(AN: It's taken a long time to get back to this. Dunno why considering I still had a couple chapters already written, but I've been busy. My son was born on August 31 and he has just recently needed less attention so I have more free time and less mommy brain in which to use it. My apologies for the lateness of this chapter but I hope the content makes up for it.)

Chapter 10 - Does Your Mother Know?

Ludwig was still standing unmoving in the courtyard when Arthur emerged hurriedly, wearing swim trunks and with his shirt unbuttoned. He had decided that he needed a cool dip in the ocean to try and clear his head and calm himself down. Alfred had once again tried to talk to him in the hallway and he had forcefully shouted at him to leave him alone before he had dashed into his room. The situation was just getting ridiculous and he couldn't handle it calmly anymore. That's why he hoped that maybe a short swim and something from the beach-shack bar would help to put him back to rights before his son's wedding.

But as he emerged to find Ludwig just standing still with his back facing the door, he stopped abruptly and found irritation taking over him once more. It really shouldn't be his business, but Feliciano was one of his best friends, so when someone hurt him like Ludwig had...he couldn't really control his tongue against that person. He gritted his teeth to try and stop himself and just marched past the man. But at the stairs he whirled and glared at him.

"You have some nerve being here."

Ludwig didn't even flinch or speak. But he did sigh.

That made Arthur even angrier and his voice turned to a hiss.

"You hurt him badly. And you're still hurting him just by being here."

"That was never my intention. It's been twenty one years. I hadn't expected him to have forgiven me. But I had hoped he could at least forget me and move on. So now that we're meeting again we could at least talk civilly."

Arthur shook his head, not wanting to tell the man any of the things he suspected Feliciano still felt for him. But he did let one thing slip.

"Yeah, well that was kinda difficult for him to do."

"Because of Juliet, you mean. Our daughter."

Arthur caught his breath and gritted his teeth again.

"So you found out about that."

"Yes" Ludwig whispered, and then sighed again, "He's given me permission to stay for now, in order to see our daughter be married."

Arthur sighed as well.

"Can't fault you for that. Didn't know she existed so you're not at fault for not being involved in her life up until now. But..." he pointing his finger directly at Ludwig, "You will leave first thing tomorrow."

It wasn't a request; it was an order. And Arthur whirled back around without waiting for a reply. But shortly after his voice carried back up to Ludwig.

"And if he asks, you'd better not tell that bloody magician that you saw me!"

~*My my*~

Arthur pulled himself back up onto the dock, standing for several moments, just staring out at the sea. The water had indeed done him a lot of good. He was now more calm and composed and had decided that he was going to take a risky step. After the wedding, after Andrew and Juliet had taken off on their honeymoon, he was going to tell Alfred that Andrew was their son.

That put him more at ease than he had been for the past day and he let out a relieved sigh before he turned back to the beach. He enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his bare skin mixed with the still cool water droplets making their way down his chest and dripping from his swim trunks. But his good mood evaporated shortly after as he reached the beach and went to where he had left his towel and shirt. He needed to get back to the villa to see if Feli needed help with any more preparations, but after he had dried off and picked up his shirt, he discovered that his watch, which he had wrapped in the shirt, was gone. With a frown he dressed and then began to scan and pat the surrounding sand. He spent several minutes searching and yet he couldn't find it anywhere!

"Bloody kids must have thought it funny to hide it." he grumbled and whirled in the direction of the group of boys and girls hanging out around the snack shack. He scanned them and found what he was looking for. The watch was wrapped around the wrist of a boy with dirty blond hair, leaning on the bar and laughing.

"Oi!" He shouted and stomped towards him, "Give me back my watch, little git!"

"Ah thought you would probably want it back. Then, how about a trade, Artie?"

Arthur froze and stared at Alfred. From the back he hadn't recognized the young man, but now he was frozen by the mischievous blue eyes behind glasses. Alfred's shirt was also unbuttoned and Arthur found himself, he was rather ashamed to admit it, admiring the young sorcerer's exposed chest.

Alfred noticed his eyes had dipped down and grinned.

"Twenty one years later and you still react the same."

Arthur snapped at that and glared at him.

