Alfred's notion of what a romantic relationship should be like was shattered the moment his boyfriend pinned him on a bed of a dark hotel room. Well, if Arthur could be considered his boyfriend yet. Alfred still hadn't gotten over the fact that after his once-in-a-lifetime confession, Arthur agreed to date him without batting an eyelash. That wasn't exactly the reaction Alfred envisioned. You know, shouldn't it be more… exciting? Maybe this is what happens when you try to date someone a lot older than you, Alfred thought as his eyes tried to adjust to the surrounding darkness. When he realized Arthur was starting to undress, he became flustered.

"Wait, wait!" Alfred pushed his hands against Arthur's chin. This wasn't what he imagined. Wasn't a relationship supposed to go through the phase of being excited to go on a first date, or being shy when it came to holding hands or have a romantic kiss with a scenic back-drop? "Isn't this going in the wrong order?" Alfred asked.

Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance as he loosened his tie. "What do you mean by that? I think we're going at a pretty normal pace here."

Alfred flailed a bit as Arthur pinned his wrist back down. "Isn't this the first actual day we spent together after I con-confessed to you?" Alfred winced as he bit his tongue. He was relieved to feel the pressure on his wrist lessened as Arthur shifted his weight. When Alfred looked up, he saw Arthur's green eyes staring intently at him. He pushed back into the mattress when Arthur suddenly lowered his face. Alfred's fingers grasped again sheets helplessly as he felt a sudden shiver shoot up his spine.

"Alfred, I've been watching you ever since you were a child. We held hands, I gave you a piggyback, we took baths together, went to an amusement park together, spent holidays together…" Arthur let out a breathy sigh as he rested his head against Alfred's shoulder. "I think we've done almost everything except this, and you're trying to stop me now?"

Alfred blushed as he felt Arthur's erection press against him. The light scent of Arthur's cologne tickled his nose, and the damp heat of Arthur's breath against his neck made him squirm. "That was when I was a kid! And... and Mattie was there too! You know it's not the same thing," Alfred whined. "And you…" You haven't even told me if you like me, Alfred thought as he pressed his lips together. He didn't want to seem immature.

"Fine," Arthur sighed as he moved to the edge of the bed. "What do you want to do then?"

Alfred lay in place for a moment in silent panic. Arthur was unhappy. Maybe he felt that Alfred was a little kid after all. What if Arthur decided to break up with him? The very thought made Alfred feel like there was something lodged in his throat.

"Alfred, why are you making that face?" Arthur said softly. Alfred closed his eyes as he felt Arthur's hand caress his face gently. "I think I know what you're thinking about… you don't need to worry about that. A relationship is about being honest and respectful with one another. Since you already told me you don't want us to have a sexual relationship right off the bat, then I will respect that."

Alfred grabbed a pillow and hugged it. "Then…I want to go on … a date…" Alfred's voice became muffled as he pushed his face into the pillow. He was suddenly embarrassed about the way he acted. Just like a child, Alfred thought glumly. Maybe he shouldn't have read all that shoujo manga growing up. An actual relationship wasn't quite the same as what he read.

Arthur smiled at Alfred. "We can do that. How about an amusement park?"

Alfred's heart skipped a beat when he saw Arthur waiting at the front gate for him. Unlike his usual business attire, Arthur was dressed down in a simple T-shirt, jeans, and a casual blazer. Just as Alfred was about to jog over, he saw a woman approach Arthur. He stopped in his steps as he felt a dull pang in his chest. It wasn't surprising that people would approach Arthur— Arthur was handsome and exuded an aura of confidence that made people naturally gravitate to him.

Maybe it was better if Arthur dated someone the same age after all. They look good together… Alfred thought as he watched the Arthur talk to the woman. Ah, she put her hand on his arm… Alfred didn't know how many minutes passed before the woman moved on. He let out a sigh and jogged over. It wasn't time to mope over things like that.

"Have you been w-waiting long?" Alfred stammering when Arthur smiled at him. There was something about Arthur's smile that made Alfred feel flustered. It didn't really affect Alfred when he was a child—he just thought it was a nice smile—but as he grew older, he began to realize how disarming it was. The way the sun hit Arthur's hair, the way his lips curved slightly into a smile, the way his eyes glittered under the sun… it was all very… sexy. The effect of that smile became even more potent when he was underneath Arthur. It made him feel weak. Alfred gave himself a mental slap. Not the time to think about that, Alfred.

