When Alfred was ten years old, his parents adopted another boy into their family.
Alfred's mother had never become pregnant again after Alfred was born. His mother had had no complications during birth with his older brother, Matthew, but with Alfred she had. He was born four months premature, and almost died during his birth. For his mother's safety and for the safety of unborn babies, the doctors asked that she not have another child.
But she had always wanted to have three children.
Most children, if they wanted a sibling, wanted a younger one. But Alfred liked being the youngest. He wanted an older brother. He loved Matthew, he really did, but Matt was only a year older and had never been much of a "big brother" figure. If anything, they acted like twins all the time. They even had birthday parties together, since their birthdays were so close. Alfred and Matthew both agreed that they wanted someone they could look up to aside from their parents.
So Arthur had been adopted. Then twelve years old, the British boy had found it difficult to assimilate into their family. He had always been given a hard time by the other children at his orphanage – he wasn't manly enough, strong enough, athletic enough, and the other boys and girls took advantage of him. He had acted closed-off from the rest of the family at first, and had been the "bad kid," getting in trouble constantly at school, normally for getting into fights with the French exchange student, Francis.
Somewhere along the line, he had calmed down, and become an entirely different person. It seemed to Alfred that Arthur just came home from school one day and, instead of slamming the front door and stomping up to his room, he sat down next to Alfred and Matthew and started to talk to them.
Later that night, Alfred had whispered to Matthew about Arthur's sudden change in character, but Matt just passed it off as "He probably got a girlfriend!"
Alfred assumed he was right. Arthur seemed to get happier and happier, spending much of his at-home time with Alfred and Matthew, teaching them how to play soccer (or, as he called it, football) and, as they got tall enough to use the stove, how to cook. Arthur wasn't the best cook – nine out of ten times he burned whatever he was cooking – but when he didn't turn perfectly good steaks to ashes, he could actually make an OK meal.
When Arthur turned sixteen, their parents bought him a car. He drove Alfred and Matthew everywhere in it. Alfred often whined about how Arthur drove too slowly, too carefully. But Arthur always insisted that one could never be too careful.
Matthew started spending more time with his best friend, a Cuban boy that seemed to hate Alfred for some reason. Most of Alfred's friends were not out of the house too often aside from school, so Alfred kept spending time with Arthur.
The summer before Arthur went to university was when Alfred really started to worry about him. He had gotten a scholarship after publishing a successful novel in his junior year of high school. Arthur had never let his family read his book – not even Alfred – and they never really questioned that until they found out about where his scholarship came from. They had assumed it was for his outstanding grades until someone had found the acceptance letter for his scholarship. Suddenly the whole family wanted to know what he had written about. Even Alfred, who had never been much of a fan of reading, was begging Arthur to let him borrow his special author's print copy of the book. Arthur knew he couldn't keep saying no to Alfred for long, so he promised Alfred that he would let him have his special copy once he left for university in the fall.
As the summer got closer and closer to ending, Arthur seemed to get farther and farther away from the family. He never seemed to go out and spend time with anyone else; he just stayed in his room like a recluse. The only person he ever really spent time with anymore was Alfred. But he never drove Alfred anywhere any more, since by then Alfred had his own car and his own driver's license.
Whenever Alfred asked what was bothering him, Arthur always responded, "You'll know when you read my book." Alfred was never satisfied with this answer. He pressed Arthur for more, but the best response he got was, "I can't tell you. You'd never trust me again if you knew."
Alfred doubted he could ever distrust Arthur, who had done so much for him. He asked why Arthur would tell Alfred not to trust him; Arthur said he already knew Alfred wouldn't believe him.
A week before Arthur was supposed to leave for college, he got into an argument with his adopted parents, and ran out of the house into the rain. Alfred had waited until everyone went to sleep, then snuck out of the house. Matthew agreed to leave the window open for him when he came back.
Alfred found Arthur at the high school, cigarette in hand, soaking wet. Arthur looked up, seeming to sense Alfred's presence from across the street. Alfred ran across the street. Arthur stood and dropped the cigarette, and it fizzled out in a puddle before he was swept up into a crushing hug.
"I knew you would come." Arthur rubbed Alfred's back as best he could with his arms pinned to his sides.
"I was so worried about you! Why did you just leave like that?"
Arthur sighed. "Did you hear what we were arguing about?"
Alfred let go and stepped back. He shook his head. "No, I ran upstairs when I thought you were gonna fight. I hate fighting."
Arthur nodded, and gestured for Alfred to sit on the bench next to them. By now, neither of them cared about the rain any more.
"I was telling them about a friend of mine. Ludwig is his name. You've met him, I believe."
Alfred nodded. He remembered Ludwig, the German with no last name who seemed to be the only person who could climb the rock wall faster than him in Phys. Ed.
"Well, he's gay."
Alfred was surprised. The manly-man who seemed like he wasn't interested in anyone was gay…? "I had no idea."
"Well, neither did I until he started dating Feliciano. But apparently your parents don't approve."
"Of what? Ludwig?"
Arthur nodded. "Specifically, Ludwig's sexuality. They.. think it's unnatural and wrong."
"They've never said anything about that to me."
"I didn't know either." Arthur sighed again. "It seems that everyone who's kind to me will always find something to hate."
"That's not true!" Alfred leaned towards Arthur. "I could never hate you!"
Arthur smiled slightly. "Thank goodness for small mercies," he said sarcastically.
"Hey!" Alfred laughed.
They stayed silent for a little while, just watching the rain. It had been a long time since they had spent time together this peacefully. Then Alfred turned back to Arthur.
