"Hey, bro! Ya know what time it is?!"

I sigh and recollect my thoughts as soon as Alfred carelessly spit those words out. "What?"

"HALLOWEEN, BITCH!" Alfred pulls me unwillingly into an unessential embrace and pats the tops of my head.

"Do I look like a fucking dog to you?" I lip back.

"You're more like a cute widdle kitty cat!" he coos.

It's been about two months or so since Alfred and I have been dating and I'm sort of enjoying it. In our time, I've learned some things about Alfred that I would've never guessed before. For example, I knew he fell ill a year before I met him, but he told me he spent most of that short time writing music and that he has big dreams of a singing career someday. He likes singing Hannah Montana and High School Musical songs much to my annoyance, but doesn't sound too bad. He also knows how to play drums and piano well while singing.

I've learned something else about Alfred, too. He has a tendency to cling to one person at a time. According to Kiku and a few other of his friends and my acquaintances, Alfred's pulled this kind of stunt in the past. Gilbert told me of an account about a girl he went out with, Natalia, I think it was. All I remember is Gilbert telling me about how Alfred clung to his girlfriends and because of this, his relationships never really lasted. To be honest, it sort of pisses me off to no end and I'd like to use their severed heads as devil sacrifices and their blood for the pentagram.

Still, everybody's told me that Alfred seems even clingier to me and that our relationship has lasted longer than most of his other ones. This somehow gives me satisfaction. We haven't had any real problems and it's been pretty nice. I mean, he's dropped the 'L' bomb a lot and I'm definitely not ready for that shit, but I'm appeased with him. I just don't know why he's so patient. Whenever I ask him about it, he just says it's because he loves me. I'm just not sure if I want to fall hopelessly in love yet. I do have a warm affection for Alfred, but I'm afraid he'll think I'm boring after a while and I'll have to use the four lettered 'L' word to make him stay.

"So?" I ask sarcastically.

"What're we gonna dress up as?" Alfred inquires. He ponders for a moment and opens with, "Batman and Robin?"

"No," I turn down.

Alfred ponders for another second and proposes, "Hugh Hefner and a playboy bunny?"

"Pfft. Over my dead body," I snort.

"Mario and Peach? They're, like, otp," He tries again.

"No."

"Uh, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele?"

"Possibly. What else you've got?"

"Harley Quinn and Joker?"

"Nah, too much make up."

"Ooh! How about Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf?"

I sit for a minute and contemplate, "That sounds cool. But I'm not wearing a dress."

"Alrighty then!" Alfred grabs me by my shoulder and pulls me into him, thrusting his fist in the air. "Halloween here we come!"

I smile as we jaunt down the bleachers to Alfred's car. He sways my hand forcefully back and forth in time with our gait and I smile. Alfred stops in his tracks and whirls around to me.

"Wait a sec!" he exclaims. "We gotta pick two costumes! One for the Halloween party and one for passing out candy."

"Wait, we're doing both on Halloween?" I inquire.

"Yeah. We'd have to pass out candy at my house first, and then go to Gil's house for the rest of the night."

"Oh. Then, what're we going to be a second time?"

Alfred enters the vehicle and I follow. He starts it up and ponders, "I guess we could do the Fifty Shades of Grey thing for the party. I don't think parents want their kids taking candy from characters from a sex novel."

I chuckle and respond, "Alright. Why not?"

"But you're gonna be Anastasia," Alfred requests.

"Handcuffs?" I ask with a hint of mockery in my voice.

"Yup," Alfred confirms in the same tone.

"Blind fold?"

"Affirmative."

"Count me in."

We laugh as we come into my apartment complex's parking spaces. I jump out of the car and leave Alfred in the dust, running up the stairwell and barging into my front door. I close it in enough time and shortly after, a pounding rings out.

"Artie! Let me in! You do this shit everyday!" Alfred desperately calls out.

"Make me, jackass!" I yell back.

He jostles the door knob and requests admittance once more. "Let me in!"

I prop my entire body weight up against the door and laugh devilishly, "Over my dead body, Alfred!"

Then, a surge of force overwhelms me and I slip onto the floor. Alfred stands in the doorway, looking curiously down at me. He drops to the floor and coddles me between his arms, his elbows by my head and questioning, "What was that you were saying, dear?"

I furrow my brows and tighten my fists which are lying beside my head. Alfred smiles sweetly as he kisses my nose and takes off for the hallway behind me. I sit up and close the door, checking up on Alfred.

"Hey, dumbass," I call. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"I need to take a piss. I'm usin' your bathroom," he makes known.

I exhale deeply and stagger into the living room, flopping on my stomach onto the sofa and close my eyes. I rest my head on my one arm that's bridged across the arm of the couch, and let the other dangle to the floor. My feet lay on top of each other on the far opposite of me and even still hang over the edge. I breath a sigh of exhaustion and hide my face in a pillow that's somehow present. A moment of screaming victims and horrifyingly gruesome deaths or, my dreams, I sense some existence overcome me. My eyes flutter open and I come face to face with a blue eyed ethereal blond smiling behind his transparent spectacles. I decipher that it's his hand that's on my head and that he's currently crouched down beside the sofa.

"Whatcha doin', Artie?" he asks charmingly.

I push myself up and swing my legs around in front of me, rubbing my eyes. "Nothing. Just, checking my eyelids for pinholes."

He chuckles and haves a place close next to me. We sit in silence for a moment before Alfred blurts, "So how's it goin'?"

I give him the stink eye and flick him off, an irritated frown residing on my face. He feigns a offended position and leans back, mocking, "What was that for, sweetie?"

"You know damn well, love," I play along.

We break down laughing, letting our heads fall onto each other and Alfred grabs my hand, leading me out into the hallway.

"What are you doing?" I inquire, stumbling along.

He locks the door and continues down the stairwell. "We need to go get handcuffs and blindfolds. And other costume shit, too."

"Okay? Why now?" Then why the hell did we need to come back to my place?

"'Cause I want to do it now." I'll never understand this man.

At the store, Alfred goes batshit crazy, running around to each section of assorted Halloween ornaments. I calmy attempt to follow him, keeping my hands in my pocket and looking down at my attire. A Butcher Babies shirt with Heidi Shepherd and her nipple tape, black jeans, and my black PF Flyers. I glance back up and am surprised to not see Alfred standing his ground by the weapons section. I look around and begin searching for him, fists by my sides and violently strutting.

