Admin: You guys are so lovely. Thank you to all who have read this far into my stupid story. Anyways, we are getting to the more interesting parts of this fanfic. And that means: more drama, more comedy (at least you guys say you laugh), and more fluffy fluffiness! Now I leave you and your feels to read this chapter.
"W-Where should I-I start? I-I pretty much told you e-everything when I was little," Matthew said feeling more than a little flustered. Everything was just happening so fast, and the thought of actually coming up with a plan was exciting. However, Matthew found himself struggling with the feeling that this was all wrong.
"Well, tell me about him. What he hates, what he's scared of, or just anything that can help me understand your target more," Francis replied, getting more into the topic.
"W-Well, y-you know that he's claustrophobic, scared of anything Halloween related, and has this huge hero complex r-right?"
"Of course I do!" Francis patted Matthew's back roughly, laughing. There was a devilish glint in his eye that Matthew had trouble pinpointing. When Francis finally stopped, Matthew spoke again.
"U-Um...I-I know he's a proud A-American, and he loves ice cream and hamburgers! His favorite movies are horror and actions movies, and he would give anything to save someone and be the hero. N-Not only that, b-but h-he has the b-best smile…When he smiles, t-the whole r-room stops and s-stares f-for a while."
"Matthew, I believe that's a little too much detail." Blushing, Matthew looked down at his lap, playing with his fingers. He had gotten too caught up in the moment and had begun describing what he adored about Alfred, instead of saying actual information.
"I-I'm sorry, papa," Matthew blurted out without thinking. For almost as long as he could remember, Matthew and Francis' father had never been in the picture much and had always been too much of a playboy. Francis ended up becoming his little brother's father figure, earning 'papa' as a nickname.
Letting a chuckle escape his lips, Francis lightly patted Matthew's head.
"That's alright, mon petite. Everything you've told me has allowed me to think of a wonderful plan. Now then, a month from now, invite Arthur and Alfred to the Halloween carnival. We'll all play and have fun."
"B-But h-how d-does that m-make A-Alfred l-like me more?"
"Ohonhonhonohon~! When the time comes, you will know. Now, why don't we have dinner together? It's getting very late. Big brother will prepare you the finest in French cuisine!"
"Yay~!" Matthew cheered gleefully, following his brother into the kitchen.
"What on Earth should I do?" George muttered as he sat at his office desk. It may have been a little late, but George Kirkland was a very busy man. He had recently learned about the media's hypothesis about Matthew and Alfred's relationship.
Already knowing that his own son was starting to develop feelings for the American employee, he sat there, staring blankly.
"If proven more fact than fiction, I fear my son's heart is at stake. Do I interfere? Or should I let it continue on its own?" He picked up the picture of Courtney (Arthur's mother) and sighed heavily, brushing his fingers over the glass as he longed for his wife's touch and advise.
"Courtney, my beautiful angel…Please, help Arthur and I through this scandal. Arthur more than me; he has fallen for Mr Jones hard. Although he will not accept it, and there is another who is a threat to our Artie's happiness. What should we do? Please, give me a sign."
Gazing up at the gray ceiling, the elder Kirkland waited and waited, and then the doorknob started to wiggle. Giving the golden doorknob his full attention, the door opened to reveal Kiku Honda.
With a respectful bow, Kiku walked forward and took a seat in front of the desk. "Mr Kirkland, here are the papers you wanted me to file. Is there anything erse you want me to do?" Kiku asked innocently before noticing a smirk form on George's face.
Nervously, Kiku craned his head back until the strange expression on his boss's face disappeared. "Yes, Mr Honda, there is."
"A-And what is that, sir?"
"If I remember correctly, you were the one who found out about those crooks stealing money from the company last year, yes?"
Kiku nodded, remaining silent with an arched eyebrow. He knew that this was not going to be like his usual job.
George wordlessly rushed to the doors, making sure they were firmly shut. He waited, listening to see if anyone was nearby. When he was satisfied that there was no one there, George turned back to the Japanese man.
"I have an assignment for you, but it is a little…different. I want you to spy on my son and Mr Williams. I want you to make sure that my son is protected."
"Why is that, sir?"
"What I am about to tell you is for your ears only. If you so much as utter one blasted syllable to anyone besides me, you are fired."
"Hai, I understand, sir." Kiku bowed his head slightly.
"Good. Now, you are well aware that my son is dating one of the youngest lawyers in history, yes? When that article about Arthur supposedly having relations with his employees so that they could have money came out, we had to take action.
So I brought my son and Mr Jones in here. I told them that for at least a year they would have to act as if they had loved each other unconditionally for years. This way I did not have to terminate Mr Jones' job and demote my son. Ever since then, they have been playing their cards well. That is, until this Murry business blew up. Now I fear that the media might be telling the truth. Mario appears to have always been very close to Mr Jones, and I failed to notice this at first.
However, that is not my biggest issue here, rest assured. The biggest issue is that my son has fallen for Mr Jones; he just hasn't realized it yet. That's where you come in. You're very close to Mr Jones. As his friend, ask him about his feelings for them. Then watch all of their moves. I want every detail; anything you can get.
If needed, I will step in to help my son hold on to this new found love. I owe him that much. Do you understand your task?"
"Hai, sir, I promise I will not disappoint you." Standing up, Kiku bowed one last time before heading out of the room. He closed the door behind him as quietly as possible and returned to his desk.
He smirked.
