[Fanfic] The Spirit of Adventure (USUK, Summer Camp 2012)
TITLE: The Spirit of Adventure
ARTIST/AUTHOR: bukku_oosa
GENRE: Romance, Fluff
RATING: G, SO G IT HURTS
WARNINGS: Familial neglect and mass of fluff
PAIRING/S: USUK, Alfred/Arthur(America/England)
SUMMARY: Not everyone’s adventure may end happily ever after, but his and Arthur’s somehow does, even after all those years. FF.net Link
Alfred doesn’t notice him, at first.
He was doing what he always does-running circles around Matthew for God knows how many times, laughing and smiling brightly, summer-sky blue eyes sparkling bright with happiness as he dashes past the tire-swing hanging off the big old oak tree standing proud and tall behind their country home, doing one, two, three cartwheels before pulling golden strands of summer-yellow wheat, as he turned around, spinning near the hedge of their wheat plantation. He had trapped several leaves of the crop around his slightly pudgy fingers, but his grin widened as he saw his hand curled around his intended prize-the stem that led up to the grains that were held together beautifully, like he had always loved it. He spun, and spun, and spun, hearing Matthew call out from behind him, but he paid his cousin no heed-he was having too much fun, relishing in his own little adventure out in the countryside-and suddenly the sight of a silhouette sitting down amongst the tall stems of wheat flashed past his vision. His heart stopped for a moment, shock taking over him as he thought of the worst-a burglar? A kidnapper? A murderer? He skidded to a halt, tripping over his dirty bare feet and falling to the grassy earth in alarm, his glasses falling askew as his nose connected with the soft earth.
Spluttering in surprise, he sat up-to find himself staring into a pair of the most vivid shades of green he had ever seen-and he had been to thousands of places before, yes he has! From forests, to beaches, to mountains, and to castles in far-off lands; when he was going on adventures with his best friend and cousin Matthew, and yet, there they were, the most beautiful shade of green he had ever seen, the grass most likely folded and wrinkled underneath him paling in comparison to the ones his were boring into in wide-eyed curious wonder.
Alfred blinked. The silhouette he was staring at was far from what he was assuming it would be.
Staring back at him was a sandy blonde-haired, thin, pale boy, lips parted in shock, a hand half-covering it, brilliant thick eyebrows raised in alarm, and his eyes, the boy’s beautiful, beautiful eyes, were wide with surprise.
“Alfred!” Matthew’s voice pulled him out of his reverie, the red-faced, out-of-breath little boy jogging up to him, his hands falling to his knees as he caught his breath. Alfred turned his head again to meet the warm yet piercing gaze of the strange boy, who had calmed down and was now just watching him, hands folded neatly on his lap as he sat back on his heels.
“… Hi.” Alfred spoke up, surprising Matthew, who apparently hadn’t noticed the newcomer. “I’m Alfred.” He smiled, holding out his hand for the boy to shake.
The boy said nothing, merely staying silent, not taking Alfred’s hand. Frowning slightly, Alfred thrust his hand closer to the boy, insistent that he shook it. “Come on.” He said, “My daddy said it’s polite to shake other people’s hands.”
The boy silently took Alfred’s hand and gingerly shook it. The blue-eyed boy’s eyes widened at how cold it was. The boy let go, like Alfred’s touch had burned, pulling his hand close to himself, the hint of pink painting his cheeks.
“Well, this is my cousin Matthew.” He said, gesturing vaguely at Matthew standing behind him, who waved at the boy weakly, offering him a small smile. “Do you want to play with us?”
The boy’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open.
“… May I?” he asked, his voice with a very polished British accent. Strangely, Alfred found himself drawn to the soft sound of the boy’s voice, and he nodded.
“’Course!” Alfred grinned brightly, abruptly taking the boy’s hands in his (delighting in the fact that warmth was now seeping into the boy’s hands) and stood up, pulling the boy up to his feet as well. “Going on an adventure is much more fun when there are other people around!”
“A-an adventure?” the boy echoed, and Matthew nodded, walking nearer to him.
“It’ll be fun.” He assured, “Al has the best ideas for adventures ever.” He smiled, and the boy turned his eyes to look at Alfred. At full height, Alfred realised he was taller than the boy was, around three inches, at least, and his eyes widened when he realised what he was wearing.
“Eww, really?” he laughed, “Why are you wearing a polo and dress shorts outside like this?” Alfred clapped the boy on the back. The boy bit his lip and shied away.
