Chapter 28
Saturday morning dawned peacefully. Alfred awoke with the world as it should have been every morning—Arthur in a deep, restful sleep in his arms. Alfred tried to memorize the feel of his body, the texture of his hair, the smell of his skin. It had been so long since he'd been allowed to feel Arthur that he'd almost forgotten all the little details.
Alfred got ready for the morning and Tony did, as well. Arthur still slept on, his breathing regular and his sleep seemingly untroubled.
"I'll go get breakfast," Tony offered. Alfred gave Tony a big smile in thanks and then returned to the bed, where he sat and simply ran his fingers through Arthur's hair. At around nine, a knock sounded on the door and it was Lane. She poked her head in nosily and smiled to see Arthur sleeping so soundly.
"Thank goodness for that," she whispered, before easing the door closed again. Alfred got back into bed beside Arthur once more and couldn't resist gently kissing his forehead.
When he pulled back, big, green eyes were considering him a little sleepily.
"Alfred?" Arthur muttered. Alfred was relieved his ex didn't seem to be freaking out, despite their closeness.
"Morning, sleepy head. Feeling any better?" Alfred asked with a bright smile. Arthur sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The room was chilly, and he tugged a blanket up around his shoulders. Alfred couldn't help but laugh.
"What're you laughing at me for?" Arthur pouted.
"I can't help it. You're just so cute in the mornings. Even your bed head is adorable," Alfred teased. He slowly moved his hand forward to tug on a wayward lock of hair that was standing straight up. Arthur grumpily swatted his hand away, but there was no real malice in the action.
The door opened again and Tony returned with a breakfast tray loaded with fruits and things they'd need to make cereal. Reluctantly, Alfred let Arthur go to the bathroom. He was happy, though, when Arthur voluntarily returned to the bed and accepted the offer to eat breakfast with them.
"We should do something fun today," Alfred suggested.
"I'm frightfully behind on my studies. I can't—" Arthur started to protest, but Alfred quieted him with a quick peck on the lips that made Arthur's green eyes widen in surprise.
"Please? Pretty pretty please? With cherries on top? Pretty please with cherries and nuts and whipped cream and, and, and—"
"You're going to make me spill my cereal, you twat!" Arthur complained. Alfred flopped onto the bed in front of Arthur, total puppy face expression on, hands clenched dramatically against his chest.
"Please?" Arthur arched a slender brow and didn't respond, so Alfred poked out the bottom lip and made a sad little whining noise.
"Oh, for goodness sake…fine."
"Yes! Hear that, Tony? We're having a fun day in D.C.!"
"I am not yet convinced spending the day with the limey would be more enjoyable than watching The Empire Strikes Back today."
"We'll go see real spaceships—we'll go to the Smithsonian!" Alfred decided brightly. A small little smile twisted up Arthur's lips.
"I have been meaning to visit. I do love museums," he confessed.
"Yay! I'll text everyone!"
"Alfred, not everyone. Just…close friends, okay?" Arthur asked. Alfred beamed at him.
"This is gonna be the best day ever!"
"Yes, well, I suppose I should go get dressed for it then," Arthur said.
It turned into a pretty big group when Alfred's texting was done, but Arthur didn't mind as much, because Alfred really had kept it to their closer friends. Francis and Matthew, of course, dropped everything to go, and Alex and Michelle wanted to come, too. Kiku and Heracles came, but less to spend the day with friends and more because they were both avid history fans. Feliciano and Alfred both had to visit a museum as part of the requirement for their art class, so Alfred texted him about it. Yao and Ivan decided it was a good opportunity for a family outing and agreed to meet up with them at the museum, and of course, Alfred extended an invitation to Patty and Peter.
"Everyone's coming?" Arthur asked, a little surprised.
"Yeah! They all miss hanging out with you, Artie," Alfred said with a sweet smile. Arthur looked away a little uncomfortably at that, but he wasn't backing out. The three set out and took Alfred's car to the museum. Alfred still hadn't gotten the appropriate permits to drive it, so Arthur drove and Alfred nagged him from the passenger seat. Tony and Flying Mint Bunny rode in the back, and neither Alfred nor Arthur teased Tony for strapping the large plushie into the spare seatbelt.
