Lately, Matthew had been stressed by a number of things (passive-aggressive neighbor, overprotective brother, professors who asked for too much, part-time soul-killing job, possible crushing poverty). But Feliks's visit the other day had eased the growing tension on a couple of those issues, and even if the sometimes crossdressing blond could be a handful, he had good intentions. He loved to pry for information and gossip, but he also had some good advice.

"I think your neighbor likes you. You should totally go all alpha on him. Be his daddy dom. Put him in his place."

Well, occasionally he had good advice.

"I don't think Matthew is that assertive," Toris disputed without outright rejecting Feliks's idea. As usual, Feliks couldn't be reasoned with.

"It's always the quiet ones, Tory," Feliks warned and took a vicious bite of yogurt.

The three of them were eating lunch together on campus. They sat outside at one of the picnic-style tables underneath the shade of a tree. Around them other students ate or chatted with each other at their own tables. Lots of other students walked through the area to get to their next class or wherever, many of them with that glazed look in their eye, the kind that said, "I'm dead inside but I've already put three years of my life into this degree. I can't quit now." Those people contrasted nicely with the others who looked like they were thinking, "If I throw myself into oncoming traffic, maybe my professor will give me an extension on the paper."

It was sad how Matthew was not a stranger to either of those sentiments. Even sadder to think that all of this effort and student debt would be wasted on a degree that he probably wouldn't even use.

"Mattie? Mattie, Matthew, honey bun, are you listening? Oh my god, Tory, I think he's like drowning in crippling self-doubt."

"Isn't that normal for college students?"

"Yeah, but like, most people have the decency to do it behind closed doors. Not when you're hanging out with your friends. It's such a downer."

"I think Matthew's just been a little stressed lately. We should be there for him."

"Shit fam, you're right. Here, Mattie, open your mouth."

Matthew was startled from his depressing thoughts when a hand gripped his chin and yanked him around and away from gawking at the passersby. He opened his mouth to protest but sputtered at the spoon that shoved past his lips. The cool taste of strawberry assaulted his tongue.

"Praise Jesus and Buddha or whatever, he's alive," Feliks announced over Matthew's coughing. "I should like, totally be a doctor or something. I'm a fucking miracle worker."

"Why are you choking me with yogurt?" Matthew asked. He thumped at his chest to overcome the coughing fit.

"You were unresponsive," Toris said, soft green eyes watching him with concern. "Are you feeling alright? Need us to take you home?"

"Oh, oh no, that's okay," Matthew rushed to assure him. If Matthew was prone to miserable bouts now and then, Toris could take it to another level. He was the kind who worried himself sick over others, which made his friendship with Feliks sort of masochistic when you think about it . . .

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Maybe just a little tired."

Feliks pointed at him sternly. "That's what I'm telling you. You need a break or something. You're going to get wrinkles if you keep stressing about stuff."

Matthew smiled wryly. "Don't we all need a break."

"Yes, that's why you're taking one. Like today."

"Thanks Feliks, but I do still have stuff to do." Matthew stared down at the sandwich he had been eating. He went to pick it up, but Feliks snatched it up and held it hostage.

"Don't give me that," Feliks said, zeroing his green eyes at him, green eyes that were far more obtrusive than Toris's. "I know you keep ahead with your work, so you for sure can afford one afternoon off. Just chill out and go hang out with your brother or something. Like seriously, when's the last time you relaxed?"

"When you came over and we watched Legally Blonde," Matthew gladly pointed out. See? He wasn't a workaholic. He could relax.

Feliks rolled his eyes and looked at Toris. "Can you believe this guy?"

Toris didn't catch on. "What do you mean?"

Feliks seemed done with both of them. "I mean that you only did that because I like forced you to. Name the last time you took a break yourself?"

Matthew thought about mentioning when he went out to eat with Ivan, or the last time he played video games with Alfred, but he slowly started realizing that there was a pattern. In all of the scenarios he could think of, it was always someone else who convinced him to do something besides work. Even the times Matthew would catch up on his favorite shows; he only watched TV while he was eating and then it was right back to the books.

When was the last time he had an honest to God day off?

Despite himself, Matthew ended up agreeing with Feliks. He let them take him home rather than catch a bus. They didn't stick around, having plans themselves, but Feliks left him with a firm warning to relax or else he would ground him.