"No, I just got here." Arthur pushed away from the wall he was leaning against.

This is it! Alfred thought to himself. The classic "I just got here!" Alfred perked up at the thought of going through a classic moment in a shoujo manga. Maybe not all the things depicted in shoujo manga deviated from reality, after all. "I already bought the tickets so we can go straight in. Which ride do you want to go on first?" Arthur asked as he opened a map of the amusement park.

Alfred studied the map. He had already done some preliminary search of the amusement park yesterday, so he already knew where he wanted to go. The most important one was the Ferris wheel. Romantic things always happened in the Ferris wheel, right? Alfred had already decided to make that the last stop.

"Let's start here first and then make our way around," Alfred said as he pointed to the far corner of the map and drew a route with his finger.

"Alright then," Arthur folded up the map. "Let's get going, shall we?"

Something didn't seem right. Alfred frowned as he sat in the Ferris wheel with Arthur. They'd already been through most of the attractions. They went on some rides, took pictures and looked at gift shops. Alfred's heart skipped a beat so many times he was beginning to think he was going to go into cardiac arrest, but something was amiss. Throughout their walk through the park, their fingers brushed a few times. But every time Alfred thought Arthur was going to hold his hand, the older man pulled away. Even now, in the Ferris wheel, Arthur had opted to sit across from him. Although Alfred wasn't expecting to have Arthur all over him, he still felt a little lonely.

"The sun is setting," Arthur's voice pulled Alfred back to reality. Look at me, Alfred caught himself thinking as Arthur looked outside the glass door of the Ferris wheel.

"I guess time really does pass by when you're having fun, doesn't it?" Alfred said as he rubbed his open palms on his knees. It was a fun day, but Alfred couldn't help but feel like Arthur was intentionally putting distance between them. What am I doing? Alfred shook his head. Arthur had said a relationship was about honesty. Maybe if he asked…

"What is it?" Arthur's eyes turned back to Alfred, a small smile on his lips. "Why are you frowning like that?"

"You're kinda far… for a date…" Alfred muttered, a flush creeping up his cheeks.

Arthur raised a brow. "You… want me to sit closer?" He leaned forward, his green eyes studying Alfred. Alfred wondered if he was misreading the mischievous glint in Arthur's eyes.

"All day today… you've been putting a distance between us… um… on purpose?" Alfred glanced down at the floor before mustering the courage to look up at Arthur. Arthur had a slightly bewildered expression before relaxing.

"Sorry about that," Arthur said as he crossed over and sat next to Alfred. The Ferris wheel shook a little bit, making Alfred nervous. "I just wasn't sure what kind of distance would be good for you. You didn't seem to like excessive… physical contact."

Alfred squeezed his knee with the palm of his hand. Arthur was now sitting close enough for him to feel his body heat. For some reason, there was a tingling sensation in Alfred's body. Just a little bit closer would be nice… Was there something like this in a shoujo romance? Maybe there was. The feeling of wanting to be close to the one you love… would certainly be included, wouldn't it? Alfred wondered if he should shift closer.

"Look outside," Arthur said softly. Alfred raised his face and looked outside. They had reached the top of the Ferris wheel, and the inside of the carriage was flooded with a warm orange glow from the sunset. A sudden touch of Arthur's fingertips against his cheek made him shudder, and before he knew it, Arthur's lips were against his in a soft but sweet kiss. Alfred closed his eyes, his heartbeat growing louder and louder in his ears. Arthur's finger brushed lightly against his hair. Just as Alfred reached out to pull Arthur closer, Arthur pulled away, his eyes fixed on Alfred as he slid his finger against the nape of Alfred's neck. "How was that for a kiss on the first date? I do hope it met your standards."

"It was—" It wasn't enough. "It was… amazing," Alfred breathed as he gathered his thoughts. He got a perfect kiss with a scenic backdrop, but for some reason, he wasn't satisfied. With Arthur's distant behaviour during the day and now this fleeting kiss, Alfred felt an urge building in his body. He knew what it was, but he wasn't quite sure why this was happening.

