The Toy Solider

6. Brand New Key

"Brand New Key" – Melanie

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The moment Alfred's eyes opened he was thinking of Arthur. Of how the coming hours would unlock a new side to him. The green eyes he dreamt of that night greeted Alfred when the door opened and Arthur sat him down on his bed.

"Is your head feeling any better?" Alfred asked as he gently brushed away Arthur's golden hair to get a better look at the wound.

"Immensely. Tino's knowledge of medically related subjects is really quite useful."

"Well I'm glad that you're getting better. You really scared me yesterday."

"Really? And why is that?"

Alfred looked down, his cheeks flushed and his hands clasped. "Well-you," he stuttered, "Why do you say it like it's a bad thing!"

"I'm not," Arthur chuckled, "It just flatters me that you care."

"Of course I care," Alfred mumbled.

Although Alfred did not see it, Arthur smiled. He had been doing that a lot lately, but only when Alfred was around. There was something about him that radiated a happy vibe. Something about him that made Arthur never want to leave his side.

"Do you want to work outside today?" Arthur asked.

"There's an outside?"

Arthur laughed and took Alfred's hand. "Come on."

The two passed Tino and Peter in the hall who smiled at them. Arthur pushed open the screen door and Alfred followed him out. The courtyard was small, only just wide enough that if Alfred were to lay down his head and feet would touch the decaying fence. The ground was covered in dead or dying grass, it seemed as though not much would be able to grow here. A small cracked terracotta pot sat in one corner with a wilted bush in it. Arthur and Alfred sat down opposite each other.

"It's very rare to find a property this deep in the city with a garden, if at all." Arthur said.

"Why is everything dead?" Alfred asked.

"Well it's hard to manage a business and a family and find time or resources to spare on a few shrubs."

Alfred nodded in understanding. That would be a struggle, and to try to survive in such a power driven country as well was definitely going to put some weight on some shoulders.

The sky was clear and the sun was sending down fat rolling waves of heat onto the city. Arthur fanned himself with his hand and Alfred leaned against the fence.

"How is it so hot already?" He whined.

"Our weather tends to lean on the unpredictable side, though lately it's been rather chilly."

Arthur continued to ramble on about how quickly the tides changed around the docks and how much the rain seemed to favour England than any other countries he'd heard reports on. He failed to notice the way Alfred studied his face, like at any second they would be separated and he was trying to etch it into his memory to prevent himself from forgetting. Alfred's eyes followed the grand movements of Arthur's hands, they followed the small twitches tugging at the corner of Arthur's lips when he veered off topic and found himself immersed in another one who was just as passionate about as the last. They followed the strands of messy hair blowing in the fading wind and they followed curves and edges of Arthur's face. Beneath his shirt, they followed the steady thumping of his heart and matched it to Alfred's. They followed the shimmer in his eyes and the unconscious fiddling with the hem of his shirt.