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

Alfred was a bit nervous with what Arthur thought about him though he couldn't help but redden at the compliment. He had definitely not been expecting that. In fact, he was certain that the other would immediately start fixing his attire or his hair or something along those lines so he was rather glad that the other actually....actually called him ravishing. Alfred felt as giddy as a young child opening their Christmas presents on Christmas morning.

The American simply grinned and he looked Arthur carefully over, not being able to help himself but think that the other looked just as dashing. "And you look pretty amazing yourself." He managed out before glancing down at his watch and shaking his head.

"No need for water. We can get something to drink if we're thirsty later on over there. For now, let's go so we don't have to wait in line or something!" He murmured before he leant forward to peck the other's cheek as well before pulling away. Alfred simply smiled as he started to head towards his car, excited and just wanting to get to the dance as quick as possible. It wasn't often that he was able to do this and to do it with Arthur...it would be amazing.

No matter how well the dance actually went but still. It didn't take long for him to finally get in the car and start it up, waiting anxiously for the other. Fortunately enough, the club wasn't all that far from where they were at so they would only need a quick drive. Alfred glanced over at Arthur again. He still thought he looked absolutely stunning.

At that, Arthur flushed. He honestly had a lot of doubts about how he was dressed but he felt much better now that Alfred had said that to him. He shuffled from foot to foot, mumbling a thank you before he grabbed his keys to head out of the building. He was quick behind Alfred. He couldn’t help but stare at the immaculate clothing and just how bloody good it looked on Alfred’s figure.

Walking down the corridor and travelling in the lift with Alfred only reminded him of just a week ago when they’d been running to his flat, giggling like a pair of children. It felt as though so much had happened since then. Two dates had happened since then.

Were they rushing? He hoped not. He wanted to enjoy his time with Alfred; he didn’t want to over-step the mark and only be told to back off or worse by Alfred. He hoped that they could make this work, keep the fire going for months after this – years, if they were lucky. Arthur still felt as though he knew next to nothing about Alfred other than various bits and pieces. Hopefully, they would gradually open up to one another more at some point.

Although, in saying that, Arthur was keen for Alfred to share his life story with him, but Arthur wasn’t keen to share his with Alfred. He didn’t want him to know about his tumultuous relationships and neglectful parents.

He climbed into the car, getting in beside Alfred who he was still struggling to take his eyes off of. He smiled shyly when he noticed that he was being looked at and then soon turned away again, face hot. “Shall we…?”

What if there were people at this club that were homophobic? Buggert, he hadn’t even considered that.

Alfred honestly thought that Arthur looked quite dashing tonight and in that suit. It was obvious that he had taken good care of himself and made certain he looked good for the night, like he always seemed to do. Not that he was necessarily complaining about it though. Alfred didn't pay much attention to the stare he was getting from Arthur as they walked down the corridor and to the lift. He couldn't help but glance around when they stepped inside and he couldn't help but smile a bit.

The memory was still rather vivid in his mind and in all honesty, this particular scene stood out more vividly than the actual sex itself. That wasn't too bad though...they were both extremely excited during that time and drunk and very, very aroused. To think that it would lead to all of this...it was simply amazing just to think about it all.

Alfred was hoping that they weren't really rushing this. He didn't think he was. It was not as if they were young children who didn't know how to handle themselves or relationships. If they got into a fight, they would just talk it out and resolve it. If they were going a bit too fast, then they could tone it down later. It wasn't as if they were a pair of hormonal teenagers who couldn't get their hands off each other. Okay, so maybe that was a bit of the case but that was besides the point. Alfred just hoped as well that they could keep the fire going because this relationship seemed like it was promising many happy moments.

Of course once they started to settle into the relationship of course.

Hopefully Arthur would also be able to share parts of his life just as he would do for him. Yet he was not going to go out of his way to force the other to share his life story. That just wasn't his style. He was curious but he was a patient man at times, especially when it came to important aspects of a relationship. Yet that was what an relationship was about. Learning and exploring the new and once everything was learnt, being able to stick with that person through good or bad.

Alfred just simply grinned and he nodded. He wasn't all that worried about the people in the club being homophobic and if they were, they would simply have to deal with it. They were in a free state, they could do whatever they wanted. "Of course."