"If I find him, so help me God," I mumble angrily. "He's a dead man walking."

I look around the store and grow more concerned. I briskly pace the aisles and pause at random to scan the place in a whole. Great, I lost fuckhead. I exhale deeply and storm out of the store. "Whatever. He can find my lazy ass outside."

I stomp to the exit and canter the entrance like a drunk in a liquor store parking lot. I lean against the wall adjacent to the entry doors and respire, "What an idiot."

I cross my arms and pout, keeping a stern expression to keep away people I may know. I feel the cool autumn air nip at my nose and I convey my affections by slowly closing my eyes for a moment. As time progresses, that cool breeze becomes a biting blade and rips at my face, leaving me red and numb. I hate autumn.

"Alfred, you fucktard," I assert hotly. I rub up and down my arms to create friction as I let out an irritated wheeze of discomfort. If I go back in there, I'll look like a freak. "I'm not going back in that fucking store."

"Why not?" a recognizable voice speaks. I glimpse to the source and discover Alfred standing by my side with a labeled bag in hand.

"Oh, where the hell were you, wanker?" I ask rudely.

"The store," He respond cooly, hands in his pockets. Alfred rests his back on the wall the same as I and fixes his attention in the distance straight ahead, blushing burgundy.

I wrinkle my left eye at him curiously and grill, "Why the hell are you just standing there?"

"Because you are."

"I'm loitering around here because I lost your stupid ass in the store and had it up to here with your bullshit." I motion my hand at him aggressively.

"Okay," his face flushes an even darker shade of red.

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

Alfred grabs my hand and begins walking farther out in the car park. As we approach his vehicle, I raise an eyebrow in perplexity and ask, "Why are you acting so weird?"

"Uh, I don't know," he fails to support. "Why are you so mean to me?"

We take a place in the car seats and I brush my hands up and down my arms again for warmth. Alfred looks over at me lovingly, contradicting what he just said, and I bury my face in my lap, moaning, "I don't operate in the cold, I need to go home. And so should you, Alfred."

I feel the car accelerate and I throw my position back against the seat like normal. Alfred testifies, "But I don't wanna."

"You keep sleeping at my house and it's starting to look suspicious. I mean, aren't your parent the least bit curious?" Alfred's even adapted to leaving some of his clothes at my place for his visits.

"Uh, yeah, actually," he agrees. "They've kinda been askin' me questions about ya, since I hang with you a lot and sleep over. Honestly, the only thing they know about you is your name."

I blink my eyes in surprise and mutter, "Oh."

His cheeks glow pink and he proclaims, "But, uh, don't worry too much about it! It's only been about two months, so don't sweat it!"

We ride back in silence, staring out of the windows and respiring deeply. I glance up and down at him and smile, snorting sarcastically.

"What's so funny?" Alfred inquiries.

"Nothing," I lie. I glance over to see Alfred cutting his eyes at me and I ask, smiling, "What's with you?"

"Nothing," he imitates.

I smirk and grant, "You can stay over if you want."

"Really?!"

"Yes, really."

"Good, 'cause I was on my way there, anyways," he confesses. I furrow my brows and grit my teeth. I sure do know how to take care of an idiot, don't I?

After an awkward conversation with Mrs. Lizzy about Alfred and my sex life, we trudge the stairwell to avoid the elevators and Mr. Lizzy's knowledge of Fifty Shades of Grey.

"What the hell is that woman's problem?" Alfred asserts. I unlock the door and we slowly enter, throwing our bags across the room. "It's not even like we've hit second base, anyways."

"She's just curious, Alfred. Someone has to keep an eye on me while I'm here in America," I explain.

Alfred face is overtaken by an expression of shock and he fumbles for the words, "W-Wait. You aren't goin' back to England, are you?"

I turn my body and face him just as soon as Alfred lurches himself at me, acting like a complete buffoon. I sigh and pat his back in reassurance, "Of course not, Alfred. That means I'd have to leave you."

He stops freaking out for a minute and pulls away, staring me down and gripping both of my shoulders. "G-Good. I'd miss you, too."

I roll my eyes and he points to his lips, pleading, "Can I get something?"

"What on Earth could you mean?" I tease.

"Huh?"

I release myself from his grasp and wander to my bedroom, motioning my hand, "Nevermind."

Alfred pursues after me but I twirl around and run my index finger into his chest. I block, "And where do you think you're going?"

"With you," he construes innocently.

I bring up my eyebrow in intrusiveness and taunt, "But what if I disagree with you on that?"

"Dude, I sleep in your room all the time. How's it any different now?"

I flop onto my bed and sigh, "I thought that if you liked someone, you wouldn't call them, 'dude'. Besides," I glance at him through my lashes and support, "would you rather have your way with me and explain it to Mrs. Lizzy or just leave me alone?"

Alfred blushes and looks to the side. He does that when he's thinking hard. He actually looks emotionally stuck. I silently giggle and go to my dresser. I fetch a book and my glasses and tumble back onto the bed, lying on my stomach. As I place my glasses on my face and pick up where I left off in the book, Alfred gets off the previous subject and exclaims, "Woah, holy shit, dude!"

"What?" I quiz.

"You wear glasses, too?" He drops his head on his shoulder as he takes a seat on the floor, criss crossed.

"Yeah, but only for reading," I clarify, going back to my novel. Alfred leans on the entryway and sighs, attempting to catch my attention, but failing. After a while, a half an hour or so, Alfred begins to whimper and become jittery.

"Can I help you, sir?" I joke with him, still wanting to know what the fuck he's doing.

He retires from his intermingled position and stretches for the door, lying on his stomach. "I wanna touch you."

I blush and snap back, "W-What the bloody hell do you mean by that?!"

"I need to hold you. You need to let me in or come out here," he demands, face down on the ground.

"And what if I want neither?" I contest.

"Then I'll force myself in there," he groans as if he's in dire pain. "This is boyfriend abuse, Artie."

"Then I'm doing my job correctly," I kid, not bothering to look back to him.

I hear Alfred shuffle and I put my book down for a minute to check up on him. Before I can even take my glasses off, he barges through the doorless entryway and hurls himself at me. I struggle to throw him off but he just grabs me tighter and forces me into his lap.

