USUK AUs for you and me. feel free to leave a quote, a song, or a prompt for a short drabble. my askbox is open! ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ | main blog | | FF.net || AO3 |
Let’s be honest - we all forget to leave a comment sometimes. We don’t always go out of our way to click the “come talk to me on tumblr” link on AO3 to scream about the fic in the author’s inbox. On August 21st I encourage you to take a moment and show fanfic writers that you appreciate them!
How can you do it?
leave a comment and kudos on every fic you finish reading. Doesn’t matter how short. Doesn’t matter if you’re just repeating what other people have already said. Just be kind! Keysmashing, Caps Lock, and live commenting appreciated! (Bonus points if you leave a comment on every chapter)
ideas for what to put in a comment: one | two
floaty review box for ao3 (super useful for commenting as you read + it has a ‘review tips’ button if you feel stuck)
reblog ficlets, drabbles, fics, fic rec posts, etc. Put a nice comment in the tags. Remember that likes, while appreciated, don’t give the writer any exposure, meaning the posts don’t reach more people
go to your local fanfic writer’s inbox and talk to them about their fic of your choice. Let them know how long ago you’ve read it and what story point/sentence/scene still makes you smile when you think about it
send thank you messages to fic writers. In a world where you have to pay for almost everything, they’re supplying you with countless hours of free entertainment. It can get quite lonely without getting messages acknowledging the hours they spend writing stories - let them know their time and effort is appreciated
make fic rec posts and @ the authors whose fics you’re recommending! (believe me, fic writers love to see their stories in these posts)
create something inspired by a fic! You can draw fanart, make a moodboard or aesthetic post, or even write a song for the fic you love. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro doesn’t matter - the thought alone is what counts more than anything <3
buy the writer a coffee if they have a ko-fi page and you have some change lying around c: Caffeine keeps most fic writers awake when they struggle with a particularly slow draft or a difficult scene. More coffee, more content.
These are only some ideas out of the sea of possible ways to appreciate fanfic writers. On August 21st show the writers in your fandom(s) some love <3
Oh hey it’s already that time of the year!!! Spread the word and signal boost, fellow fanfic fans, so that tomorrow may be a day of delight for your favorite authors <3
If you’re a fanfic writer I’ve read at least once, expect my fan mail in your inbox tomorrow!!! God, I have to start making my list and checking it twice! 💪😤💖💖💖
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
Arthur rose from his seat. “Right, I’ve got to go.”
“Where are you going?” asked Allistor.
“On a date.”
His brothers raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances.
“Who’s the lucky guy?” asked Ciaran.
“Is it Alfred?” asked Gwil, his eyes glinting with interest.
Arthur scrunched his face like his brother offered him a snot-flavoured ice cream. “No. He’s a knob.”
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
The evening ocean breeze swept past them, sending shivers under Arthur’s skin.
“Hey— er— we should probably go home, and er— come back tomorrow,” he said, rubbing the side of his arms.
Alfred’s face brightened. “Aw, Arthur! I didn’t know you like spending time with me that much!”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Cheeky.”
Alfred smiled, flashing his crooked teeth. “Can we stay a bit more? Until the sun comes down?”
“Okay.”
And so they stayed, running and meeting the waves. The sun was a massive ball of light setting fire into the sky, the day burning with colours until the end.
For mobile, what I just do is put the thing I wanna read in my drafts and in there, the keep reading thing shows up. But idk why staff did that, it's unnecessarily inefficient :/
the thing is i posted a story with ‘read more’ on my laptop but when i went here, it was gone so it became a long-ass post :( i hope tumblr sorts this out soon
SUMMARY: Alfred and Arthur used to travel the world together. Then, something went wrong along the way and they went their separate ways. Two years later, they meet again. (Backpacker/post-breakup AU).
[Read on AO3]
“Kirkland!”
“Jones.”
Alfred Jones’s face broke into a wide grin. “Wow, it’s really you! I mean— wow, ha ha! I haven’t seen you in so long! What are the odds?”
Arthur took a sip from his pint of beer and smiled, trying to calm the wild beating of his heart. The moment he stepped into the rooftop bar, he’d spotted Alfred in the far right corner, chatting with a group of tipsy travellers.
He couldn’t believe his eyes either. Perhaps the darkness and the neon lights were playing tricks on his weary mind. Of all the people he’d bump into while backpacking, it had to be his ex-boyfriend. At a party in Siem Reap, Cambodia, of all places. How bizarre could it get?
Was it really him? If he was, could he still remember Arthur?