With that, Alfred started to drive towards the club and fortunately enough, it didn't take much time at all for them to arrive at the club. Already he could hear music from the 1900s playing in the background and dammit, it sounded amazing. He could already feel the excitement rush through him. "Arthur, Arthur! Let's go, let's go!" He urged with that all American grin as he clambered out of the car and started to head towards the entrance after Arthur got out.

Arthur was still worried that there would be some sort of 1930’s style lynch waiting around the corner for them, similar to the mob that approach Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird whilst he is on guard, protecting Tom Robinson. It was almost a shame that they didn’t have a child like Scout on hand to be wiser than the surrounding people. He was getting ahead of himself and sighed heavily; he knew that he was just being irrational and that it was extremely unlikely anything was going to happen but someone was bound to say something at some point, weren’t they? Why hadn’t he thought about this before?

As a result, Arthur was quiet for the entire journey to the club, staring fixatedly out of the window. He had stopped looking at Alfred as soon as his worries had settled in. Alfred did look utterly tremendous but he was too concerned with their wellbeing to think about that now. He wasn’t sure either of them would be able to run very well in their dress shoes, either.

Blast it all, he had to be cheerful. He couldn’t be miserable, not when Alfred was being so lovely.

He got out of the car, smiling meekly at Alfred’s enthusiasm and followed him to the club. There were flashing lights outside saying ‘open until late’, ‘open bar’, ‘good music’ – how reassuring, he thought bluntly.

Arthur was quick to catch up with him, falling in-step. All he could hope now was that he wouldn’t make a fool of himself on the dancefloor.

Alfred didn't seem all that concerned with possible homophobia from the club goers though at the same time, he never really did anything homosexual around them. Though considering everything, he was certain he could fight off anyone who tried to get in their way or criticised them. They were here to have a good time and if people couldn't stand having a homosexual couple around, then that was their problem. Not his. He was just here to have a good time with Arthur.

So he had no thoughts about what to do if someone did decide to confront them both. He just hoped that wouldn't be the case and they would just have a good night together and then they could possible go back to one of their flats and carry the night on from there. He wasn't certain what would happen during the night but that didn't matter.

Alfred smiled over at the other and he just gazed him over. "Want a quick drink first?" He questioned. He wasn't going to drink anything this time around but it looked as if Arthur needed to relax a bit. Not get completely inebriated of course but definitely a bit more loose. Though of course he wasn't going to force that on the other. He just went to sit down at a private table where they had a good view of the dance floor. They didn't need to go dancing just yet unless the other wanted to.

Hopefully by the end of the night, Arthur and himself would be able to fully enjoy their date.

“Yes,” Arthur answered all too quickly. He grimaced at how hasty he had sounded. “Please,” he added at the end of the sentence. He glanced up at Alfred and then went straight to the bar. He ordered some whiskey and leant against the bar, staring at the polished wood before looking out to the dancefloor. The music was good, made him want to move but he’d need to lose some of his inhibitions before he willingly enjoyed himself without worrying about what anyone else thought of him.

“Would you like anything?” he asked Alfred belatedly, once again taking the opportunity to marvel at Alfred’s appearance. So suave, so very 1920’s that it was surreal. He was almost tempted to make some joke about Dalí or Picasso but realised that it was likely to go right over the American’s head. He did turn to Alfred, however, and straightened out his lapels for him after they had crumbled somewhat on the drive there. His hands lingered for a few moments, pressing down gently on to his chest before he pulled away entirely and took his drink from the bar.

He took a quick swig of it, and looked back at the dancefloor again. He didn’t wish to embarrass Alfred, and so he knew that he should at least try to show some decorum whilst drinking. The men and women that were dancing all seemed to know how to move and swing. He was pretty certain that he wouldn’t be able to dance like that. He took another drink from his whiskey.

“That looks rather complicated. Are you sure you can do it?” he teased, looking up at Alfred with a smirk.

Alfred simply smiled and he didn't seem to argue against the other's choice at all. After all, who was he to say that the other couldn't drink. He was a free man after all and not only that...but if a bit of alcohol meant that they would have a good night, then so let it be. He just wanted Arthur to have a good time, not worry about everything around him yet still be sober enough to know just what he was doing. Alfred simply shook his head as he politely declined the offer.

