imagine someone you loved was buried here too. That is kind of how we met, remember?" Alfred reminded Arthur, trying to change the subject.
"A-ah, yes, of course I remember. It's what caused me to hate you so much," Arthur snapped at Alfred.
"Sheesh, dude, I hate you too," Alfred replied sarcastically.
"Follow me. Now that you've told me your story, it is time you heard mine." Getting up to lead the way, Arthur made sure not to make too much noise. Though they were the only ones there, Arthur liked to believe that the dead's souls still lingered and valued their time sleeping during the day. That way they could play during the night.
Not too far away from the grave of Alfred's parents was a gravestone marked Courtney Kirkland.
"Well, as you know, my father and I do not get along well. And for a good reason too. When I was born, my mother and father were well off. We lived a simple life. I was a normal child and everything was the way it should be."
However, everything changed when the fire..."
"-Nation attacked!" Alfred yelled, laughing immediately after. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Alfred breathed in deeply to calm himself down. "I-I'm sorry, I-I just had to...P-please continue..."
"I demand an apology this instant," Arthur ordered, grinding his teeth together and clenching his fists.
"O-okay, I'm sorry, President Kirkland. That was very immature and stupid of me. I promise it won't happen again, heroes honor," Alfred said, holding his hand to his heart.
"You are forgiven. As I was saying," he coughed. "Everything changed when the fire happened. I was about three years old; my father was at work and my mother was in the house with me.
I was playing in my room with my toys like any good child would. My mother was in the kitchen making some food for us to eat later. She was humming her usual tune and cooking, but while I was playing I hit my head on the corner of my bed. The pain was excruciating, so I started wailing.
My mother heard me and ran to me like an Olympic sprinter. Shushing me and stroking my hair, she kissed my injured head. She completely forgot about what she was doing in the kitchen, and while she was making sure I was alright the food she was making caught fire.
We could smell it first, and then we could see the smoke surrounding us. She immediately ran out of the house and placed me safely outside. She called the fire fighters with her cell phone and told me to stay where I was, but I didn't listen. I was concerned about something else; Henry, my poor kitty. He was still in the house.
I tried to run back inside and get him, but my mother wouldn't let me. I begged her and begged her to let me go; she resisted. Eventually, she got fed up with my whining and ran into the house to find him. For the next five minutes, I waited for her.
She never came out.
Then ten.
She never came out.
Ten minutes turned into twenty.
She still was nowhere to be seen.
The fire fighters came rushing into the house to put the fire out. I ran to them, telling them about my mother. When they realized someone was in there, they sprang into action. A team was sent into the house to search for her and my cat.
Eventually, my father returned from work, and I ran to him crying. He picked me up in his arms and tried to make me look away. But I couldn't. Later that day, when the fire had finally been put out, my father and I stayed at my grandfather's house.
The next day, the police called us. They needed us to identify a body. My father would not let me enter, so I sneaked into the morgue to listen. From what I had heard, I knew that my mother would never come back to us.
In that moment, I cried. I cried for my mother, my cat almost forgotten. I cried because I knew this had happened all because of me. The following week was the funeral; everyone was dressed in black and crying.
Standing in front of my mother's coffin, I stepped towards my father and tried to grab his hand. To my surprise, he jerked hand away. I looked up at him with sad eyes, but I knew that he would never hold my hand again.
Years later, my grandfather died, leaving my father to inherit the law firm. As the years continued, he never said 'I love you'. He never said any words that would have showed he cared about me. So I grew up not knowing what love and compassion was; and turned into a cold, heartless person you see now."
"Aww, come on, Prez. You're not completely heartless." Alfred patted Arthur's back reassuringly. "Shoot, I totally bet that this year, or the next, you're gonna find your soul mate and crap. Then you'll know what it's like, and I'm so sorry about your daddy troubles. But, hey, from what I've seen, it looks like he's trying."
"I can see that. However, I feel as though I am not ready for him to act like real father now. I'm afraid it's too late," Arthur answered.
"Nothing is too late! If you keep thinking like that, your life's gonna suck, and no one is going to like you. Do you really want to spend your life alone? Your mother didn't leave this Earth wanting you to be unhappy. So cheer up, stop being such a grump, and have a little fun. In fact, maybe that's why I was destined to meet you! I'm going to be the one to show you how to move on and live life!
