Sadiq sat at the bar and picked through the nuts in the dish. He was waiting for his date to come through the same doors he did when they met. Sadiq didn't understand why he wanted this date to happen, let alone go well; the Greek just had something about him that begged for his attention.

Heracles entered the bar, trying not to show his nerves. He sat next to Sadiq and gave him a small smile. "Why are we at this shitty bar again? I thought this was a nice date."

The Turk chuckled. "Of course, kitten. I just thought we should meet somewhere we both know, so we don't have to wait without each other. "

Heracles blushed and started to say something before he was cut off. "And we have a first date discount that he really wants to take advantage of." Sheamus, the bartender, chimed in. His joke got a laugh out of the two of them, making him smile. "I'll get you two beers. They're on the house." He left to retrieve them.

"Are you two friends?" Heracles ask Sadiq.

He shrugged. "I guess. I frequent here, so we've talked a lot, but I wouldn't expect any more free drinks."

Sheamus returned with two beers. The couple said thank you and held a small conversation. It was pleasant until the bell rang. The door at the front of the building opened.

The bartender tensed up. His movements became more rigid as he lent over the bar to whisper to Sadiq. "You're one of Arthur's men, right? Look at the door." Sadiq slowly turned his head towards the door. His eyes widened as he saw the third oldest Kirkland brother. He was smoking a cigarette and was jumpy. His face looked familiar. When he turned to Sheamus, Sadiq let out a small "Oh."

He nodded quickly. "Please, can you pretend to be a bartender? And when he asks, I'm not here. Okay?"

Sadiq saw the fear in his eyes. He nodded and moved to get up.

"Sadiq, where are you going?!"

"I promise we'll leave right after this." Sadiq said quickly before hopping over the bar and picking up a glass, beginning to clean it. Sheamus bolted to the left and into a back room.

It was only five minutes later when Brian walked up to the bar. He took one last draw from his cigarette before blowing it in Sadiq's face and putting it out on the bar. Sadiq coughed. "You're not allowed to smoke in here, sir." He commented.

Brian licked his teeth. "I'm sorry, last time I was in a bar, I could."

"Well, you can't-"

"I heard you the first time," the mad man growled. He then slammed his hands on the counter to be face to face with the Turk. "And I'd advise you to never do that ever again." He clicks his tongue. "Now, I'm looking for my little brother. He looks like me only skinnier and weaker. Know who I'm talking about? Or do I have to find someone who has an IQ higher than 3?"

Sadiq's jaw locked. "He's not here right now. "

"What kind of business owner leaves his place?"

"He went for a liquor run. He normally goes to 5 Towns to get the good kosher stuff. Try there? It's a little place called Mort's. This cute little old guy runs it, so we support him."

Brian's eye brows raised. "I didn't fucking ask for your life story." He groaned under his breath and muttered something about his pansy little brother. "Alright, then, I guess I'm going to Mort's!" He pulled another cigarette out and lit it. "See ya." He wandered out soon after. Sadiq waited until he saw him round the corner then called Sheamus back.

The Irishman came out slowly. His head was ducked and sunken. "I-Is he gone?" Sadiq met him at the door, away from Heracles.

"Yeah, I sent him to 5 Towns looking for a liquor store that doesn't exist. Hopefully he doesn't kill a yid." Sadiq said to him quietly. Sheamus nodded and thanked him softly. "It's okay, relax. He won't get you, I promise. I'll make sure of it."

Sheamus smiled up at him with tears. "You're the only good thing to come from that damned company."

"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date." Sadiq hopped back over the bar and wrapped his arms around Heracles' waist. "Ready?"

The Greek glared at him. "What the fresh hell was that? Why did Sheamus go running?! That guy looked like he was going to shoot up the place! I had my hand on my gun the entire time!"

Sadiq shrugged a bit. "He was. But he was stopped, so it's fine." Heracles' eye grew wide. "Don't look like that! You're off duty and no one is hurt. Just, please, come on? I've been waiting for our date!"

"Fine. But I'm coming back to ask some questions when I'm on duty."

Arthur sat in his rickety wooden chair next to Alfred's bed. His head was down as he read his favorite book. Alfred had been watching him through the slits of his eyes, pretending to be asleep. It was a pastime of his; he loved seeing Arthur's face change with the book, like when he would bite his thumb during the climax. Though the expression he loved most of all was when the main characters fall in love for the first time. Arthur had the faintest of smiles whenever their lives intertwined forever. Arthur loved to talk about that part and Alfred loved to listen to him talk about it.