Alfred gripped the straps of his bag as he followed Arthur to the parking lot.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked as he got in the car. "It's time to go."

Right. The main characters would part ways and go home… and then think about all the hear-warming moments that happened during their date. They would go to sleep thinking about each other… and then fall in love with each other even more. Was that how it went? Alfred suddenly wasn't so sure anymore. Alfred looked up and realized the car hadn't moved one inch. He turned to Arthur with a puzzled expression, only to see Arthur's green eyes staring straight at him, his expression unreadable. Alfred gulped and closed his eyes as Arthur leaned forward. Was it going to be another fleeting kiss?

"There we go," Arthur's fingers brushed lightly against Alfred's hair. "You had a leaf in your hair."

Alfred's eyes flew open and he stared at the lone leaf in Arthur's hand with a flabbergasted expression. "That… oh, that's it?" Alfred's sentence came out with a sigh. "I thought…"

Arthur smiled as he twirled the leaf in between his fingers. "You thought what?"

Alfred blushed as he felt the tension in the air. Arthur's eyes seemed to be boring a hole into him. It was reminding him of when Arthur pinned him to the bed. The intensity of his gaze made that aching feeling rise in his stomach. "Nothing," he said quickly. "Maybe we should go home."

"No," Arthur said as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the stall.

"No?" Alfred echoed dumbly.

"You're going to spend a little more time with me if you don't mind," Arthur said as the car turned out of the parking lot.

Alfred shook his head. "I don't mind… but where are we going? There are only so many places that would be open at this hour…"

Arthur laughed. "You'll see."

Alfred found himself in a hotel again. He wasn't surprised, given that Arthur's family ran a large hotel chain. Arthur had already taken a shower—the bathroom had a lingering scent of Arthur's cologne mixed in the steam. Alfred felt a nervous tension building up in him. He wasn't sure if Arthur brought him here to have sex. It was a little fast-paced compared to Alfred's imagination, but Alfred knew he wouldn't be as resistant as last time. The urge inside him was growing—one little nudge and Alfred could feel himself teetering off the edge.

Alfred looked down at his groin. Sure enough, he was hard already. "But I don't even know if Arthur is going to do anything," Alfred muttered as he gave himself a few strokes. Nothing in all the shoujo manga he read gave him any insight on how to approach someone else sexually. Alfred contemplated jacking himself off in the shower. With this amount of sexual tension in him, it probably wouldn't take long. Might as well, Alfred thought.

After Alfred finished his shower, he found Arthur sitting on the bed with a book in hand. Arthur raised his eyes when he heard Alfred come out.

"There you are," Arthur said as he closed his book with a smile.

Suddenly, Alfred felt more conscious of his surroundings. The feeling of the robe on his body, the rustle of the sheets as he shifted his weight, and the smell of earl grey tea wafting in the air. "Are we going to watch a movie or something?"

Arthur patted the space next to him. "Come closer."

Alfred closed the space inch by inch, his movements slow and hesitant. There was a sparkle in Arthur's eyes that echoed the same mischievous look that he saw earlier on the Ferris wheel. Alfred let out a small yelp when Arthur reached out and pulled him up right next to him, a blush rushing towards his face when he felt himself collide into Arthur's chest.

"You used to like to be this close to me," Arthur mused as he brushed his fingers through Alfred's hair. "I guess now that you've grown up, you like to have your personal space."

Alfred looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Arthur's gentle smile. A sudden feeling of want welled up within Alfred. This isn't fair at all, Alfred thought as he reached up and pulled Arthur down for a kiss. He felt Arthur stiffen a little bit at the clumsy kiss. The next thing he knew, Arthur pushed him down on the bed and was straddling him.

"Ah, déjà vu," Arthur said he shifted his weight onto Alfred's crotch. "Last time you were resistant, so I didn't think of doing anything today. But if you entice me like that, I suppose I should show you what an adult's romance is like."