Things happen for a reason, dude. Sad or happy, they'll happen. Like I promised my parents long ago, I'll be a hero. And for this whole year, I'll be the hero to teach you about life!"
Giggling a little, Arthur looked at Alfred with softened eyes. For the first time in his life, someone believed in him, someone saw the good in him. It warmed his heart, and with a genuine smile Arthur stood up.
"I highly doubt that's possible, but I accept the challenge. But I'm afraid you will have to work very hard to accomplish this."
Repeating Arthur's actions, Alfred stood up with a bright smile, hands on his hips in a heroic pose. "Life and love is an extravagant challenge. No one said that they were easy. Heroes never back down from their word, so I'll make sure it happens." Giving the Brit another smile, Alfred turned around and started to head for the limo.
Watching as the younger blonde left, Arthur smiled again, feeling a warm sensation flow through him. Butterflies started to flutter in his stomach whenever he looked at him. Every breath he took felt like it was his first. Everything felt perfect to Arthur, and for some odd reason, unknown to him, he felt comfortable around the American.
But of course, he would never know what he was feeling after years of not receiving it.
Following behind closely, Arthur arched an eyebrow in curiosity. It was still the middle of the day, and they had left work early. So they had some time to kill.
"Mr Jones, what do you presume we do now?" Arthur asked.
"Call me Alfred, Al, or Alfie. It'll make it really seem like we're close. You can only call me Mr Jones when we're in private.
"How odd. Some might say it should be the other way around."
"Yeah, but we have an act to put up! And it'll be more believable this way."
"Fine then, but you still haven't answered my question."
"Well, I plan to go on a date with you. A home one; we still haven't gotten used to living together."
Blushing slightly, Arthur was baffled by the other's suggestion. It was usually Arthur who took Alfred out on dates, not the other way around.
"How odd, I thought I was the one courting you, Alfie~," Arthur sang sarcastically. Alfred spun around almost immediately, a light blush dusting his cheeks.
"I-I'm the one who's supposed to teach you about fun! S-so, this is, like, a once in a while thing. I totally don't like going on dates with you." Alfred didn't know why he had just muttered those words.
No one spoke a word as the got back into the limo, driving to their house. Inside, they sat opposite each other; avoiding direct eye contact for some odd reason. The silence seemed endless, until Alfred quickly shattered it with a scream.
"OH MY F***ING GOD! HELP M-ME! I-I'M SCARED, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Alfred screamed, putting his feet up onto his seat. Alarmed by the sudden action, Arthur rushed to Alfred's side. Arthur brought him into a hug and began stroking his hair, trying to calm him down.
"What happened, Alfred? What's wrong?" Arthur looked from Alfred's terrified face to his pointing hand, directing his attention to what had caused such a reaction. On the ground was a spider. It was medium sized and had long hairy legs. Its eyes watched the two as it minded its own business, crawling closer.
Holding onto Arthur tightly, Alfred hid his face in his neck, mumbling comforting words to himself. Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.
"Really, Mr. Jones? A spider? You're scared of a spider?"
"H-hey! H-how do you k-know i-it's not gonna go all n-ninja and use its spider powers to e-eat me! G-get it away from me!"
Trying to ignore Alfred's cries and idiotic ideas, Arthur lifted his foot and squished the spider. Now that it was successfully dead, Arthur peeled Alfred off him and returned to his original seat.
"There. It's dead. Happy?"
"Yes! Phew! F-for a second, I thought we were gonners. Just so you know, I wasn't scared at all. Just wanted to see if you were man enough to kill it."
"Ha-ha, funny." A smirk was playing on Arthur's face. In a way, Arthur found the suddenly vulnerable face Alfred had shown cute. Especially since he always tried to act so fearless...
Finally arriving at the mansion, Alfred and Arthur exited the car as two butlers opened the front door for them. Looking inside, they could see nothing but the furniture of their house. Then all of a sudden, both men were tackled to the floor by an unknown force.
Shocked by the impact, they both looked from each other, to what was on their chests. To their surprise, Abraham and James sat there, with James on Arthur and Abraham on Alfred.
They looked at each other again before laughing. The two took the animals into their arms and stood up. Petting the creatures carefully, they walked to Alfred's room, led by Toris; Alfred's personal butler.
