When the clock ticks... (UsUk Cardverse AU)

Chapter 5 - Soulmates

Arthur took a few unsteady steps back, looking uneasy. He felt as if his heart was caught up in his throat, so much so, that he couldn't speak. Placing a hand onto his forehead, he took a single, deep breath before looking back at Alfred. "Ah - Uh, I should really go! You know?" He decided to say, and despite calming down a little, he looked rather frantic or panicked. "You should get back to the ball, to find your...your queen" he pointed out. After that, he attempted to start to head back, walking ahead of Alfred.

Alfred quickly became confused and in order to stop the other from walking, he reached over and grabbed his wrist softly "wait! Why'd you change your mind all of a sudden?" He asked, genuinely confused and baffled. "Arthur! I thought you liked it here" he whined, after all, he had been enjoying their brief conversation.

"I do like it here! A lot actually...but, people will be looking for you, right?" He asked him in response, he honestly wanted to just get somewhere else. Somewhere less private. Somewhere he could easily distract himself.

"But Arthur, we've not been here for too long. We can stay for a little longer..." Alfred responded, he honestly preferred the peace out here rather than in the ballroom. "You were fine up until I mentioned the soul mate markings" he pointed out, noticing how the other froze up again. "Arthur...?" He mumbled.

Arthur looked away, purposefully hiding his face. What should he do? What was he supposed to do. "Can't normal people just have...soulmate markings too, why is it just royals?" He asked him rather quietly.

"I don't know man! I don't make the rules!" Alfred responded with a very subtle chuckle. "Do you have a marking? Is that why you're acting really weird?" He then asked the other, his tone of voice getting softer as he did.

At first, all he received was a nod in response. Arthur was obviously embarrassed. "Yeah..." he then mumbled after a why. "I have a Spades looking marking on my arm..." he added, though he still avoided any type of eye contact with the other. By this point, Alfred had loosened his grip and he was able to slip his hand out, moving to pull up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the royal purple looking mark on his upper left arm before he pulled it back down awkwardly.

Upon seeing the marking, Alfred's eyes lit up in excitement. He wasn't disappointed, wasn't angry, wasn't frustrated. No. Instead, he felt relieved, happy, excited and his heart was racing like there was no tomorrow. "That! That looks just like mine! Mine is just royal blue" he pointed out "so you're?" He added before laughing loudly "it's you? It's really you?!" He exclaimed, though quickly calmed himself when he noticed how the other frowned. Why wasn't he as happy as him. This was his soulmate...
"Is something wrong?" He asked, his smile quickly disappearing.

"I'm a boy" Arthur reminded the other with a more pronounced frown "I...have nothing to offer you. I can't give you an heir...What if the kingdom doesn't accept this, what if your family doesn't?" He questioned him with a heavy sigh.

"Arthur...what does that matter? I'm sure there will be a way around it" he told him, his expression softening "you're...not caring about yourself. Everything you just said had to do with me. You weren't caring about your feelings" Alfred responded. In all honesty, he wanted Arthur to be honest with himself. He hoped that perhaps the other felt the same way he did deep down.

"We don't really know each other" Arthur responded in a rather shy way. He felt like perhaps he'd grow to like Alfred but now was too soon to assume his feelings. "You understand that, right?" He asked as he looked back up at Alfred.

Alfred simply nodded in response "yeah, I totally understand that dude" he spoke softly "we're practically strangers. Just don't...give up on us so soon, okay?" He said. "I'm just happy that I found you, found my soul mate. You don't have to love me immediately" he clarified. He wanted to be supportive at least. In response, he just got a smile and a nod from Arthur, glad the other respected his views and opinions. Glad that Alfred was so caring with him. It was nice. A lot better than he had anticipated it to be.