Arthur walked down the high street, passing families and people of all ages; ignoring most of the shops and cafés, staring straight ahead as he walked. Another bulb had broken in his flat, and he was quickly running out of food; he was overdue for a shop anyway. He usually forgot to go and buy things for himself; his workplace usually being the only reason for going into town. However on his day off, which he thanked the heavens for considering the sale going on at the moment was killing him slowly, he had dragged himself out of bed so that he could purchase some supplies so he could, well, live.

He had only just arrived on the bus, not bothering with his car (petrol costs money dammit, and it had been acting up recently), and he was on his way to Tesco to buy all the items he needed. But then, he saw an all too frighteningly familiar head of blonde hair.

No surprise showed on his face but he felt his stomach flip ('Why are you doing this? I did NOT give you permission to flip! Stop it this instant!'). The American was in front of him, walking in the opposite direction so that he was facing him. Any minute the man could notice him and Arthur would have to deal with the overly happy git outside of his workplace! Arthur stopped himself from freaking out and tried not to draw attention to himself; slowing down and glancing at his phone, he acted like he had somewhere to be and turned around, heading in the opposite direction. All the while speaking very calmly in his head.

'Oh crap it's him there he is, alright don't panic stay calm we'll just turn around here nice and subtle he'll never know a thing. Ok! Good chap, I think that went rather well – '

"Arthur!"

Well shi-

"Hey! Arthur!"

Arthur didn't turn around, pretending that he couldn't hear the voice; however that didn't seem to deter the American at all and caused him to simply call louder.

"Arthur!" Well crap. There was no way in hell that someone wouldn't be able to hear that. Arthur sighed inwardly and turned around, feigning surprise at the tall blonde tottering over to him.

"Oh. Hello Mr Jones." He said politely, being a little more informal now they were out of the shop but still not referring to the man by his first name. Despite this, the American still seemed overjoyed.

"I never thought I'd see you outside the store! It's weird huh?" Alfred exclaimed happily. Arthur just smiled tightly.

"Fancy that."

To Arthur's despair, Alfred started walking with him, happily prattling on about how funny it was seeing him out of the shop and 'Wow you must be lucky to have a day off' and how damn cold it was. Arthur just hummed acknowledgements, a small part of his mind thankful that the man was wearing a big thick coat so he didn't think about his damn torso and hips. However because that small part of his mind thought that, the small part of his mind became a very large part of his mind and then he couldn't get the damn man out of his head.

Wonderful.

If that wasn't bad enough that not only was Arthur walking in the wrong direction to where he needed to be, as well as the fact that he kept picturing the American in tight t-shirts, Alfred had to pick that exact moment to make everything ten times worse.

"So, how 'bout that coffee?"

Arthur's heart jumped into his throat and he felt like screaming. It seemed that Alfred hadn't forgotten about the fact Arthur suggested that he would actually go with him if he wasn't working. He told himself it wasn't a serious invitation; it didn't imply anything and there was no reason for Arthur to get so worked up, but he did all the same. It just got worse when he looked to the other man and saw that happy smile of his face; it looked too genuine and actually hopeful and what was Arthur meant to say to that!?

"I don't like coffee." Arthur chose to say calmly, his face not showing the conflicting thoughts running through his mind. "I think I'll pass, thank you." He said with a small nod. Alfred looked taken aback and then downright confused.

"What? You said you would get a coffee with me if I asked you when you weren't working." He said, not quite whining but his tone did remind Arthur of a child that hadn't got what they wanted. Arthur stopped walking and turned to face him fully; he ignored the look of disappointment on Alfred's face and went with what he knew. He was a cold person by nature and he would not warm up to someone so flippantly; making friends with random strangers he met in his workplace was not something that he would allow himself to do. Going somewhere with this guy would be a bad idea anyway.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jones, but I can't recall such a conversation." Arthur said smoothly; Alfred frowned a little and looked down for a moment, that's where Arthur had him. The Englishman had never actually said that he would go. "Either way, just because I have to serve customers in the shop, nothing binds me to bending my will to strangers on the street, I don't have to agree to anything." Arthur continued with a rather superior smile; he decided to not let Alfred have enough time to properly process what he was saying and quickly added "If you'll excuse me. Have a nice day." He turned back in the direction in which he was meant to be walking to begin with and hoped to all things on high that Alfred would just let it drop.

