The door opened and a pair of green eyes lifted from the magazine held in elegant, perfectly manicured hands. Their owner examined a tall, blond, blue-eyed man who had a little more bounce in his step than normal and was smiling as though he couldn't help himself. "You look happy."

Alfred's grin didn't falter in the slightest as he shook water from his hair and shrugged out of his jacket—it had been raining during his walk back, but he didn't mind—before dropping into one of the empty chairs near the person who had spoken to him.

"I am happy. I'm great. Fantastic. Couldn't be better."

Putting the magazine aside, a boy with chin-length blond hair crossed one leg over the other and leaned on the armrest of the chair he'd been lounging in so that he could smirk at his slightly damp friend. "Good hunting last night?"

"Yeah. Well, no. I mean, that's not what I'm happy about."

"Then why are you, like, so giddy or whatever?" the younger blond asked. "You've never been this excited just from getting laid."

True. He was usually a lot calmer about it, mostly because he didn't look at sex as sex. Sex was food and little else. But that might be changing.

"I met someone, Feliks. Someone different."

Interest lit up Feliks' green eyes and he shifted closer to Alfred. "What's this someone's name?"

"Arthur."

Feliks sat up and turned towards a door set in the wall behind him and to his left. "Tor! Come hear Al's story about last night!"

Within moments, a brunet male who looked to be about the same age as Feliks appeared through the door, his brow furrowed over blue eyes. "Why would I want to hear about what he had for dinner last night?"

Rolling his eyes, Feliks simply gestured for Toris to join them on the chairs. The moment the brunet sat down, the blond got up and traded his spot on the chair for one on the other boy's lap. They were instantly half wrapped around each other, Feliks' white skirt riding up strategically high to entice Toris' hands to explore.

Yum.

Alfred shook his head to clear his thoughts. "You two are making me hungry, and I just ate. Keep your clothes on for ten minutes."

His comment made Feliks pout while Toris blushed and mumbled an apology. "Sorry…"

"Seriously, you guys have more sex than I do and I'm pretty sure that's not how it's supposed to go."

"It's, like, not just sex for us," Feliks pointed out before offering a loving smile to Toris, "we're bonded mates. We make love." The brunet's blush darkened but he returned the smile then hugged the slightly shorter male around the waist, nuzzling into his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, I'm an incubus and I have to have sex or I'll starve to death. 'Making love' wasn't really an option before."

That caught Feliks' attention enough for him to stop trying to get Toris to look at him. "Before? So, like, it's an option, now?"

He couldn't help but grin, though he did try not to. "I think so."

Chin now resting on Feliks' shoulder, Toris looked at his friend with renewed interest. "So you didn't just eat last night."

"Uh…no…I mean, I found this chick at a club—she was completely hammered and probably doesn't remember me at all—but she's not who I'm talking about."

"Right," Feliks interrupted, waving his hand in the air as if dismissing everything Al had said. "Tell us about Arthur." The name was purred and he smirked as he said it because Alfred's face immediately began turning a light pink.

"I met him in a pub last night before I went to the club to eat."

Toris frowned a little. "But you were starving when you left last night. How did you manage to stop at a pub just to chat?"

Normally, all the interruptions would have gotten on Alfred's nerves, but he didn't mind them today. "Well it's not like that was my plan. I went there looking for a meal and I just…found Arthur instead."

"Oh my god." Feliks sat straight up in Toris' lap, staring at Alfred intently. "Did he turn you down? Did someone actually say no to you?" He looked and sounded completely shocked, as if this was something that was never supposed to happen and shouldn't happen.

Alfred nodded, looking down as he did so because, as an incubus, it was his one and only right to pride to be able to say that no human man or woman was capable of resisting him when he decided he wanted them. As much as he'd wanted Arthur, as much charm he'd put into his attempts to seduce the Brit, he'd been turned down as if he was just some kid off the street looking to get some easy fun. "He, uh, lectured me about being cocky."

A giggle burst from the younger blond. "Because you're, like, totally cocky, Al," he laughed, leaning back against Toris as he continued to smile and giggle over the word. "God, that's the perfect word for you, Incubutt. Cocky. Isn't he cocky, Tor?"

The brunet smiled in spite of himself. "Yes."

As much as Alfred hated when Feliks decided to call him "Incubutt," he didn't say anything about. Normally, he would get revenge, which then led to a nice little snack, but today he didn't feel like it. "Shut up, Liks. It's not funny. Anyway, this guy is…why could he say no to me? He's human so he should have been tripping over himself just to get me to smile at him. It wasn't a complete loss 'cause I got his number and he did kiss me before he left but still. How the hell did he manage to resist me?"

