Alfred was nervous very, very nervous. As an intern nearly fresh out of college it was a big deal for him to be attending a meeting this important to the diplomatic relations between the United States and Great Britain. His tie felt obnoxiously tight around his throat and he began to worry, with the way he was sweating under his suit, if had he put on enough deodorant. Smelling bad to foreign diplomats would probably be a bad thing. Nervously Alfred adjusted the American flag pin on his lapel just to make sure it was good and straight. He didn't want to come off as unorganized either.

"Just relax, Alfred." Came a voice from next to him. Alfred's blue eyes flickered behind the lenses of his glasses and he saw his boss standing next to him as calm, cool, and collected as ever. But with all the years of dealing with politics under his belt it was only natural that the older man wouldn't feel the same nervousness a newbie like Alfred would feel. "The Prime Minister is a very nice man and you should have no problem getting along with him."

"… Thanks sir, I'll try my best today." Alfred said with a determined nod. Today was the day for him to truly prove himself to his boss and his other co-workers and god damnit if he wasn't going to be the hero of the day.

His boss sent him a small smile of encouragement just as the rotating doors to the building began to turn and a group of men in the most clean pressed suits Alfred had ever seen began to file in. The first few Alfred guessed were a part of the Prime Minister's secret service or whatever it was they called it in Britain. It seemed obvious who the Prime Minister was and automatically Alfred's boss went over to greet him with a warm smile and a brisk hand shake. Alfred followed, but it wasn't so much the Prime Minister he was interested in as it was the man standing next to him.

Green eyes. The greenest green eyes that have ever been green. Alfred found his own eyes drawn to them and from those eyes he moved to the rest. His skin was pale yet creamy like fresh milk. His hair was golden blonde, like sunshine, but it was disheveled and stuck up and random places almost as if no brush could tame it. His lips were thin and tugged down into what seemed like a perpetual frown; thick, dark brows also continuously furrowed.

He was on the taller side, but not as tall as Alfred was. His physique was lithe and slender and sort of, dare he say it… feminine. There was something about the way he carried himself when he moved that was so assured, so confident. His hips swished ever so subtly when he walked in the confines of his brown, double breasted suit.

Oh wow… he was really pretty.

Alfred swallowed thickly, feeling his Adam's apple slide uncomfortably behind the Windsor knot of his tie. If he wasn't nervous enough before he definitely was now. Still obnoxiously good looking, British man or not, Alfred had to focus. This impression had to be a good one. Besides, there probably wasn't even the most remote chance that this guy was even gay.

"Mr. Prime Minister, this is my intern, Alfred Jones." The sound of his suddenly introduction pulled Alfred out of his thoughts of this mysterious bushy browed stranger to the place where they were supposed to be.

"It nice to finally meet you, Mr. Jones. Your boss has spoken highly of you over the phone though you haven't been out of college, six months correct?" The older British man said, extending a hand for Alfred to shake.

"Thank you very much, sir. It's a great honor to meet you," Alfred said, turning on that special charismatic charm of his as he took the PM's hand and gave it a good, brisk shake. You could tell a lot about a man from the way they shook hands. "And yes, it's been six months since I graduated. I always try my best so that my boss will have the grounds to speak highly of me." He turned on that award winning smile with his pearly white teeth looking perfect as ever.

"What a fine lad you have here, Joseph, he has presence, I like that." Alfred could have exploded with joy when he heard the PM praise him right in front of his boss. Everything was going so well and they hadn't known each other five minutes.

"That's why I keep him around." Alfred's boss laughed heartily and everyone else joined in at the contagious sound; save for the mysterious bushy browed stranger. Alfred's eyed glanced over at him and when their gazes clash his breath hitched softly in the back of his throat. He shyly turned his gaze away and shifted his stance.

"Well I've met your intern now it's time for you to meet mine." The PM said, gesturing over to the blonde bushy browed stranger. The younger man to a small step forward and gingerly held his hand out for Alfred's boss to take in greeting. His fingers were so slender and elegant.

"Arthur Kirkland, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Might I say it is an honor to meet someone of such high standing from such a high standing country?" There was an enticing way that Arthur's lips moved and curved around the elegant words that rolled off his tongue. His voice was of average pitch and a bit on the husky side, yet his accent was positively delectable.