"Nah, I'm fine. Thank you though." He murmured with a grin as he stretched out a bit. The other seemed more than ready to drink from his whiskey though he let it be. Alfred pouted a bit when his lapels were straightened but he didn't seem to mind all that much as the other pressed his hand down against his chest gently before finally pulling away. He was a bit disappointed but he soon stood up.

The American looked horribly amused with the other's teasing though he seemed confident enough. "Of course I can do it! You better be able to keep up!" He mentioned, ordering a quick glass of water before taking a big hearty gulp of it. He soon stood up and stretched himself out a bit more, waiting for the other to finish his share of the alcohol before he held his hand out for Arthur as a new song, upbeat and lively. He snapped his fingers to the beat with the other hand, still grinning as always.

"Would you care for this dance, Mr. Kirkland?"

“Let’s hope so,” he mumbled against the glass of his drink. He took another gulp and looked up at Alfred curiously as he stood. He furrowed his brow a little. Perhaps he was already bored of Arthur and wanted to find a dance partner. He almost scowled at the thought but then Alfred held out his hand.

Arthur’s cheeks darkened as he stared at the blue-eyed beauty.

He couldn’t say no to that. He downed the rest of his whiskey, trying to conceal the grimace that came with the not-so-pleasant burning in his throat. He took Alfred’s hand, a little less sure of himself. He gave Alfred’s hand a squeeze and waited to be led to the dancefloor.

He would just have to keep a cool head and try to keep up to the rhythm of Benny Goodman, and of course Alfred’s feet.

Alfred simply grinned at the other as he took his hand and he soon quickly started to pull him towards the dance floor! Honestly, he was acting as if he was surprised that he asked him out to dance. He did take him here for a date after all and he didn't even desire dancing with someone who was more skilled than the other. Just as Arthur taught him, he would help with the other and even if the moves were a bit sloppy, at least he hoped they would have some fun.

He gave Arthur's hand a squeeze back and he soon started to move to the drums of the music, establish a beat. "Alright, don't worry about going fast right now. Just follow my lead and just go with the dance, okay?" He mentioned with a smile.

Soon enough he started to move his feet to the beat of the music, showing Arthur just how to move as he grabbed the other's hand firmly in his grasp as he used the other hand to reach behind and hold his back. He quickly led Arthur through the music, showing that he could indeed keep up with the music if he wanted to though he decided to keep things simple for Arthur until he felt ready to go a bit faster and simply try out a bit more.

"Gotta love Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman, huh!" He exclaimed over the music as he continued on grinning. "Come on, just let go and have some fun." He said as he let go of the other's back and pulled away, still keeping their hands connected before he pulled the other closer again and then trying to make him twirl under the fast beat of the drums and trumpets.

Arthur nodded, his expression comparable to that of a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. He was nervous and was too concentrated on trying to feel the music and not make a fool of himself to worry about masking his emotions. He silently counted the beat in his head, ready to try to keep up. Alfred was smiling at him and that was enough for him to feel more relaxed; alcohol now also in his bloodstream.

He kept an eye on his feet, trying to mimic Alfred’s steps. He was soon able to get to grips with the repeated steps and moved a little more confidently than before. He returned Alfred’s smile with a small one of his own.

He spun out and then back in again, only to be twirled. He couldn’t help but feel as though he was being watched by everyone in the room. God, he hoped he’d loosen up soon enough. He was not used to being led rather than leading, either.

That was when Arthur realised he’d thrown himself right into the deep end. But Alfred was there. He’d take care of him, he hoped.

“It’s good,” he agreed, about the song, trying to replicate his enthusiasm. He threw a quick glance at the band, revelling in the sound of the live music. It was always so much better to hear real instruments rather than some computer-preened music from a stereo.

This wasn’t too bad.

Alfred simply grinned at the other and he noticed that Arthur was still much too tense for his own good. That was alright though...he would help him relax. So he continued on keeping the steady steps and when he felt that the other was able to get a grip on the steps. To see the other's smile though...that was definitely nice no matter how small it was.

He didn't even care if they got stares from other people though that didn't seem to be the case. In fact, everyone seemed pretty occupied with their own dancing and in that way, Alfred was glad. For Arthur's sake at the very least.

