It started with an almost accidental brush of the fingers, one that caused Alfred F. Jones, school quarterback and supposed ladies woman of Luther High School, to blushed bright red all the way to the tips of his ears. Arthur Kirkland was the quiet, sarcastic type, who had always made it a point not to mingle with the inner circle-but Alfred was the exception. He always was. Neither of them could pin point exactly when it had started, when it moved from simple friendly hugs and slaps on the back to the light brushing of fingertips that made their hearts hammer in their chests, cerulean and emerald making contact before both of them pulled back, Alfred turned and walking away-but Arthur didn't mind. That was how Alfred was, and he knew the poor boy was confused and embarrassed. Arthur had come out the year before, their Junior year, but Alfred hadn't said anything, no snide remarks and no teasing, just a shrug like he'd known, like he really didn't care. He'd tried to bring it up with the blonde several times after, but Alfred always brushed it off, changing topics quickly, almost uncomfortably. But after that first contact, before they knew it, both of them had started wondering what it would be like to do more, to hug in a way that wasn't just friends, when it would mean more…and finally, several weeks after that first touch, they were both walking home from school, neither speaking until Alfred finally sighed and looked over at Arthur, his fingers curling and uncurling by his side.

"Arthur…I…can I hold your hand?"

He blushed deep crimson when Arthur arched one of his fairly large eyebrows, even though the tips of his ears had turned red as well.

"Hold my hand? Ah…are you sure, Alfred?"

Alfred nodded, flushing even deeper and biting his lip, looking down at the sidewalk as they walked.

"I've been wanting to ask for a couple weeks now…b-but, y'know, I didn't know what you would think."

"What I would think?" Arthur queried, and then he sighed very softly. "Alfred…you do realize what the implications of such an action are?"

"I know, Artie, I'm not stupid." Alfred mumbled, fiddling with the straps of his backpack. "It's not like I haven't thought over this…I think…I-think-I-might -possibly-sorta-like-you."

Arthur froze for a moment, pausing in his steps, but then a light chuckle escaped his mouth at the way Alfred's cheeks were flushed, the way the words had come out of his mouth in a jumble, like he was afraid if he didn't say them now they wouldn't get out. Alfred had always been a bashful type when it came to feelings, despite whatever bravado he put forth for his mates, and Arthur knew the boy had probably prepared himself for this moment for days. That made his heart warm over and he could help the crooked smile that made its way to his lips as he reached over to brush his fingers over Alfred's for a moment, and then he laced them together. Alfred seemed shocked for a moment, and then one of those big grins Arthur was so fond of spread across his face and he laughed, squeezing Arthur's hand.

"Does this mean you like me too?"

"Of course it does, git." Arthur huffed a bit, blushing, but the smile never left his face as he squeezed his hand back. Alfred was positively beaming as he started walking again, swinging their joined hands a bit as he did, a bubble of laughter escaping his mouth.

"So can we be a couple? Like, I mean, an actual couple-not sure how it'd go over with the guys, but hey, I don't want to keep someone special like you hidden from view." He winked, causing Arthur to blush even deeper and mumble something under his breath, Alfred catching only the words "idiot" and "adorable" which just made his grin widen. "I think I'll tell everyone, and that way if anyone tries to give you any crap, they'll have to do it to both of us! A hero doesn't let his new boyfriend go through that alone."

Arthur hit his arm playfully, even though the words had made his stomach feel like it was full of butterflies-and not just a few, a whole flock of them. When they got to Arthur's house, which was a few down from Alfred's, they just stood outside the gate for several minutes, both reluctant to let go of the other's hand, to lose that simple contact. Finally, squeezing Alfred's one last time, Arthur let go, cheeks still red as he smiled at him.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning then. "

"Ah, yeah, tomorrow morning it is!" Alfred laughed a bit, shoving his hands in his pockets, the one already feeling the loss of the smaller man's hand. He smiled at him, shuffling a bit on his feet, neither moving, and then Arthur did something rather unexpected-he leaned up on the toes of his boots and brushed his lips against Alfred's cheek, the other blonde's cheeks firing up bright red again. He noticed Arthur's were too when he leaned back down, but he was smiling, and Alfred felt his heart leap in his chest. He took a deep breath, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to Arthur's forehead, causing the other to blush only deeper and sputter a bit, whacking his chest with a laugh.

"Get going, idiot. I'll see you in the morning."

"See ya, Artie!" Alfred laughed, turning and walking down the sidewalk and waving as he broke into a run the rest of the way home, feeling giddy with happiness and practically bouncing when he made it through his door, scarcely believing his luck. He'd expected Arthur to turn him down, or at least put up some fuss, but he hadn't, and that made him so inexplicably happy that he was still smiling when he went back to school the next morning, immediately seeking out Arthur and taking his hand, causing the other to blush and start sputtering and mumbling things at him, but he never made any move to make him let go. Not that morning, and not a single morning after that. To anyone else it seemed like the simplest thing, just holding hands-playing with the other's fingers and squeezing a bit or simple letting them dangle loosely-but to Alfred and Arthur, those simple touches meant the entire world to them. And they wouldn't have traded it for anything.