"What impeccable manners." Alfred's boss praised as he took Arthur's hand and shook it. "What an absolute pleasure he is." He said as Arthur's hand fell from his and ventured over to be in front of Alfred.

"It is nice to meet you as well, Mr. Jones." There was certain edge to his voice when he spoke to Alfred and he definitely did not have the same eloquence rolling off his tongue as he did when speaking to Alfred's boss. His green eyes smoldered silently as he gazed at Alfred with mild interest.

Alfred nearly forgot to speak and quickly reached up to take Arthur's hand, "Nice to meet you too." He said as he grasped those elegant fingers within his. Arthur's hand was soft, so very so and smooth. He held Alfred's hand gingerly as he shook it once before withdrawing a little too quickly and returning his hand to his side. Alfred could have sworn that the blonde's cheeks with dusted with the very lightest shade of pink.

Alfred had to admit that suddenly his hand felt cold and empty without those delicate fingers clenched within his.

"Well then shall we move up to the conference room now that we are all acquainted?" Alfred's bosh proclaimed to which the PM quickly agreed and fell into step next to the American man as they discussed what topics would be covered today. Alfred followed behind his boss and Arthur did too; the duo also falling into step with one another.

It was quiet between them while the duo in front of them chatted avidly like good old friends, which formed a sort of awkward atmosphere between Alfred and Arthur. Alfred desperately wished to fill the space of silence, but for once in his life he couldn't think of what to say. Alfred put his hands in his pockets hoping it would give him something to do, but of course it didn't last long. He pressed his lips together and ran his tongue over the back of his teeth as he mulled over possible ice breakers.

How long have you been working for the Pm? That's a nice suit you're wearing, where'd you get it? What's your favorite color? Are you gay?

… Scratch that last one.

"So…" Alfred began. "How long have you been working for the PM?" Alfred asked curiously only meaning for it to be a harmless conversation starter.

"Nearly a year." He answered sharply, keeping his intense green gaze forward.

"Oh really? That's neat; I haven't been here that long so I'm still kind of the runt of the litter." Alfred said with a laugh hoping the joke would catch Arthur too.

It didn't. "Yes, runt." Arthur agreed, but not in a good humorous kind of way.

Ouch. Alfred pressed his lips together once more and looked away. Well shit, that backfired like his dad's fifty year old pickup truck. Alfred mulled over more possibility starters once more since the silence was much too tense so remain unbroken. "Where'd you go to school?" Alfred inquired once again harmlessly.

"Oxford." He replied curtly.

"Oh wow, that's a really good school. You must be really smart then." Alfred complimented. "I was a Harvard man myself." Which should have impressed him since Harvard was one of the most prestigious colleges in America.

"How wonderful." He replied back abruptly.

… What the fuck was wrong with this guy? Like fuck he had manners; he was just shooting Alfred down left and right. Alfred was just trying to make friendly conversation; where was the harm in that? Alfred didn't understand why, but he somehow felt the need to apologize. Maybe he had offended him, after all customs in America were different from those in the United Kingdom. "Uh, I'm um…. I'm sorry, but did I… did I offend you or something?" He inquired innocently enough.

"No, not at all." It sure as hell didn't sound like a very sincere or convincing answer.

Alfred was getting annoyed. He had been nothing, but nice to this guy and all he kept doing was giving him unnecessary sass. "Really? Because to me it sounds like something's up." There was absolutely no denying that Arthur had an attitude. Whether it was really an attitude or just his personality had yet to be determined.

"Look," Arthur snapped, turning his blazing green gaze on Alfred. "I have worked very, very hard to get into the position I am in and I do not want this day to stray even one millimeter away from the way I have it planned. Understand?"

Alfred just looked at him for a few moments, a little shocked by his small outburst, before just turning his blue eyes away and giving his shoulders a small shrug. "Alright, sorry I just tried to be friendly." He replied a little bitterly.

Silence settled between them as they waited for the elevator to descend from where it had been before to take them up to their respective floor. It remained silent when the doors finally opened and they boarded along with their bosses and made their way up to the twelfth floor where they got off in silence and went to the conference room in silence. They didn't speak to each unless necessary and Alfred was just dandy with that. Arthur was the one being a jerk anyway. It was his loss.

