Author's Note: I'm back! Had an awesome time riding horses and pretending I was exploring Wall Maria, but damn, did I miss writing for this story. This chapter is mostly dialogue and silent contemplation on Alfred's part.
Aaand I'm finally certain of how I want this story to end. Based on your reviews and outstanding intellects, I'm assuming most if not all of you will be pleased with it. I'm so flippin' excited!
Grounded or not, nothing was going to keep Alfred from waiting in his driveway when Kiku pulled up in his car with Elizabeta in tow.
Matt and their parents had decided ice cream was a good idea and had left nearly fifteen minutes previously, though Alfred doubted he would have listened even if his parents were there to scream at him to come back inside.
Alfred was barely keeping it together, crouched there on the curb in front of his mailbox, staring off into nothing when the familiar black Prius slowed to a stop in front of him. He stood quickly, heading immediately for the back seat. It was an unspoken agreement between the three of them that Alfred took shotgun when Kiku was driving and Elizabeta sat in the back, but right now, he was in desperate need of the physical contact Elizabeta was sure to provide.
Her jade eyes were alive with worry as he clambered into the car and shut the door. "Are you okay?" She demanded. They hadn't seen or spoken to one another since Alfred disappeared with Christian.
"Fine." Alfred said curtly, staring hard at the back of Kiku's head. "What's with this Japan business?"
"Well, hello to you, too." Kiku sighed as he pulled away from Alfred's house. They would probably just drive aimlessly until an agreement was reached; or acceptance. There was little the three of them could do if Kiku's parents were set on moving back to Japan. "Sounds like you're in a good mood."
"Dude, please." Alfred groaned, just barely noticing the arm Elizabeta wound around his shoulders. "I'm in no emotional state to deal with your shit. I fucked Christian Harris, for God's sake."
"Wait, whoa." Elizabeta cut in hurriedly. "You fucked him? Or he fucked you?"
"Does it matter?"
"Kinda! Did you use a condom? Did he? I swear to God, if he gave you something, I'll bash his fucking face in."
"What good would that do if I already got something from him? Which I didn't." No good would come from mentioning that Alfred was slightly concerned about that himself. He currently had bigger fish to fry. "Kiku, get with the explaining."
"Apparently my grandfather has gotten really sick in the last few months." Kiku started with no more prompting. He could probably hear how close Alfred was to reaching the end of his rope. It wouldn't take much to set him off at this point. "My grandmother can't take care of him on her own, and there's no one else to help her."
Elizabeta was huddled close to Alfred's side while they listened, relatively silent after her inquiries about his night with Christian. It was a wonder she wasn't straight up bawling. After watching so many men come and go from her life, she'd developed somewhat of a trust issue, if not a problem with being abandoned. She'd never said as much outright, but her mom had warned them early on in their friendship about what they were getting into.
Kiku and Alfred were supposed to be the consistent ones. They were supposed to stay; and Alfred was just as worried for Elizabeta as he was for himself, didn't know how either of them would be in the aftermath if they really did have to leave Kiku at the airport.
"My grandparents weren't happy when Mom and Dad moved here when Mom was pregnant with me." Kiku went on to say, pulling over to the side of the road as a police car went roaring by. Alfred watched it go, and even though he knew his dad was off duty, he still felt an uncomfortable pinch of worry in his stomach. "I think now that Grandfather's sick, my mother feels guiltier than ever. So, after dinner they told me to… acclimate myself to the idea of moving to Japan with them."
Alfred shared a frustrated glance with Elizabeta. "So, when are you leaving?" Elizabeta asked. "How long will you be gone?"
"They still have to finalize a few things, so we have until the end of the month, at least." Kiku said, and Alfred closed his eyes, tried to keep his breathing normal. Matt would be leaving at the end of the month. So, that would be his brother and best friend, both gone from Alfred's life when everything was fucking crazy. "As to how long we'll be gone, I don't know."
"But… this is our senior year!" Elizabeta exclaimed. "We were finally going to be top dogs. And no one wants me or Al to fuck them up, so nobody would've messed with us. Ugh, everything was perfect!"
"Don't you think I understand what I'd be leaving behind?" Kiku demanded, gesturing aimlessly with his right hand while his left clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel. Normally he was a careful and precise driver, but they were all on edge today. "You know I don't like having to ask my parents for anything, and I can't very well complain when we're going to help take care of a sick relative. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here!"
Alfred didn't have to see Kiku's face to know that his friend was deeply upset by everything that had been happening. It was like Elizabeta said at the ice cream shop. The three of them dealt with one another's problems on top of their own, and Alfred's drama had taken a large presence in their lives as of late.
Kiku wasn't fond of foreign situations, but he hardly ever complained and just went with the flow most of the time. Even if both of his parents were Japanese, he'd been born and raised in the United States. Starting a whole new life in a different country was going to be stressful for Kiku, but if anything was bothering him right then, at that specific moment, it was the prospect of leaving Alfred and Elizabeta.