"What the FUCK'S your problem?!" I yell. I feel his cowlick against my skin and his forehead nuzzled in my shoulderblades.

"I told ya I needed to touch you, whether ya like it or not," he fails to convince me.

"You jackass."

"But I'm your jackass." He respires and I feel his warm breath go through me. "Forever and ever!"

I sigh and Alfred giggles, moving his hands farther up my chest. I use whatever force I have and thrust him off me, leaving me on my back and I watch him crawl on top of me. Alfred smiles as he lowers to my level and kisses my nose.

"Get off," I try to command.

"But you look so cute with glasses on." He pecks my forehead and goes on, "And I've never kissed you while you're wearing glasses before."

"How do glasses make a difference?"

"I wanna know how it feels."

"I guarantee you, Alfred. It doesn't feel any different." I grab his arms and turn my head to escape Alfred's love attempts. I wrestle with him and barely mutter, "I don't want you…"

"Only one thing can make me go away, Artie," he confides. "And you know what that is, right?"

I frown and mumble, "Yes."

"And?"

I bring my brows together and slump my head to the side. Alfred has a smug across his face as he provokes, "Well?"

I sigh and reach my hands up to his head and yank it down towards me. I plant my lips on his while wearing a scowl on my face. I feel Alfred run his fingers through my short and choppy hair as he moves his hips closer. I push him off and Alfred fumbles off the bed onto the unyielding hardwood floor. I hear his head thump like a rock and he groans. I crawl for the edge of the bed to check on Alfred, peeking only my eyes over at him. He jumps up and clasps my face in his hands. He kisses me quickly before I jump up and chase him out and around the apartment.

"You know you don't have anywhere to hide, Alfred," I threaten.

"I have my ways, darling," he jests. Alfred raises his eyebrows and adds, "And you're a good kisser, Arthur. Maybe it would've been even better if you weren't so mad all the time."

"Is that so?" I ask. "And maybe you can sleep on the couch tonight."

Alfred stops in his tracks and opens his mouth and whines, "But, I wanna sleep with you."

"But I don't want to sleep with a jackass."

\(*~*)/

The rest of the evening plays itself out. I make dinner and Alfred despises it, I yell at him and boot him to the couch, and now he's complaining like a bitch.

"Artie…" Alfred complains from the living room sofa.

I look over from my laptop and answer, "What's wrong, Alfred?"

"I'm sorry, honey. Let me back in," he pleads.

"Sorry, sweetheart. You're just going to have to camp out there for the night."

"Arthur?"

"What?"

Alfred peeks out from the back of the couch and pulls his puppy dog eyes and I relax my disposition. I suspire and lead on, "No."

"ARTHUR, PLEASE!"

I widen my eyes and take them off the screen for a moment to face Alfred and his whiney ass leaning by the entryway of my room. I look curiously at him and throw my attention back to my writing.

"Arthur, sorry I yelled," he apologizes. "I just don't wanna sleep by myself."

"Well, I have to. So we're in the same boat," I retort.

"But can I come back?"

"Not really," I shake my head, squinting my eyes.

Alfred yawns and leans his head on the doorway, reaching his arms out to me. "Please?"

I glance at him and sigh, closing the laptop lid and setting it aside. I plop down onto my back and stretch my arms upwards, calling, "Okay."

Alfred races like a jet over to me and fills the empty space between me and my arms. I turn onto my side and hug him back, resting my chin on his head and positioning my arms on his shoulders. I fall asleep fast which, never comes naturally to me. Before I do, I make sure Alfred's fully knocked out and kiss his forehead good night. If I did that while he was awake, I'd never hear the end of it.

\(T^T)/

"Artie! Ya got your costume on yet?" I pull my cloak on and inspect myself in the bathroom mirror. Dark messy eye makeup, black pants and dress shirt, onyx colored combat boots, and a long crimson coat. I take a breath and exit the washroom and present myself in the living room. Alfred's wearing all grey clothes with furry animal ears with the matching tail.

I smirk as he catches sight of me and he exclaims, "Hey, there ya are! And may I say, you look really handsome, Artie."

"Don't flatter yourself, Alfred," I start. "But you do look pretty nice." He looks like a deranged cat.

He races up to me and wraps his arms around my neck, "Really?! That's so sweet!"

"Get the hell off and let's go before I change my mind."

"Why would you change your mind?"

"Because I'm not good with kids, obviously. Much less passing out candy to them."

Alfred loosens his grip on me and moves his hands to my back, reassuringly patting me like I'm a freaking mut. "Aww, Artie! You're great with kids! Plus, wouldn't it be different if the kids was ours?"

I retract both of my arms and push him off with brute force. "You better hope you were kidding, Alfred."

"Hey, why don't you have a nickname for me?" he avoids the conflict. "I have one for you."

"I never even gave you my name in the first place."

"I saw it on your schedule on the first day of school."

I growl and walk past him, heading down the stairwell and out to the parking lot. I listen to Alfred trip down the stairs to keep up as I wander to the front desk to talk to Mrs. Lizzy.

"Hey, Artie!" she greets me. "Ready for Halloween?"

"Yeah. This isn't even the half of it," I begin in conversation.

She cocks her head and I explain, "Alfred's dragging me to a Halloween party at a friend's house after we pass out candy. So we're going to change costumes for that."

"That sounds fun. What're you guys now?"

"I'm little red riding hood and poky ass is the big bad wolf."

"And for the party?"

"Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele."

Mrs. Lizzy gives me a suspicious look just as soon as Alfred makes it down to the lobby with our bag of extra costumes. She whistles, "So, Alfred."

"Yes, m'am?" he asks politely.

"I caught wind of what you guys are going as to this Halloween party," she leads.

"Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, right?"

"Yeah. Just one problem with that." She comes around from behind the desk and rests her tilted head in her palm intimidatingly. "If I should find out about anything erotic in any sense going on, I'll beat you within an inch of your life. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

Alfred's face is overtaken by fear as he shakily nods his head in understanding. I sigh and place my hand on my hip to signify impatience. Mrs. Lizzy goes back to normal and tells us, "Ooh! I'm going to take your picture! Let me get my camera!"

As she leaves to get her shit together, I turn to Alfred and order "And I'm not taking care of your drunk ass, like at the last party. So I don't want you drinking anything."