Because Arthur remembered him. After all this time, he could never forget that face.
His questions were answered when he saw a glimpse of recognition in his eyes as he looked towards his direction.
Alfred told his friends to go ahead and sat beside Arthur, who came alone.
“How are you? It’s been what— two years?” said Alfred. He couldn’t seem to wipe the grin off his face. “Funny how we meet again, huh? In Cambodia, no less!”
Beside them, a Scottish and an Irish man were mocking each other’s accent. They were surrounded by so many people engaged in countless drunk discussions. The festive vibe was too distracting, making it difficult to speak. Before Arthur could reply, a crowd of laughing 20-somethings sat on their table, and suddenly, the entire bar became part of their conversation.
“Arthur, didn’t you say you’ve been to Bali?”
“Oh you’ve been to Bali? How was it?”
A series of random questions and answers came in waves and in different directions. I spent six months in Vietnam. Are you travelling alone? I don’t know if I can do that. There was nothing to do but drink and smoke and talk and talk. The entire time, Alfred kept getting drinks and taking back his seat beside Arthur.
He listened whenever Alfred shared something about his travels, something that would explain where he got the colourful wristbands on his arm, or his tan lines and freckles. They finally got the chance to talk to each other when someone brought up Angkor Wat.
“Have you visited the temples yet?” asked Francis, a bearded, long-haired bloke from France.
“Jones had been here a couple of times before,” said Arthur. “Hadn’t you?”
“Yeah,” replied Alfred, slightly caught off guard. “I majored in Archaeology and I’m a major temple nerd, so going here’s a childhood dream come true, ha ha! I just can’t get enough.”
I could study it forever, he told Arthur as he gazed at the monument with reverence a long time ago, when they first visited together.
“How about you, Kirkland?” asked Alfred. “What brings you to temple town?”
“I— er— I just wanted to see if the sunrise tour was worth the hype,” replied Arthur.
The truth was he was on a month-long vacation in Southeast Asia because his boss believed he was working himself to death in the office. He had a few extra days before his flight back to London, and dropping by Siem Reap seemed like a nice idea, not to be nostalgic or anything of course.
He did the sunrise tour and visited the temples he and Alfred missed when they did the sunset tour for Arthur’s birthday. They couldn’t make the most out of it because they got stupid drunk the night before, so they spent the entire day tour hungover. Thinking about it, most of their night outs were followed by those tides of hangovers. Some nights Arthur couldn’t remember the details, but he could vividly remember the feeling.
“Wait, sorry, aren’t you two travelling together?” asked Gilbert from Germany.
“Oh no, not really,” said Arthur.
“We met a while back,” said Alfred.
“You seemed to know each other a lot,” said Antonio from Spain.
Arthur chuckled and downed his whiskey. “Well, you’re not wrong.”
He and Alfred briefly exchanged looks. If it wasn’t dark, he’d think Alfred was blushing.
Someone yelled about a pub crawl on the other side of the table and the entire bar stirred.
“Arthur! Are you coming?”
Giulia, a bubbly Italian girl with long brown hair and bright amber eyes approached him, beaming widely. They met each other the night before, their first pub crawl together.
“‘Course I am, sweetheart!” He replied, and she jumped and gave him a big hug.
And off they went to the next party with around twenty other people. It was a series of ordering drinks, chatting, smoking, and dancing. Arthur felt like he didn’t leave West London at all, with the crowd and the music and the strobe lights.
Hours flew by without any of them noticing. On the third party, at around quarter past midnight, everyone went wild. Some girls were dancing on table tops as the DJ played their jam. Some boys drank and rapped.
Alfred found him dancing with his own circle and joined them. By the end of the song, he and Alfred were dancing together, not saying a word. They let their bodies sway with the music, never mind if they could really call it dancing or not.
And then Alfred flashed a smile that reached his eyes, and it was like meeting each other all over again.
Looking into his blue, blue eyes, Arthur remembered hot and sweaty nights and the weight of Alfred’s body against his, the morning after.
But their relationship wasn’t all that. Arthur’s chest swelled with realisation.
It was also tight hugs once homesickness kicked in, ice cream on an unbearably hot day, and contagious laughter as they recounted a terribly embarrassing thing they did.
They shared intimacy that went beyond getting naked and having sex, something Arthur never had with other lovers. They had intimacy and warmth.
Another hour or two had passed and they found each other again outside the bar. This time, it was only the two of them. In the dark, away from the party. Alone with their feelings and the truth.