"Man, you two totally scared me!" Alfred told his pets, laughing at them playfully. "Next time, Imma totally get you guys! Just you watch me!"
"Alfred, you act like they're your children," Arthur said questioning the other's behavior.
"So? That's the fun of it. Remember how I said I was adopted and ran away? Well, I went into another orphanage. I didn't have anyone to talk to, so I made friends with the animals. Why, is that weird to you?"
"Oh, it's not strange at all, Snow White," Arthur said teasingly.
"Hey! I ain't no princess that sings and waits for her Prince Charming. I am Prince Charming!"
"Your hero ego does go a long way, doesn't it?"
"Of course it does, dude! I'm the awesome hero, and everyone should know that!"
"U-Umm, excuse me, young masters, w-we have arrived at Mr Jones' room," Toris said, holding a hand out to present the door.
"Thanks, Toris. You're the best, dude!" Alfred scuffed the Lithuanian's brown hair before opening the door to his room, allowing Arthur inside.
Placing his cat down, Alfred ran and jumped onto his bed. Arthur mimicked the same actions but did not jump on the bed. Looking around in disgust, Arthur moved a piece of garbage with his foot.
"This is disgusting. How on Earth do you live in here? And why haven't the maids cleaned anything?"
Shifting around in his bed, Alfred looked up at the ceiling, nibbling on a cookie he had hidden under his pillow.
"I don't know, I asked them not to clean it. I like my organized mess! It's like a scavenger hunt, and it's more when you're in a rush to find something."
"Your logic is completely illogical. I will command the maids to clean this room A.S.A.P. I cannot stand seeing this."
"Hey, you're not the one living in here, so chill."
"What happens when guests come over? What will they think?"
"Dude, it's not like we're holding a party in my room. You're sounding like a mom, grandpa!"
"I wouldn't have to act like a mom if you kept this room clean."
"Shut your trap!"
"What did you just say?"
"Put a cork in it. We're supposed to be on a date to get to know each, remember?"
"And what do you suppose we do for this 'date' then?"
"This!" Alfred rolled to the side of his bed, opening a mini fridge. Taking out a bottle of whipped cream, Alfred took off the cap and jumped off his bed. He tilted his head back and poured some of the cream into his mouth. Swallowing and licking his lips, Alfred advanced towards Arthur.
Three inches away from the other, Alfred took a fighting stance with the whipped cream and pointed it at Arthur's face. He pushed the nozzle down again and let the whipped cream spray onto Arthur's face, covering his eyes and bangs entirely.
Laughing at the other, Arthur brought his hands to his eyes and gently wiped the cream from his face. Eyes still closed, Arthur flicked his hands, causing the cream to fall to the floor. Observing the British man's actions, Alfred felt a little threatened. The battle would start now.
Opening his eyes to reveal emerald green, Arthur eyed the can of whipped cream. Backing up, Alfred held his free hand out, shaking his head from right to left. Arthur stalked towards Alfred as he moved back in defense.
"Swiper no swiping! Swiper no swiping!" Alfred chanted, hoping Dora had not lied to him. But like in his whole life, he was not so fortunate. Arthur snatched the can out of Alfred's hands, turning the tables on the American.
Smiling, Arthur narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh, you're going to get it now you git!" Arthur announced, pushing the nozzle down and spraying cream on Alfred's glasses. Alfred pretended to scream and ran to the other side of the room, where a couch stood between him and Arthur.
Alfred raised his hand. "W-whoa, dude, calm down. I don't want anything bad to happen. Why don't we just put this behind us and continue on with our lives?" Alfred suggested.
"Not a chance. Be a man and finish what you started, lad." Arthur smirked and started to spray more cream on Alfred. Screaming again, Alfred tried his best to escape the Brit's clutches. Getting close enough to Arthur, Alfred snatched the can and started to spray Arthur with it. They both laughed, starting the battle of who had possession of the can.
The can moved back and forth between them, and they continued to laugh like children in a water fight, with the cream standing in for the water. Arthur, who now had ownership of the can, pursued Alfred.
Running away, Alfred glanced behind him every few seconds to make sure the other wasn't getting any closer. Arthur kept his eyes on his target, ignoring the fact that his face was growing sticky from the whipped cream.