“I-I… I ran away from home for a while,” he said, “I… I just… I heard the two of you here having a lot of fun, so… I…” he looked down at his shoes (shiny, proper black ones) and shuffled around in them. “… My uncle told me to… have fun with you.”
Alfred and Matthew shared a look, and the two of them smiled brightly.
“Okay!” Alfred cheered, smiling brightly, catching the attention of the boy, who looked up at him with wonder in his eyes. “Let’s go on an adventure, then! Just the three of us!”
The boy stared at them for a moment, dumbfounded, before eventually a smile spread across his face. Alfred absently thought that the boy looked so much better with a smile on his face than without.
“Can we be pirates, then?” he asked, his voice getting excited, yet still unsure.
“Aw, but I thought pirates were bad guys! I want to be the hero!” Alfred grinned, and the boy’s smile turned into a gleeful grin that mirrored Alfred’s.
“Well then, I’ll be the pirate, and you can be the commodore!” he grinned, and Alfred’s face fell blank.
“… Mattie, what’s a comodor?” he asked, turning to look at Matthew, who chuckled behind his hand. The boy laughed, then and there, and Alfred, despite being the butt of the joke, found himself smiling at the sight of the boy laughing.
“He’s the captain of the navy,” the boy spoke up for Matthew, “The, uh, good guys.” He uselessly gestured with his hands awkwardly.
“Oh,” Alfred nodded in understanding. “Okay.” He cast a glance at Matthew. “You can be the mermaid we’re fighting over!”
“Wh-what?!” Matthew spluttered, but the boy laughed, getting into a stance for a swordfight.
“On your guard, Commodore!” the boy crowed, before jabbing at Alfred with an imaginary sword. “You’ll never take me alive!”
Alfred’s grin widened in understanding and got into stance as well. “I’ll show you, pirate!” he laughed, jabbing back at the boy, dodging and parrying along the way. “I’ll defeat the bad guys ‘cause I’m the hero!”
---
They spent the next hour playing together, bright laughter and childish story-telling: Matthew had somehow upgraded into the Kraken some time in the middle of their little adventure, and their little game ended up with Alfred and the boy teaming up to defeat him.
After it was all over, Matthew sinking to the floor in mock defeat with a loud death cry, the three boys laid down on the grass together, laughing, the three of them pleasantly tired from all the running around. Alfred noted with no small amount of pride that Arthur’s prim and proper clothes were now as rumpled and dirty as his and Matthew’s.
“That was fun!” Alfred giggled, rolling around in the soft grass. “Adventures are always more fun with more people in it.”
“You said it,” Matthew agreed, sighing contentedly. “Thanks for tagging along.”
“You’re welcome,” the boy replied, the grin on his face never leaving, like as if it was permanently there for the rest of his life. Alfred preferred it that way, though. He liked it when the boy smiled.
“Come to think of it,” Alfred sat up, looking down at the boy. “We never got to know your name.”
“It’s Arthur.” The boy replied, sitting up to look at Alfred properly. “I’m very sorry for being rather rude earlier.”
“Aw, it’s nothing,” Alfred smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head as Matthew sat up as well. “You were probably embarrassed. I was coming off a little bit pushy, wasn’t I?”
“Hardly,” Matthew rolled his eyes, earning him a light bat on his arm from his cousin.
“May I come here tomorrow to play with the two of you again?” Arthur asked, hope in his eyes as he clenched his hands together, eager.
“Sure thing. You can come every day if you want! Mattie and I are always here anyway!”
Arthur smiled gently, and Alfred thought his heart skipped a beat. He nodded, before getting up.
“I should get going.” He said, still smiling down at them. “It was nice meeting you, Matthew, Alfred,” he nodded at them both. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Same time?”
“You bet!” Alfred gave the boy a thumbs-up, and Arthur chuckled, before walking away.
---
Arthur returned to them the next day, and the next one, and the one after that. Together, he, Alfred and Matthew would go on adventures all afternoon in the bright summer sun, laughing brightly as they ran around chasing space pirates, dragons, and saving damsels in distress. Soon, the three of them grew to be close friends, but Alfred and Arthur were much closer friends, the best of friends, even.
One day, it suddenly rained when they were playing, so the three of them rushed into the dry comfort of Alfred’s family’s barn, the three of them laughing as they stumbled in through the barn’s doors, alarming the animals inside. They bundled into a haystack to keep warm and wait for the rain to abate.
“Would you like to hear a story, you two?” Arthur suddenly spoke up when they had settled into a comfortable silence. The two boys looked at each other, before nodding.