“Are you happy, Arthur?” asked Alfred, leaning against the wall.
Sparks danced across Arthur’s skin upon hearing Alfred call his name.
“I am,” he replied. He searched his pockets for cigarettes and a lighter.
Alfred nodded to the ground, running his fingers through his dishevelled hair.
“But it was never the same without you,” continued Arthur.
Alfred raised his head in shock. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Arthur blamed the amount of alcohol he consumed for letting his guard down. But maybe it was time to be vulnerably honest. Heaven knows there were only a couple of times he let his guard down with Alfred and let the truth out.
“You know, after we ended, I tried travelling again,” he said, “But after a while, everything was a routine of packing bags, hopping on buses, meeting people, and excessive drinking… It was a never-ending cycle.”
He paused to search Alfred’s face. He was looking at Arthur as if he was trying to answer a difficult riddle.
Arthur gulped, willing the words to come out of his mouth. “Sometimes I’d find myself searching for you in the crowd, then I’d remember we weren’t together anymore, and feel… empty.”
“Arthur, I—“ said Alfred, “I feel the same way too.”
It was Arthur’s turn to be speechless. He fiddled with his cigarette to hide the shaking of his hands.
“There was a point when I wanted to stop because everything reminded me of you and it drove me crazy,” said Alfred. “I got mad at myself for deleting all your contact details because I wished I could see you again.”
Silence fell upon them. Arthur was breathing heavily, his chest felt like it was being stabbed a thousand times.
“But it was good while it lasted, wasn’t it?” He said after a while.
“It was,” replied Alfred, his lips curled into a sad half-smile.
At some point in their relationship, they realised travelling as a couple wasn’t always romantic. It wasn’t like what they saw in movies or social media. As time passed, the ugly parts surfaced, mostly coming from their own personal issues, and started destroying them, tearing them apart like the temple ruins they admired so much.
Sitting on the pavement, Arthur was relieved he and Alfred could talk about the past calmly, not raising their voices with anger and blame. People were going back to their hostels, and some tourists were getting ready for the sunrise tour, tuk tuks zooming along the streets.
He remembered the last time they saw each other. It was in Vietnam, at around dawn, which felt like a lifetime ago. They knew that they were already finished— Arthur was going back to England after deciding they were over— but Alfred asked him to stay even just for a moment. They had a very early breakfast like a normal morning after partying, eating pancakes and drinking black coffee.
“Would you like to have breakfast with me?” asked Arthur, standing up.
“Sure,” said Alfred. “Though we might have to wait for a while because I don’t think there’s somewhere open at this time.”
Arthur hummed in agreement. “We can walk around a bit. I could use a stretch, my legs are sore.”
They walked in silence, side by side, as the sky turned from black to a deep blue.
“Where are you going next?” asked Alfred.
“Home,” replied Arthur.
Alfred bit his lip. “Any chance you’ll come and visit me?”
Arthur smiled. “Maybe.”
“We worked out as a couple when we were travelling. Well, almost,” said Alfred, “Do you think it would have worked if we met at home? Like, if we lived in the same country?”
“Who the hell knows?” asked Arthur.
They laughed together. The next thing Arthur knew, Alfred had pulled him into his arms, and he let him. His lips found Alfred’s and it was like meeting each other all over again.
A/N: The title is from Time Is Dancing by Ben Howard.
If anyone’s wondering why I disappeared for months, it’s because I moved abroad and am currently traipsing across Indochina (and trying to get my shit together). Peace out.
“We’re really doing this, huh?” asked Alfred, a gentle smile on his lips as he lay on the floor next to Arthur.
Exhausted from moving and unpacking some of their things, Arthur decided to rest on the newly-carpeted floor and made himself into a giant starfish. Their small apartment was empty except for the fixtures in the kitchen and the countless of boxes filled with personal items, half of them shipped from England.
They’d spent the day cleaning, trying to wipe away the blanket of dust covering the apartment, and putting some of their clothes in the wardrobe. The sun was setting, spilling its brilliant colours on the walls around them, but there was still so much work to be done.
Back in university, they only daydreamed about moving in together, casually mentioning it in the form of jokes, something they laughed at and dismissed eventually, but kept them wondering what if?
Looking around, a thought sank into Arthur. He would be sharing this apartment with Alfred from now on. They would be spending the rest of their lives together. Even to this day, he could hardly believe Alfred said yes to him, and put that ring on his finger.
A few years back, he wouldn’t have believed it if someone told him he’d be this happy.
He rolled over and found Alfred in deep thought, trying to read him. A strip of sunlight fell upon his face.
