Ugh! I feel like such a Fibbing Fran! I said I'd update on the 8th and it's the 10th! I'm sorry ya'll! I was busy getting over my Shark Week hangover! This year was too epic! Lol, anyway, like I said, I'm sorry! That's why I made this chapter a bit longer to reward you guys for patiently waiting. I can't believe I haven't updated in over a week! Hopefully I'll get this finished up before school starts. If not, I'll try to update every other week or once a week, depending on how much school work I have.
Anyway, I hope you guys aren't disappointed by this chapter! Some big stuff happens, and I hope you guys won't feel like it's too much or stupid.
Uhm… anyway. I have been VERY distracted over the past week. You all know why. And I think there were some reviews I forgot to reply to. So if I did, I'm sorry! After I post this I'll go through my inbox to see who I forgot! Thanks to all anonymous reviewers! You guys rock too!
Well, enough of this author's note. Onto the chapter! I hope I edited enough! If not I re-upload it!
Chapter Ten: Let's Hit the Town and Boogie Down!
It had been almost a week since Arthur's episode at the coffee shop, and he had yet to hear anything from Alfred.
He hadn't gotten a single text, or phone call. Not one email or facebook message; which was peculiar because ever since he and Alfred became friends, the boy usually contacted him to say hi every day. He was always social like that.
Arthur wouldn't have felt so nervous if their last meeting hadn't been so… would disastrous be the appropriate word to use? He honestly didn't know.
To make matters worse, whenever Matthew came around their apartment, the boy would always give him these looks that he just couldn't decipher. As if he were trying to reassure, yet also pity him at the same time. Whenever Arthur asked about Alfred though, Matthew would avoid his gaze and attempt to change the subject, like he was tip-toeing around his feelings or something.
It was ridiculous.
At least he hadn't seen or… felt anything, besides the occasional soft murmur at the back of his mind, and the fact that his twitches and spasms were more frequent. But that's what usually happened whenever he had a big episode.
Sighing, the Brit took out his phone, for the umpteenth time in the last few minute, to check for any potential texts or emails that he may have missed or hadn't noticed. God help him, he was a man obsessed.
"If you didn't have any messages from a minute ago, I doubt you'll find anything new now, aru." Arthur looked over, grimacing embarrassedly as he set his cell down onto the break-room table. He'd forgotten, in his worrisome thoughts, where and who he was with.
"Right… I know." He muttered, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms. Yao looked at him skeptically and shook his head.
"You've been acting strange all week… Stranger than usual, aru. What's going on? Still freaked out from your episode last week?" Arthur groaned softly and looked down into his lap, shaking his head.
"No… everything's been… ok on the schizo front… It's just more… drama." Arthur explained, his face contorting in twitches, and his fingers squeezing his arms in short, abrupt spasms.
"It's not with that unavailable college boy, is it?" Yao asked, with obvious dread and annoyance in his voice. Alfred had been the topic of many of their conversations over the last couple weeks, and Yao was beginning to tire of it.
Arthur sighed and reluctantly nodded as he met his friend's gaze.
"Yao… I think Matthew and Francis are right… I think I like him. Really like him." Arthur confessed in a hushed voice, as if it were some big conspiracy. Yao rolled his eyes.
"Aaah-Durr." Yao grunted, very uncharacteristically. Arthur looked at him, a bit surprised at his reaction.
"Of course you like him. He's practically the only thing you talk about lately, aru!" Yao explained a bit exasperated.
"Sorry." Arthur mumbled placing his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands.
"I must've been sounded so annoying and pathetic."
Yao smirked and let out a small chuckle.
"Yes, well that's what friends are for, aru. To listen when you're at your most pathetic... Emphasis on pathetic…" Yao said, mumbling the last part under his breath, but Arthur heard it anyway and threw his friend a playful, twitchy glare.
"Very funny, you should do stand up…"
Returning home to his apartment, Arthur was met by the familiar sight of Matthew and Francis on the couch.
'At least they're not snogging again…' Arthur thought relieved, he had walked in on the two 'going at it' before, and it was not a pretty sight.
"Bonjour, mon cher!" Francis greeted with a nervous waver in his voice. Looking over to Matthew, Arthur noticed the boy's face was scarlet red. Well he may not have caught sight of them in their snog fest, which meant they were getting better at hearing the door unlock. Thank the Lord.
"Arthur, h-hey!" Matthew stuttered out, covertly fixing his shirt. Arthur nodded in their direction.
"Any big plans for the night?" Francis asked. Arthur rolled his eyes. Like he ever had plans. Francis probably had some big plans for the evening that he wanted Arthur to take part in.
"No." Arthur muttered, going over to the conjoined kitchen to make a cup of tea.