"What are you playing at, Alfred F Jones? Give me back my watch and get out of my life."

"I'll give you back your watch if you agree to talk to me." Alfred replied and slipped it off his wrist.

Arthur groaned and tried to snatch it from Alfred's hand.

"Give it here, git!"

Alfred grinned even wider and held it higher.

"You want it, you talk to me."

Arthur was not keen to part with the keepsake, it had been a present from his son a few years ago, but he also was not ready to talk privately with Alfred. Not until after Andrew's wedding. So instead he formulated a new idea.

"What if we make this into a little game instead?" He knew how much Alfred loved games. Sure enough the young man's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"What do you have in mind?"

"If I can get the watch then I'm free to leave with it, without having to talk to you. You're free to use all the help you want in keeping it away from me if you choose. Deal?"

Alfred's grin spread all the way to his eyes and he nodded.

"Deal. You'll never get it though, old man."

Arthur folded his arms and smirked back.

"I'll make you eat those words. Little boys who play with fire get their fingers burned."

The girls and boys around the two exchanged grins and the boy behind the bar started skimming through the playlist on his i-Pod on the docking station until he found background music for a tune perfect for the moment. This was going to be good!

Alfred walked backwards away from the bar, still holding up the watch and Arthur began to follow him with a smirk still on his face. Then the young changeling began to sing to the crowd's delight. Most of the young people on the island, be they girl or guy, had a slight crush on Arthur Kirkland and loved those rare moments when he would sing.

"You're so hot, teasing me. So you're blue, but I can't take a chance on a kid like you. It's something I couldn't do."

"Well you did twenty one years ago. Why is it different now?" Alfred grinned and easily dodged Arthur's first wild attempt to snatch the watch. He took several long steps back through the sand, never taking his eyes off Arthur's emerald green ones.

Arthur was not deterred in the least.

"There's that look, in your eyes. I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild. Ah but boy you're only a child."

"Maybe that was the case when we first met, but now I'm 40. Though happily, magic prolongs youth so I still look in my early twenties. Can't mess with this masterpiece!" He gestured to himself, running the watch down his chest. Arthur took the opportunity to try and grab the object again, but instead Alfred tossed it over the changeling's head and one of the other boys caught it. Arthur made his crash avoidance and pivot look graceful as he turned to follow the watch. He and the boy stepped in sink forward and back with Arthur throwing out his hands to try and catch the watch no matter where it went.

"Well I could dance with ya honey, if you think it's funny. Does your mother know that you're out?"

The boy narrowly avoided having him grab the watch since he had suddenly become aware of how close Arthur had gotten and briefly only focused on that. He tossed the watch to one of the girls this time and Arthur walked in her direction.

"And I could chat with ya, baby. Flirt a little maybe. Does your mother know that you're out?"

The girl tossed the watch back to Alfred and he held it above Arthur's head once more and sang a teasing little backup.

"Take it easy."

Arthur stopped in front of him, still smirking.

"Take it easy. Better slow down, boy. That's no way to go. Does your mother know?"

Arthur swept around him quickly and tried to grab the watch without Alfred actually watching him.

"Take it easy."

Alfred was a bit surprised but he still managed to sing and dodge by running forward in time. Arthur folded his arms and smirked at having startled him a bit as he began walking forward again.

"Take it easy. Try and cool it, boy. Take it nice and slow. Does your mother know?"

Alfred and Arthur stared at each other again and Arthur began to frown. He closed his eyes and tried to think of how he could get the watch in a different way than what he had been attempting, since that was clearly not working. His mind came back to the first time Alfred had thrown the watch and how that boy had kinda lost control when Arthur got close to him. He grinned. It was an interesting notion and it had been awhile since he had tried to use it to his advantage. He turned back to Alfred, putting on a tempting sultry smile.

"I can see, what you want. But you seem pretty young to be searching for that kind of fun."

He unbuttoned his shirt, spending a bit of time on each button so that his chest was exposed bit by bit.

"So maybe I'm not the one."

His shirt hung fully open now and the surrounding group was just staring at him, some with open mouths.

"Now you're so cute. I like your style. And I know what you mean when you give me a flash of that...smi-le."