"But it's Gil's house! Of course there's gonna be beer!" he tries to argue with me. I give a stern expression and he backs off a little. Just as he does so, Mrs. Lizzy comes back and starts snapping photos.

"I want you two to stand next to each other and I'll stop taking pictures!" She waves her hand to me and Alfred.

Alfred slides over to me and wraps his arm around my shoulder and Mrs. Lizzy peeps angrily from behind the camera. "Alfred, son."

He removes his arm and stands shyly by me instead. Mrs. Lizzy takes one last picture and bids us out the door. At Alfred's house, we walk inside and run into, presumably, his parents.

"Oh, Alfred!" the woman calls out. "You're here! And is he the friend you told me that would be coming here?"

She holds her hand out and I take it as she introduces, "I'm Emily, Alfred's mom. And you must be Arthur. It's nice to finally meet you, eh?" Well, now I know where Matthew gets some of his attributes. She has thick, wheat blonde hair and glasses to outfit her friendly appearance. I look over to her side and see a bulky man in his forties, the hair on his head and face with a hint of grey. He hastily offers his choppy hand out to me and I take it, not prepared for his lobster claw grip.

"And I'm Sam, Alfred's father," he shakes my hand vigorously and I stumble upon impact. He turns and retrieves something and presents it to us. Sam shoves a candy bowl into my stomach and I fumble to catch it to prevent it catastrophically crashing onto the floor. He strides past me, taking his wife's arm and declares, "You two better watch the house, like ya said ya would, Al. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," Alfred half assedly responds. "Don't worry, just go on your date and leave everything to us!" He see them out the door and glances out the window to make sure they've left. I stand unpurposely where I've been and watch Alfred turn back to me with a wicked grin inscribed on his face.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" I sass. He slides up to me and takes me into a side hug, resting his head on my shoulder. I try to shake him off, but no avail. I just begin walking to the front door and sense him struggle to keep up. He's a persistent bastard. I look down at him from the corner of my eye and snarkily ask, "Why're you doing this?"

"To pass time," he replies.

"Last time I checked, hitting someone up for love wasn't a hobby."

"It's mine." He looks up at me and finishes, "And so are you."

I blink my eyes and keep a frown in indifference. "I need to go to the loo."

He smirks and lets go to cover his grinning mouth. "You need to use the what?"

"Ugh. Bathroom."

Alfred giggles and takes the bowl from me. "Alright. But meet me out on the porch when you're done."

"I'll get there when I get there."

I roam to the downstairs bathroom and relieve myself. But the only reason I'm here is to be rid myself of Alfred for a moment in peace. When I leave back to the living room, I notice a small green object sitting on the sofa and look back to the door for coverage. I pick up Alfred's phone off the couch and activate the screen.

"Why the fuck is that a picture of me?!" I silently huff. For Alfred's lockscreen saver, it's a picture of us he took at the mall a while ago. I brush it off and try to hack into the contents. Shit, passcode. I contemplate on the possibilities of a password for Alfred's phone and finally type in, 'Artie'. Sure enough, I accepts it.

"What an idiot," I mumble. But I'm more surprised by his background photo. It's a picture of us again, but in this one, Alfred's taking a selfie of us while I'm sleeping. While I'm sleeping. "Fucking creep."

I click his messages and scroll through the only recent one available. I tap the icon named 'dad' and read the new text.

Who was the faggot you brought over?

Is that me? I furiously scroll the previous messages to see what else they said.

Hey dad, Can Arthur come over?

Who the hell is that?

My new bro. I want him 2 pass out candy w/ me.

You've never asked any of your other friends to that kind of shit together. Do I know him?

Nah, I don't think u've officially met him b4. But can he?

Whatever, Alfred.

I keep sliding through them until his cell unexpectedly buzzes. After almost dropping and shattering Alfred's phone, I see the new notification presented under his dad's contact.

And why the hell were you two matching? I bet his gay ass was the one who suggested it.

"Who the hell does he think he's talking about?!" I, pretty much, yell. Now I know he's talking shit about me. Did Alfred accidentally say something off color? Does he have the wrong view of me due to something Alfred said? "It's because I'm British, isn't it?!"

I hear the door knob jingle and I turn the screen of the cell off and toss it back onto the sofa. Alfred peeps out from behind the large mahogany door and beams, "Hey, Artie! I was just lookin' for ya!"

"I'm coming, idiot," I follow, leting my cape flow gracefully behind me. Alfred places his arm around my shoulders when I approach him and we walk together to the line of trick or treaters. Alfred and I take turns giving each kid condy and this painstakingly long process lasts until about nine at night. Alfred grabs and leads me back into the house and he forces himself in front of me, holding both of my hands in an interlocked position.

"You're so handsome, Artie," he randomly states. I raise my eyebrows and he makes a giggling noise. "Especially when you do that."

"How thoughtful," I add sarcastically. Alfred lowers his head and bops my nose with his own. I make the smart remark, "What the fuck was that?"

"I love it when we do that."

"Well, I'd love it even more if you'd let go so we'd could get changed for the party."

He raises his eyebrows suggestively and bargains, "I will. If we do that again."

"No."

Alfred pulls me into an unorthodox embrace and tightly squeezes my petite frame, "I guess we can just hug it out."

"I can't breathe, Al-" is all I can manage.

He stops constricting my blood flow and holds me in front of him. "What did you just call me?"

"Ape's ass?"

Alfred lets go and exhales disappointingly. "Whatever. You can just get dressed in the bathroom. Here." He hands me my costume and take it hesitantly.

I get changed and wipe the makeup off my eyes which takes quite a bit of time. I forgot how permanent black eye paint is. I fit myself in dark blue skinny jeans, a loose fitting dress shirt, and secure the grey decorative mask on the top of my head. Looking nothing like Anastasia Steele, I come forth out of the powder room and search for Alfred who's already changed. He's outfitted in a grey suit and a tie identical to the one portrayed in the book. On his waist is a pair of handcuffs locked onto his belt loop. I approach him as he fixes his hair, looking into his phone screen.

"Alfred," I assertively plea for attention.

"Yeah?' he asks in a pissed off sort of tone.

I grab his arm and pull his height to match mine. I slam my forehead on his and nuzzle my nose with his. I throw him off and he smiles, "That's cute."

"I'm not cute, asshole."

"Then what was that?"