Alfred was fortunately enough a very good lead and he soon repeated the steps again before grinning even wider and swinging their arms quickly from side to side to the beat of the music as he took a few steps back, footsteps precise and quick before taking steps forward. Soon he twirled the both of them around, deciding to kick the pace up just a bit, making certain to do a few kick steps before repeating that step a few times.

They would get to the more fun parts later on in the song. Already he could feel himself panting a bit at the exertion of energy and to put it simply, he was quite enjoying the dance. He absolutely loved Benny Goodman and the live music was a wonderful touch to everything. "It'll get more exciting if you want!" He laughed.

Arthur tried his best to keep up. Alfred was pretty bloody good at this, irritatingly so. He was a fast learner though and wasn’t deterred. He moved with Alfred, still extremely aware of the vast amount of footwork involved. He smirked a little as Alfred swung their arms, which he responded to, of course. He gulped a little as the pace increased but he hadn’t tripped yet and that was all that mattered as far as he was concerned. He held on to Alfred a little tighter, smile disappearing again as his brow furrowed in concentration.

Arthur was equally as out of breath, if not more so – he was unused to such vigorous exercise. He quirked an eyebrow at Alfred’s choice of words and before he could help himself, he was laughing. Maybe it was the music or the way that Alfred was looking at him but he felt as though it was okay for him to just… laugh.

“Oh really?” he shook his head. “Go on then,” he challenged. He could only assume he’d be able to do it. The alcohol had made him feel a little light-headed by this point, but in a good way. The people around them were beginning to dissolve away and it was just him and Alfred on the dancefloor, enjoying themselves.

Alfred grinned at the challenge though he decided to keep things just a bit easy at the moment. Instead he he continued on dancing the same few steps, adding a few twirls here and there though he was quick to spin them around and spinning the other in and out. "Fine then."

And with that, Alfred moved very, very close to Arthur though still keeping his movements quick as he swayed his body and hips to the beat and made certain to keep up his footwork before leaning his face much, much closer.

"Make sure you hold on tight and don't struggle." He warned before immediately trying to scoop him up in his strong arms, tilting him back a bit. Alfred simply laughed a bit, smiling widely at the man in his arms as he leant forward, their faces much too close though he soon pulled away as his grip tightened on the other. With barely any warning, he swung Arthur behind his back and he soon bent down low so he could swing Arthur over the top of his body and try landing him safely back on the ground.

He soon resumed his previous moves though this time, he grabbed both of Arthur's hands and went behind him, still trying his best to lead him from behind as he helped move the other with his hands before he twirled him around again so they were facing each other. There was quite a bit of amusement on his face.

Arthur had gotten used to the spinning now – he could do that easily now. It was when Alfred was extremely close to Arthur that he became breathless, a little astonished by the sudden close proximity. He was far more used to moving his hips than he was with footwork and hence found this a little bit easier.

“What?” he frowned before he was suddenly lifted. Arthur let out a gasp, eyes widening a little. But he’d been told not to struggle, and so he didn’t, in fear of being dropped. Alfred’s face was so close to him, it was quite distracting despite being suspended mid-air by Alfred’s ridiculously strong arms. The world was a blur as he was flipped over Alfred (or at least, that’s what he had thought had happened). He landed ungracefully on his feet, thankful for the ground under his feet again.

Arthur looked back over his shoulder, hands in Alfred’s again as they danced. It reminded him a little of the position they’d been in at the club they’d visited the previous week. He was spun and then facing Alfred again.

Alfred’s amusement was met with a combination of bemusement and a scowl. He didn’t protest though. It an odd sort of way, it had been quite exciting. He simply gave Alfred an exasperated look, not really meaning it.

Alfred just continued on grinning as he heard a few cheers coming from the audience around him though he decided not to pay too much mind to them. Not when Arthur was here dancing with him and looking so exasperated though he knew that he truly didn't mean any of it. How would he be exasperated by something so exciting? Not only that but he did challenge him! He just continued on moving his feet quickly, panting softly though he tried not to look too exhausted.

It took a lot of strength and energy to swing a grown man around the dance floor. He just continued on dancing, moving them along the dance floor rather than staying in simply one place, twirling Arthur once again and soon himself before he heard the song starting to come to an end. Might as well go for a surprising finish.

