A Romantic Comedy

"Do you ever think we're all in some romantic comedy?" Alfred asked Ivan.

"Vhat?" Ivan asked, incredulous.

Alfred did not stick around to reply though, even though he was starting to think what he said was true. He was looking for Kiku now and not finding them. He had steeled himself for the confrontation and now he could not find Kiku. How did this happen in real life? Still, if this was a romantic comedy, then things would turn out all right.

He could wish for that! Right?

"Hey Mom, have you seen Kiku?" Alfred asked Arthur. Arthur seemed about to say something, sighed, and shook his head.

"Haven't seen him."

"C-can you help me look?" Alfred bit the inside of his cheek, hoping for little retribution from the other. Arthur stared at him. Apparently it was too much to hope for.

"You've been avoiding him for days and now you want to see him?" Arthur asked, quizzically.

"And you shouldn't be drinking too much," Alfred responded irritably. Arthur scowled.

"This is my only glass!"

And how many times have you filled up that only glass? Alfred shot back in his head, but thankfully kept that to himself. "Can you just help me find him. Please?"

Arthur seemed to melt into a pile of submissiveness when he said please. "Very well, I'll help you look."

"Thanks."

Taking him by the arm, Arthur pulled him to the wall of the room to apparently start on that end. "Have you been looking for him in this room?"

"Yeah," Alfred responded, looking back within. It had to be the first time he was unhappy with there being so many people in one place. Let alone Kiku was small. Erm, short. Shorter than he was and shorter than other people in here. He was also taller than some people in here, it came with the territory of having a height. Still...

"Have you seen Kiku, Tino?" Arthur asked the Finnish man. Tino looked thoughtful.

"I think I saw him go that way with Heracles and Elizaveta," he mentioned, waving down toward the other end of the room. Arthur thanked him and continued to pull Alfred along. One of the doors to the hallway was open and Alfred felt slightly worried. Had Kiku already left? Had Kiku been looking for him and they had just missed each other so Kiku decided he was still avoiding him?

Alfred did not like this feeling.

He heard laughter down the hall. Almost immediately, Arthur let go of his hand and rushed down that way. "Have you seen– oh. Hello, Francis."

Francis?

Francis coughed. "Arthur." Alfred did not move to the door as he had first planned on doing. He stood there beside it, not looking in but simply listening.

"You don't appear to be hiccuping anymore."

"I have Maddox to thank for that."

"Oh?"

Alfred's mind worked fast. He reached for the door and took the key, which as for all rooms was attached to a string and hung on the door knob to the inside of the room. Then he locked the door.

"Did you need something?"

"I... have you seen Kiku lately?"

"Not that I recall, not since the ceremony."

"Ah." Arthur leaned back, accidentally snapping the door behind him. Alfred placed the key around the doorknob again. Sorry mom, but if you both run away from talking this out... well... Alfred could at least be assuaged by the fact he and Kiku were no where near as bad as Arthur and Francis. Then again, a completely different situation which he knew nothing of except what he had gotten out of Gilbert, Antonio, and Feliciano. He (and Matty!) was really clueless about the entire thing.

He would have to come back soon and let them out, but until then... Arthur and Francis would get tired of each other, insult each other, get tired of that, and hopefully come to some common ground. Alfred could hope. Either way, he would have to come back soon.

But first things first – Kiku.

Five minutes later he found Kiku. Kiku was with Matthew, who looked both concerned and annoyed at the same time, which was rather impressive. Still, Alfred could tell immediately what the problem was, which gave him the exact same feelings of concern and annoyance.

"Look, I'm not trying to get out of talking to you, because I'm not Alfred!"

"I'll take it from here," Alfred announced, turning Kiku around by the shoulders to face him. Kiku stared at him, then at Matthew behind him.

"二人?" Kiku said absently, before focusing in on Alfred. Alfred frowned, then noted Kiku's appearance.

"Are you sure you want to–"

"We're fine, Matthew!" Alfred smiled at him, moving Kiku to the edge of the room as Kiku seemed to be formulating what to say. He let go of him, Kiku tilted slightly, and as Alfred unconsciously steadied him, he realized what was going on.

"Alfred, I just–"

"Wait wait wait wait," Alfred shook his head, the actuality of it trying to cram its way into his brain. "I finally look for you and you're... drunk? I finally get over myself to talk to you and you're drunk?"

Alfred was pretty certain his brain had stopped working at this point. Which would be another thing to file away and send out as something med school did not teach him was possible. Alfred had learned a lot of things while working here that was not taught in University.

"What on earth is wrong with us, Kiku?" he asked, hugging him.

"I not drunk!" Kiku protested, pulling out of his grip! "We can talk! I love you! There! I said it!"

If this was payback for what he had been doing earlier, Alfred wanted to get some morphine or something to cover up the feeling. He stood there, staring at his best friend, trying to judge how drunk he was, and wondering whether or not it was true.

He loves me?

...but if Kiku was just drunk and this was just him trying to say that he knew Alfred's feelings and not that he actually reciprocated them...

Alfred knew there had been a reason he went into physical medicine and not mental. With a sigh, he picked Kiku up off the ground. "I think it's time you went home."

"Uwah?"

I'm not getting my hopes up.

"A-Alfred... no! I do... much. Very much. I... I am just nervous, it's not... not... Alfred! Put me down!"

"You're going home dude and I'll take you there."

"Alfred!"

He made his way to the entrance and into the main hall. He noted Yao leaning against the doorframe and gave him a nod. "Hey."

"I would listen to him if I were you, aru."

Alfred stopped, staring at him. Yao turned and left. Kiku beat his hands on Alfred's back.

"Put me down right now! Even if I was drunk before, I am certainly not now! And I might love you, but it does not stop me from being angry with you either! Alfred!"

As Alfred was still confused, he figured he would still just take Kiku home. To... what?

He still was not sold on this sober bit, nor that Kiku knew quite what he was talking about. But they were going to talk about it. And if this was sobering the other up, Alfred supposed he could keep it up.


Notes:

The town hall is like the town. Halls and rooms wherever I want them to be, with locks when I want them to have locks. Great, is it not?

Alfred and iMarcus have the same sort of ideas when it come to putting two people together. Though it is together for different reasons and in a way where Alfred is not likely to be blamed for it. But there you go. Let alone... who is going to let Francis and Arthur out now?