Almost upon Alfred, Arthur leaned in closer, trying to catch the other as they circled the room. At his legs were James and Abraham, wanting to join the battle too. Their fur coats were covered with cream as they danced around in the extra cream that had fallen off the two.
As Arthur was about to beat the American at his own game, he slipped on a wrapper that had been laid out on the floor. Harshly landing on the floor, causing Alfred to stop running, Arthur winced in pain. He gazed up at the ceiling as his brain blurred with static and the feeling of pain.
Alfred walked towards Arthur with an emotionless expression. Now being able to see Alfred, Arthur glared up at him with hate. Alfred hunched over suddenly and started laughing while pointing at him.
"Hahahahaha, duuuude! You totally slipped! You should have seen your face! Man, a-are you okay?" Alfred said mockingly, trying to stop laughing. Arthur smiled sweetly before grabbing Alfred's ankle, yanking him to the floor.
Having the wind knocked out of him for a split second, Alfred groaned in pain. "F-fair play...F-fair play...W-why don't we just take a bath now? All this cream is making me feel sticky, and now Abraham and James need a bath too."
"I-I suppose you're right. The bath might help me with this pain as well."
"Ditto." Alfred groaned as he stood up, grabbing his animals. Arthur got up too, and Alfred placed James in Arthur's arms.
"C-can you give him a bath? I'm gonna have my hands full giving this one a B-A-T-H." Alfred spelt out the word so that his cat would not fear his inevitable fate.
"I suppose so. Then I shall see you later, Mr Jones?"
"Yeah. You too, President Kirkland."
"Please call me Arthur."
"Why?"
"Well, just so you get used to saying it in public."
"Okay, got it." Alfred said with a salute, carrying his cat into the bathroom. Although Arthur didn't mean to, he saluted back. Once out of the American's room, Arthur ordered the servants to quickly clean the mess before he came out of the shower.
Obeying his command, they ran into the room, different teams completing separate tasks. They successfully finished around the same time Alfred left the shower. The servants left the room as fast as they could.
Alfred walked out of his bathroom, his fluffy damp cat in one hand. He arched an eyebrow when he noticed how clean his room suddenly was. It was shocking. Stepping on polished marble floor, Alfred observed the new atmosphere yet again.
"Well then, no worries. I can always dirty this place up later," Alfred told himself making his way over to Arthur's room.
Alfred knocked on the wooden door, waiting for a response. Waiting patiently, Alfred nervously looked down at his cat, shrugging his shoulders. Patting his calf with his paw, Abraham made sure that Alfred was not too anxious. He didn't like to see his master confused or sad.
"Meow." Abraham tried his best to communicate with his human master. Surprisingly, Alfred somehow knew what his cat was trying to say.
"I-I know I shouldn't be nervous, since he's my fake boyfriend and boss. B-But he can go Godzilla on me at any moment! And then the next thing you know, he'll get so angry that his eyebrows light on fire."
Abraham shook his head and replied in a series of meows. He tried to tell Alfred not to be so down, and Alfred started telling him what he thought would happen. In that moment, he failed to notice Arthur opening the door.
"Yeah, yeah, I know he's not as bitter as I though he was. I-it's just it's weird being around him. My heart beats really… Crud, am I having small heart attacks? Oh my God, I'm dying! I DIDN'T GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL!" Alfred shouted. He turned his head at the sound of coughing. Looking up, Alfred saw Arthur holding a giant puff ball.
He quickly shot up, scratching the back of his head nervously. Looking at what was in Arthur's hand, Alfred arched an eyebrow, wondering what it was.
"Before you ask anything stupid, this is James," Arthur said with a straight face, making Alfred burst into laughing.
"T-that's J-James?! A-and I-I thought Abraham w-was bad! O-oh my gosh, he's so cute! Give him to me!" Alfred demanded taking the rabbit from the Brit. Bring the bunny up to his nose, Alfred smiled as he adored the rabbit's cuteness.
"Man, am I glad you gave him to me! Even if it was only to keep this scandal alive. Well, okay, time for part two of our date."
"Part two? You mean there's more?"
"Well yeah."
"Honestly..."
"Oh, shut up and be a man, will ya?"
"I am a man."
"Are you as swift as the coursing river? With all the force of a great typhoon? With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon?"
"Those are the lyrics from a Disney movie, and no."