So Alfred soon spun Arthur around quickly, pulling their bodies almost unbearably close before he finally dipped the man down low, bending forward so their lips were almost brushing. There queued the ending of the drums and the ending flourish of the brass instruments as the song finally came to a finish yet still the American held the older man down in the dip, just smiling down at him as he gazed down at his date with a pleased and content expression.

The applause made Arthur blush; the thought that people were watching them was quite un-nerving. At least they weren’t jeering.

Alfred was still smiling. Stupid boy and his stupid infectious smile. He moved with the American, crossing the dancefloor and (hopefully) out of the limelight. He was just starting to get the hang of it when he heard the song coming to an end. He beamed at Alfred but it was soon replaced by a shocked look as he was dipped. He let out a not-so-manly yelp at gawked up at Alfred before he realised what was going on and relaxed in his arms – but not enough to become a dead weight so that Alfred would drop him.

He was so, so close to his face. And their lips brushing against one another hadn’t gone un-noticed. Arthur was breathless. The backlighting in the dim room created a halo around Alfred’s golden hair. He could have quite happily kissed him there and then but the people surrounding them, applauding the band prevented him from doing so. He tried to control his breathing, as to not seem unfit.

Slowly but surely, Arthur returned the smile, affection gleaming in his eyes.

Alfred felt as if his smile would never fade. Never fade as long as he was with Arthur, dancing and being so close to him and they were simply enjoying themselves. It was absolutely wonderful. Thankfully enough, they managed to get out of the limelight as they moved away from the centre of the dance floor and yet he just loved being so close to the other. Everyone was now focusing on the band as they finished the lovely song and he was tempted to applaud but not when Arthur was still in his arms.

Soon enough he leant down and kissed the other right then and there, pressing their lips firmly together as he managed to hold their position. It was a few long moments later than Alfred finally pulled away and stared down at the other, panting softly, before pulling him up gently to stand once again. All he could do was just nearly shine in affection.

He certainly felt tired enough to take a break but he would continue on dancing if the other wanted. He didn't care about those around him and it didn't seem as if they were paying all that much mind to the both of them either, especially when they were far from the attention now. "How was that?" He questioned, hoping that Arthur actually liked the dancing.

Arthur was so grateful to be kissed, seeing as he was too nervous to administer it himself. One of his arms held on to Alfred’s shoulders, trying to keep himself securely in his spot. He raised his other hand to cup Alfred’s cheek as they kissed, chastely. He used his stomach muscles to pull himself upwards more, trying to be less of a strain on Alfred. Once on his feet, he pressed another fleeting kiss to his cheek before pulling away, sheepishly joining the applause for the band.

He laughed softly at Alfred’s question. “Complicated. Extremely so. You could have fooled me, boy. I didn’t think you could dance until just then.” He was teasing, that much was obvious by his tone and the light-hearted look on his face. “It was fun,” he replied honestly and patted Alfred’s shoulder. “I think you need a sit down though, eh?”

He didn’t wait for a response before going to one of the tables at the side of the room. As he watched Alfred, he noted how much the American outshone everyone else in the room. He really was model-worthy – that or godly. He was some sort of Adonis that Arthur had been blessed with. He pulled out a chair for Alfred to sit in, waiting before he sat down in his own chair.

“It’s hard work, that…” he observed, stating the obvious really.

Alfred definitely enjoyed the chaste kiss and he seemed to be content even as they pulled away. He just grinned over at Arthur for a moment before joining as well in the applause for the band, cheeks a bit red from the kiss on the cheek. It was small actions like that that made Alfred's heart pound just a bit faster, especially from someone like Arthur. Either way...

The American couldn't help but smile even wider as the tease though he just lightly patted Arthur's shoulder. "Now you know I have some dancing skills!" He exclaimed with a wink, laughing a bit more. "Probably one of the best swing dancers around the block." Okay so maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but at least he could hope. From the lighthearted look on Arthur's face, it definitely seemed as if he enjoyed it rather than actually just saying it to please him.

He paused for a moment and he felt just how heavy his breath was. Though at the same time, who wouldn't get exhausted from swinging around a grown man around him and then over him? It certainly wasn't easy work, no matter how strong you are! Fortunately enough, Arthur was rather slim and so it wasn't all that complicated or strenuous to do so. Alfred soon just followed Arthur to one of the tables at the side of the room and he took a seat on the chair that Arthur pulled out for him.