"Yes, this is going very werr. So that's why they were acting so weird around each other... My editors wirr go crazy. But I must not do this now; Mr Kirkland stirr berieves I am innocent, but if I rerease this right away he wirr surery be suspicious. I wirr have to carry this out bit by bit. Arigato, Kirkland-san, you have just given me the information needed to publish my article.
Good timing too. I also have a manga due soon."
"Young Master Jones, it's time for you to wake up. You've been sleeping all day. Young Master Arthur request f-for your presence," Toris urged the American, but he still wouldn't budge.
"F-Five more minutes..." Alfred groaned, shifting slightly.
"It's two in the afternoon, Young Master! P-Please, w-wake up! I-I'll g-get you a hamburger if you d-do!" Alfred immediately shot out of bed, a keen look on his face.
"You have piqued my interest. Tell me more about this...hamburger."
"I-It has t-tomatoes, greasy meat, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, cheese, a-and pickles."
"And?!"
"I-It comes with fries a-and a milkshake?"
"Now you're speaking my language! Can I have it for breakfast?"
"Y-You mean lunch…A-And, yes! I-I'll have the chef make it for you."
"Aww, dude! Toris, you're the best! Give me a hug!" He wrapped his arms around the scrawny brunette to give him a quick squeeze. After, he left to go out into the hall, walking to the study which was where Arthur would probably be.
With bare feet sounding like tape being ripped on and off of the marble floor, Alfred swung his arms forward and back in a playful manner. The cool breeze of the hallway made a sudden shiver run up his spin. His boxers left him vulnerable to the slight cold, and the fact that his shirt was only done halfway up wasn't helping.
Scratching his stomach and yawning, Alfred found his way to the study easily. Getting lost in the large house countless times had been rather self-awakening for Alfred, and he ended up memorising the layout of the entire house.
Alfred opened the wooden doors to find Arthur scratching some notes on paper. The room had books of all kinds on the walls, an old looking desk in the middle, a window with the curtains drawn behind Arthur and a dark green carpet covering the floor. The study looked acceptable, and nothing was out of the ordinary.
Leaning on the door frame, Alfred knocked on the already open door in an attempt to gain the Brit's attention. Arthur looked up and stopped writing. With a heavy sigh, Arthur motioned for Alfred to pull his shirt down. Alfred rolled his eyes before obeying and crossing his arms.
"So what's up, Prez? Why did you want me this early in the morning?" Alfred asked with an arched eyebrow.
"It's the afternoon, you ninny. Anyway, since it's our day off today, I was wondering if you would like to spend the day together."
"Why? Do you need a hero? Because I will totally protect the boss!"
"No, I was just asking. If you don't want to go, it's fine. I guess I'll have to find another person to take to...Dream Land Amusement Park."
"Whoa! D-Did you just say Dream Land? That's my place, dude! You can't do this to me! I want to go! I want to go!"
"No, I'm afraid it's too late. You've insulted me, and for that you must be punished."
"D-Dude…No way! I'm, like, sorry and stuff! Please, President Kirkland! I-I promise I'll stop sassing you! Just let me go! They have super heroes there! Super heroes!"
"Hmm…Maybe…If you are dressed and at the door in five minutes then I might reconsider."
"Okay! Sweet! I'll be there faster than you can say 'Avengers'!" Alfred ran as fast as humanly possible as he navigated his way through the mansion. The news that Arthur had granted him with had made him ecstatic.
Watching as Alfred left, Arthur started to time him, wanting to see if he could actually make it. Chuckling, Arthur found himself admiring Alfred's playfully childish personality. This 'trip' (A.K.A, a date) was going to go off without a hitch; Arthur would make sure of that. He piled his papers into a neat stack and glanced at his watch.
Three minutes had passed. Arthur strutted out of the office, making his way to the door, and was surprised to find Alfred, Abraham and James all waiting for him.
Alfred was wearing a short sleeved Captain America shirt with jeans and a pair of black sneakers. James, oddly, had a small Viking hat on his head, and Abraham was wearing a small Iron Man mask on the side of his face.
"…I don't want to know," was all Arthur could say as he walked past them. Following him closely, the other three marched in a single file line to the limo.
"Yay! Dream Land, here we come!" Alfred cheered as he took his seat.
"You must really love amusement parks."
"Who doesn't? And Dream Land has it all! Princesses and faeries and junk for girls, and heroes and action filled things for dudes! Not to mention awesome roller coasters!"
"Faeries you say…Interesting," Arthur replied, suddenly a little more enthusiastic.
"Whoa, dude, do you like faeries?"
"Yes. Why? Is there something wrong with having an interest in the supernatural?"
"No, but faeries are kind of a girl thing, dude. Can you see them too?" Alfred joked with a small laugh.
"When I'm troubled or when I need help, yes."
With wide eyes, Alfred stared at Arthur as if he belonged in an asylum. "You can actually see them? Okay, you're crazy."
"I'm not crazy."
"Dude, you see faeries. I don't know anyone else who can see them. Yep, you're crazy."
"Says the man who is overly obsessed with being a hero!"
"Hey, don't you be dissing me! Being a hero's better than living with your girly mind set. Sometimes I wonder if you really are the girl in this 'relationship'…"
"Shut up! If I so much as here another syllable escape your mouth, I am turning this limo around and we are not going to Dream Land!"
Arthur huffed angrily. He had never liked it when people made fun of him because of his beliefs, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let Alfred mock him either.
Eyes now burning with hatred, Alfred petted Abraham and James as he looked out of the window to cool off. Watching this, Arthur face palmed. This was not going very well…They were already fighting. Arthur lightly hit his head on the window repeatedly, somewhat regretting his actions.
