I'm Not Okay [UsUk]

Losing Time

One week later

A week had passed since Alfred and Arthur had gotten together, and their entire friend group couldn't have been happier for them. They made a little celebration, and were glad that nobody else in the school found out about their relationship. None of them knew for sure who would be against it and who wouldn't, so it was better to stay silent about it at least for a while.

Alfred's father had only two or three slip-ups with anger breakdowns, but it was nothing too big and the boy was feeling glad about it. The words did hurt him, yes, but at least there was nothing physical involved. He appreciated it. But that must had started happening because the man began suddenly going out a lot, and he wasn't home for big parts of the week.
Should Alfred be concerned? He didn't think so. If nothing, he was calmer while arriving home. Arthur, luckily, still didn't find out about the secret his boyfriend was hiding from him, and kind of started letting it go.

Even though, in the back of his mind, there was always a voice telling him to go for it, and that Alfred needs him desperately. There was time, though. He would find out one day.

He just hoped that the American would get happier, and stop trying to hide his feelings by saying 'I'm fine', 'I'm okay', and 'Of course I'm happy'.

"So, how's everyone doing?"

Today, they were hanging out at Gilbert's place, and even Alfred and Matthew were able to join them since their father was out again, not telling where he went. But the two boys didn't care the slightest, as long as they were hanging out with their friends.
Arthur and Elizabeta were there too, and Gilbert's little twelve year old brother Ludwig who they couldn't get rid of for a good amount of time before he finally managed to make them all take off their shoes before climbing onto the beds. A hygiene freak, that's what his big brother called him.

"Wonderful, really!" Elizabeta replied to Alfred's question with a big smile on her face, unnoticeably shifting a little bit closer to Gilbert on the bed. "I'm glad we are all able to hang out like this again. It's been a while since the whole squad was together outside of school."

The words got everyone's nods, they were all equally happy to be there.

"Our dad is out until eleven again, we have all the time on our hands." Alfred spoke up, grinning and looking over to a lightly blushing, but smiling Brit who sat next to him.

The American was never shy around all his friends, and was only quieter when with Arthur - for a reason he didn't even understand himself. Yet. He tried to be open, outgoing and never showed a scrap of worry on his face.

"That's great. So, what should we do?" Gilbert asked, throwing an arm around Elizabeta in a bro-to-bro kind of way, but all of them already knew that the two definitely weren't platonic around each other. The German obviously had feelings for the brown haired girl, and she certainly returned them. Even though they constantly denied it.

"We can have a game night! Like we did last year. You know, two groups, a judge, and a bunch of games. I think they even did it in the Big Bang Theory once." The girl suggested.

"Yeah, I remember that! We should totally do it. But who's gonna be the judge?" Alfred excitedly said, silently pointing towards Matthew once the question was asked. Everyone snickered, glancing towards the younger Jones brother before he finally gave in.

"Fine, I'll do it", he sighed and rolled his eyes, but actually enjoyed getting that role.

Everybody cheered, and Gilbert immediately rushed to his desk and shelves to get everything they were going to need for the games.