Same Job, Different Time and Place [R-18]

Alfred seemed rather nervous himself it only because he was just so flustered after what he said. Honestly, what the hell was he thinking!? Did he just think it was alright to say that during a nice dinner or something like that? Though it seemed as if Arthur was rather amused by it all in the end and he supposed that was what counted. Still didn't mean he wasn't embarrassed.

Taking his fork, the assistant smiled over at his boss before he started to eat the food, waiting for the Englishman to join along with him. It really was good and it showed on his face as his eyes lit up and his smile twitched more upwards. "Is your food good, Arthur?" He asked curiously, hoping for the best.

Despite Arthur telling him otherwise, Alfred felt like he should do something for his birthday. At least for his first birthday in America... Though he would contemplate that later. "Yeah, 4th of July. It's pretty cool though considering that there's always fireworks and all that." He gave a small smile, more reminiscent. "It's like they're doing them for me even though I know that's not the case at all."

Now Alfred started to think about what exactly they could see in New York City before seeming rather satisfied of what he thought up of. "Well, there's lots of places like the Grand Central Terminal which is a nice alternative to go through when you're doing transportation. Lots of things there! Then there's also the Rockefeller Centre, American Museum of Natural History, Ellis Island Immigration Museum, oh and Central Park!" Alfred paused for a moment though, frowning as he watched Arthur start looking a bit crestfallen.

He then noticed how he was staring at the Statue of Liberty and he must have been homesick or something along those lines. Alfred loved to think that everyone fit there in New York City but he knew this wasn't the case and he knew that everyone who immigrated here would not feel like this was home. He wished he could make Arthur feel like he was back home. He hated seeing that look.

Which was why he most likely couldn't help but reach forward to lightly cup Arthur's cheek, tilting his head so he could look into those green eyes. Without saying much more, Alfred stood up in his seat and pressed one hand on the edge of the table as he supported himself in leaning over to lightly kiss the man on the lips before pulling away quietly.

Arthur was relieved to be able to tuck in. It was nice, actually. Nicer than the majority of the food he’d had whilst in New York so far. Seeing as he burnt most food he cooked at home, this was probably the first proper meal he’d had for a few months.
“Ah, yes. It’s good,” he shrugged, too busy eating to really reply. Though, of course, he was taking small mouthfuls and trying to be courteous

“That must be pretty exciting for you,” he smiled. He could imagine Alfred getting excited over fireworks and even running around like a child whilst they were going on. Although the 4th of July was most definitely a place where he was going to stick out, he could at least look forward to Alfred’s birthday. And it would be easy for him to remember, too.

He was listening to Alfred, but honestly, he was rather distracted by the thought of home. Blighty. Britannia. Britain. Albion. God, he missed it. The mere thought of the place made him want a cigarette, just so that he could taste a little bit of home. But he couldn’t let himself get ill or something terrible. Especially if he had a partner of some sort. He couldn’t imagine dying of cancer and leaving them behind. That would be cruel of him.

But it didn’t stop him from wanting a cigarette.

Suddenly, Alfred was leaning over to him, over him. The American instantly had Arthur’s full attention as he looked up at him quizzically, a little lost. He couldn’t help but lean into the hand against his cheek. And then Alfred’s lips were upon his, and although it was just for a moment, Arthur felt as though he was in heaven.

He didn’t blush or splutter for once, he just smiled at him. A genuine, unforced smile. It suited his face far more than the frown that usually resided there.

Alfred of course had better food than this but he really wasn't picky. His mother always made the best food but it didn't mean that this wasn't a lovely change from his daily meals from a whole variety of fast food chains. Okay so maybe it wasn't the most healthy of meals but it was still something that helped him through the day. Though he swore he was gaining a bit of weight now, which was a primary reason why he dedicated so much of his free time at the gym or at home exercising.

For once, the young man was trying to be courteous with his eating, which meant eating a lot less at once than he usually did. He just wanted to be at least presentable to the public for Arthur's sake. Honestly, he really couldn't give a damn about them since he definitely wouldn't be seeing any of them ever again.

The American simply smiled before nodding in agreement. "It is pretty exciting actually! Makes me feel a bit more patriotic for my country at the same time as well." He laughed softly as he ran a hand through his hair.

He knew that Arthur missed England. Even if the other wouldn't always show it, it seemed to be just obvious. Honestly, Alfred would miss America terribly if he ever had to leave it and honestly, he had no real intentions on moving out of this beautiful country. Maybe he would visit different countries around the world but his home was most definitely in America. He admired Arthur for that. To be able to actually move out of his own home and live somewhere which was so foreign and strange probably in comparison to what he was used to.