He had reached Alfred and instead of reaching for the watch he placed his hands on the young man's chest and looked up at him from lowered lashes. Alfred's breath caught and he gulped. Completely surprised by Arthur's sudden change.

"But boy you're only a child."

Arthur gave him a violent push and, already off balanced by the touch, Alfred tripped backwards and almost fell. But he managed to plant his feat before that could happen. He expected Arthur to come after him again, but instead the man turned to a nearby girl and began leading her in an easy two-step.

"Well I could dance with ya honey, if you think it's funny. Does your mother know that you're out?"

He dropped the girl's arms and made a spin of his own, holding out his arms for whoever wanted to catch him again. This time it was one of the boys.

"And I could chat with ya, baby. Flirt a little maybe. Does your mother know that you're out?"

Alfred approached where he was dancing with a slightly annoyed expression on his face as he picked up the extra chant again.

"Take it easy."

Arthur switched to a new boy and danced rather close.

"Take it easy."

Alfred folded his arms with the watch clutched tightly over one as he picked up more of the song.

"Better slow down, boy. That's no way to go."

Arthur placed a finger teasingly under the boy's chin as he sang.

" Does your mother know?"

Alfred pulled the boy back and glared at Arthur.

"Take it easy!"

Arthur just looked at him curiously before finding a new partner to dance with.

"Take it easy."

Alfred pulled this new boy back as well and sang more loudly at Arthur as the other man easily switched to a girl this time.

"Try and cool it, boy. Take it nice and slow."

The girl giggled and Arthur smiled at her and sang softly.

" Does your mother know?"

He glanced to the side to see Alfred practically fuming. The watch was almost forgotten. Just a little more tormenting and Arthur would have his desired prize. He started dancing with another girl in nothing but a revealing bikini.

"Well I could dance with ya honey, if you think it's funny. Does your mother know that you're out?"

He spun her away and instantly another girl took her place. All the while he watched Alfred moving around them, trying to get closer.

"And I could chat with ya, baby. Flirt a little maybe. Does your mother know that you're out?"

It was really too easy! Arthur could see the look in Alfred's eyes, and it was the same that the boy had had when he had suspected Arthur of having something on the side with Francis.

"Well I could dance with ya honey, if you think it's funny. Does your mother know that you're out?"

He was dancing with a boy again now, and Alfred had gotten close. Another few moments and he would probably step right into Arthur's path.

"And I could chat with ya, baby. Flirt a little maybe. Does your mother know that you're out?"

Alfred stepped in his path and grabbed hold of him, glaring down into his eyes. Arthur could feel the watch through the loose shirt on his back.

"Does your mother know that you're out?"

He slid his hands down Alfred's chest again and then out to his arms. The sorcerer's expression flicked to one of desire just briefly at the touch. He was completely focused on the man so he wasn't aware of what was about to happen as Arthur moved himself backwards in his grip in order to slide his hands even farther down his arms to his wrists and then...

"Does your mother Know That You're OUT?!"

Arthur jumped back from him with a triumphant grin, dangling the watch so he could easily see.

"You let jealousy get the better of you, Jones." he chided with a laugh.

Alfred just continued to stare at him with slight confusion, before he at last seemed to see the watch and his eyes widened with understanding, then he grinned, and then he burst into laughter and clutched at his stomach.

"Ah, well played, Kirkland." He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the changeling. Arthur laughed as well and didn't push him away for awhile. Not until he had slipped the watch back on his wrist. But finally he did and forcefully pried himself out of the sorcerer's arms.

Alfred let him go and sighed.

"You managed to get out of the talk for now, Artie. But I promise I will find another way to make you talk to me soon."

"Good luck." Arthur smirked and then walked back to where he had left his towel. He buttoned his shirt back up and then turned back briefly to look at the group. All of them were still staring at him as if they weren't entirely certain what had just happened.

He grinned, winked, saluted, and tossed his towel over his shoulder, walking back in the direction of the stairs with his head held high.

"Dang he's good." one of the boys closest to Alfred breathed and it made the sorcerer whirl and glare at him.

"Keep off, he's mine!" he growled and then ran off towards one of the different trails back up to the villa.