"Well then, you're not a man. But Yao in accounting is. Man can that guy...Y-You know what, never mind! Just follow Toris and I." Spinning around on his heels, Alfred put his fingers into his mouth, letting out a high pitched whistle.
Toris came running to side bowing when he stopped. "Toris, my buddy ol' pal! Where the heck is the living room with a TV in it I heard about?"
"Right over here, Mr Jones," Toris said, leading the way with Alfred close on his tail. Locating their way throughout the mansion, Toris opened a curtain to reveal a theater room. Alfred stared in awe at the scene in front of him
"Duuuuude! What the heck?! This is, like, totally awesome!" Alfred exclaimed.
"So we're going to watch a stupid movie?"
"That, and eat dinner so that we don't have to face your dad."
"I see. And what will we be watching?"
"The Avengers!"
"Why on Earth would I want to watch a bunch of men fight each other in such a manner? I would much rather watch pirates than stupid American heroes."
"Say what?!" Alfred asked, his heart and ego bruised. "Super heroes are what life is based on."
"It's just dumb old super heroes. I suppose you're going to say that all those burgers you eat are essential to your life as well?"
"W-what?! I-is it just air we breathe? Is it just life we live? You obviously don't understand the meaning of life. I have a lot of work on my hands with you."
"Likewise."
"Whatever. Let's just watch the movie, okay?!"
'I'm taking that as a yes!" Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand, forcefully placing him on one of the seats in front of the TV. Taking out the DVD from his pocket, Alfred figured out how to use the TV and pressed play.
With Abraham on Alfred's lap and James on his shoulder, all three watched the screen. Arthur, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. With a heavy sigh, he felt somewhat abandoned since the animals didn't want to sit next to him.
Sulking in his chair throughout the entire movie, Arthur tried his best to ignore the cheers from the ones next to him. Glancing at Alfred every so often like a love-struck schoolgirl, Arthur found himself liking the American's smile even more.
Looking down at the armrest, Arthur noticed Alfred's hand. Slowly, he moved his own hand towards, making sure Alfred didn't notice. But just as he was about to grab it, the younger blonde jerked his hand away, punching the air as Captain America kicked butt.
Disappointed, Arthur moved his hand back to his side, now sulking again. The movie soon ended, and Alfred took Arthur's wrist and led him away through the house. Letting Alfred drag him outside, Arthur noticed that it had gotten dark all of a sudden.
Being dragged to the side of the house, Arthur looked to see a ladder. Allowing the animals to climb the ladder first, Alfred and Arthur followed soon after.
Waiting on the roof was a picnic basket and a spread out blanket. Alfred ran to the blanket and patted the seat next to him. Arthur carefully walked towards him, making sure he was completely safe on the roof. Sitting down next to his 'lover', Arthur saw Alfred hand him a plate of spaghetti.
Arthur took it and twirled the spoon in the noodles, and then put the mass of noodles into his mouth. The pasta was actually decent. It wasn't greasy or too dry. It was just right.
"I may be considered the chick of this relationship, but that doesn't mean I can't act like the dude," Alfred said with a smile, eating his food and looking up at the stars.
"So you finally admit that you're the girl. Congratulations, Mr. Jones. Or should I say, Ms. Jones?"
"Put a sock in it! It's only because the media pretty much thinks it...When I get a real boyfriend, I'm totally going to be the dude!"
"I highly doubt that."
"Hey! That's totally not nice!"
"That's life, love."
Looking up at the sky, Alfred put his plate down and leaned back on the blanket. Watching the stars twinkle in the sky was something else. It helped him escape the world's troubles. He would sometimes even forget that he was human for a second or two.
"Isn't this nice? Looking up at the stars like this?" Alfred asked Arthur.
"Yes, it is."
"Sometimes I like to think of a far-off place, where a welcome would be waiting for me. But somehow, I feel like this is where I'm meant to be. I'll be there someday, and go the distance."
"You know, you do an awful lot of Disney references."
"Well, yeah, when you think about it, each story has a lesson or a real life challenge. It's not always happily ever after stuff. That's what makes it so realistic and encouraging. To see those characters fight through their troubles, and soon have everything taken care of. Because they never gave up."
"But to look back on a cartoon is nothing compared to real life. How can you believe in them so much?" Sitting up, Alfred leaned against his arms, still keeping his eyes on the stars.
