Slightly shorter chapter but I had to get it updated soon. I haven't had time to proof read this as much as I wanted to, so if you see anything that's incorrect or some repetition/something that doesn't make sense, point it out so I can fix it ^^

Oh and if anyone has an idea on a good first date (or wannabe first date on Alfred's part) let me know :D Actually any ideas for little things that they can do together date wise would be amazing!

Anyways, enough from me and enjoy!


Arthur groaned silently as he passed by the tea shop, stopping only momentarily to gaze longingly in the window. He couldn't go in, not with that serving in there. So he carried on as if his morning brew wasn't the only thing that made him an almost bearable human being in the morning. He hated the fact that he was so reliant on that one shop and that the horror that was served in his office never made a dent on his morning bear-ness.

Walking through the automatic doors to his workplace's building he didn't even bother acknowledging the receptionist. Normally he would, after all he wasn't raised with utmost manners and fantastic etiquette not to, but today was different. He just had a disastrous night and it was probably going to haunt him for a long time. Or at least until he somehow returned those blasted comics Alfred had given him. Dear god, only just thinking the name made his insides squirm uncomfortably. Like they wanted to jump out of his body and flee across a busy highway. Yes, he thought. Today was going to be a bloody fantastic day and to his utter surprise it seemed like it was going to be.

When he finally got started into his work he quickly realised his day wasn't going to be as disastrous as he had earlier assumed. His earlier swearing at how awful the tea was in his workplace was unneeded as for some insane reason they had actually tracked down decent teabags. Not that garbage most Americans put in ice. The workload wasn't too bad either. He was able to dredge his way through a mountain of paperwork, assign a new manager to a local branch of a new book shop and even shout a few commands at his staff. It was actually a great day until lunch hit and the worst case scenario hit.

He was leaving the building to meet a friend from Japan to discuss a business opportunity when it happened. A massive beast of a black, brown and white dog appeared from nowhere and almost knocked him straight into an oncoming taxi as it leapt on the Englishman and drowned him in mud. Arthur glare down at the dog that by now had his front paws resting on his chest, the mutt's eyes brimmed with joy as he stood against the Brit. Suddenly the dog leapt to his side and started biting at the briefcase, desperately trying to pull it away from the man.

"Would you fuck off you bloody..." he stopped dead when the dog froze and turned to him, his head tilted in confusion. "I swear dogs are idiots sometimes."

Arthur instantly regretted it as the dog suddenly snatched his briefcase and fled down the footpath, swerving in between pedestrians.

"Somebody please stop that dog!" Arthur yelled as he gave chase. To his utter despair his pleas for help were left unanswered as he scrambled after the gargantuan beast.

Etiquette and manners be damned, he was getting back that briefcase if it was the last thing he would do. It felt like a lifetime of running and his side was starting to ache with a cruel sharp stitch before the dog turned off a corner and vanished into a park. Arthur desperately searched between the trees and paths but couldn't find anything. That was until a dog suddenly barked and pushed past him, this time successfully knocking him to his ass and drowning him in muddy water. Arthur sat momentarily shocked and unable to move at the thought of his pristine suit, something he paid over a thousand dollars was now ruined.

"Dude, where'd you find this?" came a cheerful voice that filled Arthur with dread. No, he thought, there's no possible way that he could be here. I mean, he's supposed to be working today, right? He thought, his mind racing on all the other options that might have been available to him.

"Come on boy, give it over." Came the voice again, this time followed by a playful bark and rustling like the dog had taken that opportunity to run through several more bushes.

Arthur was now considering giving the briefcase up to the fates. He didn't need all those important files. No, he'd be completely fine without all those incredibly important, one of a kind, completely confidential and make or break files... He needed those files back. Silently, he pushed himself from the ground and almost tiptoed to hide behind a tree. A flash of blond hair alerted him to his worst fears. He once again had to deal with Alfred and now he had to do it covered in dirt and looking utterly disheveled. Wait, why did he care about his appearance now?

"I said gimme that briefcase!" Alfred ordered in an almost playful tone.

The dog immediately obeyed and dropped the black leather at his feet for Alfred to sweep up into his hands.

"Good boy! Now lemme see who owns this thing so we can get it back," he murmured just loud enough for Arthur to hear, the following gasp was also loud enough for Arthur to hear and to almost send the Brit running.

"Whoa, how in the hell did you find this?" He yelped and pulled out two comics, the very comics he had given Arthur the night before. "And dude... these documents look really important... we should probably get them back to him."

The dog barked happily as if understanding what the American had said. Arthur put it down to how infuriatingly happy the blond sounded but Alfred appeared to believe the opposite.