With Alfred and Arthur both in a mood, Abraham and James could feel the atmosphere grow colder as the car ride continued silently.
At times, the silence would be broken by growing sound of excited screams and machines working. Alfred's angry expression melted as he watched the scene, being replaced by a much happier one. He wanted to jump out and run to the park so badly, but if he did that then he would probably get hurt. He somehow restrained himself, staying put in his seat.
Twisting his head to the side, Alfred saw that Arthur was still angry. He ignored him as the car stopped and exited the vehicle without a second thought. Taking in the smell of popcorn, cotton candy, and the new autumn breeze, Alfred let out a cheer. Arthur slowly followed Alfred, who was already making his way to the entrance.
Just as Alfred was about to enter, Arthur handed the workers their tickets as they were checked for weapons. Surprisingly, the workers allowed Alfred to bring James and Abraham into the park, probably because they knew that Alfred was Arthur's partner. If they didn't allow the animals in, it was very likely that the park would have to face a law suit from one of the most powerful men in America.
"YOU GUYS, WE'RE HERE! WHAT SHOULD WE RIDE FIRST?! WHO SHOULD WE MEET FIRST?!" Alfred scanned the area, his attention quickly caught by a man dressed as Captain America. He quickly rushed over to him, his animals right behind him.
"Oh my gosh! It's Captain America! It's really you!" Alfred shouted, alarming all nearby kids and 'Captain America'.
"Hello there, sir. And what's your name?" the man asked, staying in his role as he usually would.
"A-Alfred! C-Can I be like your sidekick?!" Alfred's hope filled eyes were focused only on the man. Arthur approached them and tried to tug Alfred in the other direction.
"I'm so sorry, sir, but the lad really loves super heroes."
"That's alright. It's nice to meet another American citizen, Alfred."
"Yup! I'm like totally all American, and so are you! W-Whoa, what's going on here?! We can totally punch Hitler in the face and save the world together!"
"Well, sir, that would be a grand. I'll ask Nick if you can be part of the Avengers next time I see him."
"Dude, awesome! W-Well, I gotta go! But I'll see you around and stuff."
"You too."
"Bye…!" Alfred said in a slightly disappointed tone as Arthur finally managed to drag him away.
"Mr Jones, calm down! He was just a man in costume."
"Whatever. I still got to meet him! He was nice!"
"Yes, yes, that's his job. Now, let's hurry and find something else before you make another scene."
"Okay! I want to ride something! You wanna come?"
"No. I'm afraid I get sick far too easily."
"Boo, no fun! Then can you watch Abraham and James? They want to go on the Merry-Go-Round. And I bet you'd love that; it's near my ride and close to the girly part of this place."
"..."
"Good! Well, see ya! I'll wave to you when I can, then you won't feel too lonely."
"Like I would miss you."
"Sheesh, I get it...Be good boys, okay you two?" Alfred told his pets before heading off towards his destined ride. Arthur, now alone with the two pets, walked to the Merry-Go-Round, getting on as soon as it was his turn.
Looking towards the direction where Alfred would be, Arthur stared for a while, waiting for a sign of Alfred. Still riding the horse with the two animals, Arthur squinted until he saw Alfred somehow screaming and smiling at the same time. A smile crept onto his face as he watched Alfred enjoy himself after their small fight.
When Arthur's ride finally finished, he got off and waited for Alfred outside the Merry-Go-Round.
"Thanks for taking me to the amusement park, Francis. I-It's been w-while since I-I've been here." Matthew said to Francis, holding a bear that he had won for Alfred.
"What type of a big brother would I be if I didn't take my little one out?"
"I-I guess y-you're right. …I-I wish Alfred was h-here with me. N-Not that I-I don't like b-being here with you, b-but still."
"I understand. In some ways, love is more powerful than the love between two siblings."
"Y-Yeah, I-...W-Wait, is that-? I-It can't be."
"What's wrong, Mathieu?"
"O-Over there…Is it just me, or is that...?"
"Whoa! President Kirkland, did you see that?! It was amazing! You should have ridden it with me! It was awesome!" Alfred yelled, running towards Arthur and waving his hands wildly as he accidently shoved Francis out of the way.
"Yes, I'm sure it was very fun," Arthur replied with a smile, handing James back to Alfred as Abraham stayed by Arthur's side.
Francis and Matthew stared at them, dumbfounded by the chance encounter. Inwardly, they were both boiling with jealousy as they watched the pair pretend to be chummy.
"Papa, d-did you see that? A-Alfred a-and Mr Kirkland are h-here. S-Should we go o-over and talk to them?"
"Oui. T-They are our friends, non?" Francis grabbed Matthew's wrist and dragged him towards their targets. As they approached, Francis purposely pushed Alfred, although no one seemed to realize it was intentional.
"Bonjour, Arthur. What are you two doing here?" Alfred managed to regain his balance and was now at Arthur's side.
"What's it to you, frog?"
"Mattie!" Alfred shouted, noticing the Canadian.
"H-Hiya, Al..."
"Fancy meeting you here. Are you guys on a brother's day out?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Sweet! Artie and I are on a date," Alfred replied, remembering to keep the act up.
"I-I see…I-I'm sorry for interrupting."
"Nah, it's okay." Arthur suddenly pulled Alfred closer, glaring protectively. "Yo, dude, what up? I'm having a conversation!"
"Yes, but we are on a date, love."
"Y-Yeah, but the more the merrier, you know?"
"Still, I would prefer it if it was only you, me and the pets."
"Aww, ewww!" Alfred yelped as something cold touched his back. He turned around and found that a little kid had accidentally spilled their drink on him. The mother apologized for her son, and Alfred forgave them.