Kiku had mentioned that his parents kept asking about Alfred's well being. They'd probably known the separation would be tough on them. They – as well as Alfred's parents and Elizabeta's mom – knew better than to come between the three of them unless it was absolutely necessary.
The blue-eyed teenager had never entertained the idea of being apart from Kiku and Elizabeta after that first day of high school. Their freshman class had been small. Orientation Day rolled around and Alfred found himself sitting on Kiku's right side, no "I's" separating them in the alphabetized lineup. On Kiku's left had been Elizabeta Héderváry, a loudmouth of a brunette who Alfred couldn't have ignored even if he'd wanted to.
Honestly, he hadn't given her a second thought until he realized Kiku was speaking, but not to him. That caught Alfred's attention more than anything. Still newly bitter about his life, Alfred had felt possessive and pissed off, but Elizabeta hadn't been fazed by his cold demeanor. They'd stuck together throughout the day, and it became apparent to Alfred that the girl who'd attached herself to them was most likely scared.
High school was new and weird. Walking into it alone would've sucked, and whatever feelings of sympathy Alfred was capable of having at that time, he felt for Elizabeta. So, they'd agreed to meet up in the foyer on the first day of school. Alfred and Kiku arrived together, and Elizabeta had been waiting for them, nervously biting her nails as her green eyes kept straying toward the door, hair falling in a frizzy mass around her shoulders.
The relieved smile that lit up her face when she saw them walking toward her that morning stuck with Alfred, and they'd been inseparable ever since. The notion that things wouldn't always be about the three of them had been unfathomable, and now that they were faced with it, they weren't sure what to do.
"Alfred?" Elizabeta was calling to him, the hand that wasn't gripping his wounded shoulder moving to rest on his knee, shaking it gently. "You haven't said anything in a while. Are you okay?"
"Don't ask me that." Alfred replied tonelessly. It was becoming a common question. "You know I'm not."
"Well, say something." Kiku said, exasperated for whatever reason. "You're making me nervous."
"What do you want me to say?" Alfred demanded, voice cracking almost embarrassingly. Elizabeta's hold on him tightened as his throat did, and Alfred didn't even bother trying to keep from crying. "I can't tell you not to go even though I want to. Your grandpa is sick, for fuck's sake. Go to Japan. Have fun. Send a postcard or two."
Kiku's shoulders rose and fell in a silent sigh. They were at a red light, and Alfred debated getting out of the car and walking back home. He didn't want to deal with his; but he doubted he'd be able to escape Elizabeta's mother hen instincts that were currently keeping him somewhat grounded. "Don't be like that, Al."
"Everything's fucked!" Alfred shouted, his tears damn near scalding as they slid down his face. "I mean, I know I'm the universe's go-to guy when it comes to fucking someone over, but this is ridiculous. Everything's happening all at once."
"Everything isn't always about you, Alfred." Kiku snapped. How long had he been sitting on that one? "I mean, Jesus, how many pity parties can you throw in one week?"
"I'll have as many as I want, you fucking asshole!"
"Guys, stop." Elizabeta said, her voice quiet but firm. "I know everything is weird right now, but don't take it out on each other."
Alfred didn't say anything, silently fuming as he wiped away his tears. He and Kiku didn't fight often, and while whatever had just happened could hardly be considered a fight, it didn't sit well with him.
"I'm sorry." Alfred huffed, ashamed for not thinking about Kiku a little more. He was probably terrified of leaving, and all Alfred could think about was how he could live his life without Kiku. At least Alfred would have Elizabeta. Kiku was going it alone with his parents. "You're not an asshole. You know I love you."
"I know. And I'm sorry, too. You care too much about other people and that's why you're so bitchy all the time." Kiku said in reply, though he went on before Alfred had a chance to respond, let alone comprehend what he'd just said. "Guys, what do I do? I'd rather sit through AP U.S. History again than move."
"We'll smuggle you down into my basement." Alfred said. "No one goes down there. I'll bring you table scraps."
"Top notch planning there, guys." Elizabeta sighed, shaking her head. "God, why am friends with you? So much drama."
"We make your life a nonstop party, obviously."
"Whose house are we sleeping at tonight?" Kiku asked. He sounded tired, resigned, everything Alfred had been since freshman year. "I told my parents I had to sort things out for myself, and they let me leave. I don't think they expect me to be back until at least tomorrow."
"My bed is bigger, plus I have the PS4 and extra controllers." Alfred said. "I don't think my parents and Matt are home by now. If we head back and beat them there, they won't make you leave. That wouldn't be good hospitality."
Kiku didn't say anything, but he switched lanes haphazardly without even using his turn signal, preparing to turn around and head back to Alfred's house. Alfred didn't doubt that the three of them would be up until the morning hours playing video games and just talking to each other, telling stupid jokes, reminiscing about times past, and probably questioning the American government once they were tired enough.
They would ignore Kiku's impending departure for as long as they were able. It would be easier. None of them were capable of saying goodbye.