"I didn't want you to be pissed."

"Oh, but I know another way you could make me happy." Alfred's face is dictated by a overly smug expression. "Very happy."

"I would," I start, basking in his sudden change in attitude. "But that would be a cold day in Hell…"

He sighs and grabs my hand, leading me out to the car. I have feeling that this isn't going to go very well, acknowledging my insight about parties.

t(T^Tt)

Bad noisy music, annoying party goers, and what would a party be without the lingering scent of alcohol? I respire, letting the familiar essence of the smoke in the room fill my lungs like it had before. I suddenly sense the stroke of Alfred's hand against mine.

"C'mon! Everyone I know's over here!" he draws me away to another crowd. More vociferous, obnoxious, teenagers. Yay. We talk to more strangers and I feel fatigue become greater than the melancholy parrot on my shoulder.

I yawn and I hear a native voice ring out, "Ay, your boyfriend's bored. I think he wants ta go up to bed with ya, Al."

I whip my head towards the announcer with flexed eyebrows and immediately go blank for a moment. It's that brown haired bastard from the football team that ripped out my headphones at the mall. That bitch. I silently gasp as the other laugh, except for brunette. Tanned and tall, he leans on the counter with a smirk across his face, staring at me in a priggishly fashion. I fidgety adjust my collar and excuse myself.

"I'm going over there." I point to an empty section in the crowd next to us.

"Alright," Alfred agrees. "Besides, there's somethin' I hafta to do while you're gone." Alfred leans over and kisses my forehead and walks off. I stomp to an empty doorway and lean against the wood finishing. Now it's just me, my thoughts, and the growing realization that I'm screwed. First, I snuck onto Alfred's phone and read the conversation between him and his dad without consent. Now, it seems I've made an enemy with one of Alfred's best mates. Judging on how he didn't look pissed this time, I'm not so sure on the whole 'mortal enemies' complex anymore. Nevertheless, I'm still worried about the deal with Alfred's dad. Is that really what he thinks of me? I'm as straight as a ruler and he has the right to call me a faggot?

"But, technically, I am gay," I whisper to myself. I mean, I'm dating Alfred, who's a guy. So, does that mean…? My train of thought is derailed when I feel a hand brushed against my upper arm. I turn to the origin and see the brown haired idiot from earlier. Except this time, he's smiling.

"Yo, sorry about our rocky start." He holds his hand out. "My name's Steve."

I take his hand and he shakes firmly. "Uh, Arthur."

"Yeah, I know." Steve lets go. "Al talks 'bout ya all the time."

I lift my eyebrows and state in shock, "Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah, he's so attached to you." His expression changes solemnly. "Do you feel the same way about Al?"

"Uh, I don't know," I cover my mouth to muffle my answer. "It's only been about two months, so that's normal. Right?"

"Of course. But you know," Steve looks strikingly at me. "Al didn't do too bad this time."

I blush and jerk my head towards him. Just then, one of his annoying friends calls for him and Steve excuses himself. "Sorry, I gotta go." He places a hand on my shoulder. "It was nice talkin' to ya, Arthur."

He runs off into the crowds to chase after his caller, leaving me in a state of bewilderment. I brush it off and go on my cell phone, reblogging shit I'll only look at once on Tumblr and looking at pictures of cats. Cats and Doctor Who.

After some time has passed, I stand idly in the doorway, leaning nonchalantly on the crowning and letting it dig uncomfortably in my skin. I sigh and watch my chest puff out, my arms crossed in relaxation. A yawn overtakes my indifferent state and I succumb. What time is it? I take my attention off the crowd of screaming party goers and pull out my cell phone. 3:58.

"Where did that asshole go, anyways?" I mumble to myself. I recall about ten minutes earlier, Alfred had asked me to stay here while he went to 'go do something'. It doesn't take an hour to go do something. "Only a total moron would fall for that."

"Yeah, but ya trust him, don't cha?", a female rings in. I turn my head and widen my eyes blatantly at her. She's a girl a bit shorter than I and wearing a, seemingly, slutty version of a police officer uniform. She's beaming behind her long wheat blonde hair with a blue bow and a chord of familiarity strikes me. Where have I seen this girl before? She looks over me and asks, "So, what're you supposed to be?"

"Anastasia Steele," I respond cooly.

"Oh, then where's your Mr. Grey?"

I let out a disgruntled sigh and look around the crowd to prove my point, "I have no frickin idea."

She giggles and holds her hand out to me, "My name's Natalia. You're Arthur, right?"

Everybody seems to know my name. "Yes, and it's nice to meet you, Natalia."

Natalia blushes as I mention her name and I smirk, halfway returning to searching for Alfred in the crowds. The song changes from a upbeat rap to an equally paced pop song and Natalia tugs on my sleeve.

"Hey, wanna go dance? Just as friends, right?" she asks.

I don't see how I can screw this up. "Sure."

I hold my hand out and she grabs it instantly, leading me onto the dancefloor. She intertwines her hand in mine and throws the other arm around my neck. I put my hand respectively around her waist and we maneuver our feet to the beat of the music. She laughs and comments, "You're a really good dancer, Arthur. Where did you learn?"

"I attended a lot of parties as a kid and you just pick the kind of thing up after a while."

We swing out of the paths of other couples and she adds, "I'm no good at dancing. Sorry if I'm tripping you up."

"Ah, nonsense. All you have to do is learn the footwork, really. Here, let me show you." I slide my feet for her to follow and she does as according. "And to make it look like you really know how to dance, just pull one of these numbers…"

I remove my hand from Natalia's waist and extend my arm out, pulling her back onto a twirl. She giggles hysterically and smiles widely, jerking her head to brush her hair out of her eyes. I grin and squint my eyes in the process from the amount of excitement I'm getting from this nonsense. The song switches to a slower one and Natalia changes her tempo to match the music. Her head's tilted down, but I can tell she's smiling. I look kindly at her and scan the crowd again, hoping Alfred isn't around. I halt as soon as she comes back up and smiles affectionately at me. After the song, Natalia drives me back onto the sidelines and we sit down in a couple of tacky, upholstered living room chairs.

"So," she starts. "Thanks for the dance, Arthur. I really needed that."

"Uh, sure?" I return uncertainty.