New York City was just so big and despite the common language, culture and all of that, America and England did have some major differences. No matter the similarities, the two countries were almost radically different.

Alfred admittedly enjoyed the kiss, not because it was hot or passionate or even the best kiss he ever had. No. Nothing like that. It was just the mere fact that at the end of the kiss, Arthur smiled. He actually smiled. None of those smiles made out of just courtesy but an actual genuine smile.

"I like you with that smile a lot more." He murmured softly, smiling back as he sat back down in his seat to resume eating.

Arthur was too dazed to be able to respond coherently for a few moments. He had been rendered speechless, which didn’t happen very often. It had been a chaste, sweet and surprising kiss, and Arthur had loved it. He was still beaming when Alfred returned to his seat and he couldn’t find it in himself to care about what anyone around them had thought.

Alfred had kissed him, without prompting.

He knew that he was acting like some schoolgirl, but it felt too good to spoil by thinking too much about it. What a feeling. He cleared his throat, beginning to eat again. This was actually going okay. He still felt as though there was more to Alfred, but he didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.

He blushed deeply at the compliment and averted his gaze down to his plate.

“Yeah…?” he loved Alfred’s smile. It was like sunshine. Perhaps that could develop into a nickname? Since when had Arthur become such a sentimental fool? “Would you like me even if I wasn’t smiling?” he asked quietly, realising that it was somewhat of an odd question. Subliminally, he was asking if Alfred, if they were really going to do this, if he would stick with him through the tough times.

Arthur could predict dark times ahead as the nation slipped back into recession, and Chouchoute’s numbers were plumpeting with them. He would have to work long hours in the next few months to make the budget work. And people would probably have to be sacked… he’d have to try and protect Alfred’s job.

Alfred actually found himself rather surprised that he kissed Arthur without any prompt or an urge from the other beforehand. No, this time around it was different. This time around, he had actually kissed the older man without any expressed permission beforehand. He just did it and it felt amazing. It made his heart light and his smile bright as he continued to eat his food again.

The younger man made no attempt in really carrying out the session of asking each other personal questions. Not when the atmosphere was just so comfortable like this. He didn't want to ruin it either. Alfred just simply smiled and he nodded as he looked away from the side of the boat as the sun began to set and focused his gaze on Arthur.

"Of course I would but every moment you're not smiling, I'll try my best to at least make you smile even just a bit."

Alfred knew of the dark times that might be ahead. It was nearly inevitable in life though honestly, he was worried about his own job. Hopefully he would not get sacked soon. Either way, that was not something to worry about at the moment. Especially not when he was at a lovely dinner with Arthur.

That was sweet.

“You sap, Alfred,” he laughed. “I had no idea that you were so sentimental. It’s befitting of you, though… for a romantic, it works,” he shrugged. He hadn’t ever imagined Alfred as the type of man to bring flowers or chocolates, or to even remember anniversaries and birthdays. No, Alfred had originally struck him as bone-idle. He’d gotten the impression that he would be a lazy boyfriend. Thankfully, he had been wrong.

“It’s really beautiful out here,” he sighed into the breeze, looking out at Lady Liberty as she became further and further away. “Really beautiful,” he looked at Alfred for a long few moments, gaining eye contact again before flushing, going back to his food. He hoped that Alfred knew how damn attractive he was. Arthur didn’t really want to be an ego-booster all the time. It wasn’t in his personality description to be encouraging continuously.

“So why haven’t you ever considered modelling?” he asked suddenly, not having thought about it before. “Uh, not that I’m implying that you’re… I mean, you aren’t… but you’re… Jesus Christ, I’m just embarrassing myself,” he swallowed thickly. “I just think that you would be good at that. All you have to is stand there…” and look pretty, but he wasn’t going to say that.

“You know,” he tried to move on, but failed, “I was told that I should be a model when I was younger. Just a bit younger than you, actually. I was about twenty.” Arthur had been particularly skinny around that time and (occasionally through blackmail) had been used by photography students at university. He had easily fit into fashion student’s clothes because of how slender he was and he had a unique look about him that the other students didn’t. He had looked weird, in his opinion.

Alfred laughed back at that, enjoying the sound of Arthur's laugh. It was maybe even more infectious than his own laugh. Well, when he actually meant it. The American simply reddened a bit and scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Ah. Do you really consider me as a romantic?" He laughs a bit though he doesn't seem to be arguing in the slightest bit against it. It actually was rather nice that Arthur thought that. "And there's still a lot you need to learn about me, Arthur." He teased, winking a bit.

