Work Text:
Arthur's heart sank as he stared at his phone screen blankly. Shit. This was not happening to him.
He was at Dutch and Hosea's place, at Tilly's welcoming home party. She came back from college for summer vacation.
His little sister invited her college friends, and so did the rest of their Van der Linde family. Everyone gathered in the living room. Arthur just went to the kitchen to get one more bottle of beer from the freezer, when his phone suddenly buzzed. It was a message from Mary asking to meet again. He was not ready for it.
He got over it the last time they saw each other. At least he thought so.
It was almost the same every time: when Mary had a fight with her husband she texted him and they had a date. Nothing serious, just coffee and talking. Maybe walking somewhere in the park. But it was so pure, and every time Mary told him how much she appreciated his company, and every time he started to believe she loved him. He was ready to give her everything. But then again, Miss Grimshaw would tell him she saw Mary and her husband somewhere together, looking like they were being sweet on each other. Arthur would feel a tight knot tying somewhere in his stomach.
Maybe she loved both of them? Him and Barry. Maybe she just couldn't choose from those two and kept questioning who she loved more? If she even did. Sometimes Arthur would start to think she doesn't love him.
Little did he know: Mary let him go a long time ago, it was all platonic to her. Only Arthur still loved her as strongly as the first day he met her.
As he kept sitting in the kitchen, Lenny, one of Tilly's college friends, entered the room. Arthur liked him and Sean. They were both like little brothers to him. So, as Lenny entered the kitchen, he took a glimpse at the man who was sitting at the table.
"Hey, Arthur, ya comin' back to the living room?" he asked unbothered.
"Sure, I'm heading right 'ere," the man muttered as he followed Lenny to their destination.
Arthur lowered himself next to Hosea, shooting a glance at him. Older man was closely watching football on their huge TV with the rest.
" 'sea," he called under his breath.
"What is it, son?" questioned the grey haired man without taking his gaze off the TV.
"Mary texted me."
Mary-Beth, Karen and Tilly suddenly snapped their heads at him. Dutch froze mid sipping his beer. Miss Grimshaw stopped her talk with Saidie to look at Arthur. John and Abigail exchanged glances.
Finally, Hosea slowly turned his head to him. Arthur was starting to regret his decisions now.
"You didn't text her back, right?" he sounded tense.
"No, not yet," the man shook his head.
"What did she want then?" said Dutch in a low voice.
"It's about Jamie," Arthur started unsure.
"Who?" Hosea blurted out.
"Her brother, he got into some trouble-" the younger man tried to explain but he was cut off.
"Arthur, ain't even think about it!" shot Tilly. "She's just using you! You seriously gotta stop seeing her."
"Arthur, your sister is right," Dutch pointed out. "You see, you need to let her go. You gotta move on, son." He looked him deadpan in the eyes. Shit.
"I- She- I mean- Yes, i guess you're right," the man finally sighned. "Okay, should we get back to watching TV?"
Everyone eventually got back to what they were doing before, still shooting glances at Arthur from time to time.
Charles, who was sitting in one of the armchairs, darted his gaze at John and Abigail that were sitting not far from him.
"Who is this Mary?" he finally dared to ask the man.
John shot him a look.
"I think we better go outside for this talk," he pointed out. "Abigail, if you'll excuse us, we will go outside for a smoke."
"It's alright, I think he deserves to know since... you know," she agreed.
"Thanks, darlin'," John smiled at her approaching the porch of his parents' house. Charles followed him outside.
He took a cigarette from his pack and offered the other one to John. The man gladly took it lightning with his lighter while Charles took out his own.
"Mary... well, Arthur is down bad for her," said John looking at the amazing sunset in front of him. "He even wanted to marry her, you know. Bought a ring n' stuff."
Oh. This was, well, something Charles didn't expect.
"They still keep in touch, we all know that," continued John. "It's just... Mary sees it platonic, while Arthur still hopes it's his true love."
Charles took a drag from his cigarette.
"Do you think I have a chance?" he asked under his breath.
"Oh, buddy, you sure do," the other man laughed. "After it didn't work out with Eliza and then Mary he sure needs some good partner."
"So, like, you approve of this?" Charles looked at him unsure.
"Of course. You are the best candidate I know for this role," John grinned. "And I think Tilly will approve too."
Charles let a giggle out, taking another drag from his cigarette.
"Thanks, I guess," he said with a shy smile.
"Hey, Arthur, c'mere!" John called across the living room.
The older man apologized in front of Lenny and Sean who he had been talking to, and wandered his brother's direction.
"What is it, Marston?" he barked annoyed as usual when John talked to him.
"Charles wanted to tell you something. Right, Charles?" so called Marston grinned wide.
The man felt a wave of panic flush over him, his cheeks clearly getting red.
"I, uhh, I guess I do," he mumbled, feeling both John's and Arthur's gazes. "Should we go to the kitchen?"
"If you insist," an older man barked and laughed out loud.
Charles glanced at John one last time. He gave both his thumbs up to cheer his friend. He'll murder him later.
Both men walked to the kitchen in silence. Charles shoved two chairs from the table for them to sit.
"So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" Arthur smiled, making eye contact with him.
Charles took a deep breath.
"Arthur, I love you," he finally blurted out. "I have been doing this for a long time already. I know that you still love Mary, but maybe you would like to give this relationship a chance? Maybe we could work out? I know I'm probably not that charming, amazing or maybe kind as Mary," for a second Charles though he never even saw this so-called Mary. "But still, Arthur, I love you with all my heart. Would you, like, give it a try?"
Arthur sat there for a moment, letting the words sink in his head, in his heart.
"Dutch said I should move one," he finally muttered quietly. "I think- I think this, I mean, we-" the man shattered with words. "Goddammit, Charles, yes. I could love you back."
Charles felt a warmth rush in his chest. Arthur said he could do the same. Maybe John could live after what he has done after all. His gaze shifted from Arthur's eyes to his lips.
"Can I...?" he asked for permission.
Instead, his loved one grabbed him by his collar and crashed their lips together.
Charles could feel himself smiling wide into the kiss as he felt Arthur's lips on his. If heaven existed, he definitely was there right now. Charles placed one of his hands on Arthur's head, the other one on his waist.
Meanwhile Arthur's hands were wandering up and down his back, sometimes gently tugging on his long strands of black hair.
"Wanna go upstairs to my old room?" he grinned as they broke apart. " 'sea and Dutch left it untouched."
Charles felt a wave of heat crashing on him and making him blush.
"You sure that nobody will hear us downstairs?" he questioned unsure.
"They watch TV loudly and scream all the time, I don't think they will even notice we're gone," Arthur grinned back.
"Well, if you insist," Charles let out a giggle.
As they climbed a bit of squeaky stairs, Charles felt himself the luckiest man alive.