It made him feel a bit like a woman, admittedly. Ah well. It wasn't as if he didn't do the exact same thing to him.

Alfred still didn't know why Arthur thought of that about him. Maybe it was because he knew him personally but when he glanced around, while he knew that he was rather good looking, he probably wasn't the best looking man around here. The American simply grinned and rested his head on his hands, just watching the other with a small smile. He ordered a cola for himself before sitting back on his chair, pulling at his tie a bit. It was a bit hot after all the dancing though that much should have been obvious. He was tempted to take off a lot more of his clothes but he decided that loosening his tie and working a bit at the collar of his shirt would work instead.

"I hope you're having a good night so far, Arthur."

“Of course – just don’t say it too loudly. People might catch on,” he returned the wink.

It seemed that Alfred and Arthur equally assessed manners as ‘treating one like a woman’. An incredibly sexist statement for either of them to make, really. Arthur didn’t care for women, though. They were human beings, just as he was but he preferred men for obvious reasons. He supposed that having a terrible relationship with his mother and his only girlfriend had made him cynical of the opposite gender. Women were too delicate to him, too easy to break either emotionally or physically. Men, he felt, needed a bit of rough-housing. And that was what he liked.

As Alfred loosened his tie and his collar, Arthur couldn’t help but stare. It was almost as though he was being teased by flesh, or lack of. He scoffed at what Alfred said, shaking his head.

“Of course I’m having a good night so far,” he almost continued by saying ‘I’m with you’ but he faltered and instead cleared his throat. He reached for Alfred’s knee beneath the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You shouldn’t doubt yourself so much, Alfred. I’m having a good time, really… the club, it’s… like something out of a film. It’s quite surreal for me, actually. We don’t have much of this sort of thing in England.” He looked down at the table, “It’s much more of a ‘let’s drink until we vomit’ sort of culture.”

Of course, that wasn’t strictly true. But Arthur had never been so kindly treated before on a date. This was a new experience for him. He was even tempted to call it romantic.

Alfred tended to have a better experience with women and in all reality, he was rather interested in them. He could definitely look at a woman and appreciate her and just simply because he was dating Arthur at the moment didn't mean in the slightest that he had no interest in women. In fact, Arthur was quite the exception to him. He was certainly not homophobic in any means though there never really have been any particular instances where he actually found men to be all that attractive. Certainly he could admit that there were a few handsome ones but he had never really contemplated a relationship with one until Arthur came around.

He had no idea why he was an exception though. It wasn't as if he was particularly straight or anything himself nor gay. Maybe he was just pansexual. That was what they called it these days, right? Maybe he really did have no gender preferences and instead he looked forward to personality. Though that wouldn't explain some of the very terrible hook ups he had in the past.

They were very terrible indeed but that didn't necessarily make him hate women. There were still relationships that he had with females that went pretty well. Having a relationship with a male though was completely new for him...and it was definitely exciting. Kissing a man, or at least kissing Arthur, was exciting...it was rougher, he didn't have to be careful about being too gentle and kind. He certainly was at times but the other was not afraid in the slightest of getting a bit rougher and he really liked that. He really liked that. Neither of them were so delicate that they would need special taking care of though Alfred knew that he was still human and that didn't make him completely immune to being a bit delicate at times.

Or at least a bit vulnerable. After all, he was exploring new territory unlike Arthur.

Alfred smiled a bit as the other gave his knee a gentle squeeze and he let out a soft sigh of contentment. He nodded a bit in agreement though. "Well admittedly...it's not often that I go to a club like this." He murmured. "I mean certainly a few times but not a lot of Americans these days go to these kinds of clubs. They would much rather go to one of those dance clubs that we went to that first time." He mused with a small grin. "Though at the same time, that was not such a bad alternative."

Though admittedly, he liked moments like this. Where he could enjoy his time with Arthur, remember pretty much everything and share some nice dancing with some lovely live music in the background. It was an exciting atmosphere though at the same time...should he daresay...romantic atmosphere also. As long as they were both enjoying themselves in the end, then that was what mattered most to Alfred.

Arthur, too, would occasionally find women attractive but there was nothing about them that made him want to date them. He was happy enough to admire their curves from a distance. Thinking about it, he could remember times that he had thought about girls in his class late at night and in the mornings but that was all of his interest in women. To look at, not to touch. He didn’t really want to find out what it would be like to have sex with something with breasts. He grimaced at the very prospect of it.