"I know bro, but a Hero's gotta do what a hero's gotta do. Now c'mere 'til I put your leash back on. Can't take you into a big office building and can't walk you through the city without one."

With that he snapped the leash onto the collar and they set off, leaving Arthur completely awestruck in his hiding spot as he watched the pair go, Alfred occasionally talking to the brute of a dog and the dog apparently reacting.

"I need to call Kiku and rearrange our meeting then go home and get..." Arthur mumbled but then stopped. His keys were in that briefcase along with his phone. To make matters worse their planned lunch was drawing closer and he had two choices. Either stop Alfred now and get the briefcase back or get back to his office before Alfred, get changed into the spare suit he kept in his office and then sneak out without the American or his staff seeing him.

He gulped as reality sank in. He had to go to with the second option. The first one was far too risky. Slowly, he pried himself from the branches that had somehow entrapped him and made his way after the man and his dog. Keeping a respectable and completely inconspicuous distance of course and if luck would have it. Pass the man and never have to acknowledge what would have been a very awkward meeting. As he followed Alfred he quickly realised that his plan wasn't working. The American was walking far too fast and taking all the shortcuts to his building. There was no way he could have snuck past and hid from sight. So he settled on another one. Stay behind them and wait out in a hidden location until he left.

Yes, he thought, this would work. However what he hadn't accounted for was the inevitable. He had heard Alfred saying about how he couldn't take his dog inside, what he didn't consider would be that he would leave the thing at the front door. Right where Arthur had intended to hide. Nor did he consider that Alfred would charm his way into being allowed to wait upstairs. In his office...

Arthur was really and truly starting to hate this guy. So, there he was. Standing stock still and staring at his office building, completely unable to do anything or think of a plan of action. Either he abandon the plan entirely or go through with it in the hopes that maybe, just maybe Alfred wouldn't make a big deal of seeing him and understand how busy he was... maybe. With a sigh he set one foot in front of the other in a vague attempt to move and make his way inside. What happened though was the complete opposite. Instead of walking past the now barking dog (he really must put a rule that bans dogs from the immediate vicinity of the building doors) he turned and started marching down the street in the opposite direction until a sudden small cough caught his attention.

"Soooo," drawled that oh so typical American accent, "watcha doing out here?"

Arthur froze, unable to do anything. That was until the dog suddenly barreled into him and almost sent him tumbling to the ground, again.

"Dammit Mister Mxyzptlk!" Alfred swore and pulled the dog back by the leash. "Sorry 'bout that, man. He just gets really excited about meeting new people."

Arthur just glared down at the beast, secretly wishing the dog's imminent demise. He didn't like dogs, especially massive idiotic ones like this one.

"Oh, yea!" Alfred suddenly exclaimed and reached into his messenger bag. "Here, this little guy found it somewhere and I kinda had ta have a peak inside to see who owned it and voila! There was your wallet and the comics I leant you!" A huge grin sat on his face as he held the now drenched and torn briefcase out in front of him. "Some of the papers got a little ripped up and there might be dog slobber on them, but it should dry off in no time."

Arthur decided it was now Alfred's turn to feel the scorn of his glare. It didn't work. Alfred instead chose to ignore the deathly stare and focus on Arthur's now ruined suit. "Dude, what happened to you?"

"What happened to me? Are you seriously asking me what happened? Why don't you ask that bloody monster of a dog!"

"Artie... dogs can't talk." Arthur deadpanned in response.

"He's Mister Mxyzptlk! You know... because I'm a hero and he's a tricky dog who always gets off his leash. Oh and I tricked him into letting me rescue him too when he got stuck down a drain when he was a puppy. It's all cool now though, right Mister?" He cooed the last part the dog's ears instantly perked and he jumped up to cover Alfred's face in slobber. Arthur wanted to retch.

"I don't bloody care about the dog!" Arthur snapped and pulled the briefcase from Al's hands. "And it was that thing that ruined this suit!"

Arthur held an accusatory finger out at the dog who only turned around the find out what Arthur was pointing at. Arthur was starting to see a resemblance between the dog and his master.

"So that's where he got off to," Alfred laughed in relief. "He musta smelt the comics and decided to get them back. He likes getting my stuff sometimes, he's a smart dog."

Arthur scoffed at the statement. Suddenly they heard a small cough behind them and Arthur felt a soft tap on his shoulder. Spinning, Arthur gasped to see his friend and business colleague, Kiku Honda standing there. Confusion and shock clear on his face. Yes, Arthur thought, today really is a terrible day after all.