“Sure. Let’s hear it.” Alfred nodded, and Arthur smiled shyly.
“I made it myself, though, so I can’t guarantee it’ll be excellent.”
“Don’t worry,” Matthew assured him. “We’re your playmates. We know how imaginative you are.”
So, Arthur began to tell them a tale of dragons and kings, princesses and evil wizards that left Matthew and Alfred wide-eyed and gaping as he told the story. When it had been over, the rain had long stopped, and yet they were still there, just until the story had ended.
“That was amazing, Artie!” Alfred smiled brightly. “Just like a real adventure!”
Arthur blushed, and turned away. “I-it’s just a story.”
“But the way you told it was so magical,” Matthew breathed. “I think you’ll make a fantastic author, Arthur.”
“R-really?” Arthur asked, his eyes glimmering with hope.
“Yep, definitely!” Alfred nodded, “Hey, hey! I want a story with me as the hero in it next!” he grinned widely, and Arthur laughed softly.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he nodded, before saying his goodbyes and going home.
---
The next few days were spent by Alfred and Matthew just listening to the stories Arthur would tell them, and even adding to it to make them even more interesting. Alfred truly loved his times with them, but with chagrin he realised his summer vacation was about to end.
Matthew had fallen ill one day, so it was just Alfred who met up with Arthur at the usual spot-the tire-swing tree where they had met. When Alfred got there, however, his eyes widened in shock to find Arthur already there, crying by himself, curled up under the tree next to the tire-swing, his shoulders rocking as he wept into his arms.
“… Artie?” Alfred ventured, and Arthur turned his head to look at him, his eyes bloodshot and filled to the brim with tears. “… What happened?” he asked as gently as he could, keeping his tone even and calm as he approached Arthur like one would a frightened animal.
“Oh, Alfred,” Arthur cried, as Alfred drew closer, before throwing himself at the blonde and wrapping his arms around him. “Th-they said-they said-I’ll-I’ll never be good enough!”
Alfred frowned, hugging Arthur back. “Who said that? They must be stupid! Your stories are the best, Artie!”
“That’s the problem, Alfred,” Arthur said, shuddering as he hiccupped between sobs, “M-my father, h-he, he doesn’t want me to be an author,” he hugged Alfred tighter. “H-he hates what I’m doing.”
“What? How could someone hate your stories? They’re the best!” Alfred pulled away from Arthur to wipe away the boy’s tears messily. “They’re idiots! Don’t listen to them!”
Arthur blinked at him owlishly, as Alfred continued to dry his tears. He hadn’t realised the reason why, but suddenly his vision was clouding up, Arthur’s image shuddering between rainbows and big globs of liquid.
“… Alfred, you’re crying.”
“Wh-what? H-heroes don’t cry!” Alfred denied, sniffling, before wiping his nose on his sleeve, before continuing to wipe his thumbs clumsily over Arthur’s cheeks. “I-I’m not crying!”
Arthur stayed silent for a moment, before a sad smile crossed his face. “Thank you for caring so much about me.” he smiled, wiping Alfred’s tears away from underneath his glasses. “I’m so very happy I have a friend like you.”
They sat down next to each other and leant against each other in comfortable silence under the shade of the tree.
“Tell me a story,” Arthur quietly spoke up after a while, and Alfred nodded, swallowing. He wasn’t sure if he was doing a good job or not, but if his story wasn’t as good as he thought it was, Arthur wasn’t showing signs of it, just quietly listening with a small smile on his face.
---
They spent the next hour or so just talking, about each other. Alfred learnt that Arthur’s family was a terribly boring one, more focused on adult-things and totally condemned Arthur’s love for writing, saying things like such an interest will get him nowhere. He had brothers, but all of them were much older than he was and were too disinterested in him or bullied him around a lot. His youngest brother was still just a baby, so he couldn’t play with him either. Arthur’s only friend at home was his uncle Francis, who was also his tutor. He was the one that allowed Arthur to go play with Matthew and Alfred every day, covering up for Arthur when his father had asked questions.
They had grown considerably closer after that, meeting together whilst Matthew was still sick. Soon, Alfred found that the day he returns to the city was far too soon for his liking. He was going to have to tell Arthur sooner or later.
He chose to do so one slightly cloudy day, the sun was still in the sky but it was cool enough to not be searing hot.
“Artie… I’m going to return to the city soon.” He said, and totally differently from what he was expecting, Arthur merely nodded, sighing like he was carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders.