“Yes, I appreciate that, as well. After all, our culture heavily influenced America once upon a time and now it’s the other way around. I think that ‘clubbing’,” he gestured the apostrophes, “is profoundly American. It’s just something that western culture has absorbed as a result, you know?”

He didn’t make any attempt to move his hand from Alfred’s knee, enjoying the warmth it provided in his palm. He smiled slightly. “I’m glad that last week wasn’t too horrific for you. I forgot to ask, did you manage to get the stains out of your shirt?” Arthur had just left his own there to be gotten rid of. He didn’t ever want to touch it again – it could have had diseases on it and there was no way that he was bringing that into his flat.

“When did you start learning to dance like this?” he nodded at the dancefloor which was once again filled with people, all jiving flawlessly. It made Arthur somewhat envious. “It seems like it would have taken a lot of time and effort… did you learn it in secondary school?” he then shook his head and corrected himself, “Sorry, I meant high school.”

Admittedly, Alfred quite enjoyed sex with women though he knew that he wanted something different. He wanted it a bit rougher than usual though he also wanted someone that he could take care of as well. He did have a hero complex after all. In the end, Alfred usually didn't advance on women unless they definitely showed some romantic interest in him and instead waited for them to approach him. Though it didn't seem as if he really appealed to older women for some reason. Certainly he had the looks and everything but possibly it was the initial impression that he left which made women think he was a bit too enthusiastic and possibly a bit too childish.

Unfortunately enough, they were missing out on a romantic man who cared quite a bit for the people he dated. Though that meant that he was able to date Arthur instead and try out something new and hopefully have a lovely relationship with him for a few months and maybe even a few years if things decided to turn out that well. Hopefully they did but he couldn't assure everything. It just depended on whether they could stand each or not after they got to know each other better. They were possibly in this relationship out of the sheer excitement of it all, maybe it was the fact that it was somewhat forbidden that lured them in. Maybe it wasn't. Alfred still had no idea in the slightest.

Alfred simply nodded in agreement, grinning a bit. "Yeah. Though it's still fun to go out clubbing. I usually don't dance though. I usually just stay at the bar with the other co-workers and drink but in the end, I'm usually the driver." He laughed a bit as he shrugged. "But I wouldn't mind doing it again." He mumbled offhandedly, thinking about their experience the last week. It was amazing just how much seemed to happen at that time and it seemed as if they were together for much longer than that.

Though he knew that wasn't the case. Maybe it felt so long because they were at the work place together and they saw each other about everyday. Not only that but the work days were so long and half of the time, he just wanted to spend his time kissing and holding the other. That actually sounded rather nice at the moment though he wasn't certain if Arthur would appreciate that in the slightest bit considering what happened their last date on Monday night. He was certain though that Ludwig wouldn't be in a place like this but what if there was someone else they knew?

It was very unlikely but he was certain that Arthur wouldn't really want to take the chance. If not that, then there was also the fact that Arthur hated being seen in public doing intimate things. This wasn't necessarily a private area that they were in. Alfred grimaced at the thought of the stains and he nodded. "Yeah. I managed to get them out though it took a while to do it." By a while, he meant hours of constant scrubbing and washing.

Those stains were absolutely disgusting!

Alfred thought for a moment before he smiled, looking at the other people dancing and he hummed. "Yeah, about middle school, a year before I went into high school." He laughed at the other's correction and despite not knowing the English school system, he found that he still would have been able to understand. "They had lessons after school on different kind of dances like the tango and all the day. I ended up jumping in and I guess swing has always been something I had a bit of a knack for." He grinned.

"Though if you asked me to waltz, I'm sure I would be tripping all over."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at that. What exactly was he suggesting…? Well, honestly, it was pretty clear what he was suggesting but it still left the Brit somewhat baffled. “You’d like to go again?” he repeated, trying to resist the way his lips were tugging upwards into a smirk. “Well, I’m sure that we can arrange for that to happen. It was very, uh, enjoyable last time,” he admitted, quieter than before as his cheeks became a little pink.

The idea of Alfred’s body pressed up against his was pure ambrosia. Hips pressing against one another; moving in synchronisation; the sweat dripping from Alfred’s hair and glistening on his chest and neck – oh, wait. That was sex. Arthur visibly became a little rosier and it spread to his ears, setting them alight with crimson.