"Well, that sucks. My shirt is all sticky now. Imma go to the bathroom and clean it off."
"I'll be more than happy to help you," Francis spoke up, leading Alfred to the bathroom. He allowed Francis to help him, and entered the bathroom to turn the sink on. As the water ran, Alfred gathered some paper towels and handed them to Francis.
The Frenchman watered the towel and started to pat Alfred's back. "So, how are things going with Arthur?" Francis asked innocently, hiding a hint of jealously.
"G-Great. Nothing out of the ordinary. I just think it's totally weird since, you know, all exes are here today."
"Ah, yes, you and my Mathieu, and Arthur and I. It is a little awkward. …But you should also be careful, mon ami."
"W-Why?"
"Because."
"Because what?! Come on, dude, don't leave me hanging!" Francis stopped patting Alfred, replacing the wet towel with a dry one.
"Because I'm planning on taking him back, of course."
"W-What?" Alfred turned around, facing Francis and his smirk.
"You heard me. I want my Arthur back. And to do that, all I have to do is make him fall for me again. Which should be easy; you two aren't even in love."
"W-What are you talking about? W-We do love each other, dude! W-We even live together."
"You are so young and naive. I know all about you two. You're both terrible at hiding secrets."
"…Y-You know about o-our deal."
"Très bien, Alfred. Yes, I know. After you left with Arthur to have a 'meeting', I heard everything. You two are very sneaky, coming up with something like this just to get the media off your tail."
Alfred looked around, making sure they were alone in the bathroom. He sighed in relief when he saw there was no one else, but he could feel that the early stages of panic were beginning to invade his mind. He breathed in, trying desperately to keep his cool.
"D-Dude, d-don't tell anyone! M-My job is on the line!"
"I would never even think about doing that. But I will be taking Arthur back, one way or another, and the media will find out. How will you stop the feeling of love? Although it might not be that easy…Arthur does seem to have some feelings for you…
"I-I..."
"Exactly, you do not. You can only pray for the best." Francis turned to leave the bathroom, but stopped and glanced back at the American. "Oh, and don't tell Arthur about this, or I'll talk." He left, leaving Alfred to panic by the sink.
Alfred felt shell-shocked. W-What just happened? D-Did I just get a love rival and enemy in two days? Alfred thought before following Francis.
Sitting on a bench, Arthur and Matthew were trying their best not to speak to each other. But something inside of them knew that they would have to talk to each other sooner or later.
"S-So, h-how much do you love Alfred?" Matthew asked, wanting to get a better understanding of the situation.
"Well, it should be obvious; I love him with every fiber in my body. I can't imagine my life without him."
"O-Oh..."
"…I-I'm sorry, Murry, for taking him away from you. I-I can somehow tell that you still love him."
"W-Wait, how d-did you know?"
"We tell each other everything."
"O-Oh...W-Well, it's okay as long as he's happy, y-you know?" Matthew gripped the bear in his arms tighter, feeling his inner jealousy boil again. He knew that Arthur was lying, but something told him that some of those fake feelings might be real.
"Of course, it's like the old saying goes. If you love something, let it go; if it comes back then it was meant to be."
"Y-Yeah, b-but I-I still want h-him more than you ever c-could," Matthew accidentally muttered. He blushed when he realized what he'd said, noticing Arthur's eyes narrow as he sensed a challenge.
"Oh, really now? I am sorry, but you cannot have him. He loves me, not you, and you have to move on."
"B-But, it's s-so hard. Y-You know the story; he t-technically n-never broke up w-with me. S-So, in a way, w-we're still t-together, s-so...Y-You're kind of the other g-guy..."
"H-How dare you…I'll have you know-...!"
"Oh? What do we have here? What are you two talking about?" Francis interpreted with a cheeky smile. Alfred followed him with a worried expression, and Matthew rushed over the moment he saw this.
"W-What's wrong, A-Al?" Matthew asked, placing a hand on Alfred's shoulder and indirectly aggravating Arthur.
"N-Nothing...I-I , um, just r-remembered something a-about my parents h-here, t-that's all..."
"O-Oh I-I'm sorry." Looking at Alfred's back, Matthew saw the visible wet stain. He removed his jacket and offered it to Alfred, who accepted it.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Arthur whispered to himself.
"Thanks, Mattie."
"O-Oh, and I won this for you. I-I hope you like it." Matthew bent down and grabbed the stuffed bear that had been laid down on the floor for a quick second.
"Dude, it's so cute! Thanks. Hey, this kind of reminds me of that time you gave me a stuffed bald eagle for my birthday. Man, you made me super happy that day! You're the best!"
"Ahem, I would like to have MY boyfriend back," Arthur interpreted, taking Alfred's arm.
"Why not let Mathieu borrow him for a while? Only for an hour or two. How about that?" Francis suggested, wanting some alone time with Arthur
"No! Absolutely not! You two barged in on our date. Today was supposed to be perfect; we don't need you two poking your noses in!"
"Aw, come on, Artie! Please!" Alfred begged with puppy dog eyes.
"F-Fine! You can keep him forever for all I care!" Arthur released Alfred. Alfred than grabbed Matthew's arm, and they made their way to an ice-cream stand.
"Now that we're alone, why don't we...H-Hey, what are you doing?" Francis blinked at Arthur and the animals confusedly. It looked like they were watching the two younger blondes.
Francis ran to Arthur and tried to make him move in another direction, but Arthur disobeyed. "Why are you spying on them?"