"We're going to the museum! It's going to be the best day ever! I loooooove going to the museum with Artie and with Tony!" Alfred sang in a ridiculous, childlike fashion. Arthur rolled his eyes, but that little smile was back on his lips.
They all met up at the Air and Space Museum. They made for a fairly large group, and it had been awhile since they'd all hung out together. The group had even gotten bigger, because Feliciano invited Romano, who also took their art class, and he had dragged Antonio along. Gilbert had shown up, too, presumably because Francis and Antonio were present.
Everyone instantly started joking and horsing around, but as Alfred had requested in his text, nobody made a big deal about Arthur coming along. He got quite a few bright smiles, but nobody heckled him or paid him too much attention, which Arthur was extremely grateful for.
Except Peter, but Peter clung to him like Velcro even before the attack.
"Arthur! You came! I didn't really think you were going to come, but Alfred said you were so I came and it's going to be a super fun day!" Peter enthused, racing around him like a kid hyped on sugar.
"He had pancakes for breakfast…lotsa syrup," Patricia informed with a sheepish smile.
"How did we get stuck with all these boys, huh?" Michelle asked, as she came up behind Patricia. The two girls were as different as night and day, but it was obvious Michelle was at least trying to make an effort. Alex walked with her, holding her hand, and smiled at Arthur and Patricia.
"Yay! Raivis is here!" Peter rushed off to greet Raivis, who looked very cute in his little pea coat and matching hat and gloves. Natalia looked annoyed that she'd been brought along, but she held Ivan's hand all the same. Yao pushed Raivis in his big, comfortable looking stroller and Sofia smiled at everything she saw while taking pictures every two minutes.
Arthur was genuinely glad to see Yao, and he left Alfred's side to approach his old friend. Yao put Raivis on the ground to play with Peter, and he beamed at Arthur. Ivan dutifully took over the job of pushing the empty stroller while he talked quietly with Natalia about her school and her friends.
"It's good to see you out and about," Yao said to Arthur.
"It's good to see you, too," Arthur said, almost a little shyly. Yao smiled and casually looped his arm through Arthur's.
"Look. Poor Alfred looks like you've cancelled Christmas by leaving him to come talk to me," Yao said with a teasing grin. Arthur glanced over to see Alfred clearly torn between wanting to follow after him like a lost puppy and wanting to give him some time to talk with Yao.
"This was all his idea. Despite everything, I couldn't say no to him," Arthur said. The two friends smiled in amusement when Gilbert came running by and snatched Alfred's hat. The two chased each other around arguing, of all things, about who was awesome enough to wear the beanie. The rest of the group began to arrive, including Feliciano, Ludwig, Antonio and Romano. Disgruntled parents were already dragging their children far, far away from Romano, who was cursing Antonio out as usual and punching him (rather violently) each time Antonio tried to sidle up to him…which was about every five seconds.
"This is going to be a crazy day, isn't it?" Arthur asked.
"Looks like we've got another girl," Patricia commented as the public bus stopped and Kiku and Heracles, Matthew and Francis, and lastly Elizabeta all joined them. Gilbert stopped his antics with Alfred and uncaringly tossed him his beanie back. With a gallant bow, he made a fool of himself in front of Elizabeta, who blushed but let him kiss the back of her hand anyway.
"Wasn't she with Roderich?" Arthur asked, a little surprised.
"I guess they broke up. I don't follow school gossip much anymore these days," Yao said casually. Alfred happily greeted Matthew and Francis, and had an amusing interaction with Kiku when he tried to go for a fistpump but Kiku confusedly went for a high-five.
Laughing, chattering, and joking, the big group moved en masse towards the entrance to the museums. All the museums were free, which was great, even though most of the teens present had loads of money to spare.
Arthur knew he was disappointing Alfred by not sticking with him, but at the same time, he felt more comfortable with Yao's quiet, steady presence near him. Having had such a good night of sleep helped, but being in such a big, noisy crowd was making him feel anxious. Alfred only made that anxiety worsen, whether he meant to or not.
"Don't force yourself, Arthur. It's perfectly fine to walk with me. Alfred has plenty of friends here to keep him entertained. Besides, I think it's good to let Ivan and Natalia spend some time together. She's been getting in trouble at school."