"Excellente, because a bunch of us are going out to this hot new club." Francis stated, standing up from the couch and leaning over their kitchen island/divider. Matthew followed and took a seat on one of the stools.
"The Q Lounge?" Arthur inquired, pouring water into his electric kettle. Matthew nodded while Francis looked at him quizzically.
"Tu know about the Q Lounge? Arthur, I'm impressionnes." Francis grinned slyly causing Matthew to roll his eyes and smile amusedly at his boyfriend. Arthur just shook his head.
"You know, just because I don't 'hit the town' or 'boogie down' doesn't mean I live underneath a rock." When Arthur snidely said this, Matthew brought a hand to his lips to stifle a laugh while Francis looked at him, clearly entertained.
"'Boogie down' Arthur? Really? I can accept 'hit the town' but 'boogie down?'" Francis said, laughing mockingly. Matthew let out a few chuckles but was able to contain himself. Arthur glared.
"Shut it, you twat!" Arthur retorted, returning his gaze to his kettle.
"So, do you wanna come with us, Arthur?" Matthew asked leaning forward in his seat. Arthur made a face and shook his head.
"Eh… no thanks. Besides, how will you even get in Matthew? Isn't it a 21 plus club?" Arthur asked after declining the offer. Francis grinned again.
"The beauty of a fake ID, mon cher!" Arthur rolled his eyes, not very amused with his roommate and poured the hot water from his kettle into a mug with a teabag.
"You do know what a fake ID is?" Francis asked, obviously teasing him.
"Please Francis. Who was it again that got you your first fake in college?" Arthur said, puffing his chest out smugly. Francis smirked.
"You knew how to get fake IDs?" Matthew asked a bit mystified since he never really pegged Arthur as that type of person. Francis smiled and put his hand on Matthew's shoulder.
"Oui Mathieu, he did! Arthur had all the connections." Matthew looked over to Arthur for confirmation. The Brit sighed and nodded, taking a sip of the hot tea in his mug.
"I knew a guy from high school." He muttered into his mug. Matthew continued looking at him surprised.
"Did… did you have one?" Matthew asked, almost reluctantly. Before Arthur could answer though, Francis chuckled and spoke up.
"Oui, but he never really used it to go out clubbing like the rest of us. He just went to some bar and, as he would call it, get pissed." Francis explained, obviously more entertained with the conversation than the other two. Matthew let out a strange combination of a scoff and a laugh.
"Pissed? I never really pictured you as a drinker, Arthur."
Said man looked away embarrassed and filled his mouth with his tea. Francis snorted amused.
"Ah, Arthur was quite the mean drunk. Still is."
"Sod off frog!" Arthur muttered, glaring at Francis with a deathly stare. Definitely not enjoying the topic of the conversation.
"Je vais… but only if you come tonight!" Francis said manipulatively. Arthur just rolled his eyes and turned away from the two, preparing on just leaving and going to his room. However,
"Alfred is coming."
Arthur halted his steps and cocked his head back, his face twitched slightly. Even though he had no desire to go to some crowded, sweaty night club with Francis, he did want to see Alfred. He was tired of the boy ignoring him. Paranoid that Alfred may think of him as some sort of freak because of his schizophrenia.
Matthew looked at Francis with an eyebrow raised, as if to say 'you better know what you're doing, because my brother has a boyfriend, and if Arthur gets led on and both of them end up getting hurt, I'll blame you.'
It was a very wordy look.
"Fine… I'll go." Arthur started to leaving again, having enough of the awkward interaction. As he walked toward his room, he sighed annoyed when he heard Francis' voice snark-ily call out,
"We're meeting at 9:00. Wear something cute!"
Arthur never understood the appeal of waiting in a long line, getting scrutinized, having to pay a damn cover charge in you got in, and then spend your evening in a crowded, b-o scented club with over priced drinks.
The fact that they had been in line for ten minutes and Alfred hadn't said anything to him besides a polite, "Hey, how's it going?" "Good, you?" "Good too…" It was utterly painful.
Sighing, Arthur looked around the group. Francis had his arm around Matthew, Feliciano was clinging to Ludwig while chatting animatedly with Alfred and his brother Lovino's boyfriend Antonio, and Elizaveta and Gilbert were having some sort of argument on who was stronger. There were a few more people Arthur didn't recognize, but he knew they were friends with Francis. Arthur groaned and looked over to his side where Yao stood, bored as well.
"Thanks for coming." Arthur muttered lowly. Yao looked over at him and shrugged.
"It was no problem, aru. I mostly just wanted to see what was so great about this Alfred." Yao admitted, smirking. Arthur blushed and couldn't help but let his gaze wander over to the American.