“You can still back out,” said Arthur. “I can go back to England and—”
Alfred cut him short by cupping his face with his hands. “Please don’t say that…”
Of course Arthur was only joking, but Alfred’s eyes had that same sad look the day Arthur left for England, the day they were separated by the ocean.
“I want you here. I need you here,” said Alfred. He leaned against Arthur and closed their distance with his lips. He kissed Arthur with such urgency and desperation like how they would kiss for the first time in the airport after being separated for so long.
Arthur kissed him back the way he always did when Alfred kissed him like that— with hunger and certainty, letting Alfred know that he felt the same way.
Short of breath, he let go with a relieved sigh and laughed.
The sound put a smile across Alfred’s lips. He said, “I’m gonna kiss you until the message sinks in.”
He pressed his lips against Arthur and they kissed again. Under other circumstances, Arthur would have a witty reply, but at this moment, words fled him.
In the beginning, he used to feel like a little child stepping into the deep waters, expecting to drown. But he would think of Alfred, smiling and holding his hand, and how they would cross the waters together and everything would be all right.
They lay on the floor next to each other, not saying a word. Looking at each other’s eyes, they weaved their fingers together.
Arthur thought about their future and the things they’d do together. Alfred’s face would be the first thing he’d see in the morning. They’d adapt sickeningly domestic things, get pets, fold each other’s laundry, and everyone around them would think they were gross because they were so in love.
Suddenly, he was looking forward to the future, something he’d never done before.
“We’re really doing this,” said Arthur, who couldn’t contain his smile. His heart roared in his chest that he could barely hear Alfred’s firm reply.
“Yes, we are.”
A/N: this is set on my Need Your Light AU, which centres on a long-distance relationship. go and check it out if you’re interested. =u=
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
Arthur slammed his palms to his face. “I’m a walking catastrophe.”
“It was kinda fun,” said Alfred, amusement laced in his words. “Felt like we jumped out of a Skins episode back there.”
“You’re mental, you are,” said Arthur. “I fucking hate you.”
They grinned like idiots.
The sun was rising outside the window. He watched as the broad golden rays hit Alfred’s face, the tips of his dark blond hair glinting against the red booth. When those blue eyes met his, he looked away.
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
“Song lyrics are poetry, too,” said Arthur. “So you can really dissect each line like literature and interpret their meaning.”
“Totally,” said Alfred. “You just have to find something great. Most of the songs today seem to be about taking off your clothes, which is good too, but what about ambition, grit, revenge, inner peace— you know, other interesting stuff?”
Arthur studied him for a moment. The dancing flames lit up half of Alfred’s face, casting a shadow over the other half. “I didn’t expect you’d be the poetic and philosophical type.”
Alfred snorted and pushed his glasses against the bridge of his nose. “I know I look like a typical fuckboy in my tank tops and denim shorts, but I think about a lot of things, too.” He tucked a toothpick on the corner of his lips. “Do you have any talents?”
“You mean secret talents?” asked Arthur, raising an eyebrow.
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
They kept their heads up to the sky, admiring the transient beauty of fireworks. As always, they were short and explosive, not really meant to last. Soon, the air was thick with sulphur, and smoke substituted for the flashing colours. Arthur walked back to the house with a fleeting joy and nostalgia in his chest.
Perhaps Arthur got carried away by the grand display of fireworks, or it was alcohol injecting emotions in him, tugging at his insides, or it was something Alfred said that made his chest swell. Whatever the hell it was, he had the strong urge to pull him close and thank him.
He reached inside his pocket and pulled out the sand dollars he collected from the beach. Holding them in his open palm, he said, “Happy birthday, Alfred.”
Holy crap, You're the only thing I know has got to be the best multi chapter I've read so far and I hope you get all the motivation you need to wright that last chapter because they are just so full of emotion and it's wonderful~
SUMMARY: Arthur is a sceptical 18-year-old who finds himself spending summer in the US. He questions the point of it all until he finds Trouble hanging on his window ledge for dear life. Soon, Trouble turns to Summer with sun-bleached hair, sky blue eyes, and laughter that carries the ocean breeze, and the two of them share intimacy out of loneliness. Misery loves company, after all. But what happens once summer ends? Are they meant to exist in each other’s lives only for one season?
PREVIEW:
Alfred was getting closer. His dirty blond hair was pushed back by the playful wind, revealing the ridiculously symmetrical features of his boyish face. He looked the same as two days ago, wearing a tattered sleeveless top, cargo shorts, and the greasy pair of red Chucks that tripped on Arthur’s window.
