A/N :Yee, semi-filler :)

This one is uh... WELL I HOPE IT GETS THE STORY MOVING . _ . OR AT LEAST that's what I thought LOL while typing it out. Think what you wish :) CUE THE CLICHÉ!/shot :P


"MOTHERFUC-ER!"

Alfred hissed in anguish as Britannia's not-so-much blunt claw pressed against his tanned skin. It wasn't like he was completely weak, and he was sure Arthur would have at least made sure his feline friend was void of any diseases or such, but it still hurt like a bit-h. His hand instantaneously clutched onto the marking, and he had to restrain himself was strangling the green-eyed cat that was probably smiling smugly in its head. His eyes narrowed down as the feline licked his paw unaffected. He had been so preoccupied by the sting of the cat's sudden hormonal craze- or so Alfred labelled it-, he hadn't realized another familiar voice blend into his own as he cussed out his pain.

The entire coherency in Arthur's rather adept brain seemed to dwindle as he realized Alfred was in his freaking apartment. He felt speechless as he tried to register any possible reason as to why he wasn't yelling or swearing or even physically compelling the American to get the cheeses OUT! He glanced back and forth between Alfred checking his hands and patting his face from still-red lines that his cat had for some reason decided was necessary. Arthur emptied out his pockets and set the can of food down. He approached Alfred slowly, looking the man in the eyes.

Britannia sensed the atmosphere rather easily. She was raised after all by an analytical person. She hissed under her breath at the intruder and cozied up to her owner's bare legs.

Alfred's head went up as he felt Arthur beside him. He waved weakly to the Briton.

Arthur blinked. The man broke into his house and he had the audacity to WAVE?!

"WHAT THE HELL?! GET OUT. GET OUT. GET OUT!" Suddenly, embarrassment and his hard-to-crack-nut self registered.

"WAIT!" Alfred protested, grabbing his bag before Arthur could shove the taller man out the poorly locked door. Finally his mentality snapped back and he remembered why he was here. Or at least the less creepy version as to why he was here. "I brought you your shirt!"

"YOU COULD HAVE MAILED IT FOR ALL I BLOODY CARED. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND BREAKS INTO SOMEONE'S HOME FOR SOMETHING SO MINIMAL?!"

Britannia seemed amused as she pawed to allow Arthur to scoop her up.

"Not my fault you need to get your door fixed," the blue eyed man grumbled, unzipping his bag. Arthur sighed loudly in the intruder to his home, Arthur reached out for Britannia.

"That thing is a demon from the bottom of Hell," Alfred mumbled to himself as he rifled through for Arthur's shirt.

"You aren't so innocent yourself. Breaking and entering? I should sue," Arthur snapped, holding the canine to his body.

"Go ahead and try."

"Tch," the Brit sneered, walking away. "Get out and never come back."

Alfred rolled his eyes and pulled out the folded shirt.

"Here."

Arthur's green eyes landed on his old shirt, and then looked up to Alfred. The lawyer forced a weak smile of peace, and waved the shirt. The cat growled in annoyance, receiving a glare from the American.

It was just a simple gesture of common courtesy, Arthur thought. He nodded, and set the cat down, displeasing it in the process. Britannia scampered off in anguish, going into hiding again.

"Wait here. I have your shirt as well." Arthur sighed in defeat.

X-X-X-X-X-X

"It's uh…in good condition!" Alfred piped, nodding at his shirt.

"Well of course it is!"

"Hey, it was a compliment. I barely know you. For all I know you could have washed it in with your jeans!" Alfred defended.

"I would never mix silk with denim!"

"Well that's nice to know! I usually give my shirts to the guy down the road to clean-"

"Yes, yes, you rich people have people who have people to do things. Yes ,yes." Arthur drawled, heading towards the door. "It was not nice seeing you. Good day." He pulled the door ajar and gestured bluntly out.

"I sort of want to stay."

"No. Absolutely not. I have a life you know," Arthur said in a firm voice.

"Come on, Artie! It's like 10 in the morning. One cup of coffee?"

"I'll have you know I don't drink that bitter crap."

"Then you drink what all Brits drink! UH, tea? And I'll have water." Alfred nudged the air, smiling cheekily. He could tell by the aura the Brit radiated that he wasn't one to be a bad host. Despite how much he would claim to hate the American, he still had a persona of a polite person to uphold. "Surely you don't want to leave a guest un-welcomed."

Arthur was furious. How dare the man use personal values toward him? Granted, he was one of the best in his department. Grimacing in disgust, Arthur nodded. "You'll have one cup of cocoa, and explain to me in full about your presence."

"I already told you-"

"And for the record though, you aren't welcomed."


The casual clinking of Arthur's tiny spoon hitting against the porcelain mug was the only sound emanating from the small kitchenette as he continued to draw large circles in his Earl Grey. Alfred rocked his head back and forth slowly as he wrapped his long fingers around the mug of cocoa that Arthur had given him. He felt a bit honoured that the Briton hadn't just given him tap water, and reasonably pleased that he wasn't given tea. Alfred despised the dried-leaves-turned warm drink idea. As for the general atmosphere, the lawyer had been in these situations before, and he always hated them. He found it amusing when people assumed he was just dense, however.

There had been one with this ex-girlfriend and meeting her overprotective father, and that time he was being questioned from his superior as to why he chose to use "heroic" font (strictly 'Alien Encounters'*) for his documents. The former had been scary as hell, and the latter revoked his privileges to design the letters to clients. Alfred sucked in a breath and looked up at Alfred.