The assistant soon looked out at Lady Liberty as well, watching it leave and it would most be the city that they were going to look at now but still, Alfred couldn't bring himself to care. Especially when that just gave him more reason to look at Arthur. Alfred knew that he was a handsome man, that much he couldn't deny but he didn't like to necessarily flaunt it around or something else.

His eyebrows raised though in surprise though with the mention of modelling. "Modelling?" He asked, blue eyes wide with curiosity. "Well, I've never really even though about it. I don't think I would do that well in the business." Alfred laughed as he scratched the back of his head. Honestly, he couldn't do any of those fancy positions that they were expecting him to do. He grinned and leant forward.

"Though I'm not surprised that you were told you should be a model. You have a nice unique structure." He murmured. "And of course you're easy on the eyes." Very easy in fact. He smiled honestly.

“Yes… I said as much earlier. Being romantic seems to be one of your redeeming features,” his voice gradually became quieter. He focused on his plate in front of him when he was winked at. He shrugged, “What is there to learn, lad?”

He slowly shook his head, taking another bite from his food. It tasted so good, and definitely made up for his lack of lunch. He slowly looked up at Alfred again, eyeing his hair carefully. There was always that cowlick that stubbornly refused to do as Alfred wanted it to. It was quite endearing, actually. One rebellious hair, unwilling to conform to the prejudice of society.

“I disagree. There is a market for your age group,” he didn’t dare continue that sentence in case he embarrassed himself or made this uncomfortable. He quirked an eyebrow at what was said next. He was easy on the eyes…? What an utter load of bollocks.

“I’m skinny, Alfred. I think that’s all that it was put down to.” He felt that he was far too sharp, too angular to be attractive. Sure, he wasn’t hideous but he wasn’t stunning either, despite what Alfred said. “That, and I didn’t question their motives.” Being drugged up did a lot of favours sometimes; you just stopped caring about things. A part of Arthur wished that he could return to that way of thinking, he had been so free in comparison to his thought process now. But he couldn’t go back to that. He knew he couldn’t.

Alfred thought about it for a long moment before shrugging. "There's a lot to learn about me and I'm sure there's a lot to learn about you." He mused, a small smile on his lips. "We've only known each other in the business sense...and maybe a bit more." He reddened slightly at the very thought of what he meant by 'a bit more' but he decided not to act too flustered about it. "And I'm sure that if you ever wanted...to give it the chance, we could learn more about each other."

He couldn't believe he said that...though it wasn't as if he regretted his words. Soon he glanced down at his plate of food, starting to eat more. Unfortunately, the food was starting to run out and he definitely didn't have the money to indulge himself in the delicacy even more so than he was doing already. The American simply ran a hand through his hair, trying to tame that stubborn piece of hair yet once again, it didn't seem to be compliant towards his efforts.

"Well yeah but doesn't mean I would do good. I'm a camera hog, y'anno?" He grinned slightly. "And it sounds pretty stressful, especially with what I've heard about them and always trying to change your body to make it look its best."

Alfred just raised his eyebrows and glanced over at Arthur for a moment before smiling. "It's good you didn't become a model then. I don't want them to change you." He murmured before eating once more until his food was finally finished off.

Arthur was quiet for a long moment. This topic was clearly the unspoken truth that they both wanted. They wanted to try this. It would be awkward at first and it would be hard work to stay together due to Alfred’s imbecilicly sweet actions and Arthur’s foul temper. But they meant nothing. There was almost an affinity about this, it felt right. As though this was fate and they had been made to meet one another.

“Yes… I-I think I’d like that, Alfred. To give a chance, I mean… and I’d like to learn more about you.” He wanted to learn everything about Alfred, from the hour he was born to the length of his right arm. But that was a little bit too strong to tell him outright.

“A camera hog? Aren’t all models,” he smirked. “But no, I suppose not.” There was nothing Arthur could see fit to change about Alfred. He then shrugged.

“Thank you… however, I am mature enough not to give into peer pressure,” he slowly shook his head. Drugs, alcohol and smoking not included in that. After all, he’d first started smoking when he was fifteen… he really didn’t want to think about all of that when he was on a date. Yes, a date. He could call it that now.

Alfred and Arthur were on a date. How quant.

Alfred wasn't necessarily certain what he wanted but he hoped that this wouldn't be awkward. That would be absolutely horrible. It had been so long since he had actually tried something out with someone else and he most definitely had never done it with another man before. Not only this but Arthur was his boss. What if he was jumping into this just out of the thrill of the night before?

What if Arthur was just jumping in on this just for sex? Was that what this was going to be about? Was it just going to be a whole acquaintances with benefits kind of thing? Alfred couldn't necessarily say he loved the man anymore than Arthur loved him if at all. There was certainly lust but as for love? He didn't really know. Despite being a romantic, love was still an emotion he wasn't too familiar with. He could only hope that they wouldn't get hurt in the end.