“Hey!” He approached with his half-moon smile, showing his crooked teeth (how could he missed them them before?), which, Arthur assumed, made girls swoon. “I knew you’re friends with each other! Francis is like friends with everyone wherever he goes.”
“Er, I wouldn’t really call us ‘friends’.”
Francis rolled his eyes. “Will you finally tell me how you two met?”
“I slipped inside his window while I was playing hide and seek the other day.” Alfred bounced on his toes. “Hey, Arthur! Your name’s Arthur, right? Nice to see you again!”
Arthur was pretty sure that was the deadly kind of hide and seek, and Alfred was wrecking his name with that horrible American accent of his. “Er…”
“Is he coming to the party next week?” Alfred asked with the same level of enthusiasm when he asked for Arthur’s name the first time, ignoring Arthur’s disinterest in talking to him.
“What party?” asked Arthur.
“Francis is throwing a party for the Fourth of July!” said Alfred.
“Of course, he’ll come. I’ll drag him along if I have to,” guaranteed Francis.
Can you please do the "Can I tell you a secret?" prompt for usuk/ukus?
“Can I tell you a secret?” whispered Alfred, his blue eyes wide and apprehensive. His thick, round glasses reflected a bolt of lightning from the window. “I’m not really a hero.”
“What do you mean?” asked Arthur, his eyebrows knitted in confusion.
Another flash of lightning struck the night sky. Alfred flinched, crouching against the fabric walls of their pillow fort. It was Friday night, so Arthur was allowed to sleep over. They had been having sleepovers since they met last year, in second grade, but this was the first time Alfred was telling him a very important secret.
“AHHH!” Alfred screamed and curled himself into a ball as thunder growled and shook the house.
Arthur huddled closer to his best friend, gently saying, “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here.”
Alfred couldn’t speak. Despite covering his ears with his hands, he trembled as thunder cracked louder overhead.
“Heroes get scared too. That’s why they have friends who stay with them no matter what,” said Arthur, rubbing circles on his back. “Remember when you chased after the kids who pushed me in the playground? Or when you saved Mattie’s cat from Mrs. Taylor’s angry dog? Only real heroes can do those things, you know.”
Alfred gazed up at him through watery eyes and smiled.
“Here,” said Arthur, reaching for Alfred’s hand. “You can hold my hand until it goes away.”
“Th— Thank you,” replied Alfred. Clasping their hands together, he felt safer. The thunder didn’t bother him as much because Arthur was with him. He was his hero.
They had fallen asleep when the thunderstorm stopped, still holding hands.
Prompt: King of god's Alfred falls in love with mortal Arthur (and maybe have a demigod son)
“Daddy, look!”
Alfred studied the drawing his seven-year-old son, Robin, gave him.
“It’s you, me, and Daddy,” said Robin, pointing his tiny finger at each of the three stick figures standing outside a house. They were smiling and holding hands, the tiniest figure in between the two taller ones.
“My teacher gave me a star for it!” he continued, pointing at the big star on the corner of the page. He grinned widely, one of his front teeth missing.
“Well, you deserve it, buddy. This is really good!” said Alfred, mirroring his son’s smile.
“You can have it.”
“Oh wow, thank you!”
Arthur watched them silently over the rim of his mug.
Alfred hadn’t aged a day. He still looked the same when they first met eight years ago.
“Everything okay at work?” asked Alfred, when Robin went back to the living room to play with his Legos. “Winning cases day by day, I assume, Mister Kirkland?”
“You flatter me,” said Arthur. “Everything’s alright. How are things— er— up there?”
“Never better.”
“Lovely.”
“Can you believe he’s not a baby anymore?” asked Alfred, longingly gazing at Robin, who was playing with his ginger tabby cat. “I often forget how quickly humans age.”
Arthur hummed. “He’s getting stronger everyday. Last week, he ripped his bedroom door off its hinges out of excitement.”
Alfred laughed in amusement.
“He’s a wonderful kid. Very smart, and a very good leader. Stands up for what’s right, which gets him in trouble with his classmates sometimes— at least that’s what the principal tells me. He’s very sweet and thoughtful, too,” said Arthur. “He asks a lot of questions, you know. About you.”
When he looked down, Alfred had absentmindedly reached for his hand.
Arthur Kirkland had lived a fairly normal life until he met the king of gods eight years ago, who was disguised as a charismatic post-grad student called Alfred Jones. They had this instant connection that Arthur never felt with anyone else. After months of dating, Alfred revealed his real identity, which shocked Arthur to a state of denial. They didn’t see each other for months until one day, Alfred showed up on his doorstep with a baby. He’s ours, he said.