Matthew stood in the living room looking around, feeling lost in his own apartment. His first instinct was to go to his bedroom and check his email or assignment schedule, maybe study his notes from his morning lecture. Somehow, he felt like Feliks would find out if he did.

Alfred's bedroom door was closed, a sure sign that he was in there. In his own way, his brother was just as much a workaholic. Their parents had worried in the beginning about him dropping out of college to play video games, but it's not like Alfred didn't put a lot of time and effort into creating content for people to enjoy. He just happened to have fun while doing it.

Matthew glanced into the kitchen and found a pile of empty plastic bags on the table, meaning that Alfred had went grocery shopping earlier at some point. Alfred did stuff like that, took on a lot of the household tasks so that Matthew wouldn't have to be bothered. He did most of the shopping, the cleaning, making sure the bills were paid. Matthew was actually the forgetful one, and with how packed his schedule tended to be, Matthew probably wouldn't be able to keep up with all of that if it was left to him.

As Matthew put the plastic bags away to be recycled later, he thought about work and passions and all the little things that Alfred had done for him. After he was done, he went to Alfred's closed door. He leaned in, ear pressed to the door, but he didn't hear any voices. Alfred must not be recording at the moment.

It couldn't hurt. Just for one afternoon.

Matthew knocked at the door. He heard shuffling on the other side and a moment later the barrier disappeared. Alfred leaned against the doorjamb, wearing his work-out clothes. Ah, so he must have gone to the gym earlier too. What if he was tired . . .

"What's up, bro?" he asked, a hint of a smile on his face. In his hands he twirled his phone around and around.

Matthew pushed his hands into his pockets, suddenly cowed. "Uh . . . what are you doing?"

"Me? I was just messaging Gil. He wants me to join in with some other people and we were gonna stream."

"Oh. Okay," Matthew said, nodding. Although he was looking more at the floor, he caught the way Alfred's brows raised.

"Why? You good?"

"Yeah, I was just seeing what you were doing." Matthew shrugged like it didn't really matter to him.

When Alfred wanted to be, he could be perceptive. He glanced at his phone and then back to Matthew. "Want me to tell him I'm busy?"

"What? No, no. You already said you would. I was just seeing what you were up to."

"It's whatever, dude. We can stream another time. Oh hey, we should catch a movie! We haven't done that in forever. Let me jump in the shower real quick. Here, check for what's playing." Alfred tossed Matthew his phone, as if Matthew didn't have one himself. Then he hurried into the bathroom, barely thinking to close the door behind him.

Matthew could be doing something else. He could be studying or getting a head start on a research paper he knew was coming up. And Alfred had stuff to do too. He already had plans, and yet he threw them out the window without a second thought.

Has it really been that long since we've done this? Matthew wondered. They used to have movie nights together. They'd find a showing for a new movie or they'd sit on the couch with too much popcorn and watch classics. It used to be their thing.

Matthew pulled up movie listings and tried not to feel too guilty.

AlfredtheHero: "How many brothers did you say you have?"

Cat Owner: "None. I was an only child and had a peaceful upbringing without siblings there to ruin it."

AlfredtheHero: "Oh come onnnn! You can't always disown them like that."

Cat Owner: "Wishful thinking. Fine, I have four. Why the sudden interest?"

AlfredtheHero: "Just wondering if they share your thickness."

Cat Owner: "Thickness?"

AlfredtheHero: "Yeah, with your eyebrows. You could probably hide a small child in those babies."

Cat Owner: "The only child I see here is you."

AlfredtheHero: "Excuse me, but what child has rocking abs like this! …I'm totally lifting my shirt right now for you to see my awesome bod."

Cat Owner: "No thank you. Considering what country you live in, there's more likely to be flab than abs under that shirt."

AlfredtheHero: "I work out! And I drink diet soda! I'm like super healthy and muscular and not fat at all!"

Cat Owner: "Yes, because diet soda is the epitome of health. Didn't you say that hamburgers were your favorite food?"

AlfredtheHero: "Irrelevant! I could still run a mile while carrying you and not break a sweat!"

Cat Owner: "…could you really?"

AlfredtheHero: "Hell to the yeah! Want me to prove it? Let's go bruh!"

Cat Owner: "Certainly. Just hop over the pond and be here by tea time."

AlfredtheHero: "No need dude. The next time we video chat I'll just take off my shirt. You'll see how fit I am."