Yet there was nothing bad about getting to know each other more.

So Alfred smiled as he nodded. "Yeah. Same. It won't be bad at all." He said in reassurance, more for himself than anything else.

Alfred laughed a bit, leaning back against his chair as his bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well yeah but I don't think that they would appreciate my way of taking pictures." He joked. The American raised his eyebrows at the mention of peer pressure before he nodded. Either way, they wouldn't really have to deal with peer pressure as much these days. Especially considering that they were probably much more mature than they were back in the day.

"What would you call this?" He asked, referring to their night out. He wanted to call it a date because everything that they had done so far was nothing short of being a date. He just wanted to make sure Arthur had the same thoughts.

Love was a very strong word to Arthur. He didn’t use it lightly. He’d been in love before, it was much more than just holding hands. He knew that he wasn’t in love with Alfred, not yet. But he was attracted to him, and there was just something about Alfred that made his heart flutter. It was a wonderful feeling. He didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself and spout feelings that he had not yet developed. It would only be counterproductive.

“Bad?” he questioned, furrowing his brow slightly in confusion. “No… it won’t be ’bad’.”

Arthur smirked slightly, now close to finishing his meal. He was impressed that Alfred had managed to pace himself. He knew that he wasn’t terribly good at taking his time with food, after eating lunch with him various times and at breakfast earlier that day.

“Your way of taking pictures?” he repeated, chuckling softly. “Go on, indulge me. How do you take pictures?” He honestly couldn’t think of any… strange way to take a photograph. There were different types of photography he could enjoy; pinhole photography for example. He couldn’t help but be amused as Alfred raised his eyebrows and gently touched his arm, reassuringly. “As in, I don’t need looking after. I’m a fully grown man.”

“Uh… well,” he flushed, “I assumed that it was a date?”

Alfred would definitely not use love as a light word and in fact, he was certain that he had never experienced this so called love. He certainly believe it existed but he just believed he hadn't experienced it before. He would really like to though. Yet he wasn't going to say that he loved the man, most certainly not. He didn't want to lead him on only for him to say that he didn't love him in the end. That would have just be cruel.

The American thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. "Sorry, sorry. I meant that it would be really great to know more about you." He smiled slightly.

Alfred's plate was now completely clear and he couldn't help but glance off to the side every once in a while to see the city lights in the night sky. New York City was truly a magnificent place. He didn't keep his gaze too long on the city though as he soon returned them back to Arthur and he saw that the man was close to finishing as well. He managed to pace himself well this time! Almost to the point where they were almost finished at the same time! It didn't sound like much to others but to him, it was truly a feat.

"Well I like doing silly things in photos! You know, pretty much photobomb photos if I can. If not that, grin widely and I hardly ever pose. Photographers wouldn't like me." He laughed a bit at that. Alfred decided not to question his boss about being able to take care of himself. He knew that Arthur could take care of himself. Fully aware of that in fact.

Alfred's face also flushed for a moment before he nodded, happy deep inside. "Yeah...it is a date."

“Right,” he didn’t sound convinced but didn’t question any further.

Arthur, although enjoying the serenity of their view every so often, was far too focused on his date to be distracting by dazzling city lights. There was a certain maturity to Alfred that he would not have expected previously. He looked much wiser beyond his years when he didn’t speak. There was a certain intelligent twinkle in his eyes. He’d studied Alfred countless times already, but he couldn’t help himself. Alfred was probably the best looking man he’d ever… with.

He smiled at him quickly, noting the brief look of joy on his face. He was probably proud of himself.

“Ah, well then, no. Hah, I do not think they would appreciate that too much.” He folded one leg over the over beneath the table, finally polishing off the last of his meal before placing his knife and fork neatly on the plate.

Arthur breathed out a sigh of relief before he could help himself and almost beamed again, but was able to restrain himself. It would have been mortifyingly embarrassing had Alfred disagreed and it had not been a date at all. But… a date. That implied that they were seeing each other. That was a big step.

“So, are we dating now…?” his voice wavered a little. He’d enjoyed this evening, but would Alfred feel the same way? Was it worth doing this all again? Anxieties were somewhat a problem for Arthur. He never shared his problems, but he did let them build up inside him until bursting point. He really hoped that didn’t happen. He wasn’t so keen on losing his temper or being worried in

Alfred had a feeling that the way that this was going right now, the night would seem like it would last forever. He loved it like that. He wished that this night would last forever, that he wouldn't have to wake up early for work the day after tomorrow and stumble into the work place at some god forbidden early time in the morning. Instead Alfred laced his own fingers together, resting his chin on the top of his hands as he smiled at the other man. It was beautiful.