"I don't know what you see in him. He's an idiot, aru." Arthur smirked and snorted. That was to be expected. Yao tended to hold high standards for people who he'd spend his personal time with.
"Yeah… he is… You must think I'm wasting my time thinking about him…" Arthur mumbled, sort of embarrassed. Besides Francis, Yao was really the only other close friend he had, and he cared what Yao thought.
"But he… seems nice enough, aru." Yao said, though it sounded forced, Arthur smiled, happy that his friend was at least trying to sound supportive.
"A bit young, tough…"
Even though Yao clearly disapproved.
The only positive thing Arthur could say about the Q Lounge once they got in after standing in line nearly half an hour, was that it didn't smell as bad as he thought it would, and that the drinks weren't too overpriced.
But other than that, Arthur wasn't exactly happy to be there. Fortunately he wasn't the only one.
When they entered the club about an hour and a half ago, they found a corner booth and claimed it as their territory and meet place for the night. After that, they had all split up. Gilbert had wandered off to hit on random girls; Alfred, Feliciano, an Elizaveta went off to the dance floor to dance wildly, and well… looked rather dorky and idiotic as well. At least they appeared to be having fun. Francis, Matthew, and Francis' friends had all disappeared to god only knows where, leaving the rest of them at the corner booth.
The rest of them being Ludwig, who clearly wanted to leave the moment they arrived, Lovino, who was always in a sour mood and seemed to have a clear disliking of Ludwig, Antonio, Lovino's boyfriend, who was currently bugging him to join him on the dance floor, and Arthur himself and Yao. Arthur trying his hardest not to get drunk, and Yao silently scrutinizing and judging everyone at the table.
It was a very lively bunch.
Eventually though, Antonio got fed up and stormed off, causing Lovino to groan and chase after him.
"What was that all about?" Arthur murmured, glancing over to Ludwig. He shrugged boredly and rolled his eyes annoyed.
"They always fight whenever we all get together…" Ludwig explained while glancing over to the dance floor at Feliciano, who was currently to the YMCA dance to a Lady Gaga song. Ludwig shook his head and smiled fondly before composing himself and looking back over to Yao and Arthur.
"Matthew thinks it's because Lovino gets jealous." Arthur looked at him quizzically and glanced over to Yao who was currently texting on his phone, obviously not interested in the conversation.
Before Arthur could ask, Ludwig answered the un-said question.
"I don't know the whole story, because I honestly don't care, but apparently Antonio went to high school with Alfred and Matthew, and before he met Lovino, Antonio used to really liked Alfred or something." As Ludwig explained this he shook his head as if he were annoyed or disapproved. Maybe he just thought the drama was pointless.
"Did… did Antonio and Alfred… did they…?" Arthur found his ability to speak suddenly become very hard for him. Maybe he was jealous or maybe he was curious. But he did know that he didn't like it.
Ludwig shook his head.
"They didn't date if that's what you're asking, but I think something must've happened between them to make Lovino jealous." For some reason, Ludwig's explanation sounded very cryptic to Arthur. He looked over to Alfred on the dance floor. Was Ludwig right for suspecting something? Arthur shook his head, clearing his head of such suspicious thoughts. It wasn't his business anyway.
When Arthur found himself glancing back over towards Alfred, he noticed that Antonio had joined him, looking around the club he saw Lovino glaring at the two as he left the club.
Maybe there was something to be suspicious of.
It was almost 2 am and Alfred was surprised at how much he had been dancing. As he walked away from the crowd, he finally noticed just how wet his shirt was from the sweat.
Everyone in their group was either dancing or drinking, or like Lovino, had left for the night. When he got closer to the booth he noticed that it was just Ludwig sitting there with a tired, tipsy Feliciano leaning against him. Smiling, he decided to give the two lovers privacy and found a door leading to a vacant alley.
Using an empty beer bottle to prop open the door, he took a seat on the steps and slowly breathed in the cool night air that faintly smelled of garbage and alcohol.
Tonight had been way too awkward for Alfred. Matthew had apparently forgotten to notify him that Arthur was coming, leaving him unprepared when the Englishmen arrived and joined them in line.
It wasn't that Alfred was freaked out by Arthur or anything… it was just that he didn't know what to say to him. Was he supposed to apologize for not knowing what to do? Or was he supposed to act like it never happened.
He'd prefer the latter, but Alfred had a feeling that that wouldn't work.
Tonight just wasn't going well for him. Lovino and Antonio had another fight, causing Antonio to come crying to Alfred for comfort, so after thirty minutes of trying to cheer his friend up in the men's bathroom, Antonio finally decided to just get drunk. Alfred hadn't seen him since.