Before Alfred could say anything in response, Arthur kissed him. It wasn't a fleeting kiss where their lips simply touched, it was a fervent kiss that made Alfred dizzy. "Open your mouth," Arthur murmured. As soon as Alfred obliged, he felt Arthur's tongue entwine with his in a rather messy kiss. It felt different, and Alfred liked it to the point where he almost whined when Arthur pulled away.

"I wonder why you have an insistence on a pure and sweet romance when your lower body is already like this." Alfred looked up at Arthur. His expression was familiar, it was the same expression he had when he first pushed Alfred down. It was an expression of want, and it made Alfred hard. Alfred reached up to touch Arthur's cheek and something like an electric jolt when Arthur closed his eyes and leaned into his hand ever so slightly.

"I was always looking up to you," Alfred breathed as he moved his hand to Arthur's neck. When Arthur opened his eyes, it was a dark, tantalizing emerald colour. "Whenever you were in our house with Mattie, I would sneak around and look at you. I don't know when I began to feel this way, but before I realized what it was, I wanted to be with you." Alfred pushed Arthur's robe off his shoulder, his fingers shaking ever so slightly. Whether it was because he was nervous or turned on, Alfred didn't know. "A friend of mine introduced me to different genres of manga, and I thought shoujo manga would be a nice way to… try and study on how to be in a relationship… with you…" By the time Alfred finished his sentence, he was blushing so hard he felt his cheeks heat up. He pulled back his hand and covered his face in embarrassment.

There was a brief moment of silence. Alfred felt his heart thumping in his chest. Why wasn't Arthur saying anything? Was it too childish of a thing to say? Maybe Arthur was contemplating how to follow up on that confession to make it less embarrassing? Alfred mustered up the courage to take a peek at Arthur, only to see Arthur's face flushed with redness.

"Don't look!" Arthur said as he pushed a pillow into Alfred's face. "I wasn't expecting that at all—goddammit, I'm losing my composure here. I teased you a little bit today by putting some distance between us, but I didn't think it'd work that well. Now I can't keep calm."

So that's what it was, Alfred thought as he moved the pillow away from his face. He reached out and touched Arthur's dick. "You're hard," Alfred said as he moved the robe away. "It's quivering."

"Of course it's hard," Arthur sighed as he ground his hips against Alfred. "I've been waiting for years to have sex with you. When Matthew found out I had feelings for you, he kept warning me about the legality of things, so I've been made to wait for an eternity."

Alfred felt blood rush to his groin. He likes me after all, he thought as he caressed Arthur's thighs. His "I want to be in you," Alfred murmured.

Arthur smiled. "I didn't think you'd ask."

When Alfred woke up the next morning, Arthur was already dressed in business attire. The suit fit him perfectly—it was probably made by Antonio, Matthew and Arthur's mutual friend who works as a tailor. He squinted against the sun. If Arthur was in a business suit, it meant today was a weekday. Alfred frowned. Wait, we had our date on Saturday…

"No way! We spent Sunday here too?!" Alfred jolted out of bed.

"Ah, you do lose a sense of time when you are in a hotel, especially when you're indulging in sexual activities," Arthur said with a chuckle. He threw a towel towards Alfred. "I didn't mind the way you kept going at it… it felt amazing."

"Mattie is going to kill me if I'm late… why didn't you wake me?" Alfred ran into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It was one thing to skip a professor's lecture, but it was another thing to skip Matthew's lectures. If Matthew knew he was absent…

Arthur's laugh tickled his ears. "You looked so cute while you were sleeping, I couldn't help it. But don't worry, I already spoke to Matthew. He understands the situation."

"Still, I don't want to miss my own brother's lecture," Alfred scrubbed his hair and body furiously before giving himself a quick rinse. When Alfred came out of the shower, he grabbed Arthur and gave him a quick kiss, smiling when Arthur blushed.

"Sneak attacks are problematic… they make me lose my composure." Arthur complained light-heartedly as Alfred grabbed his clothes and got dressed. Alfred grinned. Arthur was getting cuter and cuter by the minute. While this romance was a little bit different from what was shown in shoujo mangas, this was a lot better. Alfred gave Arthur another kiss. This time it was a longer, deeper kiss. When Alfred pulled away, he enjoyed the dazed, drunken look on Arthur's face. Maybe an adult's romance wasn't so bad after all.