"What do you mean 'sure'?" She playfully pushes my arm and I sway slightly. "You're so much more of a gentleman than most of the dicks in this school! I just broke up with one of those dicks, actually."

"Thanks, I suppose."

Natalia looks over me jokingly and adds, "And you're not half bad looking, either." We laugh and when I open my eyes, I recognize a bulky figure standing between us.

"Hey, Alfred," I greet. Shit, he looks pissed.

"Hey, Arthur. Can we talk?" he firmly requests.

"Why not?"

He looks gingerly over at Natalia and back to me, "I saw what you did."

Double shit. "And?"

"And what part of 'you're mine' do you not seem to understand?"

"Don't talk to me like that. And It's not like I was screwing her in the backroom under your nose, Alfred. Calm the fuck down."

Natalia darts her nervous eyes from Alfred and I and interjects, "Uh, yeah! It was just a dance between friends! No need to get so mad!"

Alfred advances towards me with something shiny. Before I know it, I feel the handcuff that was on his belt attached to my wrist and the other on Alfred's corresponding arm.

"Aw, hell no," Alfred denies. He yanks me with him as he huffs out the exit. "Say your goodbyes to your little girlfriend, Arthur."

"What the fuck are you doing?!" I scream. "And what the hell do you mean by that?!"

We trek outside, where it's mostly deserted and quiet, and Alfred asserts, "Don't act like I didn't see your little stunt! What the hell are you trying to pull, Arthur?!"

"She asked me to dance with her Alfred!" I testify. "She just got dumped but was promised a dance at the party. It's no big deal!"

I feel a rush of force slam me on Alfred's car and he barricades me with sharp elbows and knees. "Sure it's, 'no big deal'. And you believe you're going to get away with that?"

"Uh, yeah!" I childishly make my point.

Suddenly, Alfred comes down on me, pushing my frail body on the car and harshly breathes onto my frigid skin, stating, "Then that must mean I can get my way, then. Is that it?"

I bend my spine over backwards to avoid getting crushed by Alfred's overpowering weight. I beat on his chest and retort, "What on Earth do you think you're doing?!"

"Mm, you can come back to my place, right?"

"Fuck no!"

Before I can struggle, I sense Alfred's breath loiter in my skin for a moment, in such a way he leads when he's thinking hard. I'm just about done with his tomfoolery. I mutter, "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, but you're goin' in the back." Alfred unexpectedly manhandles me and unlocks the car, placing me in the backseat. Before he gets in the driver's seat, he unhinges the cuff off his wrist to lock on me. Alfred yanks my free arm and wraps it around the head of the passenger seat, lifting the head of the seat up the roof of the car to lock me in. He speeds to his house with me overly concerned and mind fucked. I lift my handcuffs and watch them glisten in the stolen lights of passing street lamps.

"I'm pretty sure this is illegal. Unhand me, you asshole," I mumble, emphasizing my point by banging the cuff chains against the metal bars of the head seat. If Alfred wasn't driving, I'd somehow reach my bound limbs from over this seat to ring his fat neck. Just as the thought is vetoed out of my mind, the car comes to a halt and I slam into the back of the polyester seat.

"Jackass," I aggressively mumble. Alfred retrieves me from the backseat and forcibly leads me to the front door and inside.

Once he locks the door and flips the lights, Alfred frees me from my metal prison only on one wrist before I flip out and accuse, "What's your problem, asshat?!"

"What the hell was that back at the house?!" Alfred furrows his brow and wildly points his arm behind him to mention the direction of the party.

"Nothing, you jealous idiot!" I argue. I position myself in a fighting stance to somehow prove my case to him. "And what do you care?!"

"I OBVIOUSLY care, or else I wouldn't be YELLING right about now!" he starts yelling harshly. Moving his hands as he does so.

"And maybe you wouldn't be an overprotective FREAK, as well!" I mimic.

"Who the hell was SHE, Arthur?!" he throws his arm backwards to point aggressively again.

"Natalia, if you want to know so BAD!"

Alfred's face goes blank for a moment, but goes back to normal to argue, "Okay, but why were you two DANCING?! Don't pretend like I didn't SEE YOU!"

I raise my hands to my temples to express frustration. "Oh my GOD, Alfred! You HAVE to be the BIGGEST FUCKTARD I've EVER come to know!"

"PLEASE! I LOVE how you continue throwing insults at me!" Alfred points his hands into his chest.

"Alfred, DON'T bring up old SHIT!" I cross my arms.

He throws his arms wildly up into the air and throws his head back. "Oh, so I'm a TOILET PLUNGER now?!"

I growl and clench my fists in frustration. "There's just NO way to have a conversation without you acting like a complete CHILD!"

"NOW I'm a KID! It's whatever, I'll be WHATEVER ya want me to be!" He throws his arms open and lowers his stance.

"Don't start with that shit, Alfred," I sneer at him and huff out of the front door. "What the FUCK ever! I'm LEAVING!"

I slam the door closed and storm down the driveway, but it's different this time. I don't hear Alfred come pounding after me, like he usually does whenever I act like an ass. I feel like a thousand elephants are sitting on my chest. I found a flaw in Alfred and just had to pick a fight. Our first fight. I'm good at that. Aren't I just the most ornery little thing you've ever seen?

"Pointing out people's flaws and getting into fights!" I yell to myself in the abandoned and unilluminated street. I tighten my fists as I feel my eyes begin to water. "You haven't changed a bit, have you, Arthur?"

When I arrive at my apartment, I brush my teeth without much enthusiasm and flop onto my bed. I inhale the recognizable and embedded scent of an American. "My American," I mumble under my breath. "For the love of God."

I drag myself into the living room and turn on the telly. I flip to Cartoon Network and watch Adventure Time to tire my state little to nothing so maybe his scent won't bother me. I mean, I can't just go downstairs and use the washing machines at… What time is it? I pull my cell that still resides in my pocket and activate the screen. 4:59.

"Ah, so that jackass kept me up and out until about five in the morning?" I mutter in annoyance. "I have such a knobhead on my hands."

After watching Ice King's failed attempts of courting other princesses as the 'Nice' king, it's really starting to wear me out and I feel myself slip into the dark, bottomless pit of an abyss I've come to know as sleep.