"I'm making sure that Martin doesn't make any moves on the idiot. Now hush up so that I can hear them; it's already loud enough."
"Why do you insist on keeping an eye on your boy-toy? Why don't you have some fun with me? You'll enjoy it..."
"No. You broke up with me, remember? …Damn, I can't see them anymore."
"That should be a good thing." Francis took Arthur into his arms, lifted his chin up and kissed him.
Arthur blushed and kicked him in the groin.
"No funny business, frog. Next time I'll beat you to a pulp." Arthur bent down and told the animals to go look for Alfred. They nodded and hopped away in search of their owner.
"Mattie, you're always so nice. Why are you still single?" Alfred asked, licking his ice-cream.
"I-I guess I-I'm just waiting for the right person."
"Oh well, I bet you'll find them soon. If I wasn't dating Arthur, I'd be head over heels for you."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah, I like you."
"T-That means a lot, Al…Thanks."
"Hey, you wanna watch a show or something? I mean we've got two hours together. Better make it worthwhile."
"S-Sure. D-Do you know w-what you want to w-watch or play?"
"Well, I feel like being a hero right now! So let's go to the hero part of the park! They have lots of hero games and activities there!"
"L-Lead the way."
*~Time skip~*
"BEST DAY EVER!" Alfred exclaimed, landing on his bed with his new stuffed bear and his two pets.
"…Hey don't look at me like that! Just because I didn't like spending the day with Arthur doesn't mean I'm a bad guy. Anyway, I bet he had loads of fun with the French dude! …Man, that guy was really mean! What was his problem? He was acting like I stole Arthur, and it was almost like he thought Arthur likes me or something. Gosh, if he knew it was all an act, why was he so butt-hurt about it?"
James was the first to act by lightly hitting Alfred's forehead with his ear. Abraham pawed at Alfred's face, 'slapping' him to try and get him to read the mood. They were both fully aware that Arthur had feelings for Alfred.
But Alfred didn't know that he returned those feelings.
"Hey, don't be like that! Or else there'll be no manhunt games for a month." Both pets lowered their heads in defeat, obeying their master. They went to his bed sadly, beginning to get themselves ready for sleep.
Alfred then recapped on his day and how it went. His memory was filled with many fun filled events that would never escape his mind. From their hero role-play, to the rides and games, everything was perfect.
"What an awful day! That frog just had to show up with his little brother and mess things up. It's hard enough that the dolt likes me, and his brother likes Mr Jones… Now he has his heart set on getting him back."
Falling back onto his bed, Arthur tried to think of a plan to get Alfred away from the two of them.
"…W-Would it be that bad if I got back together with Francis…? A-After all, I-I'm sure the break up was just a fluke…" He paused. "No! Absolutely not! What am I thinking? Get yourself together, Arthur!" He turned to his side, hugging his pillow tightly as he tried to figure out his emotions.
Whatever was happening, the center of it all was emotions. And emotions can either bring a pair together, or rip it apart.
-Next morning-
"Mr Kirkland, it's time for you to wake up." Matthew said, shaking Arthur awake.
"Ah, yes, thank you. And is Mr Jones- …I mean, Alfred awake yet?"
"I'm a-afraid not, sir. Toris is out sick with a deadly flu. W-We won't be expecting him back for a while. They'll send for another butler to take care of him."
"No, no...I'll wake him myself. You are excused for now."
"Yes, Mr Kirkland." Matthew backed away with a brighter smile than usual, looking as if he had a skip in his step.
As Arthur got dressed for the day, he decided to wear his usual suit; nothing too special. When he finished preparing himself, Arthur stepped outside and made his way to Alfred's room, with Matthew following behind. (But he didn't notice Matthew enter the room with him.)
Clapping his hands together, Arthur tried to stir Alfred from his slumber. "Alfred, it's time to get out of bed, love," Arthur said, still trying to keep up the act and thinking that Matthew was only outside.
"Ugh...F-Five more minutes..."
"I'm afraid not. You may be my boyfriend, but that does not give you the privilege of being late for work. Now up, up, up."
"Noooooooo!" Alfred protested as he mentally prepared himself for the imminent battle. Alfred could feel hands wrap around his ankles. He then grabbed the bedframe, hanging on with all of his might as Arthur pulled.
The bed groaned with each pull, as if it was going to break. Giving up for a second to catch his breath, Arthur felt a cold hand touch his shoulder.
"I-If you don't mind, Mr Kirkland, m-maybe I-I can try," Matthew suggested thoughtfully. He moved down and lightly kissed Alfred's forehead. The American immediately sat up.
"Dude, that's cheating. You know that's how my mom used to wake me up."
"Y-Yeah…B-But it woke you up, didn't it?"
"Y-Yeah, I-I guess. T-Thanks for waking me, Mattie."
"You're welcome," Matthew replied; before quickly directing a smirk at Arthur. Arthur's jaw fell open, and he looked behind him, wondering if anyone else had seen that.
"I-I tried to h-help too, you know."
"Go to hell, Arthur! I-I mean…That's swell, Arthur," Alfred added hurriedly, remembering that Matthew was still in the room.
"Well then, I'll wait for you in the limo. Come along, Mercutio." Turning around with a scowl, Arthur stomped out of the room. However, Matthew took a different approach; he walked happily, still bouncing slightly.
Listening to their footsteps disappear, Alfred went to his private bathroom to get ready.
"Man, is it just me, or those guys acting weird?" Alfred asked himself. "Ugh, and now I have that Francis dude to watch out for... What am I going to do? W-Well, I have to do what I do best. Be the hero! I can't let Arthur suffer because of me. Also, for some reason, I don't like the idea of those two being together. Weird...Really, really weird."
