Of Kings and Queens

To Be Happy- Part 2

Alfred hummed to himself as he walked outside onto the large field behind the studio. The city planned to build a hotel here, but for now it was a large grassy field that Alfred loved to play in on his free time.
"Alfred? Is that you?" Arthur called out as the rain poured down his face.
"Arthur!! There you are! I was wondering where my Che-pet went! Why are you out here in the rain alone?"

Arthur held up a piece of paper, frowning at Alfred. "You tell me, Mr. Jones, why are you out here?"

Alfred took one good look at the paper and knew exactly what it was. It was his emancipation papers.

"Great! You found it, I was just about to tell you! Now you can quit too and--"

Arthur cut Alfred off with glare. "Do you realize what this means?"

"Yes, you can come with me Artie! We can go off together--"

"Alfred! Do you realize what you've done?!" Arthur snapped, balling the paper.

Alfred blinked and swallowed the spit that was building in his throat. "Yeah, I'm no longer a Kirkland."

"It means you have to live on your own idiot!" Arthur barked.

"Arthur I want my freedom! I'm not a child anymore nor your brother, on television or at home. Can't you see that we're no longer brothers, we can be together! Consider me independent! I never liked your mom anyway." Alfred looked away and off into pouring rain.

"You'll sink the company. You're a major character we can't just replace you! I won't allow it!! Why?! Dammit why?! You idiot why can't you follow anything through to the end? Tell me Alfred!!" Arthur tore the paper and hatefully glared into Alfred's eyes.

"Is that all you care about? The company? The show? What about me, huh? Mr. Kirkland. We could have a life together now, do bigger things, be a couple! What happened to you, to us?"

"This isn't fair!! There's no way I can just watch you leave us to suffer, I can't-- I- I--"

And for the first time in many years Alfred watched as tears poured down Arthur's face like that of rain, of a queen who learned her husband died in war. Tears of a king whose empire had fallen.

"Why?" Was all Arthur said in a hushed tone.

"You know why..." Alfred whispered back thinking back to all the arguments they've had over the past month. All the times Arthur told him where to go, what to wear, all the time Arthur would spend on the stupid show, rather than spending it with Alfred.

The times when they were so loving together, now always constantly fighting.

"I remember when you used to be so great..."

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Present time.

Alfred rolled over and wrapped his arms around the sleeping body next to him. He couldn't remember who he had slept with, what gender or age. Alfred only remembered green eyes and the feeling of being completely satisfied.

Like most one night stands, Alfred grabbed his pants and other clothes and took one last look at the sleeping form next to---

"Oh for fucks sake!!"

Arthur, startled by the noise, aroused from his sleep and locked eyes with the American. "What the bloody fuck are you doing in my house?!"

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Arthur was now sitting down at the counter as he poured himself a shot glass of whiskey. Alfred was sitting awkwardly on the couch sipping water and staring out the window.