*\(T^T)/*

I wake up to the unfamiliar scene of my telly and the rest of my living room. Rubbing my forehead on my bicep since that's what I was apparently laying on as a pillow last night. I retract the arm that was cradling my head and hear an undistinctive rattling sound. I hold my wrist out in front of me and remember the handcuff from last night. Last night. I rub my temples and trace my fingers through my scalp. I need to shower, but this cuff is on. I rise and stumble lethargically to the kitchen and pull a knife out from on of these drawers. I poke and prod it in the keyhole and hit jackpot when I hear the sound of a lock's undoing. I take the cuffs and lay them casually on the counter and head for my bedroom to pick out today's outfit. The Evanescence album cover, 'Fallen', t-shirt and dark skinny jeans. Perfect. I stagger to the shower and feel energized when I come out, and my thoughts for the day can finally start.

"What time is it?" I mumble questionly to myself. I pull my cell out of my front pocket and activate the screen. 10:13. I wonder if Alfred's still sleeping. It's not noon, so probably. I respire and head towards the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. After the extended process of waiting for the kettle to boil and making my cup, I seat myself on the kitchen table on the chair facing the door. I open my laptop in which I summoned during the wait and scroll through my dashboard. More cats and BBC. After a while, I check the time and decide if it's safe to call Alfred or something. 11:24. I place my dirty dishes in the sink and wash them, because it's not like I'm going to wash them later. I re enter my bedroom and slip on my PF Flyers and grab my wallet, stuffing it in my pocket with my cell and head out for the front door. I open the door without much difficulty and jump back in surprise when I see something flop onto the floor.

"ALFRED!" I yell agitatedly. So it would appear that Alfred had been resting up against my door for God knows how long. "What the HELL are you DOING here?!"

His eyes flutter open and he picks himself up, adjusting his glasses. He shuffles his hands around on the floor to guarantee awareness and looks up to me. "Hey, Artie."

"What the fuck do you want?" I snap, folding my arms and letting my hips riff.

Alfred hangs his head low and explains, "I was sleeping?"

"Ever thought of knocking?"

"Yeah, but I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me after what happened last night."

"So you slept there all night?"

"Ever since about five thirty in the morning."

So he's been here all this time waiting for me. What do I think of that? "You're a fucktard, Alfred."

"Does that mean I can come inside? Because I think what I've been doing is illegal."

I offer my hand and he takes it, leading himself up. I grant him permission inside and close the door behind him. I turn back around, but he's already gone. Bathroom, probably. I go back to my computer and continue my pointless internet surfing. A couple minutes later, Alfred comes out and seats himself in front of me. I dart my eyes from my laptop screen to him and question, "Is there something you want to explain?"

"Um," Alfred starts, rubbing the back of his neck. "I spent the night out in the hallway and I shouldn't have gotten that mad."

"Why were you yelling?" I avert my attention back to my Tumblr homepage.

He clenches his fists. "Because. When I saw you with her, I just," His mouth forms into an irritated frown.

"Got jealous?" I suggest.

"Yeah, a little bit."

"Only a little bit?"

"Actually," he cracks. "I wanted to rip her eyes out and force feed them back to her."

I roll my eyes and continue, "Is that all?"

"I've never been so jealous in my entire life."

"Are you finished?"

"And I'm sorry."

I glare my eyes back at him and challenge, "Prove it."

Alfred gets up and, much to my surprise, grab me by the hand. I unconsciously follow his footsteps and I feel his hands grap mine is such a way that dulls my senses. He extends the space between us and our arms stretch across world.

"I'm sorry," Alfred reiterates.

"What's the difference?" I ask.

"I was hoping you'd stop being stubborn for a second."

I laugh. "That'll never happen."

"You'd be surprised at what I can do, Arthur."

I turn red at the mention of my name and he pulls me closer to himself, kissing my hand and asking, "So, can you accept my apology?"

"Yea, and," I turn my head to the side and whisper, "And I'm sorry, too."

Alfred hugs me happily and babbles, "Aw, I finally got ya to do somethin'! You have no idea how stubborn you are!"

I rest my head on his shoulder, my arms being bounded by his tight embrace, and remain silent. Alfred mutters more ridiculous fanboy noises but ceases when I bite him in his shoulder and he lets go of me.

"Ow!" he rubs his shoulder in distress. "Do you honestly think now's a good time for a hickey?"

I shrug my shoulders and sit back down in front of my computer. Alfred slides by my side and sulks as I can feel his negative atmosphere radiate from his very being. I ask, ignoring his eye contact, "Can I help you?"

He lowers himself and lazily wraps his arms around my neck and lets the excess dangle off my shoulder. I feel his lips present on my right ear and I jerk the other way to avoid anymore of Alfred's love attempts.

"Sod off, Alfred," I warn. Alfred keeps his arms around me, but plops down to the floor in which, I'm dragged along. I slide off the chair and into his open posture where Alfred cuddles me like I'm dying of a rare and incurable disease and I only have an allotted time frame left to live.

"Why're you doing this?" I inquire, grabbing at his forearm that's currently shielding my throat.

"I wuv you," Alfred ever so childishly confesses. "And I wanna cuddle wuddle wiff you." He kisses my head repeatedly and locks me in himself.

"I'm not a child, Alfred!" I try to make my case.

"But I am!"

"I'm not the biggest fan of pedophillia, though."

"Aw, can't ya say anything romantic?"

"I can only be as romantic as my partner, Alfred."

Alfred fakes offense and gasps, "Rude! Coming from the person I love the most!"

"Sucks to be you." Alfred sits up and forces me on his lap like an unwilling child at the mall going to see Santa at Christmas. I reach my hands up to indicate my desire for my laptop residing on the table and Alfred lets me go. I fetch my computer and take off for the living room to type the current chapter for my novel. Alfred follows and stands assertively forward against my position. I grasp my laptop in my folded arms and look up to Alfred's face which seems a long way. We have our stand off beside the couch and I end it by sitting down and begin to write.

"Whatcha doin', Artie?" Alfred asks in an illiterate tongue.

"Writing," I answer promptly, keeping my eyes locked on the screen.

He cocks his head to the side and continues, "What kind of book?"

"It's a subject changer. I've put through a lot of drafts and keep trashing it until I get it right."

"Can I read it?"

"I'd prefer if you'd just mind your own business about that." I glance back up to him. "But I'll bargain with you about it."

Alfred looks curiously over at me and plays, "Yeah?"