Finishing his daily routine, Alfred got into the limo and sat in his respected place.
"Mr Jones, I wish for you to have lunch with me today. I promise that there are no strings attached to this one. Just you and me. And I also promise that you will not regret it. I will ensure that you eat the best food money can buy."
"Gee, thanks, dude! But what for? Oh, and you and Matthew have been acting weird lately. Why's that?"
"Oh, we have our reasons. And those reasons are a secret."
"Dang. Well, whatever you're fighting about, you better stop; he's your secretary so you have to see him every day."
"Yes, thank you for pointing out the obvious."
"You're welcome," Alfred chimed, giving the Brit a closed eye smile. Truthfully, he was excited about the lunch. He loved high society food, and since Arthur was paying what harm was there in trying?
Heading into the building, the two entered the elevator. However, just before the doors closed, a mass amount of people began piling in. Alfred subconsciously moved closer to Arthur. His mind went blank. He was panicking.
His breathing became more rapid, his eyes widening and his body shaking. Alfred prayed that the ride in the elevator would end soon, but it seemed to continue forever. He held onto Arthur's jacket like a little kid, trying to compose himself. He would never be able to live with himself if he broke down in public.
"What the devil is wrong with you? Get off of me, Mr Jones!" Arthur tried to shrug Alfred off, but he wouldn't let go.
"I-I don't l-like being c-closed in, o-okay? ...I-It, um...M-Makes me feel uncomfortable."
"Just get off me..."
"No."
"Yes."
"NO!"
"Don't make me make a scene in this elevator."
"Do it. You'll only come across as the villain, and I'll be the innocent victim. I wonder what the media will think of you yelling at your 'LOVER'!"
"W-Why you..." Arthur was cut off as the elevator's electronic voice told them the floor number. Alfred pushed through the crowd of people, hopping out and breathing frantically.
Matthew and Kiku had seen Alfred and rushed over to aid him.
"Oh my gosh! A-Al, was it…?"
"Y-Yeah." Alfred practically read Matthew's mind, and Matthew and Kiku helped steady him and gave him a glass of water. Alfred drank it, still trying to calm his breathing as Matthew rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him.
Kiku did a small exam to check his health. When he was finished, he said, "You are fine. Just prease be carefur, Alfred-san. Does Arthur know about your craustrophobia?"
"N-No. And I plan to keep it that way. I don't want him worrying and being the stupid protective type. It's my job to be the hero, not his."
"Stirr, I think you need to terr him sooner or rater."
"I know, I know...Just not now."
"Hai, I understand your decision." Kiku stood up and bowed, leaving to return to his 'work'.
"A-Are you s-sure you're a-alright, Al?"
"Y-Yeah, I-I'm sure."
"O-Okay…W-Well, I have to get back to your boyfriend. A-A secretary's job is never done, you know.
"Y-Yeah, I know. Good luck."
"You too, eh?"
"I don't need luck; I'm the hero!"
Alfred waved goodbye and stood up to continue to his desk. He slumped in his seat with a heavy sigh, stretching to get ready for all of his work. His first serious case was coming up soon, and Alfred was excited to go against criminals and defend the innocent.
The crime had been committed by a man or two. (He couldn't remember how many exactly.) They murdered around five people and ran away; taking everything they could get their hands on. It was appalling, but those were the types of stories you usually heard.
Time eventually flew by, and it was soon lunchtime. Alfred got up from his seat, making his way to Arthur's office. Arthur wasn't there, to his surprise. Searching a little more, Alfred eventually spotted him, and he waved with a shining smile as he made his way over.
His smile vanished as he neared. He could see Francis. Francis with his arm around Arthur's waist.
About three feet away from them, the two spotted him. Arthur, with a flustered expression, tried to push the Frenchman away as Francis struggled to keep his grip on the other's waist.
Alfred watched, clearly feeling something inside of him shatter. He gave them a fake smile, though it still came across as awkward and sad, and waved weakly.
"Uh, A-Arthur. I-I'm ready to go to lunch with you," Alfred said nervously, trying not to make eye contact with his new rival.
"I am sorry, Alfred, but I must steal your lover from you. He promised to eat with me, you see." Francis replied, smiling.
"I said no such thing! Now let me go!" Arthur shouted, giving him one last push as he finally freed himself from Francis. "Now then, Alfred, shall we leave?"
"I'm not leaving until you have lunch with me. Or…I could just make a scene here…" Francis suggested with a smirk.
"Why you…! That doesn't work on me. He uses it far too much."
"Oh, does he now?"
"Yes, he just loves jokes like that. Now run along, I am going to have lunch with MY boyfriend. Now then, Al-..."
"No, that's okay." Alfred cut Arthur off with an uneasy smile. "You heard him; he's not going to leave. Go have lunch, I-I'll stay here and eat it with K-Kiku…He's been asking for a while.
"No! I would rather have it with you."
"You have dinner with me at home a lot. I think we need some alone time, you know? I don't want you getting sick of me and wanting to break up."
"…Point taken. W-Well then, if that is what you wish."
"Yup, dude. Just make sure to think of me when you're eating."
"Of course I will." Arthur gave Alfred a kiss on the forehead before leaving, feeling disappointed. If there was ever a time where he needed Alfred to be the hero, it would have been then. But he was a gentleman, so he wouldn't fret like a child and throw a tantrum over how he didn't want to go.
