Wow, it's been damn near forever since I last updated. And I have to say now that I am really sorry that I didn't put in here what I said I would. Don't hate me!
"Where are we?" Alfred said giddily as his eyes stared at the port and the city sprawled across the upcoming shoreline.
Arthur looked over at the awe-struck teenager that was standing less than a foot away from him. The blonde teen was looking here and there and everywhere, trying to absorb every single little detail of the landscape that they were slowly approaching.
"Spain. Not sure about the name of the port though." the older blonde answered.
Alfred was ecstatic. He had never been anywhere away from his small little town on some shore in England. Going anywhere, even Spain, was like a dream come true.
"This is awesome!" Alfred laughed aloud. But despite the teen's enthusiasm, he didn't forget about his plan of escape. Today had to be one of the best days he's had in awhile.
Not only would he be seeing another country who's people and culture he'd never experienced before, but he'd get to escape from his kidnapper who was standing not even three feet away.
"Glad to hear it. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun today." Arthur said with a smirk.
Alfred noticed the one side of Arthur's lips turn up and so he couldn't help but lose some of the energy he had just exhibited only moments before.
"Why do you say that?" Alfred asked quizically.
"You'll be spending the day wandering around the port with me. The crew has a list of the things we need so they don't need me." Arthur said as he exageratedly took in a large breathe of air.
"B-But, what about Mattie? Who's going to hang out with him?" Alfred asked. He desperately hoped Arthur had forgotten about Alfred's twin, like everyone else usually did, and would then assign Alfred to watch over him.
Arthur waved his hand around in the air as he said,"Got it handled. Gilbert agreed to take Matthew into town. They'll be searching for your brother's medicine while they are there."
Alfred wanted to groan in frustration. Well, there goes his plan.
There was no way in hell he'd be able to get away from mother-bird Arthur, find his ailing brother, and then escape into the countryside of some foreign country who's language and culture he didn't quite understand.
Nope. It was impossible.
Alfred felt his need to voice his frustration but refrained from doing so for fear of rousing Arthur's interest. Having the older man on his tail more than he already was would be the last thing the young teen wanted.
"So what'll you and me be doing then? Bonding?" Alfred asked with what he hoped to be a teasing tone of voice though it came out more as sarcastic.
"Hardly. I'd like to think it'll be more like a date." Arthur said with a sly smile.
Alfred practically choked on the air he was breathing. Had he heard that right? He really hoped the older man had said something completely different. But the knowing smirk on his face suggested he had said exactly what Alfred had thought he heard.
He didn't want to believe it, but that look was enough.
"Dude! Just...dude!" Alfred groaned. He couldn't help but be slightly weirded out. The kiss had been bad enough. But a date? A freaking date?
"Don't give me that. I'll make it very enjoyable for you." Arthur said with a careless flick of his hand.
"But this kind of stuff is looked down upon for men! Our asses'll get hanged or something!" Alfred said in exasperation. Oh lord. He could see it now!
They would be walking down the street and Arthur would try to take ahold of his hand. Someone would see it and report them to someone who didn't like it. Next thing they knew they would be standing on a scaffold with nooses being slung around their necks.
Nope. There was no way in hell he'd allow this to become a date.
"Calm down, you stupid git. People around here don't really care about that. For one thing, they wouldn't be able to tell what we're actually doing. When I'm around, people mind their own business." Arthur said with a mightier-than-thou air surrounding him.
"Why? And don't tell me it's because you're so damn awesome!" Alfred said sarcastically.
Arthur lost his smirk and crossed his arms. "Hardly," Arthur said vehemently. "Did you happen to forget that I am the Captain of the fiercest crew on the Seven Seas?"
Oh. Alfred had almost forgotten.
"I suppose that's a good enough reason." Alfred said. He couldn't believe he had forgottem that little tidbit.
After a few seconds of silent deliberation, Alfred came to the comclusion that the date might not be so bad. But he wouldn't let Arthur have it so easily. Not after what that big-browed bastard had put him through in the past few days.
"Alright. Fine. I'll go on this stupid little date with you." Alfred said. When a smirk started to appear on the British pirate's face, Alfred held up his hand and added,"But, you will not touch me in any way. If you do you will be slapped."
