You Don't Know Me
He got left at the altar. One of his guests try to cheer him up.

Just a few hours ago, Alfred thought that today was going to be the best and most life changing day of his life. His expectations were half right; it was indeed a life changing day. He sighed deeply and poured more wine in his glass.

When he heard footsteps, he looked up to see someone walking down. The man looked back at the building and let out a small whistle. "What did I miss?" He asked as he sat down next to Alfred and patted his back before continuing. "You're the groom, after all, you should know."

Alfred moved an inch away from the guy and took a long sip from the wine. The man took Alfred's glass and drank from it before properly introducing himself. "I'm Arthur. I was one of the guests."

"I'm assuming you came with somebody because I don't think I've met you before," Alfred joked. "So if you did, where's your date?"

"I was here with..." Arthur paused. "I can't seem to remember."

"Oh God," Alfred moaned. "Don't tell me you're an escort. No wait-" He took a swig of his wine and gave it some thought. "You're a male prostitute."

"No you dolt," Arthur frowned. "I knew one of your guests. He asked if I could come here with him because he needed someone to show up with. Either a date or a wing man."

It was a few months ago and Arthur was walking down the side walk after work. Work went pretty good that day, he admits. No bar fights like the one the week before. Although, there was this one "fight" that he was ashamed that it was even called a fight anyway. They were just cursing at each other before one of them threw up and they hugged it out.

Even though bar fights were a hassle to work with as some glasses and alcohol would be damaged, it's pretty entertaining most of the time. But Arthur would have to interfere if it got too far.

He rolled his eyes at the thought of the memory and took a long drag of his cigarette and-

"Hold up," Alfred interrupted. "You smoke?"

"You're interrupting my story," Arthur said.

"Sorry," Alfred apologized. "So how is it that you can't remember his name?"

Arthur stared at his half-filled glass of wine and held it out. "I think it's the alcohol speaking. Mind pouring me more?"

Alfred complied and let Arthur continue on with his story. "His name was Gilbert. I think he ended up with someone in the end though. Anyways..."

Arthur took a long drag of his cigarette before Gilbert put his hand on his shoulder and said, "How would you like to go to a wedding, Art?" Arthur grumbled and shook Gilbert's hands off of his shoulders, but he kept on going. "Come one man, think about it! Chicks, dudes- I know you like both. Most of them single and ready to get it on!" As he said this, he was dry humping the air.

"Gilbert, I don't want to go," Arthur punched Gilbert's arm, which got him to stop dry humping the air. "Plus, you can always get Francis or Antonio to be your wing man."

"They're already invited!" Gilbert cried. "And they have dates."

"Because unlike you, they know when to stop and settle down for a bit," Arthur stated. After that, Gilbert began begged for Arthur to come with him.

"So I agreed," Arthur finished his story. But what Alfred didn't know was that instead of Gilbert begging for him to come, he simply retorted saying that he didn't have someone of his own either. Then Arthur had agreed to go. But Alfred didn't need to know that.

"Good to know that even Gilbert has someone to be with at the end of the day. And to that, I toast to; cheers," He held up his bottle and Arthur his glass and the two clinked the glasses together before drinking the wine.

"Alright Alfred," Arthur began after he finished his glass. "Now that I've told you my story, now you tell me yours; how did you get left at the altar?"

Alfred laughed, something which he didn't think he wouldn't do for a while, considering his circumstances at the moment and refilled Arthur's glass. "You were one of the guests, you were there, you should know."

Arthur frowned. "Well about that..." Alfred groaned and took a swig of wine.

"Gilbert," Arthur whispered. "Do you happen to know where the bathroom is?"

"So you missed the vows because you had to go pee?" Alfred asked. "Wow dude..."

"Hush you," Arthur hissed. "You don't happen to have any more wine, do you?"

Alfred checked his bottle. "Nope."

"Blimey," Arthur grumbled. "I saw a bar nearby. How about we drink the night away there?"

"Agreed," Alfred stood up and dusted the dirt off of him.

Hours later, Alfred and Arthur had begun their drinking, sharing some stories here and there. Arthur would talk about his job and Alfred about his previous relationship and how aggravating it was planning the wedding.

"So," Arthur spoke up. "Did she say why she didn't want to marry you?"

"Well you know how some couples talk to each other while the Priest is talking right before the vows or the I Dos?" Alfred asked him, his voice slurring. "Well, she was asking all these questions that I'm too drunk to remember, and I was trying to tell her that everything's gonna work out. I guess she freaked out and just called it off."

"I am utterly speechless," Arthur breathed.

"No you're not," Alfred scoffed. "You just talked, like right now."

"True," Arthur nodded before his finished his glass. "Do you want another drink?"

Alfred was about to speak up before the song changed. "Actually, no," He got off his stool and wobbled a bit before holding on to the counter. "I paid a good amount of-" He burped. "Money on dance lessons. So... may I have this dance?"

"I don't know Alfred, I'm pretty tipsy right now," Arthur said. "I consider myself to be a rather good dancer, but I may step on your feet."

"Dude, I just got left at the altar right now," Alfred reminded him. "I doubt you stepping on my feet will be a big deal, trust me."

Arthur chuckled before taking Alfred's hand. As he got off the stool, and Alfred helped him get on his feet, the two walked to a roomier part of the bar, dancing to the song.

"Say, what's the name of the song?" Arthur asked.

"You Don't Know Me by Michael Bublé," Alfred answered. "I think. I'll ask my brother later. He's secretly a big fan."

"Really?" Arthur snickered. "Oh I'm sorry."

"Shouldn't be. If anything, he would have picked another Canadian artist to be his favorite," Alfred joked, Arthur laughing along with him.

The two continued dancing until the song ended. After that, they had decided that they were too drunk to drive themselves home so they agreed to pay for a hotel room and share it, to save money, they had said. But they had ended up getting a one bed suite. As soon as they walked in, they did something they hadn't planned to do. Out of the two, mostly for Alfred.

When he got up in the morning, he looked next to him and saw a bare Arthur covered in the sheets of the bed and their clothes somewhere in the room. As he did, he remembered what happened the day before. And what happened after.

When Arthur woke up, he groaned before turning around. When he saw Alfred, he sighed before he began sitting up. Alfred's eyes shot open as Arthur was almost getting out of the bed. "No, no, Arthur wait a second. Don't go."

Arthur held his breath and sat back down on the bed. "God Alfred, I feel embarrassed enough."

"You have brought me out of the depression I thought I was going to be in for a while. I see no reason why that you should be embarrassed. You have turned what was supposed to be the worst night of my life to be the best," Alfred said. "I was just left at the altar. And I have no idea when I'll be ready for a relationship again. But as the guy who got me out of a rough patch in less than a day, I'd hate to see you walk away."

Arthur smiled. "I take it we'll be just friends?"

"For now," Alfred nodded.

"Alright. How about we wash up, get dressed, and properly start this friendship after we check out from this hotel?"

"Agreed."

At that time, they didn't know that after a few years, they would be back in that same suite. When that happened, the two had just gotten out of the same bar they were in after dancing to the same song. But this time, neither one of them had just gotten through a heart break nor had drank their heart away because of that. This time, they had just recently gotten married. Guess to whom.

Audrey's Notes The song played while they were dancing really is You Don't Know Me, cover by Michael Bublé. I wanted to write Alfred getting left at the altar instead of Arthur because I think it's a nice change for Arthur to sweep Alfred off his feet instead of the other way around. Also, the former bride can be anybody.