"You said you had plans, today…?"

"Yes, and I am a very committed person. If you would please explain your presence, I'll see you out, and you can call your driver and whatever, I don't care, and I can get back on schedule and-"

"For an English prof, you really like to run on about things."

Arthur rolled his eyes, but he knew the younger man had a point. After putting together the cocoa, Arthur had excused himself to change out of his jogging gear and into something less casual. The green-eyed blonde had pulled on a grey t-shirt and maroon cardigan, but now he realized he should have kept with the t-shirt only. Just being within Alfred's close proximity was making Arthur feel uncomfortable, face and body reddening, and he had a vague idea as to why, but for now all he could do was muster up and keep his un-impressed scowl and get the git out.

"I'm an English professor, but we all have our mistakes-"

"Where do you teach?" Alfred asked suddenly, bringing the cup of cocoa to his lips. As the thick liquid ran into his mouth, he felt his taste buds pull back at the new taste. He wasn't accommodated with the flavour. He remembered cocoa being sweet and homey. This tasted like tar-water, actually…Maybe it was British thing, Alfred though. He shrugged it off, trying to be polite and emptied the cup in a flurry.

Arthur ignored the question. "Why are you here?"

"What're you going to do today?"

"Why?"

"Where?" Alfred pressed. He scratched his head, trying to think where this was going.

"I'm seconds from kicking you out. Damn my gentleman self."

"I'll come with!"

"I'm meeting someone!" Arthur blurted, choking on his tea slightly when the words left his mouth.

Alfred wasn't expecting that. He smiled, retaining his composure, but slightly pissed off. "Oh?"

"Have you ever been told you're a tad too invasive, Mr. Jones?"

"I'm a lawyer."

Touché, Arthur thought. He set his tea cup down. "Well, it's someone…but also a few someones…but still there's a someone there in particular-…" For some reason, Arthur felt the need to explain himself, even though he had caught the slight nano-second of Alfred's panicked face.

"I'm free. I'm coming with!"

"WAIT-"

"NO WAITS. Where are we going, Artie?"

"WE?!"

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Alfred hummed quietly as the two walked side by side in the sunny Saturday morning. Arthur had his hands jammed into his pocket, mumbling words under his breath, blowing soft puffs of air in doing so. The American had bought a cup of coffee on the way, trying to get rid of the tar-water like cocoa he had been served earlier. As the Englishman tried to keep his pace a bit unaligned with Alfred's, the lawyer found himself comply, and slowed his own walk so that the two weren't exactly walking like a couple.

"Are you even attracted to Arthur, Al?" Matthew asked, as the two loaded their overnight bags into the limousine.

"I want to ask him out…does that mean I am?"

It didn't feel like Alfred was attracted to Arthur. Alfred never truly understood what it meant to like someone, never finding and understanding the thin line between wanting to be friends, and wanting more that platonic friendship. He racked through his brain, and all he got was that Arthur was a man who poured beer on him as an introduction. Then somehow, his realization of being lonely drew him closer to the man who had not seemed like the type to ever want to be with him. It was a weird way to think, actually, Alfred told himself. Maybe it was just too long that he hadn't been in a relationship. Arthur didn't run in his circles, and for all he knew, would probably never. That pleased him in a way. From what Gilbert told him, Arthur used to be a foreigner, and had a completely different lifestyle. Was that what drew the American to convince himself to ask Arthur out…?

There was definitely something else about Arthur that was peculiar…


All Arthur had said was that he was going to see some kids, so Alfred assumed he meant some students. Maybe Arthur tutored some, or he was meeting with a TA. Alfred remembered how helpful those students had been.

But no- Alfred was rather off…

"Well? Don't just stand there. If you're coming to visit, then come in!" Arthur snapped, holding the door.

Alfred nodded, dropping his empty coffee cup into the wire bin near the door.

"Y-You help out here?"

"Every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday."

"I met you Sunday. You got drunk after visiting them last week?"

Arthur snorted. "I didn't last week. Last week was….special."

"Oh?"

"Let's just say it was a birthday or sorts, mmkay?"

Alfred nodded.

"Go on and sign in as a Visitor. Just say you're with me. Vash'll let you in. I'll be right out." Arthur figured the instructions were simple enough for an esteemed lawyer that Alfred apparently was. As the lawyer peered over the front desk, Arthur stepped into Lilli's open office and knocked.

Lilli had been watering one of the kids' plants, and jumped slightly.

"Artie!" she squealed setting her watering pot down. "You look rather flustered today."

"Don't ask." Arthur coughed. "Anyways, I've got amazing news for you!"


After a rather chilling interrogation, Alfred had pried a 'Visitor' pass from the stern front deskman. He could hear the laughter of kids from a few doors down, but right now all he was looking for was Arthur. He remembered he had turned left at-

"I love you, y'know?" a shorter blonde girl shrilled, wrapping her arms around Arthur. She looked about a few years younger than Alfred himself, and beautiful in the sense of innocence and purity. The girl had huge green eyes- a bit lighter than Arthur's own pair, and wore a pretty pink sweater dress for the autumn months. As Arthur hugged her back tightly, the girl- who looked about 22, or 23, stood on the tip of her toes and pressed her small pink lips on Arthur's cheeks.

Alfred just continued down the hall to where the kids were supposedly playing in, pretending he'd seen nothing.


Afterword:

-*Alien Encounters was a font I found on my computer LOL
-Ohdatclichecliffhanger/bricked :D I don't know how it ended up there, but it did... hurhur.