Cat Owner: "That really isn't necessary."

AlfredtheHero: "I think it is. Ya know, I actually streamed shirtless one time."

Cat Owner: "Are you that desperate for compliments?"

AlfredtheHero: "Nah, it was for a charity stream. The compliments were just extra. Some were too extra."

Cat Owner: "How is something 'too extra'?"

AlfredtheHero: "Well, like I get a lot of comments that are like . . . I don't know, really sexual."

Cat Owner: "Now you're just bragging."

AlfredtheHero: "No, I'm really not trying to. I'm all for freedom of speech, but some people do too much, like they talk about what they want to do to me. In THAT way, ya know? And it's really uncomfortable when I think about the age demographic of my viewers and how a lot of those comments come from underage teenagers. You know what I mean?"

Cat Owner: "I get my share of troubling comments, from pricks who tell me to off myself or criticize what I look like and so on. I try not to pay those any mind. They're not worth my time."

AlfredtheHero: "Oh yeah, I get those too. Those people who are just 'why do people watch you, go die'. Like that's not cool at all. We're just trying to have a good time and trolls like that wanna be haters. I don't think they were hugged enough as children."

Cat Owner: "Most of them probably are children."

AlfredtheHero: "Truuuue. So, we got way off topic from what I wanted to ask you."

Cat Owner: "That would be your own fault."

AlfredtheHero: "What can I say, you're very distracting darlin' ;)"

Cat Owner: "Must be my incredibly large eyebrows."

AlfredtheHero: "For your information, I really like your eyebrows. They make you look distinguished."

Cat Owner: "Distinguished. . . ."

AlfredtheHero: "So, my question I wanted to ask you."

Cat Owner: "Distinguished."

AlfredtheHero: "About your brothers."

Cat Owner: "Distinguished."

AlfredtheHero: "How many times are you going to say that?"

Cat Owner: "I figured if I repeated it enough times you would explain yourself."

AlfredtheHero: "Nope. You look distinguished. Anyway, are you really not that close with your brothers?"

Cat Owner: "Why the sudden interest?"

AlfredtheHero: "I don't know, cuz it's about you. And I hung out with Matt yesterday. We went and saw a movie. It was cool. Guess I was wondering if you hung out with your bros too."

Cat Owner: "My older brothers are spread out through the UK. I live in our childhood home, in England, so now and then they come to visit. The youngest, Peter, lives in your part of the world with our mum."

AlfredtheHero: "Wait, you have family over here in the states?!"

Cat Owner: "Yes, is it really that surprising?"

AlfredtheHero: "Where?! What state?!"

Cat Owner: "I'm not telling you where they live, Alfred."

AlfredtheHero: "Come on dude. You know you want to."

Cat Owner: "No."

AlfredtheHero: "Ugh, fine then. Be that way! At least tell me what your bros are like."

Cat Owner: "Why are you so interested?"

AlfredtheHero: "You already know about my bro. And I want to know more about you."

Cat Owner: "If you keep insisting, then I guess I have no choice. Gather round and let me tell you a tale of miscreants."

AlfredtheHero: "I'm so pumped yo. Gimme all the tales!"

Cat Owner: "We'll start with the youngest, who I mentioned before. He's the easiest to tolerate of the four."

AlfredtheHero: "OMG YOU'RE RHYMING!"

Cat Owner: "A boy of fifteen, Peter is his name. He believes in Santa though I can't say the same."

AlfredtheHero: "LE GASP, YOU MONSTER! How can you not believe in Santa? I bet he brings you coal every year."

Cat Owner: "Peter's a proud fellow with an optimistic outlook. He'd rather watch anime than pick up a book."

AlfredtheHero: "Honestly same."

Cat Owner: "Next we have Rhys, the third eldest son. We can never tell if he's joking or making fun."

AlfredtheHero: "Ooooh, mysterious."

Cat Owner: "A dreamer at heart, his head's stuck in the clouds. And he was a sheep in a past life, as odd as it sounds."

AlfredtheHero: "What?"

Cat Owner: "He claims to be an eccentric lad, but we all know that he's simply bleeding mad."

AlfredtheHero: "So did he decide the sheep thing himself or . . .?"

Cat Owner: "Next in line is Patrick, quite a gullible lad. And yet he became a doctor, so he's not half bad."

AlfredtheHero: "Is he also a starfish?"