"Hey, wait a sec!" Alfred called from behind him. 'Of course it wouldn't be that simple would it? Stupid oblivious, stubborn...' Arthur grumbled in his head.

Alfred just didn't get it. Yes, in all fairness, Arthur had never actually said – in words at least – that he would accept Alfred's invitation; however, with the way that he spoke and looked at the time, it did seem like he would say yes. As much as Alfred hated to admit it, Arthur had a good point, and he was wrong to assume things of the other man and put words in his mouth.

However with that being said, Alfred was never one to give up on something so easily.

"Hey! C'mon, wait a sec!" He called to the Englishman as he jogged after him to catch up; even as the American was walking beside him, Arthur just seemed to speed up, abruptly turning down a side street and out of the view of the public eye. The sudden change of direction had caught Alfred off guard and though it was rather obvious that the Englishman wanted nothing to do with him today, he couldn't take Arthur's rejection seriously and found himself racing after the man.

However, as soon as he turned the corner, he saw a shadowed figure rush towards Arthur, cutting off his path.

"Oi, Mate! Give us yeh phone! Wallet too!" A male voice spat in a threatening hiss. Alfred couldn't believe that someone was trying to mug another person when he was standing right there; he felt conflicted on what action to take for a second but then decided he would be Arthur's hero and would save- -

"Pfft. No. Piss off." Arthur scoffed and placed his hands in his trouser pockets, glaring at the shady man.

It seemed that this damsel could rescue himself.

"You wanna play it like that mate? I'll shank ya! You think I'm jokin'?"

"Look you twat." Arthur said pointedly and tilted his head; his stance still uncaring as he spoke in a superior tone. "It's broad daylight, we're right by a crowded street, I'm doing you a favour by not calling attention to your stupid arse! Now piss off and rethink your life." At that, Arthur began to walk away, looking thoroughly proud of himself. Alfred knew that Arthur had won, seeing as the mugger obviously didn't have an actual weapon and that he hadn't done anything while Arthur had spoken. Alfred was impressed; he had figured that the Englishman would be able to hold his own, but to actually stand up to someone who was trying to mug him? That was cool! However, it seemed that the shamed mugger wanted to gain what little self-respect he had left, and called after him.

"Fuckin' posh poofter." Arthur stopped in his tracks and Alfred was suddenly a little frightened by the expression on his face. He spun round to face the mugger and started stalking towards him, fury emanating from him in waves. Alfred noticed a distinct change in the man's accent and tone.

"What you just call me?" Arthur spat; the assailant took a cautionary step backwards but Arthur kept going. "No I'm asking you. What you just call me? You wanna say that again? C'mon, say that again to me face. You fucking chavy twat call me that again and see what you get! Yeh fuckin' waste of space and skin, why don't yeh run back home to your whore of a mum before I smash your face into the pavement!" Arthur shouted menacingly; the shady man suddenly rushed forward, going to punch Arthur in the face. Arthur dodged him easily and caught the man's arm, twisting it behind him and slamming the man into the wall of the ally. His voice was practically a hiss. "Bad choice, fucker. You ever try that shit with me again and I'll break every bone in your fucking body. I ever see you again you better keep your fucking distance or you're gonna find yourself in a shit ton a pain. Now I'm gonna tell you one last time. Piss off." Arthur released the man's arm and the shady character ran off without hesitation.