There was no rush. They weren't in a hurry to get from one place to another. There was no hurried glances and rushed words. They were not caught up in the excitement of the city.

It was just the two of them.

The assistant...no, he wasn't an assistant here. Right now, they were standing on equal ground, both sharing the same fears and anxiety, excitement and anticipation. Alfred closed his eyes for a moment, simply enjoying this moment together and deciding to slow down from the excitement as peace seemed to be all that he could feel. That was until a question he was hardly expecting was posed, making his eyes flick open and stare directly at those anxious green ones.

"Dating?" He questioned, trying out the term and letting it seep in.

Were they? Was it even a smart idea? If things broke down between them, then Alfred would lose his job most likely considering that was how most of these relationships ended up, right? If anyone figured out, his co-workers might stop liking him. Yet at the same time, Alfred was not interested in progressing himself up the chain, especially from a mere assistant role. There was not much higher he could get from here and not only that, but wasn't he looking for something more than just sex?

Alfred hesitated, anxiety filling him to the brim before he smiled, pulling his hands away from his chin and lightly grasping at Arthur's hand, reassuring.

"Only if you're alright with it."

The hesitation made Arthur splutter, fumbling over what to say. He’d fucked it up, hadn’t he? He hadn’t meant to aggravate him. Bugger… bugger, bugger, bugger–!

Alfred held his hand and Arthur instantly felt like a fool. Those blue eyes were so reassuring. He felt safe again almost in an instant. He looked away briefly and heaved a sigh. He opened his mouth to speak, but Alfred beat him to it and he was so thankful that, that hadn’t gone horribly wrong.

He rubbed his thumb over Alfred’s fingers, studying the thick structure of his hands. They were masculine and unblemished, unlike his. Arthur had much smaller hands, more dainty although his fingers were calloused and tough. Alfred’s hand, as he had noted earlier, were soft. It was almost as though he had never done a hard day’s work in his life.

He wasn’t so bothered by the people around them anymore. It was Alfred he was here to impress, not anyone else… and, well, impressing Alfred wasn’t really his intention either. He just wanted to get him to like him, somehow.

“Well, I just think that this has gone rather well,” he pursed his lips. “It’s not as though anyone has fallen off of the boat or anything. I’ve had a nice time, so far,” he admitted quietly, talking to the table rather than Alfred’s face. “I don’t care about work. Work is work, and we’re separate from that. At work, I will still be your boss but I would really,” he struggled to find a word, “like it if we had different roles outside of the office. Do you understand?”

For all he knew, Alfred could have stopped paying attention and been distracted by something shiny.

Alfred felt immediately at ease when he felt Arthur's thumb rub over his fingers and he was pleased, extremely so. It couldn't be bad to at least try this out. Right? Were they not going to keep their work life and personal life separate from one another? As long as no one learnt about their newly formed relationship, then everything will be alright. He simply hoped that Arthur was just not doing this out of complete lust though. In fact, that might very well be the case.

He had been told that he was easy on the eyes after all. He was certainly not a bad looking man himself and in a way, he was worried that he might be doing this out of lust himself. Though he wasn't. No. Alfred had never even entertained of really sleeping with his boss, not at least without some emotions there. It might not necessarily be love nor even lust but there was still something.

He was still so very confused but he was happy.

Arthur's hands were rather different from his own and while Alfred had definitely worked hard in his life, he still had softer hands in comparison to the other man. Yet his hands seemed more masculine than Arthur's but there was a lovely quality about his boss's hands which made him feel like he could simply hold it for as long as he could ever desire.

"Yeah, it did go pretty well, huh?" He asked, a small smile on his lips. Alfred laughed softly and he nodded, enjoying the reassurance. "I've had a nice time also." He noticed how Arthur's gaze was more directed towards the table than his face so he quickly brought up his other hand to lightly tilt his chin up so they were looking at each other instead. "And of course I understand. I have no intention of ever mixing work with this." He whispered.

He could see that the boat was starting to near the harbour once more.

The Brit stiffened as his head was lifted. He gulped, his heart picking up in pace. Alfred wasn’t about to kiss him again, was he? That, or he was just making Arthur look at him. A part of him secretly hoped that it was the former.

“I’m glad,” he said quietly, as if he was unable to speak with Alfred touching him. It was utter nonsense, he knew, and he was just being a sentimental imbecile. But it was nice to be touched so kindly, so innocently. He began to melt into the touch, transfixed on azure eyes.