"Alright," Arthur agreed almost gratefully. For the first half-hour or so, Alfred kept looking at him constantly, but Yao kept their arms linked and continued talking to Arthur in a low, soothing stream of randomness that told everyone else to keep their distance.
Alfred certainly wasn't short of entertainment, though.
"Tony! Check this out! It's the Apollo 11 Command Module!" Alfred gushed.
"I want to get inside," Tony said flatly. Alfred began to look around comically, pretty sure Tony was not allowed to climb into the exhibit.
"Tony, you're gonna set off some sort of alarm!" Thankfully, there wasn't a readily accessible door. The whole thing was encased in some sort of thick, plastic cone. Tony pressed his hands against the plastic and after a few moments, Alfred joined him. They talked about the mechanics that were visible in awed, reverent, space geek voices.
Arthur smiled, and that time, when Alfred sought him out with his eyes to express his pure enthusiasm, Arthur didn't feel anxiety so much as he felt almost overwhelming fondness. He half-smiled and nodded at Alfred's excited gesturing and pointing.
"Arthur, this carried astronauts to the moon for the first time! How cool is that?"
"Yes, Alfred, I see. It's…nice," Arthur said lamely. Truth be told, it just looked like a giant cone of junk metal to him, but Alfred and Tony looked totally enraptured.
Raivis came toddling up to Yao and tugged on his coat.
"Mama, up!"
"You're getting too big for me to carry you around, bao bao."
"Up!" Raivis insisted. With a smile, Arthur let Yao go so he could hoist the toddler up on his hip. Despite his slenderness, Yao was strong. Sofia came over to check on them briefly, but then she fell into talking with Patricia and Peter about the exhibits.
The group largely broke down into couples. Gilbert and Elizabeta quickly separated from the group to do their own thing, and while Matthew and Francis stayed near Alfred and Arthur, it was obvious Matthew wasn't too eager to get lumped into a group with Michelle and Alex. This seemed to bother Alex, who occasionally tried to get Matthew's attention, but Matthew went rather shy on him and didn't seem to be inclined to talk to anyone other than Alfred and Francis.
Feliciano was too excited to wait, and dragged Romano off towards the art museum, telling Alfred as they passed that they'd take good notes for him and meet up later to do their project. Of course, Ludwig and Antonio followed after them, trying to make rather awkward small talk with each other. After the big group had broken up, or at least, some of the more energetic ones had dispersed, Arthur's anxiety eased somewhat.
Kiku and Heracles approached him, just as calm and comforting in their presence as Yao was.
"Arthur-kun, I wanted to apologize. I have heard the shirts upset you. That was never my intention. I won't wear mine anymore," Kiku said in heavily accented English. Arthur sighed in discomfort, but he knew such conversations were inevitable. This was exactly why he'd avoided socializing any since returning to school.
"It's fine, Kiku. I understand they're for a good cause."
"You know, if it's not okay with you, you can say as much," Yao advised. Kiku looked at him with big, imploring eyes.
"I…well…they just make me a little uncomfortable, that's all," Arthur said. Kiku nodded earnestly.
"I won't wear it anymore then. I'm glad you're spending time outside of school again, Arthur-kun. Have a good date with Alfred-kun," Kiku said sweetly. Arthur blushed, his eyes finding Alfred again, who was figuring out IMAX times at the nearby theater and debating scheduling with Matthew, who held a museum map.
"This isn't a date," he said, but Kiku and Heracles had already drifted off to examine an exhibit meant for children on the mechanics of flight nearby. Peter energetically captured Kiku's attention and dragged him off to explain the exhibit, much to the amusement of Heracles, who thought just about everything Kiku did or said was adorable.
Arthur stuck beside Yao until Alfred finally worked up the nerve to interrupt them.
"They have really cool space flight simulators. Will you go on one with me?" Alfred asked. He looked so completely hopeful and sweetly sincere that Arthur couldn't refuse him.
"Alright…but just once," Arthur said.
"Great!" Alfred grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the short line, much to Yao's secret amusement. Arthur pulled his hand free with a blush and stuffed them into his coat pockets. Alfred pretended not to notice and chattered happily about how he'd decided that he wanted to be a pilot. Arthur might have been more supportive except he'd heard the same story over and over again. After they saw a particularly good movie together, Alfred wanted to be a director. When he spotted a huge, catchy billboard, Alfred wanted to model. When they'd been immersed in their combat game, Alfred wanted to be a software designer. His aspirations changed on a daily basis, it seemed.
