They finished the box, each stack alphabetized, and a silence fell between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, per se, but Arthur felt Emrys wasn't saying something, something he needed to say. What, he wasn't sure, but something.
"Wanna go get that bookshelf, so we have something to put these on?" Arthur asked, eyeing the window outside. The weather was cloudy, predictable for London.
"Sure," Emrys whispered, helping Arthur take each stack to the kitchen table in order so they could put it directly on the shelf. "I'm assuming we're taking your car?"
"Yeah," Arthur nodded, "though, most of the time it ends up being a very expensive paperweight. What with public transit and all."
Emrys nodded, "Okay. Mind if I use the, uh-"
"Down the hall, left side; make sure you use the pump and not the bar, the soap bar is to clean faces only. I'll get my stuff and meet you at the car, just go out the back door, the door locks itself if you twist the notch on the knob."
"Right," Emrys nodded, looking only slightly confused by the sudden slew of instructions, before heading to the loo.
Arthur snatched his wallet and keys, closing the dog in his bedroom with food and water. "Be home soon, boy." He rubbed the dog's head, closing him in.
He started the car with no issue, turning up the station playing Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins. He leaned his head back and relished in the nostalgia. Emrys soon joined him in the car, looking a little more relaxed.
"You can change the station, if you want." Arthur offered, beginning the drive to the nearest budget furniture store.
Emrys shook his head, looking out the window. There was silence for a few songs before Arthur piped up.
"You've gone quiet. Did I do something?" Arthur asked, stopped at a light.
"Not at all. I just..." Emrys paused, his brows furrowing in confusion. "I wonder how you came to realize, I guess, that you felt you knew me somehow. Like, what triggered it?"
"Your eyes," Arthur answered immediately, passing through the turn signal. "Something about them. Kind of like watching a movie you think you've never seen before, but knowing something is about to happen. Does that make sense?"
"I guess," the thin boy responded, tone almost despondent.
"What about you? What triggered yours?" Arthur asked, pulling in the car park of the store. He got out of the car, waiting for an answer.
Emrys stumbled over his words as he tried to keep pace with Arthur's steps in his daze, "Your... stubornness, I guess. You seemed familiar in the face, but that could be anything. You chasing me down though, that seemed... oddly familiar."
"So what should I know about you, Emrys? What do you think is important?" Arthur asked, walking in the shop ahead.
"My name is Emrys Hallewell, I'm..uh..." Emrys paused a moment as an employee welcomed them in, nodding in an awkward fashion that seemed too eager. He spoke again when they were out of earshot, "I'm 23, I am a product tester which is why I work from home, and my parents died when I was young."
"Is that all?"
"Pretty much... I'm not good at embellishing, I guess. What about you?" Emrys asked, no longer bothering to pay attention to the ugly post-modern style furniture surrounding him.
"My name is Arthur Shoemaker-" Emrys interrupted with a uproarious laugh, causing Arthur to heat in the face with the unwanted attention of other customers. "What's so funny?" he hissed.
"That name is so laaaaame," he laughed, enphasizing the A as he drug out the word between giggles.
"I'm 25 and I... Well, basically I transcribe notes for my superiors and that's all I do every day at work. My parents are both alive but we're... I guess you can say estranged. We haven't spoken in 6 years. They're nice people, I suppose, but we never saw eye-to-eye on a damn thing. Not speaking was just best for everyone, especially since they kicked me out when I dropped out of uni. Salt in the wound and all that."
"Sorry to hear that," Emrys put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur did not shake off the hand, but shrugged.
"Everyone has their own demons. It was hard at first, not so much now." Arthur assured, Emrys removing his hand and watching quietly as Arthur walked on.
Arthur walked over to a plain bookshelf, painted black, inexpensive, and not well made- but found it to be enough for what he wanted. It was small, about waist high and about a meter across, but could fit in the car assembled and that was enough for Arthur.
"This one," Arthur pointed with his thumb. "Help me carry it up front."
Emrys picked up one side, Arthur the other, and they didn't talk once they reached the line, a calm silence falling between them. They carried the shelf to the car and managed to fit it in with some effort, getting back in the car. Rain started to pour as they left the parking lot.
Arthur's phone rang in the console with a tinny rendition of a popular default ringtone. Arthur, still watching the road, asked Emrys to put it on speaker for him. Emrys showed signs of discomfort but quietly turned on speaker and held it a few inches from Arthur's face.
"Arthur! I know this is short notice but are you busy tonight?" The male voice asked, "Wait, am I echoing? Am I on speaker?" worry tinged in his voice.
"What plans could you possibly have that would need to involve me?" Arthur responded, ignoring him.
"That girl Amy, in accounting, finally agreed to go on a date with me-"
"But? She needs a date for her friend too, doesn't she?" Arthur pulled in his driveway, stopping the car as the rain continued to fall.
"Yeah, how did you-?"
"Because she wanted to be able to bail if she couldn't handle your creepy puppy-dog staring." Arthur rolled his eyes, shooting an unamused expression at Emrys who was unable to surpress a chuckle.
"Who's that? I am on speaker! Dammit, Arthur, I-!"
"I'm with someone right now, Finn. Talk to ya later, mate." Arthur took the phone from Emrys, disconnecting the call.
Emrys watched with interest as Arthur skirted the car to the other side, opening the door. Catching Emrys staring he defended himself with a dismissive gesture, "He's used to me hanging up on him. If you want to stay I can order us something, maybe we can watch a movie or something."
Emrys seemed to drift, taking a deep breath as he watched Arthur trying to lift the bookshelf by himself. He jumped to attention and assisted Arthur taking the shelf inside. The dog made a quiet whining noise from the nearby bedroom as they set the shelf down.
"Do you mind letting Wade out?" Arthur asked, starting to put his things away onto the shelf.
Emrys nodded and once he opened the door, the dog jumped against his chest and knocked him back painfully onto his arse. The dog licked his face apologetically, nuzzling his muzzle against Emrys's cheek. Emrys took a moment to look in the dog's soft brown eyes, smiling to himself. The dog rolled over, exposing his stomach to be scratched.
"Odd. He usually doesn't take to people so quickly." Arthur muttered over his shoulder, watching as Emrys's expression softens as he gingerly stroked Wade's fur.
"What a sweet boy," Emrys whispered to the dog. "Yes you are. Know any tricks?"
"Outside of being housebroken? Not so much." Arthur responded, smiling at the voice Emrys used with his dog.
"Don't listen to that old codfish, Wade. He's lost his inner child." Emrys whispered dramatically, pretending Arthur couldn't hear him. "I'll bet you know lots of tricks, but you don't show him."
"I thought you came to visit me, not my dog." Arthur interrupted with a laugh.
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Arthur?" Emerys smirked smugly, eyeing Arthur.
Arthur blinked a few times, there it was again. That weird sense of deja vu. He had finished packing out one of the shelves and still held a few cases in his hand.
"Wanna watch a film, then? Since you seem to have taken a liking to my dog." Arthur responded, looking curiously at the three titles he held in his hand.
"I don't watch movies very much, Arthur. They tend to bore me. Not enough thinking to do when watching." Emrys admitted, "I'll try it, though. I'm open to anything."
"Okay, then." Arthur nodded, "I've got just the thing."