Chapter 2:
Arthur couldn't help but be upset. He kept his promise and came to the diner without his book because he expected the waiter to keep him company. He expected to talk and laugh like he did the day before. He expected to see Alfred look back at him and smile like he did jus the day before. Arthur walked for the full fifteen minutes it took to get to the diner with his expectations held high and a plan. But once he got to the restaurant his smile started to shatter. The usual friendly American was nowhere to be seen.

Instead a tall and frankly terrifying man who Arthur had only seen once or twice around the diner took his order.

"Alfred isn't here today. I am Berwald. Here is your drink." The man stated and didn't say another word until Arthur finished and left the diner twenty minutes later.

"The decency of that man! How dare he plan a meeting with me and cancel like that on me! I bet that was his plan all along. Make me feel comfortable and then rip me down." he thought. Arthur started to work himself up and a furious fit but the rest of the thought was interrupted by a familiar yell.

"Hey Matthew! MATTHEW! Have you seem my chainsaw anywhere?" A loud voice from nearby barn started to yell. Arthur didn't even have to see him to know that Alfred was the source of the sounds.

"I'll give that jerk a piece of my mind for standing me up!" Arthur encouraged himself as he started to walk towards the barn. Surprisingly, not even for a spilt second did it occur that scolding a chainsaw welding man would not be in his best interest.

"Matthew! Matthew are you even listening to me? Where is my chainsaw? Matthew! If you don't help me find this chainsaw I wouldn't be able to help you with your little project! Then it would have been a waste of a day off for the both of us." Alfred continued to scream.

"Nevermind! I found it!" Was the last thing he said before a large revving started up and drowned out all other words. The sound of the metal machine stopped Arthur from getting any closer to Alfred. A man who strikingly similar to Alfred came running into the barn and started to talk in a hushed voice. Arthur assumed that no one would be able to understand what he was saying even without the chainsaw in the background

"A-Alfred please put that down! We n-need to make the plans and get the wood before we use any of the equipment." He pleaded and the chainsaw started to die down.

"But it is so much fun to hold a machine like that in your hands!" Alfred as placed the machine back down and started to walk towards Matthew. Or at the very least, Arthur assumed that this must have been him.

"No, don't get sidetracked! You need to keep in mind why are upset at him! You need to remember that he stood you up like that!" Arthur reminded himself in an attempt to keep his blood boiling long enough to yell at Alfred like he had planned. He looked back at the two men who were still arguing.

"I should go back to the diner; I can't stay here and help all day! I promised someone that I would see him today and now he is gonna be intensely pissed off. God, I don't think he will ever forgive me for standing him up like this!" The American whined.

"N-no! You promised you would build a bookshelf with me. Gilbert has been telling me that I need to be more assertive when I really want something. I let you take a rain check on this thing three times already so will you please just help me get it done?" Matthew asked politely. After Alfred agreed half-heartedly, Matthew seemed to notice Arthur out of the corner of his eye.

"Alfred, it would seem you have a guest." He stated and left to go and get some wood for their project. Alfred looked at the Englishman and his whole face started to glow.

"Arthur! What are you doing here? Oh well that doesn't really matter." He smiled as he ran to Arthur.

"What am I doing here? I don't know, didn't we plan to meet today?" He grumbled in an angry manner.

"Oh man. I'm really sorry about that and I know that there isn't much that I can do to fix it but I had to help my brother with something. I tried to get out of it but he pulled me back and I just couldn't say no. I promised I would help him make a bookshelf which I thought would only take about an hour but it looks like it might take all day at the pace we are going at." Alfred said. And just like that *poof* all the anger that Arthur had drifted away. Instead of giving Alfred a piece of his mind he felt a little ashamed at himself for thinking such awful things about Alfred.

"I-it's okay. I forgive you just this once so you don't have to do anythi-"

"Don't say that! I did something wrong and I appreciate that you forgive me but I feel as if I have to do something to right this wrong. Besides, isn't that what heroes do when they make a mistake? They try and go fix it?"

"Well, I guess so but-"

"Then it's settled! The next time you need something I will be right on it. Deal?" He asked, spit on his own hand and reached it forward for a handshake. Arthur looked at the wet hand with disgust.

"Alfred, I know what you are trying to get me to do and I appreciate the offer but I will have to respectful decline. I am not spitting on my hand and shaking it with yours."

"Deal?"