Feliks shrugged, still tickled over the whole "cocky" bit. "I, like, don't know. Maybe he's just a super prude."

"No, he's not. He got really flustered and flattered when I flirted with him. It was just when I hinted at sex that he got offended. After I apologized, he agreed to go on a date with me." Proudly, he showed them the number still written on the palm of his hand. "I'm going to call him today and see if he wants to go out tonight. I'll actually be able to focus, since I won't be hungry again until tomorrow afternoon."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Al?" Toris asked hesitantly. "We're only here for the summer. What happens when we go home?"

Shit, he hadn't thought about that. It was an excellent point—it wasn't as though ad ate with Arthur could really go anywhere. He had, at most, three months with the Brit. That wasn't enough time to build a relationship strong enough to become long-distance when Alfred went back to American in August.

I can't do that, anyway. I'd never be able to be faithful to him. Every few days, I'd have to cheat on him just to feed and I don't want that.

Just thinking about it, imagining how it would make him feel to lie to Arthur, to hide who he was, made him feel sick. In all his years as an incubus, he'd never been in any sort of relationship that lasted more than a few weeks. His partners never got to know him, and it didn't take long for him to grow bored with them and move on.

"I…don't know," he admitted quietly, lowering his eyes to the floor. All his excitement about going on a date with Arthur seemed to drain from him. Silent, he looked at the slightly faded numbers on his palm. He wanted to call him, wanted to hear his voice and set up a time and place to meet for their date. But he didn't know if that was a good idea anymore.

Sighing, the American picked himself up out of his chair and began moving towards the door to his bedroom.

"Are you, like, gonna call him?" Feliks called after the tall blond, and Al paused in the doorway.

"I don't know if I should." Then the door shut behind him and he locked himself in his room, needing to be alone to think. It was a fancy, elegant room, perfectly decorated and designed. He wasn't at all surprised. Feliks refused to stay in any but the best hotels whenever the nymph travelled.

Al didn't bother turning on the lights and threw himself on the king-sized bed he was meant to enjoy for the summer. It was full and plush with lots of pillos and the blnakets felt like silk. It was a fantastic bed for sex.

Arthur would probably like this.

No, he shouldn't think about that. The possibility that he would get the Brit back to the hotel and into his bed was slim. Besides, he didn't want his only goal to be sleeping with him. Arthur was different from every other human he'd ever encountered and he wanted to know why.

Call him. Go on a date. It doesn't have to lead to sex. Just a date to get to know him. Call.

Lifting his hand, Alfred examined the numbers before forcing himself off the bed. His bags sat next to the wardrobe, waiting to be unpacked. Somewhere, in one of those bags, was the pre-paid phone he'd gotten specifically for this trip.

"Feliks!" he shouted, knowing the flamboyant nymph would hear.

"Yeah?"

"Where'd you pack my phone?"

"Front pocket on the smallest suitcase," Toris' voice responded, which probably meant that, while it was supposed to be Feliks' job to pack the bags, the blond had convinced Toris to do it for him. He wasn't even mildly surprised by the idea.

"Thanks!" As the brunet had said, Al found the phone in the front pocket of his smallest suitcase. It took a moment to turn on, but as soon as it was ready to go, he punched in the number on his hand and saved it under "Arthur Sexybritches." The name made him chuckle and he imagined how red the Brit's face would turn if he ever saw it or found out. That would be something worth seeing.

"I'm calling him!"

Cheers sounded from the living room and Alfred grinned, his excitement building again as he clicked the Call option.

X

But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da

The book he'd been reading fell from his hands as Arthur all but sprang out of his chair and bolted towards the bedroom. He'd left his phone on the nightstand for some reason so he had to rush to get to it before it stopped ringing. That ringtone meant it was a new number, which meant it was probably Alfred.

"Hello?" he answered breathlessly, hoping he didn't sound too nervous or excited or eager.

"Hey there, Arthur. It's Alfred."

A triumphant smile broke out on the green-eyed blond's face, though he kept his voice calm and polite. "Good afternoon, Alfred." He could hear the American chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Your manners are perfect. So, I was wondering if you still wanted to go out sometime. We could grab some tea and get to know each other."

"Yes!" The Brit froze, realizing he sounded like a teenager going to a party, then cleared his throat. "I mean, that sounds fun. I'd love to."

"Cool. Is today all right? I can pick you up, if you want."

Today was perfect. Today was the only day. Arthur didn't know if he could handle having to wait any longer than was absolutely necessary.

I'm going mad.

"Yes, I'll text you my address so you don't forget it."

"Perfect. I'll be there at, say, five? Then we can grab some dinner, too."

