23When Alfred got back to the house- with a little help from Google maps- Matthew was waiting for him with a dark expression.
"What's with that expression, Matt? Are you so upset that I skipped out on unpacking again?"
"Don't change the topic, Alfred," Matthew replied coldly.
"We weren't…"
"Where were you?"
"What do you mean? You mean just now?"
"I had meant just now, but since you needed me to clarify, you might as well tell me where you were last night as well."
"W-who says I was anywhere!?"
"That smug face you've had on since you walked in the door! You were getting into trouble again, weren't you?!"
"What? This is the face I always have!" Alfred raised his voice. Matthew gave his 'I'm very unamused' look.
"Sit," he growled.
"But-"
"SIT."
Alfred reluctantly did as he was told, knowing full well that this would become a mother-like lecture. He had gotten quite a few of them where Matthew and their mother ganged up on him whenever he did something wrong.
"First of all, no more lying to me. You know damn well that mother would have insisted you come back if she heard about that. And then where would your silly dreams be then?"
Alfred gulped. He'd given up everything to move here. Not that he really had much back home, but still. If he had to throw away this as well… he couldn't live with himself.
"Second of all, you're damn lucky I'm more lenient than mom is. I know that you had a hard time when we were kids and you need some freedom. But this is not acceptable. We've been gone for two days and you've already lied to me.
"I don't feel the need to keep a leash on you, but you know that if it comes to that the first place I will be dragging you is back to the airport. Understand?"
"Yes…" Alfred muttered.
"Now why don't you start by telling me what really happened last night?" Matthew said in a lighter tone, sitting down across from Alfred at the cute little wooden table that came with the flat.
"I… I got followed by some guys and they were gonna mug me,"
"Do you still have your passport and your papers?"
"Yeah."
"Then don't worry about it. I assume that's where you got that scratch?"
"Yeah, it was a knife."
Matthew nodded.
"And where were you this morning?"
"I went for a walk and I ate at a little coffee shop."
"That's it?" Matthew asked suspiciously.
"Yeah. I talked with the waitress, and I sat with this guy for a while."
Matthew sighed and leaned back in his chair, "You have a crush on the waitress now, don't you?"
"What? No! I mean, she was pretty, but she really wasn't my type."
"You mean she wouldn't dump you a week after meeting you and then cease all contact afterwards?"
"Not all of my relationships end up that way, Matt," Alfred growled at his brother.
"I'm just saying you have a tendency. Don't get all defensive, I'm trying to help."
"Yeah, well your 'help' is unappreciated!" Alfred stood up abruptly, "I'm gonna go unpack."
Alfred had finished unpacking sooner than he had liked the night before, and he definitely wasn't going to give Matt the pleasure of seeing his face again that night. So he had resigned himself to scouring the internet for more pick-up lines to use on Arthur until he was tired enough to sleep.
It was about 9 AM when Alfred woke up. He considered sleeping in today since he had no plans, but then he remembered. There was a good chance Arthur Kirkland was going to be at that tea shop again, and Matthew had no fucking clue he even existed. This was his chance.
He practically flung himself out of bed. He dove for the closet, picking out something somewhat nice to wear. He felt like a school girl picking out clothes to wear on a date, but he was so excited he didn't even care. Kirkland would be his. He would seduce the shit out of that attractive man.
He took his shower, got dressed, combed his hair, and was out the door before Matthew ever got out of bed.
He let Siri guide him back to the little café and he ordered a few pastries and a sandwich to eat while he waited.
Sure enough, before long the blond Brit appeared and entered the shop- but not before noticing Alfred's presence at the table they had shared the day before. He ordered his things, and then came out to wait.
"I assume you expect to share this table again?"
"Well, you do owe me a drink…" Alfred smirked.
"Huh?"
"Because… uh… Oh! Because I dropped mine!"
"…"
"…"
"Oh, I mean you made me drop mine… Or… erm… Oh, I mean because 'when I looked at you I dropped mine!' "
There was a sort of long and awkward pause where neither of them said anything and Arthur just stood there looking into Alfred's eyes awkwardly.
"You know," he sighed, finally sitting down, "if you're going to insist on using cheap pick-up lines, you should at least have the decency to deliver them properly…"
"Right… sorry…"
The waitress came out and set down a cup of tea in front of Arthur. He thanked her and she went back inside.
"So…" Alfred started awkwardly, "You've lived here your whole life?"
"Yes," Arthur answered simply. Gee, this was going to be a fun conversation…
"So what is it you do?" Alfred asked. Arthur just sipped his tea. "Arthur?"