“… Me too, actually.” Arthur replied, “I’m going back to England. Tomorrow.”
Alfred’s eyes widened. “Gosh, so soon!”
“I know,” Arthur laughed sadly, “I’m going to miss you. And Matthew, too.”
Alfred frowned, before pulling Arthur into a hug.
“Promise me you’ll stay in touch.”
“Yes, I promise. Do say goodbye to Matthew for me, please.”
The two boys pulled away, looking at each other, their hearts heavy.
“… Hey, Artie?”
“Yes?”
“My mommy told me that there was something people do to those they liked, and well, I like you… a lot.” Alfred fidgeted around, nervous.
“… Do you want to kiss me?” Arthur asked, his cheeks staining pink, and at his shy words, Alfred’s cheeks burst bright red in embarrassment.
“U-uh, if-if it’s not-if you don’t mind,” Alfred stuttered, and Arthur laughed sadly, nodding, his smile widening.
“I don’t. You can kiss me, then.” He smiled, leaning forward, and Alfred did so.
Their lips brushed as around them, the wheat rustled in the wind peacefully, white cotton-fluff clouds rolled by lazily, as the leaves in the tree above them rustled in the wind. Spots of sunlight dotted the two boys as they pulled away, the both of them blushing.
“I’ll see you again someday?” Alfred asked, and Arthur nodded, smiling softly.
“Think of it as a brand-new adventure, Alfred,” he whispered, leaning forward so their foreheads touched. “And you know how they always end, right?”
“Happily ever after,” Alfred breathed, his eyes meeting Arthur’s. “You’d better make sure on that.”
“Let’s make a promise, then.” Arthur said, holding out his pinkie. “Pinkie-swear.”
“Pinkie-swear.” Alfred grinned, nodding. “We’ll meet again.”
Arthur’s smile was so nice to look at, Alfred felt his heart fluttering at the sight of it.
“This is goodbye, then.” Arthur said after a while, getting up, when Alfred grabbed the hem of his shirt.
“No, not goodbye.” Alfred shook his head, standing up. “See you soon.”
Arthur stared at him, blinking owlishly, before a smile crossed his face, tears welling up in his eyes. He threw himself at Alfred, wrapping his arms around the taller boy and hugging him tightly as his tears stained the boy’s sleeves.
“See you soon, Alfred.”
---
Years passed, and they stayed in touch every now and then, but since they lived in different time zones it was terribly difficult for them to stay in proper contact for long. Soon Alfred graduated from college with a degree in engineering and astrophysics and was now packing his bags to head to work-at NASA, out of all places! His parents were so proud of him-when a package arrived at his apartment’s doorstep.
Curious, he opened it to find a book packed inside. His eyes widened when he saw the title. It was the bestseller everyone was talking about on campus.
He opened the book at the first page to find a letter written in a handwriting so familiar it sent waves of nostalgia running up and down his spine.
Alfred,
It’s been far too long.
-AK
It was flowing, and elegant, and Alfred instantly knew whose it was. He flipped to the next page to find a dedication.
To Alfred,
For teaching me the spirit of adventure.
Underneath it was a Post-it note with a number and a small question.
Coffee?
Alfred suddenly found that packing books on astrophysics into carton boxes a total drag, and instead reached for his phone, quickly dialling the number written there.
“I knew you’d still remember me.”
“How could I ever forget you, Artie?” Alfred’s childhood nickname for him sounded so good to his ears.
“And I, you. Starbucks, just at the corner?”
“I’ll see you in 10.” Alfred grinned, before hanging up, grabbing a Stars and Stripes scarf and tossing on his favourite leather bomber jacket, before rushing out the door, making sure to lock it behind him (albeit hastily) before he sprinted to the elevator to get out of his apartment complex.
He knew, as he grew up, that not all stories ended up happily ever after, but despite all that he held on to that little promise two little boys shared one sunny day under a big old oak tree that someday, one day, theirs will end just like all the stories of adventure they had.
As he jogged up to the nearest Starbucks, at the corner of the street, he saw that familiar mop of sandy blonde hair, pale face and alluring eyes smiling at him from the window, and at once, he knew.
Not everyone’s adventure may end happily ever after, but his and Arthur’s somehow does, even after all those years.
Uhh. First-ever entry for the Summer Camp event. Let's hope I don't crash and burn! XD
I don't even know if this is okay. They said I could diverge, but I'm not totally sure if this is exactly the case.
Another thing. Who here has an AO3 account? Mind dropping me an invite? Please? ;w;