Cat Owner: "Where the hell did that come from?"

AlfredtheHero: "Ya know, Patrick the starfish!"

Cat Owner: "That explains nothing to me."

AlfredtheHero: "No one appreciates my Spongebob references :/"

Cat Owner: "May I continue?"

AlfredtheHero: "YES PLEASE!"

Cat Owner: "Patrick's home consists of a lovely Irish venue, but if you make a leprechaun joke I won't continue."

AlfredtheHero: "I swear I wasn't going to say anything about Lucky Charms."

Cat Owner: "The final and eldest brother is Alistair. He doesn't deserve my rhymes."

AlfredtheHero: "ARTHUUUUUUUR!"

Cat Owner: "What? He doesn't. He's an arse."

AlfredtheHero: "Name one positive thing about him."

Cat Owner: "You ask too much of me."

AlfredtheHero: "I only said ONE!"

Cat Owner: "Exactly. He has no redeeming qualities."

AlfredtheHero: "Everyone has something that's good about them!"

Cat Owner: "Of course you would think that."

AlfredtheHero: "One thing, Arthur. Gimme one thing."

Cat Owner: "He's . . . frugal, I suppose."

AlfredtheHero: "There! Was that so hard?"

Cat Owner: "He's also a noisy braggart."

AlfredtheHero: "Arthur, you were having a moment there. Why ya gotta ruin it?"

Cat Owner: "Alistair and I whinge about each other all the time. It's practically a game with us."

AlfredtheHero: "So he's not actually a bad bro?"

Cat Owner: "He's not a bad person if that's what you're asking. Just highly annoying."

AlfredtheHero: "Does he also live in Ireland?"

Cat Owner: "North Ireland rather, is where Patrick lives. But no, Alistair lives in Scotland. And before you ask, no, he neither plays the bagpipes nor wears kilts all the time. Only sometimes at celebrations."

AlfredtheHero: "What about the sheep guts food thing? Does he eat that?"

Cat Owner: "Haggis? He does enjoy it, yes. I'm not too fond of it though."

AlfredtheHero: "Oh what about your sheep bro? You didn't say where he lives. In England?"

Cat Owner: "Rhys lives in Wales. I did say we were spread throughout the UK."

AlfredtheHero: "He lives in Wales? Like…Geppetto?"

Cat Owner: "Who is that?"

AlfredtheHero: "Ya know, Pinocchio's dad who got swallowed by a wale and Pinocchio had to go save him. You need to catch up on your Disney, bruh."

Cat Owner: "Alfred, you idiot. Not whales as in the sea creature. Wales as in the country."

AlfredtheHero: "Ooooooh, I knew that. :)"

Outside of the apartment building around the back was a strip of grassy area decorated with exactly two trees. The trees weren't especially tall, nothing like you would see in a sprawling forest. But there were some bushes scattered here and there. Their thick, dark green masses often hid nesting birds.

Today, there was a cat hiding in one.

Ivan first heard the feline before he saw it. For such a small thing it had a good set of vocal chords. The meows came one after another in a way that Ivan mistook it for being hurt. He approached and reached under the prickly brambles where he caught glimpses of white fur. For his efforts, a set of nails dug into the vulnerable flesh of his hand.

Ivan sat cross-legged on the ground nearby. The cat (kitten maybe?) remained in the shadows of the bush, no longer meowing.

"You have very poor manners," Ivan noted. He rotated his wrist, looking down at the thin scratches on the back of his hand. Too shallow to bleed, yet there enough to sting. "That is not how you greet someone who is trying to help you."

The cat sat curled up, content to sit and wait. Ivan could be patient as well.

He glanced up at the sky. "It is very cloudy, isn't it? The weatherman said it would rain today. But I have a home with a roof, so I don't have to worry about becoming a drowned rat. What about you? What do you have?"

The cat blinked and looked away, misleadingly nonchalant. It wasn't trapped in there. It could run away at any moment.

"Why did you come here, kitten? Does the bush make you feel safe? It doesn't seem too comfortable."

Ivan propped his elbow on a knee and rested his chin in his hand. His eyes glazed over, lost in thought. "Safety is more important than comfort. You don't trust me. You're a smart kitten. There aren't many people you can trust."

A cool breeze moved through the trees and bushes. The wind, gentle in its dance, rocked the limbs and ruffled Ivan's hair. Not too far away, he could hear the sweeping sounds of near constant traffic.