"Hey, Artie?"
"Mm?"
"Why did you say that people will always find something to hate about you? I mean, I'm not defending what my parents said, it wasn't cool, but they didn't say anything against you, did they?"
"Well… er, no, but…"
"Then what did you mean?"
"Um… That is… I…" Arthur bit his lip. "You're sure you won't hate me? You'll still trust me after this?"
"Arthur…"
"Will you?"
Alfred turned serious. "I promise I'll still trust you. I'll never hate you."
"All right." Arthur took a deep breath. "I'm gay, too."
There was silence for a few moments.
"That's it?" Alfred asked.
"What?"
"I kinda guessed that. A while ago, really. I thought you were going to say you slept with little boys or something--"
Arthur's face turned red.
"…You don't screw little boys, do you?"
"Well…"
"Oh my God, Artie!That's fucking gross!"
"Alfred-"
"What the hell? You fuck little boys--"
"Alfred! Bloody shut up for a second, will you?"
"Little boys--"
"I don't fuck little boys!" Arthur shouted.
"Um…"
"Now that that's settled…" Arthur hesitated, then turned away. "…Oh, I can't say it!"
"What?"
Arthur shook his head, then brought his knees up and hugged them to his chest.
"Arthur…" Alfred put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur tried to shake him off, but Alfred just held on tighter. "Please tell me." Arthur wouldn't respond.
Alfred thought, It could only be either of two things…
"Do you have a boyfriend you wanted them to meet?"
Arthur shook his head no. "I wish. It'd make a lot of things much easier."
Oh. Well then. "Then it's me?"
"Wha-"
"You're gay for me, aren't you?"
Arthur curled up tighter.
"You could have just told me. It's not like we're really related or anything, it's fine."
Arthur picked his head up and turned just enough to look at Alfred with the most confused face Alfred had ever seen on him.
"What? You think I'd break my promise?" Alfred smiled. "No way, a hero never breaks a promise."
"But, Alfred… I'm not… I'm ridiculously perverted! That doesn't bother you?"
Alfred's smile grew. "Well duh, of course you're perverted. You think I didn't already know that? Please. As if I didn't know what those weird sounds you made every night were." Arthur turned bright red once more. Alfred laughed loudly. "And, anyways, I'm bi. I never told anyone 'cause I didn't think it really mattered."
"Alfred, you don't have to try to make me feel better--"
"I'm not. Really, I'm OK with it."
"…Really?"
Alfred nodded. "Totally. In fact—" He leaned forward and hugged Arthur. "—I love it."
"Um…"
"I've kind of been hoping for it…"
"Alfred--"
"Shut up and kiss me already."
--
They stayed there all night, alternating between making out and wondering what other people would think of their relationship. They decided it didn't matter. They'd tell Matt, and their friends, and they would keep it from their parents as long as they could.
They eventually had to get home, though, when they noticed the sun was coming up. The rain had ended a couple hours earlier – "Shit, I wonder how Matt's doing. He said he'd leave the window open…" – and there were just a couple of small clouds left in the sky. They held hands on the walk home. It was too early for anyone to be awake to see them and report them to their parents, and even if it hadn't been, they didn't care anyways.
"I'll miss you when you go to college."
"Ah, right. College."
"You forgot?" Alfred laughed.
Arthur blushed. "Ah… My mind was elsewhere." He swung their interlinked hands.
"Well, yeah. I guess it would be." They had almost reached their street. Alfred let go of Arthur's hand and held his face, pulling him in for another kiss before they had to go home. "I love you," he whispered against Arthur's lips.
"Hmmm…" Arthur laughed, then pulled back. "Come on, we have to get back before your parents notice you're gone and I didn't come back. They might start to suspect us."
"Pfft. Let them. I ain't afraid of 'em."
"I could smack you for that."
"Whatever." He leaned in for one more kiss and then dragged Arthur back to the house. Alfred went up to the house, under the still-open window and did his "eagle call," which really sounded more like a dying cat but Arthur wasn't going to complain as long as they got back into the house unnoticed. Their parents seemed to only wake up if there were loud noises inside the house.
Matthew came up to the window, rubbing his eyes. He had forgotten to put his glassed on, and squinted at the pair before going to grab them. He reached an arm out, and Alfred crouched down and cupped his hands. "C'mon, Artie."
"Oh, hell no--"
"Oh, come on. We've done this before."
"Yes, and I damn near broke my neck."
Alfred rolled his eyes. "Hurry up, already."
Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but then just decided to go with it. He put a hand on Alfred's shoulder and a foot in his hands, and jumped. Alfred lifted him up to the window with ease, and Matthew grabbed Arthur's hand and pulled him up. Arthur turned to ask how Alfred would get inside, but Matthew grabbed him and pulled him out of the way just in time for Alfred's hands to appear on the windowsill. He pulled himself in, and Arthur just stood in shock. "How did you do that?"
"I jumped."
"You jumped?"
Alfred shrugged and rubbed his hands together. "Basketball."
"Ah." Arthur nodded.
Matthew went over to Alfred and put a hand on his shoulder. "So," he said quietly, "Did you guys finally resolve your sexual tension?"
Arthur was shocked. "Wha-!"
Alfred laughed. "For a guy who can't even make himself noticed half the time, you're pretty perceptive."
"Alfred!"
"Relax, we were gonna tell him anyways."
"Well yeah, but--"
"Arthur," Matthew cut him off. "I've known for forever. It wasn't much of a secret, to tell you the truth. And now you'll get to have wonderful, gay adventures together, eh?" He laughed.