Arthur smirked as the mugger ran off; 'Bloody chavs.' He thought to himself, it seemed that he hadn't lost his touch; he could still be intimidating and put those trainer-wearing, chain-sporting, dumbarse bastards in their place. Arthur's feeling of superiority quickly dwindled however when he turned his head to see Alfred, just staring at him. Arthur didn't know why he was suddenly so nervous; why should he care if Alfred saw the exchange? It wasn't as if he cared about the American's opinion of him, right? Of course, Arthur supposed that the other man could spread the word of him facing off against someone; but what would be the point if the fight was in self-defence? The two were silent for a moment, the Englishman becoming progressively more nervous.

"Um.." Arthur started.

"That." Alfred interrupted. "Was effing awesome!" He cheered, throwing both his hands high into the air. Arthur blinked.
"Wot?"

"That's was badass dude!" He cried and bounded forward; causing Arthur to jump slightly, staring at Alfred as if he had just grown a second head. Alfred's eyes gleamed as he spoke (yelled), acting as though the shorter man had just saved the world from a nuclear war. "You were just like Batman!"

"Batman?"

"That guy was trying to rob you and you kicked his butt! Aw dude it was epic! I've never seen something like that before!" Alfred was practically bouncing on the spot he was fawning over this so much.

"Oh I-I see." Arthur stammered; feeling overall, strangely flattered by how excited the American had become instead of judging one of the more violent parts of himself.

"It was awesome!" Alfred said again. "You acted like you weren't even scared!"

"Scared?" Arthur scoffed. "Of that pilock?" He put one of his hands in his pockets, the other pointing at Alfred; his vanity getting the better of him. "Fun fact: Chavs are usually all talk and no action; at least around here. I can tell when they're serious and that dickhead had no idea what he was doing." He paused and then looked at the American with a very serious expression. "Don't ever try that shit in London or you'll get yourself killed." Alfred just waved a hand.

"Dude, I grew up in the cities, I know how to take care of myself." He grinned. Arthur just hummed and shifted his weight, turning his ankle around this way and that.

"But how did you even do that!?" Alfred continued freaking out. "He like, ran at you and you spun him around and twisted his arm and slammed him into that wall and man! It was awesome!" He heaved a deep sigh, seeming to have gotten everything out of his system. "Did you take martial arts or something?" he asked.

"Not exactly…" Arthur said slowly, resting on a nearby wall which was low enough to sit on; Arthur had twisted his ankle a little with how fast he had had to move, he needed to rest it for a few minutes. Alfred apparently just saw this as an invitation and sat down next to him.

"Then what was it? Dude you gotta tell me!" Alfred said excitedly; the man looked so hopeful, how was Arthur meant to say no? Well the answer to that should have been 'incredibly easily, tell the man to piss off and keep his nose out of his business.' However, Arthur couldn't bring himself to do that.

"Well…" Arthur said slowly, averting his eyes. "It's because I used to be like that." He chanced a glance at Alfred's face and was worried when he saw shock in the man's expression.

"You used to be one of those!?" Alfred exclaimed, pointing in the direction that the man ran. Arthur laughed and shook his head, almost seeming insulted.

"A chav? Oh good God no! You'd never catch me dead dressing like those wankers!" They both laughed, a small proud smile worked its way onto Arthur's face. "No. I was a punk. A delinquent. Literally around 3 years ago I would have beaten a man if he looked at me funny." He said, he sounded distant, remembering the old times before he straightened his life out. Alfred's grin was back on his face.

"So you were like, hardcore?"

"Pretty much." Arthur nodded absently. "I drank, smoked, got into countless fights. I was lucky I didn't get arrested. Though there were a few close calls."

"That is badass."

"Hm." Arthur's smile widened ever so slightly.

"So, is that why you swore so much?" when Arthur just gave him a questioning look, Alfred clarified. "I've never heard you swear before. It was kinda weird; and you did it a lot."