Waving sadly as he had done before, Alfred watched as Arthur left him. He lowered his hand, still watching the elevator that Arthur had vanished into. As he slowly headed back to his desk, Alfred stumbled across Matthew.
"Mattie? What are you still doing here, dude?"
"I was a-about to head out for lunch. W-Would y-you like to join me?"
"YES! I-I mean, yes...M-My date bailed on m-me for your brother… It sucks, b-but you know, some alone time can be good."
"Oui, it is. Well then, l-let's go. I'll take you t-to get a burger."
"Dude, I swear I could kiss you right now. But I won't."
"T-That's okay. We're f-friends, Al."
"The bestest of friends!"
Savagely digging into his hamburger, Alfred savored the taste. Ever since he had started living with Arthur, it was healthy rich food all the time. He had forgotten how having good ol' common people food was better than anything some classy chief could prepare.
Watching Alfred, Matthew took small bites of his pancakes, giggling slightly.
"You know what sucks?" Alfred asked, some food still in his mouth. Ignoring the fact that he was talking with his mouth full, Matthew answered.
"N-No. What?"
"The fact that I'm not with Artie right now."
Taken back by his response, Matthew eagerly responded with, "Why?"
"He was gonna take me to get some fancy food, and that was supposed to be awesome. But then your bro came in and took him… You know, when I saw them together, I felt weird. It was like my stomach suddenly decided to flip and sink. I don't think it's ever done that before. What do you think it means?"
…No, it can't be! I-Is Alfred starting to like Mr Kirkland?! I-Is he falling for him?! Matthew thought, panicked.
"M-Maybe you were just hungry? I-I mean, look how you're eating now."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Phew, thank goodness. For a second there, I thought I was jealous."
"Haha...J-Jealous...But you know that the e-eyebrow monster is all yours, s-so don't worry. F-Francis won't take him away."
"Hahahaha! Eyebrow monster, I love it! Dude, you're secretly funny!"
"Y-Yeah…S-So, anyway, I-I had a lot of fun y-yesterday."
"Dude, me too! I was having a much better time with you than Arthur. You know what he's like."
"Y-Yeah. W-Why are you dating an older guy, anyway? D-Don't you find it a little strange?"
"Yeah, I did at first. But I've been looking past that. Sure, I'm totally going to look hotter for much longer than him, but for now, he's cute."
"..."
"Why are you all quiet on me, bro? Hey, remember how when we were small, and whenever you got all quiet, I would...TICKLE YOU!" Alfred quickly leaned forward, raising his hand and tickling Matthew's neck. This earned him small giggles from the Canadian.
"Y-Yes! I-I remember! A-Al, s-stop!" Matthew pleaded in-between laughs.
"Not until you call me a hero! I'm not losing you to the dark side!"
"A-Al!"
"Say it! Say it!"
"O-Okay! I-I give up! Y-You're a hero, Al."
"That's what I wanted to hear." Alfred returned to his original position and stared at Matthew; Matthew stared back. Soon enough, the two of them were laughing at each other's expressions and about the event that had just occurred.
"Gee, Mattie, I seriously think we should hang out more."
"M-Me too."
"How about we make a date?"
"B-But d-don't you have a boyfriend?"
"Not that type of date; the type with friends. I'll invite Kiku too!"
"W-Well…T-That does sound fun."
"It will be fun. Everything is fun when the hero's around!"
"I-It s-sure is. More bearable too."
"Aww, geez. Thanks, Mattie."
"I r-really mean it, you know."
"W-Wow...I...I-I don't know what to say..." Alfred repeatedly looked from Matthew to the floor. For some reason, something was telling Alfred not to look at Matthew. It made his heart beat faster in ways that it shouldn't. But, being the rebellious person he was, he looked up, ignoring his inner voice.
Their stare lasted for a long moment; but then someone farted out loud for all to hear. Matthew and Alfred both blinked at each other in surprise, suspecting the other to have done it. After their assumptions were proven wrong, they both laughed, allowing the whole room to think that they were obnoxious.
"I have had it with you! Honestly, just stop. I am never going to feel that way about you ever again. When will that get through that thick skull of yours?" Arthur yelled at Francis as they walked down the street, passing shop after shop.
"You know why. I love you, and I will not stop until you're mine."
"Well, I'm not having any of it. I don't know what you said to Alfred yesterday, but he was not his usual self when he arrived home. If you and your little brother hadn't interrupted our date, everything would have gone perfectly."
"But this means that the whole world is telling us that we are meant to be. You cannot ignore that."
"Like hell I can't ignore it! Now, don't come a single step closer." He walked faster, trying to get away from Francis and any other seduction strategies he might have. A restaurant caught his eye and he glanced inside
Arthur backed away immediately, hoping his eyes were deceiving him. But no, Matthew and Alfred were indeed having lunch together. He placed his hands on the glass barrier, watching as the two continuously laughed.
Feeling another wave of jealousy, Arthur brought his phone out and dialled Alfred's number. With one hand on the glass, he waited for Alfred to answer the call. But, much to his surprise, they did not realize he was there. He was sure that the thud of his hand on the glass should have directed their attention to him.
Listening to the continuous drone of the phone, Arthur's eyes were trained on Alfred. The bright smile he wished he could have brought to Alfred's face had been caused by Matthew, his rival for Alfred's heart.
The rings continued, and Arthur found himself growing envious of the Canadian. Something inside of him wanted to please Alfred so badly, to make him smile the way he would always smile at everyone else.
His goal, unknown to even Arthur himself.
Alfred finally noticed his phone was ringing when he stopped laughing. He held up on finger to ask Matthew to wait a moment. Swiping his finger across the glossy screen, Alfred checked the ID.