"Right. I'll stay on the ground, thanks. Especially if you're in the cockpit," Arthur replied.
"I could make a joke about being in your cockpit right now…but I won't. I'm too mature for that."
Arthur snorted in amusement, and Alfred beamed in pride that he'd made Arthur laugh. It was their turn. Arthur eyed the machine a little warily, but he trailed in after Alfred and jammed himself into the seat next to Alfred's. Their thighs pressed against each other and Arthur could feel Alfred's muscular side against his own. He had the odd sensation of wanting to be both closer and further apart at the same time.
The ride began and Arthur didn't enjoy it at all, though Alfred had the time of his life. By the time it was over, Arthur felt sick to his stomach and his head hurt. Alfred's loud whooping for joy and excited chatter didn't help matters.
"Why don't you ride again with Tony? Arthur and I are going to sit down at the food center and give Raivis his snack," Yao said. Arthur gave him a grateful look and when they reached the table, he put his head down on his arms.
"Alright?" Yao asked.
"Give me a minute," Arthur replied rather pathetically. Yao frowned. He'd hoped Arthur's first day out of school would be more enjoyable. Arthur, however, didn't seem to be having a very good time.
It was just as Yao was thinking this that he heard the whispering break out.
"I think that's him! It is him! Hold my stuff—I'm going to get his autograph!" a random girl said. Then there were more. In a flash, their table was being surrounded and people were shoving napkins and pens at Arthur, and snapping pictures on their phone. Yao couldn't see Raivis and he panicked, because Sofia was off with Patricia and Ivan was off with Natalia, and he'd been the one monitoring Raivis as he played with some little toys nearby.
"Raivis!" Yao called out, trying to push past the growing crowd. He managed to get out of the throng of people and scoop Raivis up into his arms, but when he turned back around, the crowd had almost consumed Arthur.
He caught a glimpse of Alfred realizing what was happening and fighting his way through the sudden mob. The last thing he saw was Alfred all but lifting Arthur out of his chair and muscling him through the throng of eager people.
"Come on, run!" Alfred shouted, and Arthur followed him, their hands tightly linked.
Yao let out a sigh, and Matthew and Francis joined him.
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing…" Matthew trailed off unsurely.
"Well, at least Arthur can't cling to you anymore," Francis said, directing the comment at Yao.
Alfred had run with Arthur into the IMAX theater, smacking down two tickets carelessly at the booth and then all but dragging him off into the darkness of a random theater.
"Wait! Stop!" Arthur huffed. He anxiously pulled his wrist from Alfred's grip and backed up against a shadowy wall. Beyond the small entry way, the booming sounds of an IMAX could be heard.
"I'm sorry," Alfred said, panting for breath. "I didn't really think this through."
"It's not your fault. They just surprised me, and…and…" Arthur was gently massaging his own wrist and Alfred was horrified to see tears springing up in his eyes. He didn't know if it was the right move or the wrong one, but he stepped forward and wrapped Arthur up in his arms.
"I'm sorry. It's okay now," he soothed, petting Arthur's back and tangling his hand through Arthur's choppy blond locks. He pressed a rough kiss against Arthur's forehead, and pulled back a little to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Hey, hey, everything's okay now. It's okay."
Arthur shuddered against him but accepted Alfred's embrace. He tucked his head under Alfred's chin like he'd done countless times before and simply let Alfred hold him. After they'd stood like that for quite a long time, Alfred eased back to see if Arthur was okay. The shorter blond was still sniffling a bit, but he seemed calmer.
"Let's get seats, okay?" Arthur nodded and didn't protest when Alfred laced their hands together.
They sat in the mostly empty theater watching serene images of the coral reefs flash by on the screen, and Arthur relaxed heavily into Alfred's side. His confidence growing, Alfred looped his arm around Arthur's shoulders and kissed his messy hair lovingly. It was Arthur who slipped his hand past the armrest and onto Alfred's lap. He kept it there, just lightly clinging to Alfred's thigh through his soft jeans.
When the IMAX ended, Alfred reluctantly stood. His hand stayed linked with Arthur's.
"There's an exit over there that goes outside. I'll text Ivan and ask him to get Tony back to the dorms. We can go early, if you want. We could go to the White House for lunch."
