A/N: The prompt for Day 3 was taking care of business.

Title: Fairytale

Warnings: None

Summary: Professor Jones pays a visit to his colleague.

"Professor Kirkland," a tall and self-assured man called from the doorway. He was leaning against the wood, undoing his tie, as he stared at the man in question. "Staying late again, I see. Are you still reading your fairytales?"

Opposite the man in the doorway, Professor Kirkland sat at his desk, rifling through a stack of papers. There was an empty mug that once held tea in front of him, as well as a few framed photos and a small ceramic unicorn balanced on his desk. He looked up at the man standing before him and smiled, ever so cynically.

"Ah, Professor Jones. It's nice to see you as well."

The tall blonde walked slowly into the room, pulling the door shut behind him. He tugged off his tie, sticking it in his suit pocket as he smiled at the other professor.

"You know I told you to call me Alfred."

Professor Kirkland looked back up from where he had been marking up a paper.

"Is that so? Well you know I've told you to not call my field of study 'fairytales.'"

Professor Jones leaned his head back and laughed.

"Professor of mythology? Really Arthur? What do you study, the role fairies play in society?"

The shorter of the two men turned his head up to glare.

"I'm sorry we can't all be professors of astrophysics. You'll have to forgive me."

Alfred smiled softly, as he moved forward and started to clear off a corner of Arthur's desk. He took a seat, his grin only growing as his counterpart rolled his eyes at him.

"It's okay, I know how hard it is to understand. The simple-minded tend to think of science as magic," he said with a playful wink.

"Are you insinuating something with that comment?" Arthur snapped, removing a ruler from his desk. He held it up to Alfred, not-so-subtly demanding that he move. Alfred held his hands in the air innocently, but rose from the desk nonetheless. The younger professor walked around the mahogany desk to stand beside Arthur.

"Not a thing," he assured with another wink, and casually stuck his hand in his pocket. A few moments passed as Arthur returned to grading, but Alfred couldn't be kept quiet for long.

"So do you actually study fairies? And unicorns and all that jazz? You do realize it would be physically impossible for-"

Arthur stood and held a hand to Alfred's lips.

"I don't want to hear it," Arthur told him matter-of-factly. "None of your free fall, velocity and acceleration statistics. They will change absolutely nothing."

Alfred let loose a smile as Arthur pulled his finger away from his lips.

"So you do listen when I'm talking to you," he said with a grin, as Arthur stared back at him. "I always thought that your mind was just wandering in space when I go on my physics rants."

Arthur clucked his tongue in response as he grabbed a butterfly clip, and stuck his stack of graded papers into his briefcase. He fiddled with a few more papers and a pen as he replied to the other professor.

"Yes, unlike you, I respect your field of study and try to keep up my end of the conversation," he tucked the rest of his articles into his briefcase. "But mythology will always be where my heart lies, you know that."

He snapped his briefcase closed and returned his gaze to the other professor.

"Now, is there something I can do for you Professor Jones?" Arthur asked as he rose from his seat. He matched the other's gaze, and smiled knowingly. Alfred took a step forward so the two of them nearly stood chest to chest.

"Yes, actually," he answered as he wrapped an arm around the other's waist. Arthur made no move to remove it. "Let me take you out to dinner," he said with a sly smile.

Arthur let out a small cackle before he brought a hand to Alfred's face. He ran his thumb along the taller man's cheek gently.

"You know I'd love too," he said in a hushed tone. "But I have to finish my report on the fairytales I'm quite fond of."

Alfred frowned as he wrapped his other arm around Arthur, capturing him in an embrace.

"I'm sure the faeries can wait. As can the elves and the unicorns, and mermaids," he whispered in Arthur's ear. "Come on. Dinner, my treat, and I promise I'll refrain from talking about centripetal motion for the duration of our date."

Arthur let out another quiet giggle, and glanced up into Alfred's eyes.

"So charming," he said sarcastically shaking his head. "Though when in you put it like that, how can I refuse?"

Alfred smiled in victory before pressing a kiss to the crown of Arthur's head.

"Awesome," he replied as he stepped back, and took Arthur's hand in his own. He turned back to smile amusedly at his partner. "I told you science always trumps over magic."

"Hush," Arthur responded as he picked up his briefcase with his free hand, and let Alfred lead him to the door. "Watch what you say, because one day, you will overstep your bounds, and no amount of science will be able to help you out."

"Well ya know, I could use a time machine and go back and-"

Arthur paused as he turned off the lights and shut the door to his office.

"It would take a miracle," Arthur said, keeping his gaze firm. "Magic would be the only thing that could save you."

Alfred smiled as he took hold of the man's hand again, and started leading him through the mazelike corridors of the building.

"Well ya know what? I don't really care how our story plays out as long as we live happily ever after."

Arthur blushed slightly as he followed.

"I thought you weren't one for fairytales."

"I'm not," he said and playful tapped Arthur's nose. "But I do like the one where I end up with you."