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Arthur looked at him uncomprehendingly, the words he had just said didn’t make any sense at all. surely Alfred must be having a stroke. “I’m sorry what?”
“This just isn’t working Artie, It’s not working for me anymore. I mean, we really don’t have much in common anyway. “ Alfred said with a shrug. his voice barely holding an ounce of interest. “It was fun while it lasted though right?” he said giving that lazy half smirk that made Arthur melt.
Now it just made him want to puke. “so we’re… over? j-just like that?!” Alfred raised an eyebrow and nodded. Arthur felt a sudden anger at the lack of emotion, a very unusual feeling for him to say the least. “did I even mean anything?!” he stood from his seat, tears prickling embarrassingly at the corner of his eyes,
Alfred's eyebrows shot up as he noticed, “oh hey… Artie, are you okay dude?”
“I assure you I’ll be fine” Arthur said icily as he turned from the table and stalked away, if nothing else he could save a little bit of his pride. he would wait until he reached the safety and privacy of his own apartment before he left the tears spill over.
-
Alfred had broken him. crushed something inside that had clung to his last shreds of kindness. now all that was left in place of his heart was a black hole.
He had spent the first month moping about, drinking himself half to death. The fact that Alfred had been with him for a year and barely even batted an eye at their split? it was painful sure… but it was also mortifying. He had been dumped firmly on his ass without so much as a choked up “I’m sorry” . Wasn’t he worth at least that?! wasn’t he good enough for a single ounce of regret?
Yes he was, and he was going to prove it. He was going to prove it as many times as was necessary.
He started off small, a man in the bar who seemed to have little in the way of self worth. Arthur took a drink for courage, and then he charmed him. Chatting avidly, flattering, flirting touches, and eventually taking the man, whose name was Jacob, home with him. He spanned it out over six weeks for the first one, that was all he could take really. Easily wrapping him around his finger, tangling him in his twisted web. phone calls, dates, nights in. He let Jacob cook dinner, in return he cleaned. they cuddled on the couch, kissed under the stars, and moaned into the night.
Then, as he had planned to regardless, Arthur got bored of him. Jacob started to expect things to happen, that little kiss upon meeting, fingers laced together as they walked. Though the nail in the coffin was when he had suggested Arthur meet his friends.
“Look… this has been fun and all, but I really don’t think I want to do this anymore.” he sipped his tea, looking over the brim at the confusion and pain on Jacob’s face. to his horror, though not surprisingly, Arthur enjoyed the look. it was comical in a way, as if someone just pulled the rug out from beneath him. “but it was really nice to meet you” he gave a small smile as he stood, dropping a bill on the table to cover the tab and walking out before Jacob could say a word.
This continued for years, feeding his self esteem in the twisted way. slowly he worked his way up the chain, snaring men with more confidence, better looks, high paying jobs. He would make them dote and fawn, miss him terribly and long for him, then he would cut every one of them loose. Each time he would relish that look of utter shock as he coldly relayed that it was over.
during this time he moved, shifting from Jackson Wyoming up to Toronto Canada. a bigger city, a whole new country to start in… and more men to ensnare. the first year there went smoothly. following his same pattern. Then he met Matthew.
He was in a restaurant on front street when he quite literally bumped into the man. Matthew had apologized profusely, even though it had been Arthur who hadn’t been watching. The stuttering boy was trying to dab the wine he had accidentally sloshed all over Arthur's tie, but Arthur wasn’t paying it much mind. The gears in his brain already at work, He wanted this boy.
“don’t worry about it luv” he said with a smile “but how about, to make it up to me, you let me buy you another glass?” he gave a wink and inwardly hummed at the blush that spread across his face. this was going to be easy.
Matthew was exactly his type. He was tall, but not bulky, a gracefulness to his body. His hair was a rich strawberry blonde and hung in loose waves and curls around his face. Behind black rimmed glasses were a pair of large, clear, innocent eyes that were somewhere between blue and purple. Honestly, when he looked at him Arthur could swear he was almost Alfred’s double in every other way.
