Meanwhile, Alfred was joking around with everyone as usual, signing playbills and smiling through the layers of paint caked on his face. Francis was also autographing, but it seemed he was writing more down than his name by the expressions on the girl's faces. Alfred slipped away from the crowd long enough to wipe off the ridiculous face paint and return his costume back to the green room to make him look normal again.
When most of the crowd had left, the Frenchman leaned over to Alfred, "Just ask him out already. I can tell you like him."
"Wh-What? Who?" Alfred said, feigning ignorance despite the slight reddening in his face.
Francis sighed tiredly. "Honestly, you are stuttering worse than dear Mathieu, I'm talking about Arthur."
Alfred realized it would be useless trying to play dumb. "I'm not going to."
"Why not?"
"Because he'd just reject me. He already scolds me every chance he gets and he really doesn't need another reason to hate me." Alfred's smile slipped away, replaced with a melancholy look.
"Non, non, mon ami. You see, he's doing that because he cares for you. Really you must be as ignorant as they say if you are so incompetent reading the atmosphere. Why do you think he fixes that ridiculous hat of yours and corrects your makeup?" Francis was in his element here, creating matches among the students of their school.
Alfred was a little shocked. He'd never taken the time to imagine that Arthur could actually...feel the same… "But…if that's not-"
Francis waved a dismissive hand. "Of course that's it. You are being as unreasonable as always. He's on the stage now, just go ahead and tell him!" That said, the Frenchman was shoving him towards the doors, to no effect as Alfred was the quarterback of the football team.
"No. Francis, just no." Alfred's heart felt like someone was squeezing it, making him anxious and afraid. His pulse was racing and his dearest wish was for his face to go back to its regular color rather than its bright red.
"Do it. The worst he can do is say no." Francis prompted.
"He'd avoid me for forever and I…." Alfred wanted to cry. "I can't take that."
"Do it or I will do it for you." Francis's eyes glinted coldly. Honestly, he was getting tired of watching these two dance around each other, and he could tell they both were suffering. Better now than later.
"I….Fine." Alfred made his choice. Looking back, he'd gone through too much. It was better to end it now than suffer through this hell of unrequited love one day longer.
Arthur had finished putting away most of the props, but was now left scanning for stray bits of forest foliage. Ludwig had asked, well, ordered was more like it, for him to take up the task, so the irritated but obedient Brit did so. He was reaching for a purple flower when the doors opened.
A voice with a familiar American accent spoke. "Need some help there, Artie?"
Arthur rolled his eyes. As always, the boy had both the best and the worst timing. "I'm just picking up bits of the forest. Not really much to do-"
"Artie, the hero helps everyone! I'd do good, I promise." Alfred hopped onto the stage and started picking up some green leaves.
Arthur scowled. "First off, you utter berk, it's 'I'd do well', and don't call me Artie!" He picked up a sprig of plastic forget-me-nots, tossing them into a basket he had out. Alfred threw in a couple of dark blue cornflowers, then cocked his head as he recognized the song.
"Oh hey listen, its Mattie's favorite song! Even though he won't admit it." Alfred sang part of the song.
This night is sparkling
Don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck
Blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you~
Alfred practically yodeled the last part, causing Arthur to wince. "Stop that, you wanker. Have I ever told you how much I loathe your singing?" Even though he would never admit it, his friend's singing was actually rather good. He was in the school chorus, after all.
The American flashed a smile. "Not recently."
"Git." Arthur placed a bundle of faux jonquil in the basket, grumbling about how careless the crew was to leave all these flowers around.
Alfred just smiled and tossed in some silk ragweed. "So, Artie…"
"Don't call me that." A fake acacia flower was laid on top of the stack of plastic plants.
"Well," Alfred honestly had no idea how he was going to continue, but he gave it a shot and put his gift of gab to the test, "Francis and Kiku are coming with Mattie and me to that ice cream shop after this. Wanna come?" He found a yellow daffodil blossom and shot it like a basketball into the pile.
"It's nine o'clock Alfred, it better be short. And I've got to finish with these ridiculous bits that everyone left everywhere." He huffed and picked up a fake shred of mallow to put in the basket.
"I'll help." Alfred picked up a white rose, thankful it had no thorns, and was walking over to put it in the basket. A flashback suddenly stuck him as he looked at the flower in his hand. A rather clever plan formed in his head. "Hey, remember when we were learning the flower language in sixth grade?"
Arthur sighed. "You mean when the rest of the class was learning it and you and Francis were talking?" He'd picked up a red rose, left over from the wedding scene.
