AN: Yay another chapter! Even any one has ideas or suggestions they'd like me to weave into this feel free to tell me so. Enjoy!

More than a month ended up passing before James would get to see Alastair again. Granted, there was the occasional group meeting but poking fun at a colleague while bombs were being made and assassination attempts were occurring wasn't exactly appropriate timing, even for James.

Nevertheless, it eventually came to pass that only James and Alastair were holding down the fort so to speak. Of course their engineers and scientists and techies were there but for once even Merlin was gone as an expert in computers was needed in the field and Arthur was off at some meeting with MI-6 and other sections of the government.

As long as nothing cataclysmic occurred, Alastair assumed that they'd keep to their separate offices, working on mundane things like paperwork, going over incoming information, and private projects. He should have known such luck wouldn't occur.

"You eat yet?"

The voice came unexpectedly and had Alastair slightly reeling as he hoped that looking up wouldn't reveal a grinning James.

He only got half of what he wanted. James was there but wasn't grinning and instead just had this really hopeful expression on his face. The hopeful expression was definitely more terrifying than any smile he'd seen James make.

"I don't usually eat breakfast," replied Alastair slowly.

"Good! Because I brought enough for two!"

Alastair watched as James sat down without an invitation and placed a small cooler onto his desk. He began unpacking all sorts of items and Alastair did know if he should be terrified or pissed as hell.

"Do you usually make this much or were you betting on me not eating breakfast?" Alastair muttered as the food kept coming.

"I just wanted to eat with someone. If you had yelled at me to go then I would have hung out with one of the scientists."

"I'm still thinking about yelling out you."

"Well good thing we haven't started eating yet. Wouldn't want anyone to catch cooties."

"No one says cooties."

"I say cooties," replied James as he took out a spoon, opened up a container, and stuffed a spoonful of baked beans into his mouth.

"That's childish."

"Staying childish is healthy," responded James. "Perhaps you should try it some time."

Letting out an annoyed huff, Alastair said, "I was a child once."

"No, you were probably a mini you once. Like, what did you ever do for fun?"

"Read, school work. I played the piano for a while but that was more to appease my mother than anything," replied Alastair, only realizing to late that encouraging James to talk was probably not a good idea. "But it doesn't matter either way. Besides, I'm not hungry."

"What'd you have for dinner last night?"

"I-urgh—"

"Exactly what I thought. You just flew back from Berlin, probably didn't have anything on the plane to, and now you're refusing breakfast. Come on! I promise you're not going to die from salmonella."

Alastair looked on unamused when suddenly his stomach betrayed him by growling loud enough for people several doors down to hear. The action put a sour look on his face and a large smirk on James'.

"Ah, you can't deny that sound now can you?" James remarked with a grin as he opened another container and took a bite of toast. "At least a couple of bites?"

Thoughts of yelling at James to get out, maybe even standing up to give his anger more ground, went through Alastair's head. Yet before he did so equally moving images of James' shocked face came through his head. He knew James was bright and could make anything seemingly cheerful but even he would probably be thrown by Alastair suddenly screaming at him to leave.

And anyone else and Alastair wouldn't care. He would have already done so, watched their sad faces, and probably felt much more relieved at the sudden silence. But James he didn't want to leave, not really.

Wait what?

Alastair quickly decided he was thinking to far into this, especially at such an early hour. They'd been working together for over a month but this was really their third or fourth real conversation. For once he decided he needed to just stop overanalyzing everything before he stepped into dangerous territory.

So, as James wiggled a piece of toast in front of his face, Alastair quit thinking, solidified the annoyed look on his face, and snatched the food away while taking a much to big bite out of it.

Letting out a pleased noise, James began dividing everything. Besides the toast and baked beans, there were also poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, sausage, and a cylinder of tea that he poured into two cups, passing one to Alastair.

It really was an impressive spread and Alastair couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a diverse breakfast.

"How did you find time to cook all of this?"

"Get up early," James said as if it was obvious. "Do you like it?"

"It's fine."

"Just fine?"

"I'm not a breakfast person," muttered Alastair.

"Well then what do you like? Meal wise anyways."

"I don't know."

"You can't just not know!"

A small groan escaped Alastair's lips. "My meals are usually small and frozen. The only time I ever eat a cooked meal is when I must endure my family."

"You're joking!"

"Eating frozen food isn't a crime you know!"

"Well duh but you're just so refined and well put together. I would have thought frozen meals would have been beneath you," James said with a small laugh.

"I simply don't have time."

"You mean you won't make time. This may be our first chance to talk alone but I've gotten into the loop of things now. You're always working! Doesn't matter if it's an emergency or not. You're always here doing something for someone."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Not at all but god, get some excitement in your life!"

"I'm a spy for Britain's secret service. I imagine I get enough excitement to last the life time of a small island population."

"Okay, maybe excitement wasn't the right word. Diversity! That's it! Changing it up once in a while won't kill you."

"Well that's already been proven," Alastair pointed out matter-o-factly, causing a curious look to appear on James' face. "I've already spoken three times as much in these five minutes than I normally do in a day so if change did kill me I'd already be dead."

"Ha ha ha," muttered James as he snorted. "But seriously, have you ever…just gone shopping?"

"What do you mean just gone shopping?"

"Just go out and buy stuff to buy stuff!"

"Of course I haven't! Why would I?"

"Okay, and some point I am going to have to drag your ass to a mall," James replied. Going back into his head, he thought other ideas over and finally asked, "Ever gone out for ice cream?"

"No."

"Not even as a kid!"

Alastair shook his head. "My mother abhorred anything that she thought might rot our teeth."

"So you're telling me you never had ice cream."

"That is correct."

"Okay! After our shifts up and Arthur's back, I am taking you out for ice cream."

"But—"

"Nope!" shouted James. "No arguments. We are going to get sweets, armfuls of them if I have to, and sit you down and introduce you to what a sugar high is."

"I'd really rather not. Besides, you're probably like an even more immature five year old," Alastair sighed.

"Rude!" James responded though he was grinning largely. "You're still coming though."

"And there isn't any way I can get out of it?"

"Nope, I'll gas you and bind you if I have to."

"That sounds utterly terrifying."

"I was thinking more along the lines of kinky but whatever you say."

Revealing a rather pained expression, Alastair muttered, "Just eat the damn breakfast."

"Fine fine. So, what are you doing now?"

It took Alastair several moment to realize he was actually referring to work. At first he started off slowly, unsure if James was going to drag the conversation into something else, but after that it stayed on work and was actually a rather intellectual conversation, if you subtracted all the pointless jokes of course.

Still, it was another surprise that Alastair didn't think would happen. Having immediately associated terms such as 'goof-ball' with the man, the rather smart and work-related conversation that went on until they were both finished eating was rather nice. They argued plenty throughout and in a way that made it better as James brought up valid points and not just silly comebacks.

When James was finally packing everything up, he remarked, "I'll probably be in my office for the rest of the day but mind if I pop in on you?"

"I'm shocked you're asking."

"To be perfectly honest, from the way others described you, I didn't think you'd let me anywhere near you without me pushing a bit."

"What makes you think you haven't pushed far enough?"

"You haven't backed down from the ice cream and you sat through breakfast with me. I'd say there's a fairly good chance you'll say yes."

Alastair momentarily thought of saying no just to spite him but clearly seeing he'd come by without an invitation he ended up shaking his head and muttering, "I don't see why not. Just don't distract me to much."

"I think I can do that! See you later Alastair."

Letting out a small snort, Alastair rolled his eyes in exasperation and went back to work.