Tea and dinner with Alfred. "I'll see you at five o'clock then, and don't be late," he added in a stern tone, though he was smiling.

"I wouldn't dream of it. See you in a few hours."

"Bye." The line clicked and went dead, and Arthur spent several moments staring at his phone as his brain attempted to register what exactly had just happened. He was going on a date with Alfred. Today. At five. He was going on a date with Alfred. They were going to get tea and dinner and go on a date. His first date in months and it was with a god-like American.

Wait. Five o'clock. It was already past two! He had less than three hours to get ready!

Hurriedly, he typed his address and sent it to Alfred as a text so the American would know where to pick him up from, then tossed the phone onto his bed before going to the wardrobe. Shirts and pants of all colors and styles greeted him.

"What the bloody hell am I supposed to wear?"

Frowning, he began rifling through his clothes, eventually settling on a pair of dark brown trousers and a blue button-down shirt. It was a good color for him, and was casual enough for a relaxed date without being too relaxed. He added a black blazer in case it started raining again. But, of course, he had to shower before he could get dressed, so he left the clothes laid out neatly on his bed and went into the bathroom, humming happily.

X

"Is that what you're wearing?"

Alfred rolled his eyes as he picked his keys up off the coffee table. "Yes. Why?"

"Don't you think you should wear something, like, nicer?" Feliks asked, green eyes looking the American over with disapproval.

"I look fine!"

"Totally not."

He sighed and turned to face the shorter male. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

Hands on his hips, Feliks walked up to him and tugged on the collar of his shirt. "This is old and faded. Your jeans have a hole near your ankle, and would it, like, kill you to brush your hair?"

"Feliks, I'm going out for tea, not taking him to the opera."

The nymph glared at him, on the verge of pouting. "You, like, have no idea how to go on a date!"

Alfred opened his mouth to argue but stopped. Slowly, he closed his mouth. It was true, he didn't actually know what to do. This was the first time he'd had to be the one to ask someone out. He'd always been asked, and usually his "dates" ended with sex because he only went out when he was hungry. "Fine. You can redress me. But make it quick—I gotta pick him up in twenty minutes."

Gleefully triumphant, Feliks' pout transformed into a smile and he grabbed Alfred's hand, dragging the taller man back into his bedroom. "Clothes off, Incubutt! I'll have you looking totally hot in no time!"

He rolled his eyes but did as he was told, tossing the clothes that had been voted against into a nearby corner. "You're lucky I don't mind being your Ken doll."

That got a giggle out of the smaller blond as he began looking through Alfred's clothes. "And I totally appreciate it." The first thing h picked out was a pair of darkwash jeans that fit just a little bit snugger than Alfred usually wore.

"Why these?"

"They make your ass look good. You want to seduce this guy, right?"

The American's face flushed slightly. "Not really…it's just tea and dinner…"

Feliks turned and gave him a knowing look. "Dinner for you means sex. Besides, you, like, already said you wanna make love to him." He went back to looking through the clothes before Alfred could respond and ended up choosing a dark red button down shirt. "Leave the top two buttons open and roll the sleeves up to your elbows."

Silently, Alfred did as he was told as Feliks watched closely to make sure he didn't mess anything up. It only took about ten minutes, then the nymph dragged him into the bathroom and forced him to stand in front of the mirror while he brushed through his hair.

"It's going to get messed up anyway," Alfred informed him, but Feliks ignored the comment and continued what he was doing with a look of intense concentration. "Seriously, if you make me late, I'll never forgive you."

"Yes, you will." The nymph giggled and placed a teasing kiss on Alfred's cheek. "You forget that I, like, totally know all your turn-ons, incubus."

A growl escaped the American and he glared at his reflection, though he didn't argue because he knew Feliks was right—the smaller male had known him for a long, long time and was perfectly capable of arousing him at a moment's notice, even now that he had Toris.

"There!" Satisfied, Feliks stepped back to admire his handiwork. "See, totally hot. I'd sleep with you, if I was him."

"You'd sleep with me anyway."

"Totally, but only if Toris gets to play, too."

Feigning exasperation, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "If he has to."

Feliks giggled again and offered the incubus before him a flirty smile. "So, if you're hungry when you get back…"

"Then I'll use the two of you for a feast. Are you done dressing me? I need to go so I can be on time."

"You're as good as you're going to get." Dropping the flirtatious attitude, he placed a caring hand on Alfred's shoulder and smiled. "Good luck. I know he'll totally love you."

"Thanks, Liks." Alfred flashed a slightly nervous grin before retrieving his keys and leaving the hotel suite. With any luck at all, he would manage to get in Arthur's good graces by dinner.