That sounded a little harsh coming from Alfred though. As if he didn’t want anyone to know that they were ‘seeing each other’. But he understood. It would tarnish Arthur’s reputation as well if it were to get out to, especially to their superiors. It wouldn’t look good. In fact, Alfred would probably lose his job – seeing as they needed Arthur for the number work. But once his contract was up, he was pretty sure that they would find a way to deport him anyway. His contract ended in three years. He wasn’t sure if he would want to go home then or not. Back to bad weather and his parents. What a delightful thought.

“Good,” he murmured. He had also noticed that they were close to the harbour. He didn’t want it all to end yet. It seemed so short, as if they’d barely spoken. They’d spent the majority of the time gazing at each other. Arthur liked conversation, debate, even gossip! So long as they were communicating.

Paralinguistics were lovely, but he wanted something deeper than that.

As tempting it was to kiss Arthur on the lips, Alfred felt that he should save that until later again. He was much too anxious anyways about the whole situation to actually say anything about it or do anything about it even.

Alfred of course was the kind of man who would want to flaunt his relationship every which way. He would have loved to hold hands with the man at every opportunity, maybe even peck him on the lips in front of others but he knew that would hurt them more than help. He was a man who loved any sort public display of affection though he knew that would not be allowed. He wasn't sure how long it would be not allowed.

Maybe until Alfred moved onto better things or maybe they would have broken apart by then. Who knew? Office relationships have never been known to last for the longest amount of times.

If Alfred lost the job he had right now, he would be forced to work at someplace ridiculous which paid even lower than the job he held now. He would barely be able to survive like that. Either that or he would have to move in with his brother in Canada. Honestly, it was much too cold for him up there and while he loved Matthew dearly, the idea wasn't that fond for him. Either his brother or his parents. Hopefully he could find a job just in case things did take a turn for the worst.

Alfred soon pulled away from Arthur, smiling a bit at the man before laughing a bit. "Well, that felt a lot shorter than I wanted it to be." He murmured. He wished the night could have lasted forever. It was only a few short minutes later until they were docked and the entrance opened for them to step off the boat. Alfred simply stood up though he was rather hesitant and he waited for Arthur with a small smile before heading towards the exit. He wished he could stay there for much longer with Arthur but that was an impossibility.

So instead he waited for Arthur to stand up with him and exit out of the boat before heading towards his car, smiling a bit. "I hope you liked the cruise and meal." He murmured, trying to strike up a conversation as they walked.

Soon enough, he opened the doors to the car, making it a point to open the door for Arthur first before going around on the other side to climb into the driver's seat.

Arthur, on the other hand did not really enjoy public displays of affection. Holding hands and one brief kiss were entirely different to public groping and French kissing. The very thought almost always made him grimace. There was nothing wrong with a snog and heavy petting behind closed doors, but it really wasn’t something he wanted to see or experience. Besides, he still worried about what people would say if they saw two men together. He feared that he might let it get the better of him and that he might refuse to hold Alfred’s hand in public… walking through Central Park would certainly not be done holding hands.

He was also just waiting for the moment where someone else would catch Alfred’s eye and he’d realise that he was – Arthur had no idea why he was being so gloomy. It was their first date. It was supposed to be about having fun, not about the arguments you may or may not have about what colour to paint the kitchen together in your new house.

He really had to contain himself. This was beyond ridiculous. Maybe it was his age? His body clock was alerting him that he only had three years left to find a mate or else he’d be screwed. His body was telling him to find someone to settle down with. What if Alfred didn’t want to settle down? He was young. He wanted to work with scientific, intelligent people. He should do that and not have to worry about his boyfriend whilst he was drifting through space.

“Yes, it did,” Arthur agreed, laughing softly until it trailed off. He was sad at the loss of contact but they had to get off the boat. He followed Alfred, falling in-step with him. He glanced up at Alfred quickly and then back at the ground again.

“Yes, I did. Thank you Alfred…” he felt as though he should pay him back, though. “Would you like me to contribute some money towards this…?” he nodded back at the boat, brow furrowed. “I don’t mind. It was probably quite expensive.”

Money was always a sensitive topic, regardless of who it was. Arthur was trying to tread carefully.

He thanked him quickly before climbing into the car, into the passenger seat. He noted how Alfred was still treating him like a girl, a highschool sweetheart or something.

Alfred would definitely not do anything like public groping or French kissing out in the public. That was just highly inappropriate on any kind of standard but he revelled in the more simplistic things of a relationship such as cheek kissing or holding hands or something small like that. Yet with their working relationship alongside with their personal, it would be rather risky to actually do any kind of public display of affection. Maybe far away from the work place, they could possibly do it but Arthur seemed to be the kind of man who preferred things behind closed doors anyways.