Alfred suggested this because he knew as well as Arthur that the White House was probably the most secure building in all of D.C.
"That sounds good," Arthur agreed.
Luckily, they made their way to the car without further mobbing, and pulled up into the White House drive safe and sound around eleven. Alfred's parents weren't actually home, but the kitchen staff was quick to whip up the boys some lunch and bring it to them in the library. Alfred lit the fireplace and warmed up the room so that their coats weren't necessary anymore. Down to just his jeans, socks and t-shirt, Alfred stretched out by the fire after eating his fill. Arthur eventually slipped out of his coat as well, and then proceeded to investigate the contents of the library. He found a book that interested him, and joined Alfred near the fire. He didn't sit right by him, but he sat closer than he would have just a few weeks before.
"Find something good?" Alfred asked. Arthur nodded quietly, and placed the book down on his lap. Biting his lip, Alfred rolled over so he was closer. He idly traced little designs with his fingertip on Arthur's thigh. Arthur tensed up for a moment, but then seemed to make a conscience decision to relax and allow it.
"Read out loud to me?" Alfred asked. Arthur had read to him lots, back in their first year, when Arthur thought if he didn't read the textbook to Alfred, Alfred wouldn't get the information any other way.
Arthur really didn't feel like talking, but just like he tolerated the feather-light touches against his leg, he tolerated Alfred's request to hear his voice. He began to read—it was a book about George Washington—and though it was interesting to Arthur, Alfred was dozing within minutes. His hand fell still against Arthur's thigh, and his blue eyes fluttered shut.
Arthur stopped reading, and took a moment just to stare at him. Alfred had gone through so much for him. They'd fought so hard to be together, broken apart, survived every test and trial that had been thrown at them…and yet, now it almost felt like they were strangers.
Or maybe, Arthur felt like the person he'd become was a stranger. Always so sure of himself before—the certainty to Alfred's confusion—now it was he who felt lost…and very, very alone. He hesitated just a moment before carding his fingers through Alfred's soft, thick hair. Alfred rolled a bit, flipping onto his back, his arm opening invitingly. Practically shaking, Arthur eased himself onto the thick, soft rug and curled up against Alfred's side. Alfred shifted again, half-awake, half-napping, until Arthur was comfortingly cocooned in Alfred's arms.
Arthur didn't feel like smiling, and he didn't particularly feel happy, but he was glad that he'd spent the day with Alfred.
Alfred's mom and dad were the first to open their wallets and donate on the first Monday of week six. They pledged to donate half a million dollars to a local non-profit counseling center that aided rape victims if Alfred made it the full three hours. When the donation aspect started, the Hallway Project seemed to explode in the media overnight. Prior to that, it had been noted and briefly televised, but now it was huge.
Apparently, schools all over the nation were taking the idea and running with it. They were marking up their hallways and covering the walls with posters to raise awareness. Francis and Michelle found a manufacturer willing to make the shirts for next to nothing, and they began selling them on a website that Kiku made for the club to raise even more money.
Alfred accepted the shirt Francis tossed at him in the hallway a little warily, but he didn't put it on.
"Sorry Francis. Maybe it's because you made it, but Arthur doesn't really like these shirts," Alfred said. Francis rolled his eyes and stalked off down the hallway, speaking to important people that had shown up to see the project for themselves.
Arthur returned from dinner, again with two trays instead of one. He wanted to tell everyone to clear out of the hallway. He wanted to pull Alfred into his room and eat with him there, just the two of them, where they could pretend the rest of the world didn't exist.
But Arthur understood duty just as well as Alfred did. So he passed Alfred his dinner tray and then went to his room alone. A few minutes later, he emerged with his homework and spread it out around his door. He had no desire to mingle with the large crowd at the end of the hallway, but he wanted Alfred to know that he wasn't mad at him. They exchanged fleeting glances that the cameras loved, and Arthur did feel a little better about things when the three hours were over.
It was a nice gesture on the part of Alfred's parents. Even if it all was just politics, Arthur got the feeling that at least a small part of it was genuine concern…at least, on Helen's part, anyway. Then again, Arthur reasoned, Helen was very good at seeming sincere on television. It was part of why she was such a successful First Lady.