The smirk that had started growing on Arthur's face immediately died.
"And people say I'm no fun." Arthur tsked before striding over to where Francis was currently talking to Gilbert.
Francis immediately stopped his hurried whispers as he spotted his Captain walking in his direction.
"Ah, Captain. What may I do for you?" Francis said with a large smile gracing his face.
Arthur walked up to the man so that there was barely even a few inches between them before leaning his face in and saying,"I wanted to give you your allowance for today's trip."
Arthur dropped a few gold coins into the Frenchman's hand before explaining. "I wanted to make sure you stay out of Alfred and I's hair so I'm sending you on a shopping spree for food. I want you to buy plenty of meat."
Francis wrapped his fingers around the coins as he gave his Captain yet another smile. "You don't play fair. How am I supposed to win the bet if you don't even allow me go near the boy?"
Arthur chuckled lightly before saying,"That's the point. The little git is making it hard enough for me as it is. I don't need you there as well."
When the last word left his mouth, Arthur turned around and walked back to where Alfred was still standing as he surveyed the open landscape before him.
"We should be docking in approximately five minutes. We will be given five hours to do as we please. But we have to leave by then or our arses will be left behind." Arthur said as he joined Alfred.
The teen scoffed before saying,"I don't need no damn itinerary. I just want to get some good food in me and walk on actual land."
When Francis heard the comment about the food, the bearded man turned around and snapped,"My food is delicious, you little brat! How dare you say you want someone else's food!"
Alfred looked over at the older man with a confused expression.
"Uh, yeah. You're food is great and all, but you make such small portions. I want large pieces of meat now." Alfred said with a light shrug and carefree smile.
France made a hmph sound but refrained from saying anything further.
To him, the young blonde might as well have insulted the Frenchman's mother. But he knew that by yelling at the man would get him know where. It was rather evident that the words would go in one ear and out the other.
Alfred waited for another rant from the older man but when nothing came he thought the man was probably done with his little hissy-fit.
With a dopey grin on his face, Alfred turned back to look at the port they were slowly approaching.
"So what'll we do first once we get there?" Alfred asked as his eyes skimmed the small expanse of water between them and the country of Spain.
"I suppose we'd go eat first. Why?" Arthur asked quizically.
Alfred smiled to himself as he continued to look at the approaching port before saying,"I was hoping you'd say that. I'm starving."
Matthew decided then was the time to walk over and engage in Alfred and Arthur's conversation.
"You're always hungry, Al." Matthew whispered as he gave his brother a delicate smile.
Alfred wrapped his arms around his younger brother and smiled at him cheekily. "That may be so, but I've never had a chance to indulge like this! We had to ration our food before, but now I get to eat as much as I want!" Alfred said happily.
The blonde teen then turned to address Arthur once again. "Prepare your wallet, jerkface," Alfred said as he poked the older man in the stomach,"Because I'm going to eat you out of house."
Arthur shuddered but nodded his head anyways.
He supposed spending a little money in order to win Alfred's heart was a small price to pay. Besides, the bar-maidens of the places they went to often said that the quickest way to a man's heart was through his stomach.
Arthur hoped that held true for Alfred as well.
"I wouldn't be agreeing to it if I were you. You would not believe how much Alfred is capable of eating." Matthew whispered almost worriedly. He knew Arthur was probably rich, but having enough money to feed Alfred would be quite impressive.
Arthur scoffed. "Oh please. How much could one person eat?"
As the last word left the older man's lips, the ship lurched before fully stopping. The three looked over the railing and found that they had pulled up to the deck.
"Well, how about we go find out?" Alfred said cheekily before making his way to the board the was being hoisted overboard that would let them down and onto the dock.
Matthew patted Arthur lightly on the back before heading back over to where Gilbert was waiting for him.
"Say goodbye to the money you have left." Matthew said with a dainty smile before getting off the boat with the albino man.
Arthur rubbed his head as he said,"I can't catch a break, can I?"
So, uh, yeah. Sorry for not writing the chapter where they're at the port. I had every intention of making that fic just that, but as you can see: I didn't. Not for the upteenth time now I'm going to say: Sorry.