"No, Alfred that is disgustingly unhygienic and frankly it is-"

"Deeeeal?"

"God damn it! Are you even listening to what I am saying? I'm not going to shake your wet and slimy ha-"

"DEEEEAL?"

"FINE!" Arthur yelled back as he spit in his own hand and shook Alfred's. When he let go Alfred had such a large grin on his face that Arthur could feel his own cheeks start to turn red. The American was filled with so much joy; seeing him smile just once could make anyone wish to see it again. In a lame attempt to hide his blush Arthur looked at his watch are tried to focus on something other then Alfred. Something like the time.

"11:00. I still have a few hours." Arthur thought to himself. He looked back up to see that Alfred was staring right back at him and Arthur found himself looking at his watch for a second time for the same reason as before.

"Ha, did you forget the time already? I do that a lot and Gilbert teases me about it. Cause I'll look at my watch, look up, forget the time, and look right back down again. He just seems to find it hilarious so it makes me feel a little better that someone else does that too. He grinned. Arthur had neither the heart nor the balls to tell Alfred why he looked down the second time so he just lied and agreed with him.

"Gilbert?" He asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, you haven't met him yet. He is a pretty cool dude. He's started dating my brother, Matthew, around the same time he got kicked out of his house so now he just lives in the main house with Matthew. You know, he's a bartender at this place down the street." Alfred started but Arthur started to tune him out to think about what he said earlier.

"He is dating his brother huh.. I guess that would mean that they are a gay couple.. That's a little strange. Well, not strange as in a bad way it's just that I've never seen a gay couple before. Alfred seemed to be fairly relaxed about it." He thought. The last line raced through his head a free times as a hopeful smile appeared on his face and his heart started to beat a little faster than normal. But he forced himself to push away and lingering ideas as he tuned back in to what Alfred had to say.

"You haven't really meet Matthew either now did you? I think the two of you would really get along. Just sit here and he will be back in a minute." Alfred said as he pointed to an old chair that stood at the front of a gray fold-up table. The table sat there covered in papers and drawings of different bookshelves.

As if right on cue Matthew stepped back into the barn. He placed the handful of wood that he could carry back on the ground and sat at the table next to the other two men.

Quietly he stated, "P-pardon me, I don't think we have been introduced. My name is Matthew, it is a pleasure to meet you." Arthur could feel it in his bones that he would get along wonderfully with this man.

"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. I am Arthur Kirkland." He smiled back. Matthew's eyes grew wider and looked at the man in front of him with disbelief.

"The Arthur Kirkland? As in t-the author?" He asked excitingly.

"The one and only."

"I-I would have never expected to meet you. I am a big fan of your work. I own a small bookstore just down the street. E-everytime we get a shipment of one of your new books I finish them before we even put them on the shelves!" Matthew squeaked in a hushed voice.

"Wow, I feel honored to know that you enjoy my stories so much. I am so shocked that my work has spread all the way to here! I'm working on a few different stories at the moment but my new publishing company seems to disapprove of everything that I write. But knowing that I have some fans will cheer me on to write something even better than before!" He smiled back at the Canadian. The two of them talked for what seemed like too short for the amount of time that had passed. When Matthew finally looked at the time he was shocked.

"I must apologize but I really need to finish this project. It seems like all the planning is done so I'm gonna go and get Gilbert so we can make my bookcase." Matthew said and ran out of the barn.

Alfred looked at Arthur and smiled. "So? Was I right? Did you two get along great or what!"

"I suppose you were right. Your brother is a real treat to talk to." Arthur laughed back.

"Yeah, he is a wonderful guy. I'm happy that he found someone to look out for him. Ever since Gilbert moved in he has been more cheerful and more noticable. It used to be a huge problem for him but I'm really glad that he has someone." Alfred replied.

For a while neither one of them talked. It was silence. But not an awkward or bad silence; it was a peaceful one. As if the two of them enjoyed each others company to the point where words were not needed to be spoken. Of course, the quiet ended.

"I really am sorry." Alfred grumbled.

"Pardon?"

"I really am sorry. I wish there was someway I could take back that I stood you up today. Have you thought of a way that I can make it up to you?" He explained.

Arthur thought to himself until a brilliant idea popped in mind.

"I've got it! I've got a way that you can "right your wrongs" as you say. But first, I have two questions." Arthur said.

"Well? What are the questions?"

"One, will you be free tomorrow night? Two, how well do you handle your alcohol?"