"Really? Funny; I was toning it down." Arthur replied thoughtfully. "I don't like to swear much anymore, I don't see the point. I only did it then cause that's the only way chavs seem to be able to communicate; using a swearword for an adjective. Makes them think they look hard." Arthur smirked at the strange look Alfred gave him. "Cool, tough." Arthur clarified, when Alfred nodded his understanding, he continued. "But I hate it when people like that say I'm posh; just because I'm well-spoken and I know how to speak properly, they act as though I think the sun shines out my arse. Bloody uneducated bastards." He said with a sour expression. He'd always been called posh from a young age; it was what he used to be teased about the most. But his mother was a well-educated woman from Oxford, of course he would learn to speak properly.

"Aw man, that makes me feel a little guilty now." Alfred said sheepishly, snapping Arthur out of his thoughts.

"Oh really? How so?" He asked. "You didn't think I was posh too did you?" Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly but it was obvious that it was in good humour. Alfred shook his head and raised his hands in surrender.

"No no no, it wasn't like that." He chuckled. "I didn't think you were posh, it's just that your voice compared with other people that I've met here is, I dunno, different. Smoother y'know? U-Uh.." He floundered for a second, fearing he was giving too much away. "W-What was the word you used? Well-spoken! Yeah! That. A lot of people around here, talk like, well… That guy." He pointed in the direction the mugger ran off again. Arthur just chuckled, finding Alfred's small blush rather endearing; it was funny how he was getting nervous just over Arthur asking if he thought he was posh.

"It's fine Jones. I know what you mean." He chuckled but stopped short.

It was then that Arthur realised that he was sitting on a wall, having a conversation with a man he hardly knew. That he had just told him something from his past that it usually took years to admit to his closest friends. And what startled him the most, was that he was actually enjoying it. Arthur cleared his throat, feeling a slight heat in his own cheeks (to his horror); he stood up, his ankle now feeling completely better. He turned to Alfred with a polite tone.

"Yes, well. Regardless, I'm sorry that you had to see that. Though thank you for your kind words." He said stiffly; Alfred just smiled, and Arthur felt his face redden a little more because for some reason, he could tell that Alfred knew he was being sincere despite his attitude.

"No problem dude! It really was badass." He grinned happily.

"Hm. Well with that being said. I'm afraid I am rather busy today, I have a lot of things that need doing."

"Oh man, why didn't you say so before? I'm sorry for taking up your time!" Alfred said with an apologetic smile, also standing up.

"No not at all. It- It was rather pleasant actually." He admitted, speaking truthfully. He cleared his throat again. "You know, in comparison to the whole mugger thing." He added awkwardly.

"Well I'll take that as a compliment!" Alfred laughed. "Anyway, I won't keep ya then. Have a nice day Arthur!" He said, extending his hand for a handshake, which Arthur took and smiled.

"Same to you Jones." He nodded and turned, heading off to run his errands.

As Arthur made his way down to Tesco, he couldn't get the conversation he had with Alfred out of his mind. He told himself that it was just because nothing else interesting had happened that day, so it was at the forefront of his mind. But he instantly tried to push that thought as well; for that would suggest that he found Alfred the least bit interesting. Which was completely ridiculous.

Right?

God knows how Arthur would have reacted if he knew that Alfred was grinning like a mad man all the way back to his car.

No, it wasn't the 'coffee date' that Alfred had wanted. In fact, it was probably as far away from his original plan as one could get.

But Alfred had a feeling that it was just as good.

I'm so sorry this update took so long X'D All kinds of stuff was going down, but needless to say, Arthur has a life outside of the shop! *GASP*

ok ok but seriously! You don't really think they'd go out for coffee so soon right? This is gonna be a loooooooong story XDDD

and yes. Arthur's a badass. nuff said. XD

and good GOD, Alfred's acting like a woman he's getting so worked up about this XD

If this was any more cliche we'd have Arthur thinking 'What is this feeling!?'XDDD

As always, reviews are highly appreciated and I hope you enjoy the next chapter! :3