It was Arthur, or, as Alfred had dubbed him 'Stupid Eyebrows'. Giggling at Arthur's 'name', Alfred noticed that Arthur was already talking.
"Alfred! Alfred, I need you in the office right away. It's an emergency." Looking up at Matthew, Alfred had to decide which was more important; a 'work emergency' or his best friends. Choosing what he thought was the right choice, Alfred responded.
"Tsk...W-Well, uh, s-sorry, hun, I can't. I-I'm, uh...d-driving! A-And I'm entering a tunnel r-right now!" Alfred grabbed a napkin from the table and brought it to the phone to make it sound more muffled. Noticing what Alfred was doing, Matthew giggled.
"O-Oh no...Artie? Artie?" Alfred touched the end call button and smirked, returning his attention to Matthew. "Sorry, dude, Artie wanted me to do some extra work. But I'd rather spend the time with you, you know?"
"T-Thanks, Al, that means a lot."
Mouth wide open, and phone about five inches away from his ear, Arthur stared at the scene, astonished by the outcome. Rage and jealousy now filled his body. It was time to take action.
Arthur marched into the restaurant, zooming in on where Alfred and Matthew were. He crept behind Alfred, yanking at his collar and dragging him away from Matthew.
"O-Ow! W-What the-?! Arthur?!" Alfred said in shock, trying to free himself. Just as he was about to escape, Matthew tugged him forward, causing him to stumble towards the Canadian.
"I-It's n-not nice t-to handle y-your boyfriend t-that way," Matthew said, feeling the heat of battle.
"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do? He's going to spend the rest of lunch with me and that's final."
"N-No, y-you have him all day a-and night. This is the only t-time I-I have him. So, please…?"
"No. Absolutely not."
"And why not?!" Alfred jumped into the conversation, stepping in-between them. "Matthew does have a point, Arthur."
"So…"
"So, that means I should at least be able to have lunch with him."
"No, I won't allow it."
"You're not the boss of me...Y-You even traded me for F-Francis, your old boyfriend, dude...UNCOOL!" Feeling his own jealousy build up, Alfred pouted and tried to stop himself from making an even bigger scene.
But, whoa and behold, Francis walked in, stumbling upon the scene. Gracefully moving towards the three, Francis brought Arthur closer to him, hearing only what Alfred had said.
"Why is it, how you say, 'uncool' for him to trade you for me?"
"Because you're not his boyfriend. I-I am...Y-You took him from me."
"I did no such thing. He simply made the better choice, non?" Francis questioned, giving Arthur a hug from behind. Arthur shoved him off, distancing himself from Francis.
Looking at Alfred's seemingly jealous expression, Arthur felt himself smile. But that smile soon disappeared as he made eye contact with Matthew.
"A-As I was saying, he will be with me from now on."
"W-Why? Y-You and m-my brother seem to be h-having fun. I-I remember how loving you two were with each other."
"T-That was the past; this is the future, and we don't need you or your frog of a brother in it as well."
"H-Hey, no one calls papa a frog in f-front of me."
"Oh, really? I'm afraid I just did. And for your information, you will never have Alfred." No longer trying to contain their anger, all four of them began arguing. Francis with Alfred, Arthur with Matthew, each on the subject of the other two who were fighting. Their fighting quickly escalated to the point where they were shoving each other. More so with Arthur and Matthew than Francis and Alfred.
The management of the restaurant had them all escorted outside, where they continued their argument. The fighting would have continued for much longer, but Matthew couldn't take it anymore.
"STOP IT! C-CAN'T W-WE ALL JUST S-STOP! L-LOOK AT US; WE'RE F-FIGHTING L-LIKE TEENAGERS!" The other three were shocked into silence.
"Whoa, M-Mattie, t-that's the first time you've used your loud voice in a while."
"I-I know...B-But, seriously, w-we all have t-to get along. A-Arthur you a-and Francis a-are f-friends; act like it. I-If Alfred and I a-are happy being friends, then you should be t-too. A-And you're supposed to be older t-than us."
"I-I suppose you're r-right. W-We did indeed get out of hand. I'm sorry, Malfoy."
"Y-Yeah…I-I'm sorry, Francis...I-I didn't mean what I-I said. I don't know what came over me..."
"As am I, mon ami. I am sorry."
"Good. Now that we've all made up, let's go back to work. We w-wasted our lunch arguing…"
"Oui, but first, to make amends, I have a surprise." Francis rummaged through his pocket and grasped two tickets. Presenting them to Arthur and Alfred, Francis gave them a sweet smile.
"I have arranged for all of us to go to a Halloween carnival, since Halloween is just around the corner. Here." Alfred took the tickets from his hand, jumping up and down with excitement.
"Dude, sweet! This is totally going to rock! Do we all come in costume!?"
"Why, of course~!"
"Awesome! We're totally going, Arthur!"
"Do I have to?"
"Yes! Don't be such an old man! You seriously work too much for your own good."
"..."
"Wonderful. Until next time, adue. Come, Matthieu, we have to prepare out costumes."
"C-Coming." As the two long haired blondes left, Arthur and Alfred took a different way to their work place.
"F-Francis, y-you never told me about this. W-What are you planning?"
"Trust me; this is all part of my plan, mon petite. All you have to worry about is Alfred and what you're going to do after. Don't worry, big brother Francis has everything under control."
"I-I guess..."
Admin: Big shout out to SakuraMoriChan for betaing this has a lot on her plate, but she still does a fantastic god at getting these chapters in.
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