"Impatient much?" he growled softly as he set down his tea. "Mostly I just murder innocent children in the streets every night. If that answers your question."
"I… I more of meant as a living…."
"That is what I do for a living."
"Okay… but… You know, can we not talk about murder today? What's so wrong with having a normal conversation?"
"Does it bother you?" Arthur asked coldly.
"Uh… well, I don't know if you're joking or not so…"
"Does it bother you?" Arthur repeated in the same tone.
"Uh… yeah, I guess so."
"Then you can leave," he replied plainly. Alfred didn't move. Arthur sighed. "Fine. Pray tell, Alfred, what exciting career do you have in England since you've moved?"
Ignoring the other's sarcasm, Alfred explained, "Well, back in America I worked at this company that restored houses. Repainting walls, replacing windows, updating appliances, the works. Mostly we just fixed up houses that needed it, but on occasion, we'd get to work on these nice old houses. It wasn't often, and when we did it was only a hundred years old or so, but still.
"And a lot of these people didn't even want the house restored, they just wanted it fixed up all pretty-like. Which was fine, but it always seemed like such a shame to have everything that the houses were be destroyed.
"So I did some digging, and I found this company here in England that was devoted solely to restoring old manors and such. And of course, England is way older than America, so you get a bunch of really cool old manors. So I called up the company, and they agreed to hire me if I moved over here. I start next week. I only have a few jobs piled up so far, but I'm just so excited."
"Clearly," Arthur said, "I didn't expect you to have any interest in historical buildings."
"Well, maybe not 'historical,' but I just love old architecture! It just gives off that feeling, ya know?"
"I suppose so." Arthur sipped his tea.
"So what is it you actually do for a job, Arthur?"
"I don't have a job right now. My father left me quite a bit of money and there isn't anything that interests me at the moment."
Arthur said it like it was no big deal- which shocked Alfred a little. His family hadn't exactly been poor, but they did struggle. Alfred had been working since his mid-teens, and Matthew had a part-time job pretty much all his life. The only reason they could afford the farm they'd lived on was because it had been passed down from their grandfather. It had been a miracle that Alfred had been able to move to England on the funds he had.
And Arthur, apparently, was rich. Or at least rich enough that he could get by without a source of income. Alfred considered calling him out on being a 'no-good pompous rich boy,' but he decided against it.
Instead he settled for a quiet, "Oh…"
Arthur gave a quiet 'hmm' in response, taking note of the American's reaction as he sipped his tea further.
"Don't get me wrong, Alfred, it's not like I've never worked a day in my life. Right now is… just not a good time."
To himself, he thought that anytime was a good time to work, and that someday- if something ever happened to Arthur- he might suddenly find himself out of his depth and on the streets. But he kept that to himself.
"So… what do you do all day then? Just goof off?"
"I keep myself busy. Small hobbies, keeping up on current events, and there are more books than one can read in a lifetime."
Calling him a 'pompous rich boy' was starting to sound more and more like a good idea…
"What, don't you ever go out with friends? Go to a party? Hook up with some girls?"
"I happen to be gay," he said with another sip of his tea. Alfred just smirked.
"Okay, hook up with some guys then."
"Social endeavours have never really been 'my thing.' "
"So if I were to ask you on a date, you'd be a huge stick-in-the-mud and turn me down, huh?"
Arthur didn't reply at first. His expression didn't change, and he made no indication that he'd even acknowledged the question. He took two long sips of his tea before he spoke again.
" 'Date' as in singular?" he said with a sigh.
"Uh, unless you want to-"
"Singular is perfect."
"Cool. So, uh, do you want to meet here, tomorrow at like- I don't know- noon-ish?"
"Here again?"
"Well, it is your favourite tea shop. I don't know any other places, but if you'd rather go somewhere else…"
"Here is fine," Arthur waved him off, "It doesn't particularly matter."
"Okay. Oh, and whatever you order tomorrow is on me!"
"That's entirely unnecessary, Alfred. First of all, I get the feeling I'm far better off than you. And second of all, I only ever order my tea anyway."
"First of all. Rude. I'm the one who asked, so let me pay for it. Second off all, shut up and let me pay for it."
Arthur looked rather amused at this.
"Fine, if you want to pay, then I've no right to stand in your way. It's completely unnecessary, though."
"So I'll see you tomorrow then?" Alfred asked, standing up since they'd both finished their drinks.
"Yes, yes, I'll be here."
"Sweet, see you then!"
Alfred didn't see it, as he'd already gotten up to leave, but Arthur let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples.
"What have I gotten myself into now?"