What had taken Arthur by surprise was his personality. despite the high income job as a doctor, the general well to do family, and his stunning good looks, Matthew retained a shy nature. He was sweet, thoughtful about the smallest things, and honestly kind. Still soft to the world, Matthew was a rare find. Arthur almost felt bad for what he was going to do to him, but at this point, it was unstoppable.
The pair started out much like Arthur's other conquests, in the bedroom. moans and gasps and sighs drowning out anything else. for a shy boy, he certainly had no problem taking charge and making sure Arthur couldn’t see straight for at least an hour afterwards.
there had been a sweetness to being with Matthew as well. where as others had made a show of big flashy gestures, Matthew made small ones, but came from a purer place. Breakfasts he would cook for them at two am simply because he wanted Arthur to stay for another hour, the perfect English rose he had taken the trouble to clip on his walk to meet Arthur, a first edition book he had come across while browsing by one of Arthur's favourite authors. yes. he was a sweet boy...
Matthew managed to hold his attention for seven and a half months, the longest run Arthur had since Alfred. by that point the boy was smitten, head over heels in love. Arthur had met his friends, though still managing to dodge the family front. They had spent nights, even weekends at each others apartments. Arthur had a key to Matthew’s apartment (though that gesture was not returned)
The day Arthur broke it off, he found it to be a bit harder. He felt bad doing it. Though, no bad feeling could stop the cold front he put up as he tossed the blonde his key across the white cafe table. Matthew held it up in confusion “Why are you giving me this?”
“I’m bored” Arthur said simply
“oh? okay…?” obviously confused by his explanation “ Well, we could go catch a movie, or there was this great new-”
“no… you don’t understand Matthew, I’m bored of you” it was harsh, yes… but it was the only way Arthur knew anymore.
“w-what do you mean?” Matthew shook his head slowly, those blonde curls bouncing. Arthur felt a tug as his heart. He pushed it back.
“It was obviously never going to last. don’t get me wrong, It was fun for a while!” Arthur shrugged as he stood “but I think we’ve run our course pet” as per usual Arthur turned to leave before Matthew could get a word in edgewise. but then something new happened. Matthew called out after him.
“I said wait! Please Arthur! J-just…” Arthur looked over his shoulder in shock. every pair of eyes in the cafe was on the pair. Arthur who had frozen while reaching for the door, and Matthew who had tears shamelessly flowing out of those innocently broken indigo eyes.
Arthur cleared his throat, cursing the tightness as he cast a sad smile “sorry lad, was only a game”
--
Arthur couldn’t find it in himself to purposefully play with hearts after that. But he was made painfully aware that it was all he knew. shortly after his split with Matthew, when he wound up bitterly ending a tryst with a man named Kyle. No… he was damaged, he couldn’t be with anyone anymore, even if he wanted to.
He was sitting at the bar, drowning his sorrows in a glass of rum when the stool next to him was filled. His eyes flashed up to meet a charming smile. He chuckled bitterly to himself. just his type. He had The same hair as sweet Matthew had, and the same blue eyes as Alfred. He was tall, and slim, and he looked at Arthur as if he was a meal. The exact type of man he would have loved to crush. but…
“you don’t wanna sit there. I’m not a good man to be around”
“oh? and why is that mon cher?”
fantastic. french. he straightened up and looked directly into the sky blue eyes, unwavering and said “because, I make men like you fall to their knees, laughing as I turn away.” the gaze was not broken either way
“and whose to say you would have the power to break me?” purred the man.
“a list of men much too long I’m afraid” Arthur smirked turning back to his drink and taking a sip.
“I bet you couldn’t turn from me”
“not a bet I’m willing to make ”
“if you insist mon ange” sighed the man after a moment. Arthur didn’t look over at the sound of scribbling. a number and a name on a piece of paper was placed in front of him “in case you decide you would like to reconsider our wager later on” with that, he left.
Arthur looked down at the paper. Francis huh? He picked it up, staring for a moment before slipping it into his back pocket. just in case.