While the American would normally persist on showing public displays of affection, this was definitely not one of the relationships where he could do such things. Ah well, that just meant that he had to be more affectionate behind closed doors. Right? Honestly, Alfred hadn't even entertained the thought of them both being men. He was hardly bothered by it, being rather open minded and he found that it wasn't all that bad so far. In fact, his heart pounded more against his chest in excitement and anticipation than if he was with a girl. There were no clear defined roles that they were supposed to be playing. He wasn't the one that had to romance and lead his partner nor did his partner have to remain submissive and be led. No, it wasn't like that this time around.

Alfred ended up trying to think of the more positive aspects of this, such as the date itself. The date was terribly fun in his own opinion. He loved it and even if they didn't do anything terribly exciting such as go to a fair or the movies, he still enjoyed their moment together. They weren't being distracted by anything else other than each other. That was perfect for a first date, right?

The younger man grinned happily when he heard that, humming in contentment. As long as Arthur had fun, which he seemed to have during the duration of the cruise, then Alfred was happy. Alfred blinked a bit in surprise when he heard the mention of money and he soon just smiled, shaking his head. "Nah, it's fine!" He grinned, knowing that it would probably bother Arthur that he wouldn't be able to pay for this.

"But if you want, you can do the next date." He smiled as he started up the car and started to drive back to Arthur's flat.

He couldn't help but wonder if anything more was going to happen tonight.

Arthur had, had all sorts of relationships before. All of which, he had mostly played an equal role. Apart from when he had dated a girl briefly when he was thirteen. That relationship had clearly been all about her because she had been out of his league. At the time, that hadn’t been so obvious to Arthur. Lord knows how he had even managed to convince her to be his girlfriend (even if it had only been for a week). Maybe that was what had helped him realise he was gay? That he had not enjoyed spending a single second with her…? He suspected that it was actually because of her flirtatious attitude with the other boys that had made him give up on her.

Thinking about it, she had been the closest he’d ever gotten to touching a breast. How peculiar.

“Yes… alright, I will pay for the next date,” he nodded. He should probably plan it, too. It would have to be pretty extravagant to compare with the date Alfred had organised. Arthur, however, was at a disadvantage because he did not know New York. He’d have to find a way, somehow.

The Brit was also curious about what would happen next. There had been no sexual tension (as all that seemed to have been relieved the previous night) but maybe it would be polite for Arthur to invite him inside for some ‘coffee’? He wasn’t sure that he really wanted to and if Alfred would even agree.

He sat, unsure of what to say to Alfred now.

Alfred's relationships were rather limited to the realm of women and honestly, he hadn't started dating until he was the age of seventeen. By that time, girls in his high school were actually starting to get more interested in him. He was no longer that somewhat geeky looking boy whose glasses were maybe a bit too thick at times, posture horrid, a bit too lithe for any girl's preference and simply too clumsy. He had been sloppy (which was a habit he still somewhat carried), unfashionable, and he had embarrassing braces for a good few years of his life. Yet when he hit seventeen, he decided to change it for the better. One couldn't deny that behind the clumsiness and all, he was still an attractive boy yet this time around, he tried out for the American football team, he started to exercise, he finally started to pick out better brands and even started to comb his hair.

It was a change that he kept though despite this, he was still that geeky boy who was fascinated with the sciences, space, and even that damned instance the Ivory Tower of Karazhan in WoW (which he still spent all night playing on the computer when he had the time). He had become a heart throb though and girls were wanting his phone number, even just some recognition from him and being so utterly clueless, he fell for it. He enjoyed the new attention, revelled in it even but it led to some nasty breakups. Yet when it came to being with a man, that was a field that was completely out of Alfred's field.

He just hoped he could make Arthur happy in this.

Alfred smiled slightly, laughing a bit. "Alright, alright. You pay for the next date but don't out do yourself! Okay?" He murmured though already he could feel excitement run through him just at the thought of another date. Where would they go next? Would they even go on a date next time? He hoped that they would. He was certain that it would be just lovely.

It took a good thirty minutes before they arrived back at Arthur's flat and throughout the whole trip, Alfred couldn't help but worry. What were they going to do? Would Arthur invite him in...or...? What if he didn't invite him in? Did he even want to be invited in? It wasn't like there was any sexual tension between them at the moment at the moment but...

Alfred soon accompanied Arthur to the front of the flat, pausing for a moment and his mind raced of what to do. There was a certain uncertainty in the air and already Alfred could feel nervousness seep into his voice as he spoke. "I had a lot of fun tonight." He murmured with a small smile and soon he glanced down at Arthur's face.