"If you go get my reading glasses, I'll let you read this when It's finished."

"So that means I'd be, like," he conceives, "the first person to read it?"

"That's right." Honestly, I'm just too lazy to get my glasses myself. And of course I'd let Alfred read it before it gets published. I just want him to work for it, is all.

Alfred's face lights up and he races out of the living room to the bedroom. Momentarily, he comes charging at me with my glasses and I accept them. "Thank you, Alfred."

I push them onto my face and continue to type in a better fashion, resting my mac on my lap and allowing my fingers to fly to and from home row. Alfred stalks me for a moment and follows by clearing his throat. I glare up and ask, "May I assist you in any way?"

"Lemme sit with ya," he requests fairly. I shake my head to depict access denied and he comes at me. I feel his hands grasp my body weight underneath my arms and lift me into the air. I clutch my laptop for dear life and say nothing during my 'flight', if you will. Alfred lets me dangle for a second, my legs curled so far up asshole, as he situates himself on the sofa and replaces me on his lap. I flutter my eyes in astonishment and to recap what happened.

"What the fuck was that?" I ask, still in awe.

"I wanted to sit with you and you said no," I feel his shoulders shrug. "That, my friend, is how you get your way."

"No, I mean," I jabber. "how did you lift me up?"

"Psh! You're so light, it's easy!"

I put my head down and murmur, "Oh."

I feel Alfred adjust his hold on me as he fold his hands on my waistline. I suspire and go back to writing, trying to ignore any and every one of Alfred's whiney antics. I pause my work efforts and whip my head to confront, "What the hell's your problem, Alfred?"

"I'm suffering from withdrawal," he whines.

"What the hell do you mean?" I attempt at clarification.

"Interaction with you."

I roll my eyes and shake my head, "Well, why are you feeling that way?"

"Because I couldn't sleep without you last night."

"Mhm, well," I cease my typing. "That's not a very good response."

Alfred tightens his grip on me and lifts me up again, causing me to nearly drop my computer. He props his back up against the arm of the sofa and places me over his legs. He settles himself and I retort, "Quit doing that! I almost dropped my laptop again."

I acknowledge Alfred's chin on my shoulder and his feet nudging against mine and I respire, "You're a dimwit."

He yawns and places his forehead, what seems to be, on an uncomfortable angle in the middle of my back. I close the lid and get up, setting the laptop on the coffee table and retrieving the Tardis blanket to cover Alfred with. As is he was able it figure it out in his sleep, Alfred sits up, drowned by fatigue, and grabs on my arm.

"Where're you going?" he inquisitions innocently. I look down at him and he pulls his puppy dog eyes on me. That bastard.

"Nowhere."

"Come with me?"

"Alfred," I laugh. "I have standards.

He sighs and rises, grabbing the blanket and also picking me up bridal style and heading my for bedroom. He lays me down gently and plops in obnoxiously. He nests himself on the side of the bed I usually sleep on and yanks me down with him. His eyes closed and glasses resting on the nightstand, he sighs, "I'm tired, Artie. And you're gonna sleep with me?"

"Does it look like I have any other choice?"

He reaches his arms around me to pull me closer and he implants his face into my chest. I fluster, following the corners of my mouth derailing to a frown. I place on arm on his shoulder and the other on his neck and he seems satisfied with that. I feel my eyes begin to droop as the wrong I've done to sleep begins to catch up to me. And I know Alfred's password on his phone, so I can check if he's taken anymore creepy pictures later. I look down at him and wonder, 'I actually know this prick, don't I?' Alfred unexpectedly intertwines his legs in with mine and I stay silent to avoid conversation. He sighs and grins widely, causing me to smile and pet the top of his head until he falls asleep.

AN: Am I done? I HAVE RESURRECTED! Welcome back to 'Coming To Terms' and say hello to Chapter 10! So I'm FINALLY cleaning up my act with the format and shit, so life's going pretty good. Oh, wait. No it isn't. So last Friday (FRIDAY THE 13TH!), everyone at my school decided to celebrate Valentine's Day, no biggie. But what's interesting is that I have Human Development second period with a girl I kinda like. I was being all nice like, 'I'll take up your book, you can just sit down' kind of shit. I thought I was being friendly and she was smiling at me. I sort of just started liking her (I was planning our wedding), you know, since she's really beautiful and smart and nice and I could go on. But after third period, which I have Health and then lunch, I see her in the hallway. I'm all like, 'Ah, she's so pretty' and shit and you know what she does? It turns out she was walking up to her boyfriend in which they proceeded to make out. In the hallway. As I pass by. I felt my very SOUL being VAPORIZED through my heart. Like, how the HELL could I have NOT known about her DATING somebody? Whatever. Oh, and I got a rose from someone, too CX My grandparents XC Since the last chapter, I've been listening to Marilyn Manson, Green Day, Buckcherry, Eminem, Taylor Swift (HELP), Maroon 5, Disturbed (Are YOU down with the sickness?), pedophiles (Sorry, it's Gary Glitter), Black Veil Brides, Slipknot, Gwen Stefani, Ke$ha (SERIOUSLY, HELP), and Queen. I also watched Squidward's Suicide 'The Red Mist' with my 12 year old brother while we were home alone and we screamed to the top of our lungs. Then our grandmother called and we thought it was one of the neighbors or the cops. Also, I've been listening to Howie Day's 'Collide' and I'm infatuated with that song for some unknown reason. I can't even. Oh, and I'm also halfway done with 'salem's Lot by Stephen King and I like it so far. We have the movie and THAT'LL come after I'm finished with the book. I also shaved half of my head on Friday in honor of my maturity of seeing what the real world is like *sobs violently while crush probably make out with her bf AGAIN* No, but I DID get that half shaved thing and I know DAMN well that a few of my friends are going to pet my shaved patch because my sister JUST DID. Well, thanks for letting me vent my anger and aggression against the world to you guys. It means a lot. Oh, and thanks for the reviews and all that shit! You guys are so thoughtful XD And today's Monday, so that means NO SCHOOL! Oh, and I almost forgot. If you're confused by ANY of the references I mention in here, I highly suggest you Google it so you can understand the character's reaction a little better. It wouldn't hurt to listen to a few of the songs mentioned in here, either. But, as always, I'll see you munchkins next time and have a good hiatus! =(^._.^)=