"Do you remember what this one is?" Alfred held up his flower, wearing a slightly curious expression. "A white rose?"
Arthur glanced over at it and his face flushed lightly as he recognized it. "I-It was eternal love, last time I checked."
"You don't say." Alfred smiled and walked over to the bashful Arthur. If he'd wanted confirmation, that was probably it. Looks like Francis was right. He could do this now. "And what does yours mean?"
Arthur looked down at his own. "Well, all I can say is you must be a bloody idiot if you don't know this one." He stammered, noticing how Alfred was significantly closer to him than before. A corner of his mind wondered where this was going.
"Yeah…" Alfred voice caught a little, making Arthur look up. In response, Alfred promptly grabbed the surprised Brit and pulled him into an embrace. The shorter blond tried to pull away, but his strength was hardly anything compared to Alfred.
Alfred whispered next to his ear. 'You're right. You really have to be an idiot not to know it." Arthur felt his heart skip. He was stunned. What-?
"I-I don't know what's going on…" Arthur started, but he sounded slightly panicked. He himself had a slight suspicion that Francis had played a role in this. Without meaning to, he breathed in Alfred's scent, like chocolate mixed with sunshine. He felt light headed for a second, motionless in the American's arms.
"Arthur, I think you do know what's going on." Alfred released him slightly and their eyes met, sky blue and meadow green. The Brit was shocked; he was sure this was all a dream. There was no way that he could be lucky enough….
"Alfred…" Arthur said quietly, his heart so loud in his ears he was sure it was echoing across the empty auditorium. His fingers gripped the back of Alfred's shirt loosely, rumpling the soft fabric. Alfred ran his hand through Arthur's golden hair, cradling the base of his head in his palm.
"Arthur…..You know, I've had a crush on you since I met you…I just never…" Alfred looked down, blushing furiously, his cheeks hot.
"…I never thought you would either, Alfred." Arthur said, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice as his heart, hiding his face in Alfred's shoulder. The flowers in their hands met, red and white united as their fingers entwined.
"Arthur…" The Brit looked up, his eyes teary, and he was met with a gentle, sweet kiss. Alfred was telling him it wasn't a dream anymore, while confirming the same for himself. It was soft and hesitant, but not unsure. All of Arthur's doubting thoughts flew away as they pushed deeper into a more passionate kiss.
Arthur felt like he was melting inside, just as Alfred's tongue tangled with his in a hot, wet mess. He prayed this wasn't a dream. It seemed that the only thing that existed in the huge, open room was them, a singular point as the music in the background accompanied their thoughts,
This night is sparkling
Don't you let it go,
I'm wonderstruck
Blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you….
They finally broke apart, panting slightly, staring into each other's eyes as cerulean reflected emerald. Arthur felt a hand delicately parting his hair, twisting the golden blond strands. He felt like he was overflowing from joy, on a cloud above whatever cruel reality that had kept him from this.
Alfred grinned mischievously. "Are you going to come with us to get ice cream now?"
Arthur punched him in the shoulder. "Git!"
The American rubbed his aching arm. "So is that a yes in British?"
Arthur wanted to snap back with a quick response, but instead thought for a second. "In this case, it is."
"Sweet!" Alfred jumped down from the stage, landing perfectly and holding out his arms to the head of the props department. "Oh dear princess, leap down!" He said in mock dramatic tones. Arthur just shook his head, wondering when he would start to act his age.
"Ever the hero, aren't you?" After a second of hesitation, the Brit did jump down, landing successfully in Alfred's arms. The actor just smiled knowingly, embracing him.
"Yep. But now I'm your hero."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Alfred, just when I think you couldn't be any bit more melodramatic…"
"First one out of the auditorium gets shotgun seat!" Alfred took off, leaving an enraged Brit behind.
"That's hardly fair, you bloody git!" He tried to catch up to the laughing American ahead of him as the music carried on in the background, echoing the moment they had shared.
This night is flawless
Don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck
Dancing round all alone
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
A/N: That's it :) in case you were wondering, I had them using flower language the whole time they were picking them up.
Jonquil: Unrequited love
Ragweed aka Ambrosia: Love is reciprocated
Acacia: Secret love
Cornflower: A young man in love (I also used it in A June Wedding)
Daffodil: Also unrequited love
Mallow: Consumed by love
White rose: Arthur's right about that one, eternal love
Red rose: True love, of course
A white rose and a red one together: United
I got it from Wikipedia, so I hope they're accurate. Review, especially if you're an expert in flower language and want to point out my mistakes. I might just write a whole fic on flower language, wait and see ;)