"Well, it's nice to have a little fantasy and hope in your life. It all comes down to this. Having childish wonder is, like, the best. To go back and remember how amazed you were by everything, and how you wanted to work hard for it. Now, when we grow up, we tend to lose sight of what we saw then."
"You have a very valid point, Mr Jones. Perhaps there really is a thing or two I can learn from you." Arthur leaned in closer and placed a kiss on Alfred's nose. Looking into the American's eyes, he saw the twinkle of one star.
"Evangeline," Arthur said, trying to keep the Disney theme. Blushing slightly, it took a while for Alfred to realize what Arthur was talking about.
"O-oh...Y-yeah...W-well, I better get some sleep now, since, like, a heroes' work is never done! See you tomorrow Mr Kirkland." Getting up, Alfred ran to the edge of the roof and jumped and flipped off it. Arthur followed behind, making sure Alfred didn't hurt himself. Seeing him land safely, Arthur let out a sigh of relief and watched him leave.
"You are my Evangeline," Arthur mumbled to himself without thinking. Shaking his head, he saw that Alfred's pets were still on the roof. He noticed a devilish glint in their eyes.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you two were planning something," Arthur told the animals before helping them down off the roof. He then headed down to his room to sleep. His thoughts consisted only of Alfred. Angrily thrashing around in his bed, Arthur tried to force Alfred out of his head.
"Why am I thinking about him? Honestly, have I gone mad?" Arthur asked himself, staring up at the ceiling.
-At Matthew's place-
Francis and Matthew were in a coffee shop, talking and catching up on what was happening with one another. Francis explained his trip to France and Canada to Matthew, and Matthew explained his life after he started searching for Alfred.
For what seemed like forever, the two brothers talked and reminisced on the past. All seemed well until they turned to the topic of Alfred and Arthur.
"Francis, I-I'm still in love with Alfred. I confessed to him, but you know about the accident, and now he's with Arthur. I-I don't want to be mean and ask Alfred out. T-that would hurt him, a-and I don't want to be some kind of home wrecker
"There, there, mon petite, there is no need to worry. What I am about to tell you now might help you and I with our situations."
"Situations? W-what do you mean?"
"I want Arthur back, and you to have Alfred back, of course. So all we have to do is work together to break their attraction."
"B-but isn't that wrong?"
"Not at all. Listen to this and you will see why." Placing a recorder on the table they shared, Francis pressed the play button. Two voices could be heard, and Matthew was able to recognize them in a heartbeat.
"I-is this Mr Kirkland and A-Alfred?" Matthew pointed to the device, but was quickly silenced by his brother.
Shut it! Now, I have yet another matter to discuss with you.
Oh, great, what do I have to do now? Parade in a dress for you in public?
N-no, of course not! T-this is far more serious, Mr. Jones!
Then what is it?
"I fear Francis has found us out. He said he can tell by the way we act."
"W-what? That's impossible, dude! I-I mean, sir! I have wonderful acting skills for real!"
"Will you stop being a complete idiot and hear me out? Now that he is on our tail, we must be on our toes. Which means we need to learn more about each other.
The tape was then cut off.
For a moment, the two blondes only sat there. Matthew didn't know what to say or feel. Was it joy? Hurt, maybe, for not knowing the truth? So many things ran through his head, but only one question made its way to Matthew's lips.
"S-so, A-Alfred a-and Arthur aren't g-going out, eh?"
"Oui, you are correct. And you know what that means." Francis winked at his brother.
"I-I actually have a c-chance of winning Alfred back!" Matthew shouted with an excited smile. "I-I can still win him, I can win his love back! I knew Alfred would never go out with Mr Kirkland in a million years! Oh, maple, this is wonderful!"
"Now, now, calm down. We need to think of a plan. Now, tell me all you know about Alfred so that we can get started," Francis said in a dark voice.
Admin: Well there you guys go. I'm just gonna let you guys ponder on what their plot is. You know like I always do. I have to always leave it on a note to make sure you guys are still with me.
Please review! Tell me what you think will happen, or things you are concerned about such as who will end up with who? I enjoy all your hypothesis and most of you are good guessers. Well that's it for now, I hope you are all excited for the next chapter. This chapter is the longest one I have ever written in my life!