When the meeting had been adjured- and everyone was to retire to where ever it was they were going be it hotel, apparent, or town house three blocks down- Alfred got up from his seat and gathered the papers he needed to look over putting them safely in messenger bag before slinging it over his shoulder. Arthur clicked closed his impeccably clean and organized leather brief case and gazed at Alfred briefly. When their stares met one another the Briton looked away shyly and turned his small pointed nose at the American. Alfred did the same and pushed in his swivel chair.

With room now empty save for himself in Arthur, Alfred turned to leave where he would go to his shabby little apartment and laze around on the couch, calling his brother to bitch and complain about the rude British intern. He was nearly to the door when a voice spoke up.

"Wait a moment."

Alfred was a bit surprised when he turned and saw Arthur walking towards him, brief case in hand, "What?" Alfred said with a slight sneer. "Am I ruining your plans by trying to go home?"

Arthur's scowl deepened and his cheeks blotched softly with patches of red. "Well fine then, if you're going to be that way. I was planning on apologizing for my behavior earlier, but never mind that now." The Briton pushed past Alfred to leave in a huff.

He wanted to… apologize? He didn't seem the type. "Wait a minute." Alfred said this time, reaching out and grasping Arthur's shoulder; easily holding the smaller man back. Arthur seemed less than happy to be treated in such a way, but there was no way for him to escape. "Look… alright, I'm sorry too…. I was really nervous today and when I get nervous, well… I just have the urge to talk." Alfred was always the type to feel obnoxious uncomfortable in silences. It was just in his nature. It was also in his nature to not hold grudges.

Arthur turned around while his cheeks burned lightly and his green eyes gazed off to the side, "Well… I also apologize. I've been working hard to get on this trip and I just didn't want anything to go wrong…. Sorry if I came across as stand offish…."

Alfred merely grinned that grin he always did feeling all tension and ill feeling vanish (A one track mind through and through). "It's cool; I guess we were both a little freaked out." Arthur looked up at Alfred and gave the slightest, slightest of smiles yet it made his face light up so beautifully.

"Yes, let's just let bygones be bygones then."

Alfred felt his heart squeeze miserably in his chest at the sight, getting that same nervous jittery feeling he got before when he first laid eyes on Arthur. "Say uh… do you wanna go out for drinks or something? I think we both kind of need it after today; my treat."

Arthur was never one to refuse alcohol. "Sure… why not?" He agreed cheeks still burning softly and eyes still darting back and forth shyly.

And through the streets of New York they stumbled after they had knocked back a few shots and tall mugs of ice cold beer singing a slurred drunken rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody". Not the most romantic way to meet, but hey it worked for them.

Alfred's eyes fluttered open as he gazed at the bleak morning sunlight flittering through the curtains of his and Arthur's bedroom window. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes as they stung with the bright light before he rolled over onto his side to face away from the window. Next to him Arthur was still sleeping soundly; brows perpetually furrowed just as they had been all those years ago.

Alfred stared at the peaceful sleeping face of his dear and darling husband and couldn't help, but smile. It had been so many years since he and Arthur met and he still found him as pretty as he had that day he first saw him walking through the lobby in that brown double breasted suit. He still loved him just as much as well.

The American reached out, gently running the tips of his calloused fingers over his lover's soft, fair skin just admiring the way it glowed in the dim morning light. Arthur stirred, mumbling something softly as his eyes too cracked open and looked up to find Alfred smiling at him tenderly. A smile spread on his lips as he gazed up at his husband drowsily.

"Well good morning…" He muttered quietly, suppressing a yawn all the while.

"Good morning, beautiful." Alfred replied, leaning in to give Arthur a small peck on the lips despite the fact they both had a bit of morning breath.

Arthur hummed softly, "My your affectionate this morning. What's the occasion?" He inquired.

"I dreamed about when I met you last night." Alfred replied, still running his fingers against Arthur's cheek.

"Oh did you know, thinking about how much of a dick I was?" Arthur asked half-jokingly.

"No, thinking about how cute I thought your eyebrows were."