It had felt like a long time since they’d gotten together on that drunken night. It didn’t seem like a week ago, not at all. It felt as though they’d been dating for at least a month, if not too weeks. Perhaps that was the tension that had been building up to that point? Who knew, it was irrelevant. So long as he and Alfred were both happy, that was what was important to him. They would have to keep this relationship going for as long as they could to avoid awkward situations at work. It would probably lead him to start smoking again, of all things.

Smoking had always been Arthur’s way of dealing with stress. When he couldn’t handle a situation or if he was under a lot of pressure, he would smoke as a distraction. He knew that it was terrible for his health but somehow it only made him want to do it even more. A cigarette would have been nice, actually. He could remember the smooth texture of the packaging and how the tobacco tasted on his lips and in his mouth and the pleasant burning in his throat and lungs. God, he missed it.

“Waltzing? Ah, what a shame,” he mused. “That’s actually something I can do. I was forced to join a ballroom dancing class as a lad – it was my parents’ way of trying to get me to make friends.” If anything, it had only meant that he had been bullied more by the other boys at school for doing something so ‘girly’. He’d gotten pretty good at it though, but he gave it up when he was thirteen when he realised that his parents were sadistic twats.

He turned to Alfred. "So, are you going to woo me or should we get back on the dancefloor?" there was a smirk on his lips.

Alfred couldn't help but smirk a bit at the other. Honestly, he really wouldn't mind giving it another shot, especially since they had quite a bit of fun the last time. Not only that but they would probably feel more comfortable doing it this time around since there was no uncertainty about them doing such interactions considering that they were working together under the same company and hell, Arthur was even his very own boss. Yet now they both were starting to know what the other liked and Alfred finally had somewhat of a grasp on the dancing.

The American looked rather amused though as he continued on resting his head in his hands, simply smiling over at the Englishman. "Oh? I wouldn't mind that." In fact, he would really, really like doing it. A lot more than he was letting on though it seemed as if his azure eyes were showing just how much he enjoyed it last time despite being intoxicated. "I really liked last week also." He admitted, voice a bit quieter though still loud enough for the other to hear.

Alfred could remember last week's dance very, very vividly. At least the sensations that he felt as well as the lovely sights. Even though it was harder to see Arthur in the dark at that time, it was still absolute bliss. To feel those hands running down his body and his own hands doing the very same back, their hips grinding against each other and the soft gasps as their faces lingered just a bit too close. How could he ever forget those sensations? The assistant grinned a bit as he saw Arthur become just a bit rosier. How cute, honestly.

It really did feel like a long time and all Alfred could hope was that if they ever did break up and it was on bad terms, he could be assigned to someone else and if not that at the very least, then he could just find another job. While it wasn't a very good option for him, he knew that they were necessary steps just simply because of the awkwardness. Though maybe he would be forced to stay and work with Arthur if they ever broke up. Hopefully they could keep this relationship lasting for a while so that if they did break up, it could possibly be on good terms.

Hopefully.

Alfred had smoked when he was younger though he had managed to quit. It actually wasn't often that he had smoked and only lasted for a few months but still, smoking was smoking though a cigarette did sound pretty nice at the moment. Not necessarily because he was stressed but just to feel the nicotine run through his system again. Simply because he was all golden and lovely didn't mean he didn't have his fair share of sins that he liked to indulge in. Even if it was horrid for his health but as long as it wasn't that often...then he was certain he would be fine.

THe American simply laughed a bit at the mention of waltzing. He simply shook his head, still smiling. "Actually, I've never tried waltzing though I'm certain that I would step on your feet if we did try." He joked though he knew that was pretty much the truth.

Alfred thought about it for a moment, still looking rather amused as he glanced over at the dance floor and then back to Arthur. He simply grinned, leaning forward and showing his so very American teeth. "Oh? And how do you like being wooed, Arthur?" He asked with amusement. "Maybe with a bit of sweet talking, beautiful? Or maybe a few kisses here and there?" He questioned, lowering his voice a bit as he made it smoother than before. He soon reached forward to lightly grasp Arthur's hand, kissing the top of it and resting his lips against the skin for a moment before he glanced up, lips curving up into a small smile.