The look of urgency in Alfred’s face made Arthur set aside his astonishment and listened to what he had to say. We don’t breed like humans, said Alfred. They couldn’t reproduce by sleeping with humans. Instead, gods bear the fruit of having a deep emotional connection with them. Have you heard of the Greek myth about the king of gods giving birth to the goddess of wisdom by cracking his head? Well, it was pretty much like that.
He’s ours, Alfred reassured Arthur. He’s part god, part human.
When Arthur held the infant in his arms, he felt love burst in his chest. He loved this child very much, he knew it there and then. He’d protect and care for him all his life. Then, Alfred revealed the problem: the baby was not safe with him. Arthur had to raise him to keep him away from the other gods, whom Alfred had angered. We’re not supposed to have children with humans anymore, he said. Alfred left with a heavy heart, but not without promising Arthur’s and the baby’s protection.
Since then, Arthur had found himself in life-threatening situations more than any other time of his life, all because of the other gods. But his paternal instincts prevailed, keeping him and Robin alive for seven years and counting. He also knew, deep down, that Alfred was fighting hard and guiding them even though he was not with them physically.
The rest of the day rolled by as Robin chattered about the things he did in school. Alfred joined him on the floor, listening earnestly. Watching them together, Arthur could see how much they looked alike. While he had Arthur’s messy hair and prominent eyebrows, Robin had Alfred’s beautiful electric blue eyes and his smile, that made Arthur’s heart ache whenever he saw it.
“Do it again! Do it again!” yelled Robin, climbing on Alfred’s lap.
Alfred held his hand up again and electric sparks danced around his fingertips.
Robin clapped his hands, his little face brimming with joy.
Each time Alfred visited them, they would go out like a normal family— stroll around the docks or visit the amusement park. Robin loved it when Alfred threw him up in the air or let him ride his shoulders so he could see the world. Then, Alfred would show him something otherworldly like his godly abilities or bring him a handcrafted gift they wouldn’t find anywhere else.
Before dinner, Alfred announced he had to go. Arthur could read conflict in his face, just like every time they had to part ways. Even the king of gods could not change their star-crossed fate.
“Arthur, you know, I hate leaving you, but—“
“I know. I understand.”
Under the hallway lights, shadow painted his handsome face.
Without another word, Alfred leaned closer to him and pressed their lips together. They shared a passionate, breathless kiss, and gazed at each other’s eyes before they let go. Arthur always tried to think about the next time he would see the love of his life again.
Running his fingers across his hair, Arthur called out their son. “Say goodbye to Daddy, Robin.”
Robin lunged himself at Alfred, squeezing his father into his bear hug. “Bye, Daddy.”
Alfred squeezed back. He mussed his hair when they let go. “See you later, champ.”
“Are you flirting with me?” asked Arthur, raising an eyebrow and closing his thick Economics textbook to scrutinise Alfred.
He was having a peaceful time studying for his exams at the university library until Alfred Jones took the empty chair opposite him and dropped a pick-up line: Are you using the Confundus Charm or are you just naturally mind-blowing?
Alfred couldn’t shut up about Harry Potter ever since he found out Arthur lived for the series. To be fair, Arthur was quite amazed he didn’t come up with puns that involved ‘Deathstick’, ‘Chamber of Secrets’, or ‘Slyther-in’. That would have been disastrous. Only this pick-up line sounded more like an insult.
Arthur perfectly knew Alfred said it to distract him as usual, and so he asked the question to shut him up and it worked like magic. He smirked with amusement.
“W-What? No!” spattered Alfred. His cheeks were pinkish as he pushed his glasses against the bridge of his nose.
Arthur glanced at the librarian’s desk to see if Alfred’s loud voice disturbed her. Thankfully, they were on the farthest corner of the room and were not overheard.
“I just thought it was cool, okay? You’ve had your nose on that book for hours. I thought you could use a laugh.”
“Right,” replied Arthur, opening his textbook again to continue reading.
Alfred didn’t leave. He sat in front of him, wringing his fingers. “Hey, you wanna go to Francis’s Halloween party with me? In wizard’s robes, of course.”
“Okay,” answered Arthur at once, turning the page and not looking up.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Yes!” Alfred thrusted his fist in the air, a wide grin on his face.
“Shh!”
Behind them, Kiku sighed to himself with relief, “Finally.”