Sighing, Alfred ran his hands through his damp, sweaty hair, not noticing the door opening or the drunken man that stumbled out.
"Alllffffred! Heeey!"
Alfred looked up towards the source of the slurred greeting to find Arthur with his hair mussed and his shirt wrinkled and stained with sweat and alcohol. He laughed at the sight of the usually uptight, composed man, now sloppy, drunk, and without any inhibitions.
Arthur, even though he didn't know why Alfred was laughing, began to laugh as well as he plopped himself down next Alfred on the stoop.
"Artie, you ok buddy?" Alfred asked with smile. No need to feel awkward when Arthur was out of his mind drunk. Arthur muttered and giggled to himself, not really paying any mind to Alfred.
"He's… he's jus' restin'…" Arthur mumbled. Alfred looked over to Arthur, amused.
"Who's resting?" Alfred asked, but Arthur didn't acknowledge him and continued to mumble.
"I… I, sir, knn-know a dead… parro' when I see… one." Alfred chuckled and shook his head, realizing that Arthur, in his drunken state, had started quoting a Monty Python sketch.
'Does he always quote Monty Python when he's drunk?' Alfred thought as he listened to Arthur's slurred, drunken rendition of the parrot sketch.
"…the… the Nnnorwegian blue…" Alfred patted his hand on Arthur's shoulder, and the Brit lazily swung his head over to meet Alfred's gaze.
"You are wasted! I'm taking you home." Alfred stated making a move to stand, but Arthur drunkenly pulled him down, keeping him from getting up.
"Wha' abou' the dead parrot?" Arthur whined, wrapping his arms around Alfred's shoulders and neck and nuzzling his face into his shoulder.
"Don't worry; the parrot is in a better place, now c'mon, let's get you home." Alfred said, trying to pry Arthur off of him. But to no avail. Arthur was a very clingy drunk.
"Nno! I don't wanna go drunk, I'm not home!" Arthur slurred, tightly holding onto Alfred as the America somehow managed to stand and support Arthur. Alfred laughed at Arthur's slurred words and attempted to walk the drunken man out of the alley and towards the street.
"No, you are going drunk. Because you are very home!" Alfred said in a teasing and mocking tone, but Arthur didn't pay attention to him though and just stumbled along, almost falling. Alfred sighed and wrapped his arm around Arthur's waist, hoisting him up so he was standing upright.
"Alllllfred…?" Arthur looked out of the corner of his eyes to see Arthur staring at him.
"Yeah?"
"Why… why did ye' ignore meh?" Arthur asked, leaning his head on Alfred's shoulder. Alfred blushed and kept his gaze focused ahead of him.
"I'm sorry I ignored you, Arthur… I just didn't know what to say to you. Do you forgive me?" Alfred knew he'd have to apologize again when Arthur was sober and could actually remember, but at least it was good practice. Arthur, however, never responded, his mind now thinking of something else.
"Wha' 'appened between you an… you and Antonnnio?" Alfred, clearly not expecting that question, halted in his steps and looked at Arthur with wide, shocked eyes.
"Wh-what did you say?" Alfred asked anxiously, hoping he had just misheard him.
"Arthur, what did you say?" Arthur shook his head and smiled, clearly too drunk to understand what was going on.
"Hmhmm… Alfie!" Arthur laughed, swaying side to side slowly. Alfred sighed, maybe when he sobered up he'd just forget about him and Antonio.
"Dooo... Do ye' like 'im?" Arthur asked. Alfred groaned and looked away and continued to guide the staggering man down the alley way, hoping to catch a taxi to take him home.
"Do ye like me?" It was so quiet, but Alfred heard the question nonetheless. He looked down, blushing, to see Arthur blushing as well. Whether it was from his drunkenness or the question, Alfred didn't know.
"Arthur… I-"
"You 'ave a boyfrien' I know…" Arthur said exasperated and a bit down. Alfred looked away.
"Arthur… if things were different… mayb-"
Alfred didn't have a chance to finish his explanation. Arthur had placed his hands on either side of Alfred's face, turning it so they were facing. Alfred felt his face get extremely warm, his breathing became harder, and he could practically feel the sweat dripping down his face.
"Ar-Arthur… what are you do-mmnnpph!"
And just like that, Arthur had done what he had wanted to do for awhile now. He hungrily pressed his lips to Alfred's, tasting the salty sweat on his lips as he moved them in a sloppy rhythmic fashion. Alfred stood frozen for several moments, too shocked to push Arthur away.
He wasn't even sure if he wanted to push Arthur away.
CLIFFHANGER! Kinda... Well what do think! Eventful chapter? Or was it just stupid? Anyway, I love you guys! Sorry for taking so long to update!