She'd been very kind to him, though, when she'd found them napping rather innocently in her library over the weekend. She'd baked them cookies (Alfred had begged for this, because he assured both her and Arthur they were the absolute best cookies in the world) and the three of them had spent an hour or two just talking normally—not fighting, not acting for the cameras—just two teen boys happy to have found a mother figure willing to cook for their bottomless stomachs for awhile. Helen had seemed pleasantly surprised by their visit, and cleared her afternoon schedule just to spend time with them in the kitchen. Arthur fondly remembered a snippet of their conversation from that afternoon.
"How did you get so good at baking, mom? It doesn't really seem like it would be your thing," Alfred had commented. Helen glanced around the kitchen to make sure none of the staff were eavesdropping.
"I was sort of a late blooming hippy. I made a lot of pot brownies when I was starting out as a model back in the eighties."
Alfred looked so wide-eyed and horrified that Arthur couldn't help but laugh at him.
"All the same, your baking is quite good, Mrs. Jones," Arthur said.
"You can call me Helen, Arthur. Next time you come, I'll make brownies."
"Moooommmm!" Alfred had protested in embarrassment.
So even if their generous donation to Michelle and Francis's campaign was just to make themselves look good, Arthur liked to think a small part of it was Helen Jones warming up to him.
"Well, hey, at least some good is coming out of my crowded hallways now, hmm?" Mike commented absently. Arthur glanced towards him and nodded.
"Yes. I don't like thinking about it, but knowing others will be helped…it does feel good."
As the hallway cleared, Alfred stood up and packed his school things away. He chatted with people about the project, and smoothly deflected questions about the status of he and Arthur's relationship.
When everyone had cleared out, he walked the length of the hallway and offered him a smile that was almost shy.
"Hey," he said.
"Hullo," Arthur replied.
"So…the donations are pretty cool, right? Francis already has sponsors lined up for the rest of the week. I think you'll really like Friday's donor."
"Oh?" Arthur asked. But Alfred just grinned his 'I-have-a-secret-and-I-won't-tell' grin and then quickly, almost missing his mark, Alfred leaned forward and pecked Arthur's cheek. It made Arthur's face flush heatedly.
"Goodnight, Artie," Alfred said. His smile was achingly beautiful. His blue eyes made Arthur think of wide open skies, and crystal blue waters, and the pale shells of robin eggs, all swirled together in a kaleidoscope of blues.
"W-wait!"
"Yeah?" Alfred asked, his head tilting curiously to the side.
"If…if you're going to kiss me goodnight, at least make it a proper one," Arthur said in a rush. Alfred's grin widened slowly, and then he was leaning forwards. Arthur found himself holding his breath, his eyes gently fluttering shut—
"PDA, guys. Move it along, kid," Mike interrupted blandly.
When Arthur opened his eyes, confused at why he was not kissing that beautiful smile, it was to see Alfred grinning at him a little sheepishly.
"Yeah, guess Mike doesn't want to see us suck face in the hallway. Sleep tight, alright? Love ya," Alfred said. It was casual, and perfectly natural the way he said it. Arthur felt his throat close up and his words fail him. He wanted to say it, he truly did, but the words simply wouldn't come. He saw Alfred's expression fall a bit before he made the obvious attempt to cheer himself up and pretend nothing had happened.
"Goodnight," Arthur said softly. It was all he could manage, and it sounded pathetic compared to Alfred's easy declaration of his feelings. But Alfred half-turned, and blew him a kiss, and then tripped over his shoe lace and made Arthur snort in amusement.
Once he was out of earshot, Arthur turned to Mike a bit peevishly.
"You couldn't have made an exception, just that one time?"
Mike just grinned and continued his game of Minesweeper.
A/N: There's hope for Arthur yet! Of course, he has no clue how narrowly he came to a run-in with the stalker just last chapter, and Alfred has no idea that the stalker's rage has shifted towards him. But good times in this chapter, because we needed some of those. Everyone who reviews gets a pot brownie from Helen. Oh, that whacky Helen.
As far as updating goes, it has been a little crazy this weekend, hasn't it? I do this sometimes. I get to a good part and I'm just in the zone. My weekend has totally vanished, and this will likely be the last update for today. I've got to actually spend some time with my family and cleaning my house and lesson planning, lol. But I hope you all enjoyed!