With a jolt that got both their hearts starting, Arthur's phone went off. It chimed a soft minor keyed song. The blond looked at it, smiled, and took the call, all under the assumption that Alfred was still asleep. He stood and went to stand by the door with his phone cradled in his hand by his ear. "Yes? Hello!" His voice was high and happy.

That is not a work call. Alfred thought. Who could he possibly be talking to? And why is he so damned happy to talk to them? Is it his mother? She hasn't called in a while… Maybe they're catching up.

"No, no. Friday's no good. I have a meeting with one of my employees. How about Sunday? No… Church isn't really my thing. Oh yes! Of course! Praise Jesus and his mighty word!" Arthur laughed loudly and bent over slightly. He held his elbow as he talked and his hip jutted out ever so slightly. It looked that Arthur was hanging on every word being said. "So… Sunday? Alright perfect. Bye."

When Arthur turned around, he had a bright smile on his face. Alfred's eyes were open now. They dripped and wanted to close so badly, to ease the pain in his shoulder and his heart. "What's Sunday?"

The smile faded quicker than it should have. Arthur's lips tightened. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Only your parts. But what does it matter? We both know it wasn't business." Alfred muttered weakly. His eyes closed but his mouth still moved. "I don't think I've ever seen you so clingy to someone over the phone."

Arthur's mouth fell open. "How dare you?" He exhaled sharply. "Am I no longer allowed to have personal calls? Does that make me a bad boss? Because I have a personal life? " he questioned, gripping his elbow with one hand, pointing to his chest with the other.

"Where did you get this personal life from?" Alfred asked simply. "It seemed to appear right after I got shot."

A stabbing pain slit Arthur's chest in half. "If happened after you weren't there for me when I needed you." He blurted out, thinking about the night before, in the park. He thought of how scared he was, how alone he was until Ayaan saved him. "I was attacked that night, too, and you weren't there!"

Alfred's eyebrows knitted together. "You ran from me that night. Anything that happened after that was because of your actions. I'm sorry that happened, I am, but you left me. You weren't there for me. I'm sorry that you don't feel that way, but-"

"Yeah," Arthur said, cutting him off. "I'm sorry, too." He opened the door, then slammed it closed.

Alfred groaned as sleep pulled him under. I'm way too hurt for this.

"You cannot smoke in here, sir. Everything will burst into flames." The little old man behind the counter warned. His beard was long and gray, glasses thick, and hat black and round. Typical Jew, Brian thought. He threw down his cigarette and crushed it into the carpet.

He bobbed his way to the counter and laid on it while still looking up at the tender. "Look, I'm going to make this brief. Where's the guy who looks like me?"

"I-I don't know what you mean." The man said.

Brian gritted his teeth together. "I know he was here. If he's not anymore, just give me the direction he went."

"I've never seen you before in my life."

"Listen, Mort, I'm not going to ask again!

"My name isn't Mort! I'm Shmuly!"

The ginger's eyebrows raised. He knocked the roof of his teeth with his tongue. "So I was duped?" He looked at the man for confirmation. The fear in his eyes was enough. "Well, that isn't good for anyone. "

"What do you mean?" Shmuly asked timidly.

Brian did not answer. He simply got up and started strolling around the store. He let his anger stir and cook as he thought. He let grow rapidly by pondering on it. He waited until his body took control of itself and began to destroy.

Brian took the ends of shelves and tugged them hard so they would fall. The four standing created a domino effect, dumping all the bottles onto the floor, smashing as they collide. Brian heard the old man scream. His lips curled into a wicked smirk. He threw the entire wall of vodka onto the floor by hand. Feeling the glass break was his favorite part.

Shmuly was crying when Brian made his way to the door. He was curled up next to the counter, mourning his lifes work.

"Bye, Shmuly!" He called. Before he left the security camera caught his eye. "Oh, that won't do." He looked back at Shmuly. "I really liked you, too."

Kirkland took out a cigarette and his lighter, the one that stayed on until you closed it, and lit his cigarette. "Sorry, I can't go back."

Shmuly didn't even know what happened until he heard the door bells chime and the lighter hit the puddle of vodka. He didn't know whether to try to pick it up or try to hide. Either way, his thoughts were too slow. The temperature in the vodka rose and combusted, catching everything else in the store in its wake.

I'm sorry for not updating for forever and a day. It was a rough year. Really rough. I should be back now... Welp, sorry for the excuses. Heres the next chapter.

Edit: HOLY SHIT I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT HOLY CRAP THAT WAS SO BAD I AM SO SORRY. i DIDN'T KNOW FF WOULD DO THAT HOLY SHIT I'M SO SORRY. I FIXED IT LOOK.