"It gets lonely, doesn't it?" Ivan asked. He smiled and closed his eyes. "I know what that's like. We could be friends. You can trust your friends. What do you say, kitten?"

Ivan peeked out of one eye. The cat looked back over to him, still quiet, but that was all Ivan needed. He grinned.

"That's it then! We will be good friends! So you come out when you are ready."

Minutes passed by. Ivan toyed with the end of his scarf, humming and daydreaming about the cat warming up to him and joining him in his apartment. He was so distracted that he almost missed Matthew leaning around a corner of the pale brick building. Seeing that he was spotted, Matthew jumped a little like a scared rabbit preparing to run from a great big bear. Matthew was silly like that.

"Matthew!" Ivan called, waving and smiling pleasantly. People liked you when you smiled, so Ivan tried to remember to smile a lot.

"Hey . . . Ivan," Matthew waved back weakly. The poor man was terribly shy. Ivan had spent the past couple of weeks engaging Matthew in conversation or inviting him out in an effort to open him up. But it seemed the college student was still not used to him. Or perhaps there was another reason for his behavior at the moment?

"I hope everything is alright?" Maybe something was wrong with his brother? What if Alfred was in the hospital? Oh, that would be exciting!

"Yeah, everything's fine," Matthew quickly assured him. Ivan waited a moment, since Matthew looked like he wanted to say something. He fiddled with the strings of his hoodie. "Um, so what are you doing?"

"Oh, that's right!" Ivan exclaimed, remembering the cat. He glanced back to make sure the cat was still there. Then he waved Matthew towards him. "Come here, Matthew. I want you to meet my new friend."

"A bush?" Matthew asked, warily approaching.

Ivan chuckled. "You are funny, Matthew. Bushes do not make good companions. They are good places for hiding though. My friend is in there. Can you see him?"

Matthew's curiosity compelled him to crouch by Ivan so that he could point out where to look for white fur and slit-eyes. Matthew pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, tilting forward to see better.

"Is that . . . a cat?" Matthew asked in a hushed whisper.

"It is, but he is not very good at handshakes," Ivan said, holding up his scratched hand. "I think he's warming up to me though. I've been keeping him company."

"Oh," was all Matthew could say. He seemed surprised. Whether by Ivan's commitment to a stray or the existence of a cat in close proximity, Ivan didn't know. Whatever was going through Matthew's mind, he knelt down more naturally beside Ivan, his usual nervous demeanor gone. "Is he okay? Is he stuck, you think?"

"I think he isn't stuck at all. He will come out when he wants to. Isn't that right, kitten?"

"Tch, tch, tch. C'mere. It's okay," Matthew called, clicking his tongue. He held his hand out in a friendly gesture. The cat, sensing it was being called, meowed in answer but refused to move. "Do you think he belongs to someone who lives here?"

"If he does, then his owners are irresponsible. Yao would know who owns pets here." Their landlord allowed small pets in the apartment complex, for an extra fee of course.

"Oh, I'll go ask him!" Matthew volunteered. He bounced up, nearly smiling in excitement. "Stay here and keep an eye on him. I'll be right back."

After Matthew hurried away, Ivan turned back to the cat and confided, "I think I like this Matthew." It was nice to see a different side of him. Matthew did say he loved animals. Ivan should have used that to his advantage earlier.

He didn't have to wait long. Matthew came back, holding a can of food in his hands.

"Yao said only two residents have cats, but neither of them have white fur. So this one must be a stray. And then he gave me tuna and pretty much ordered me to not let him starve."

"Maybe he has a soft spot for animals as well?" Ivan mused. He didn't know much about Yao outside of his family being from China. That and he was very unforgiving about due dates for rent.

"I guess," Matthew murmured, more concerned at the moment with peeling the lid off of the can and sitting the tuna close to the bush. He took it slow, aware of how the cat stiffened with the intent to run. "It's okay. I'm just giving you some food. Are you hungry?"

"Meeeooooow," the cat droned out. He smiled in response and moved back to sit with Ivan to give the cat space.

Ivan gauged Matthew's expression, seeing how intent he was to take care of the cat. "If you like cats so much, why don't you own one? Is it because of your brother?"

"Hm? Oh, no, we both like cats. We just . . . Well, I wanted to wait until after I graduated. I'm always busy as it is, and being a pet owner's a big responsibility."