Those lips...he couldn't describe the feelings that were running through him. Of just how much he wanted to...he didn't question it and instead he slowly leant down to press his lips gently against Arthur's own. His heart was pounding but soon he pulled away, cheeks flushed. "I hope you have a good night, Arthur. I'll see you at work on Monday, alright?" He murmured softly, letting his breath ghost in the cold air.

With that, he soon took his steps away from the flat, heart pounding and a dumb smile on his lips.

“I’ll try not to,” Arthur quirked an eyebrow.

Alfred had definitely spent more than he could afford on this, Arthur was sure of it. He didn’t want to have him foolishly wasting his money when he couldn’t afford it, whilst Arthur could. What kind of man would he be if he just let his boyfriend (boyfriend?) pay for everything…? Were they boyfriends? Arthur didn’t quite think so. Not yet, anyway. At least, he hoped Alfred thought the same thing about it. It would be awkward, otherwise.

When they arrived at Arthur’s flat, he couldn’t help but feel nervous. What if he was expected to let Alfred in? Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give him some coffee or tea, but then again, he’d probably be buzzing for the rest of the night. Arthur pursed his lips, leading the way to the front of the flats. He turned to face him once at the door and opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t quite settle on what to do, or to say.

Alfred was looking at him intently – either there was something on his face or it was a hint as for what to do next. Before he knew it, he was being kissed. Arthur sighed softly against Alfred’s lips, trying not to smile. But it was only a brief kiss. Chaste.

The Brit couldn’t help but smile once Alfred’s back was turned and he was walking away. It seemed that the Americans were more gentlemanly than he had originally thought. He waited until Alfred was in his car before he finally opened the front door and went inside.
Sunday had been yet another good day for Arthur. He’d finished his book, gone to the library to get a membership and even managed to cook some scones without burning them. The past three days had probably been some of the best that Arthur had, had in New York so far. All because of that golden-haired boy.

A smile graced his lips as he entered the office that Monday morning. For once, he was willing to speak to the receptionists, to greet the staff he recognised on the way in. He was a different man. But he had a lot of meetings to get through in the next week which would determine if they were going to complete his contract or not. If he hadn’t made a change in their numbers (which he had, luckily) and didn’t have any good ideas, he’d be sacked. He should have been more worried, but Arthur was pretty confident that they were going to love his presentations and bar charts. They had to.

Arthur sat at his desk, glancing through some of his notes he’d made about the changes that needed to be made. Currently, he was admiring his small doodles over the papers. There were some rather interesting drawings of what were supposed to be unicorns. He was waiting for his daily schedule.

He hadn’t even thought about what it would be like seeing Alfred again, in the workplace.

Admittedly, many of the staff and even the receptionists were rather surprised with the sudden change in behaviour in their boss. Honestly, he never seemed that cheerful and in fact, he seemed almost the exact opposite. Either way, it truly was a nice change in Mr. Kirkland. Even the atmosphere of the whole office setting was more cheerful (if only because they were not nearly as afraid to get that scrutinising glare from their boss). Soon enough, just a few minutes late like always, Alfred came stumbling in, grin on his lips as he fixed up his tie.

Even he seemed a bit brighter and many people would be suspicious if it wasn't for the fact that Alfred was always bright and cheerful in the work setting. The day before, he was able to let the reality of the situation sink in and in all honesty...he kind of liked it. No, cross that out. He really liked what happened that weekend and he couldn't even bring himself to be worried at all. Hopefully Arthur wouldn't be worried either.

Looking at the stash of beverages they had, Alfred decided his hand on tea (which he made certain to Google before he left his flat). Trying to remember the instructions, he soon made some English Breakfast Tea, hoping that Arthur would like the change in beverages for once though in all honesty, he thought that coffee was still much better than the tea water. Bringing it into the office with a few knocks on the door, Alfred grinned widely, not being able to help himself as he kicked the door shut.

"Hey there, Mr. Kirkland." He chirped as he placed the tea down on Arthur's desk. "I got you some tea this time around...I hope you don't mind it." He murmured before also pulling out a sticky note and placing it on the wooden desk. It was a light pink in colour (it was the only one that the office had in stock at the moment), highlighting the man's activities for the day. In the corner of the sticky note, there was a small heart drawn and it was the most simple of things but Alfred meant quite a bit in it.

"There's your schedule for the day. I know you'll do great on your presentations." He murmured, running a hand through his hair. "Is there anything you want me to do for you, Mr. Kirkland?" He questioned. It was a bit weird calling him by formalities but he knew that despite everything, they had to keep their business affairs and their personal affairs separate.