"Like having children but more cute," Ivan agreed.

Matthew laughed, and Ivan realized that he hadn't heard Matthew really laugh until now. It was a soft, breathy sound that he could definitely get used to. "Yeah, something like that."

"I see . . . Let me tell you something, Matthew." He looked up at Ivan at the sudden serious tone. That was good. Ivan wanted Matthew to listen carefully to him. "You will always be busy with something or other. That is part of life. What do you plan to do after you graduate?"

Matthew's mouth hung open for a moment, confused at what he was getting at. He answered nonetheless. "I . . . haven't decided. I thought about grad school, but I'd also like to start working—"

"That is what I mean. There is always something to keep you busy, now that you're an adult. You put off what you want now because you're already too concerned with the future. Children aren't like that. They don't need to worry about the future. They live in the present. Except the ones who must grow up too fast."

Matthew considered his words and shrugged. "That is a part of life, like you said."

Ivan wagged his finger at him, correcting him. "Ah, but I said that being busy is a part of life. Not putting off what you want. That is what you are doing."

"So it's not the same thing?"

"Not at all." Ivan looked back at the cat. It had ventured out to eat the tuna. It laid low to the ground, tail wrapped around its legs. With it out in the open, he could see that it wasn't completely white; it sported a ring of dark fur around its neck.

"I work hard, Matthew. I work so that my little sister can stay a child for as long as she can. She lives with our older sister, and she'll be going to college soon, like you. We're not an especially fortunate family, nor are there many of us. Just the three of us. Between Katyusha and I, Natalia will be able to get a good education. But if I didn't also live for myself, that would be pitiful, wouldn't it?"

Matthew watched the cat now as well. He plucked at the grass, struggling for something to say. ". . . it's a good thing, what you're doing for your sister."

"It is. I'm glad you think me better for it. But do you think less of me for thinking of myself as well?"

Stunned, he snapped his gaze back to Ivan. "What? No, of course not. I understand what you're saying, but it's not like I don't think of myself too. That's what I'm working for, why I'm going to school and have a job. This is why I study so hard. Because I want a good career."

Ivan shook his head and smiled, this time a bit sadly. "I don't think you do understand. You're not putting in so much effort so that you can be happy now. You're working so you can be happy later. And I think that is sad."

Matthew couldn't look at Ivan now. He was flustered, mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say a great deal of things. If he let himself, Ivan believed the first thing he'd say was, "I didn't ask for your opinion." Ivan sensed a fire in Matthew that he'd never suspected existed. Matthew was a meek person, but he wasn't just meek. And that's why Ivan bothered at all.

"You think it's not my place to say," Ivan guessed as he leaned back, his arms propping him up behind him.

The breeze had turned too cold, and it would be getting dark soon.

"It's your life, Matthew. You can wait until later. But many people do not get a later. That is why I do what I want now. Because I deserve to be happy now, not just later. That is what I think."

The cat meowed, daring to venture closer and nose around Matthew's legs for more food. He hovered his hand over its head and the cat closed blue eyes to rub its face against his fingers. It wasn't too young, though not full grown yet. Its fluffy fur made up most of its mass, some of it matted here and there, and Ivan suspected it was thinner underneath all that fur.

"He likes you," Ivan said, watching how the cat warmed right up to Matthew. Its front paws rested on his leg, letting it stretch up to sniff at his face.

Matthew scratched under its chin and said fondly, "Yeah, I think he does."

I wanted to highlight why Matthew's been a little . . . extra lately. He's just a college student is all, lol. And I think Ivan has something to say here for Matt's situation and the importance of finding balance. It's okay to choose yourself sometimes.

And yes, we have a new kitty on board. And I suppose it's Americat. And I suck at names, so please tell me in a review what I should name the cat. Also, should it be a girl or a boy? I'd be down for a girl cat, if only just for the reprieve in all these masculine pronouns.

So I had a cool bonus scene planned, but stuff's going on in my life and I feel dead inside, so I don't feel up to it. Sorry, maybe next time. It might be a while before I update too. I'm hoping to move soon, because where I am is just . . . toxic. So yeah, if I'm absent for a while, that's why.

BUT HERE! HAVE SOME FANART! Check out ChildOfTheMoon86 on deviantart. They drew some nice art of Arthur and Alfred's skype chat. The art is called "First Meeting".