Arthur had to admit it was a relief to not have to be on his best behavior at all times, especially since Alfred continued to insist on being unnervingly informal with him, but he still erred on the side of caution regardless. Alfred was his employer and not his colleague, after all.
Which meant he didn’t tell Alfred what he really thought about playing video games as a way of bonding, and acquiesced to Alfred’s continual requests to do so. The man liked to win, and to brag obnoxiously when he did. It was after the umpteenth time of getting a finger shoved in his face with a chorus of ‘fuck yeahs’ that he finally politely requested that he be allowed to occupy his time with other distractions. He felt a slight twinge of guilt at the kicked puppy look Alfred gave him, but it was for the best. He was too old and too dignified to be playing video games like a child.
With Alfred’s blessing, Arthur used his free time to explore the vast penthouse. It was enormous, spanning two floors and the entirety of the building’s floor plan. There were several guest rooms, and rooms dedicated solely to showcasing the priceless heirlooms the brothers owned. There was an expansive weight and exercise room (perhaps the reason Alfred seemed to be in such good shape despite staying inside), as well as a theater, among other things. It all seemed ridiculously excessive, but then again that sort of lifestyle seemed to suit Alfred.
The gem of his search was the library, as it was his version of a child in a candy store. A huge room filled with shelf after shelf of books stacked from the floor to the ceiling, and it was with a great deal of delight that he browsed through the selection before him. Some of the books were first editions that were centuries old, he noted in wonder, and he ran his hand over the ancient bindings in absolute awe. He knew where he was going to spend his free time.
Arthur continued to scan row after row of books when picture frames on a desk in the corner caught his eye. He could recognize Alfred and Matthew from that distance, but there were other people in the pictures, as well. He hesitated, wondering if it was any of his business looking at photos that didn’t belong to him, but ultimately decided that if the pictures were on display, they were meant to be viewed. He stepped towards the desk and almost got a good look at the photos when Alfred’s booming voice calling for him made him jump. He grabbed the nearest book and shoved his face in it as the door swung open.
“There you are! I figured you’d be in here…” Alfred trailed off and blinked at Arthur before a smirk spread across his face. “Didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, Artie!”
Arthur blanched and looked down at the book he’d grabbed. The Karma Sutra. Of course. He sputtered and shoved the book back on the shelf. “It’s not-- Don’t be ridiculous-- I--”
Alfred laughed and waved his hands. “Whatever gets you off, you know? I won’t judge you.” He grinned as Arthur blushed brightly and looked decidedly away. “Anyway, I know you don’t want to play video games anymore, but maybe we can do something else?”
Arthur turned to meet Alfred’s hopeful gaze and let out a resigned sigh. Alfred got lonely and bored too easily. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”
Alfred’s face lit up instantly and he turned to leave. “Awesome! Let’s get going then!”
Arthur shook his head in resignation and followed after the exuberant American. “That’s quite the library you have, Alfred,” he offhandedly remarked.
“You think so? I’m not all that interested in books, but Mattie is, so I kept them. Otherwise I’d probably just donate them to the local library.”
Arthur’s eyes widened and he stared incredulously at Alfred. “You can’t be serious! Some of those books must be worth thousands! Museums would pay good money for those and you’d just give them away?”
“Huh. Really? Guess I’m not the best judge of the value of things, ha ha!”
Shine 5a/?
Which meant he didn’t tell Alfred what he really thought about playing video games as a way of bonding, and acquiesced to Alfred’s continual requests to do so. The man liked to win, and to brag obnoxiously when he did. It was after the umpteenth time of getting a finger shoved in his face with a chorus of ‘fuck yeahs’ that he finally politely requested that he be allowed to occupy his time with other distractions. He felt a slight twinge of guilt at the kicked puppy look Alfred gave him, but it was for the best. He was too old and too dignified to be playing video games like a child.
With Alfred’s blessing, Arthur used his free time to explore the vast penthouse. It was enormous, spanning two floors and the entirety of the building’s floor plan. There were several guest rooms, and rooms dedicated solely to showcasing the priceless heirlooms the brothers owned. There was an expansive weight and exercise room (perhaps the reason Alfred seemed to be in such good shape despite staying inside), as well as a theater, among other things. It all seemed ridiculously excessive, but then again that sort of lifestyle seemed to suit Alfred.
The gem of his search was the library, as it was his version of a child in a candy store. A huge room filled with shelf after shelf of books stacked from the floor to the ceiling, and it was with a great deal of delight that he browsed through the selection before him. Some of the books were first editions that were centuries old, he noted in wonder, and he ran his hand over the ancient bindings in absolute awe. He knew where he was going to spend his free time.
Arthur continued to scan row after row of books when picture frames on a desk in the corner caught his eye. He could recognize Alfred and Matthew from that distance, but there were other people in the pictures, as well. He hesitated, wondering if it was any of his business looking at photos that didn’t belong to him, but ultimately decided that if the pictures were on display, they were meant to be viewed. He stepped towards the desk and almost got a good look at the photos when Alfred’s booming voice calling for him made him jump. He grabbed the nearest book and shoved his face in it as the door swung open.
“There you are! I figured you’d be in here…” Alfred trailed off and blinked at Arthur before a smirk spread across his face. “Didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, Artie!”
Arthur blanched and looked down at the book he’d grabbed. The Karma Sutra. Of course. He sputtered and shoved the book back on the shelf. “It’s not-- Don’t be ridiculous-- I--”
Alfred laughed and waved his hands. “Whatever gets you off, you know? I won’t judge you.” He grinned as Arthur blushed brightly and looked decidedly away. “Anyway, I know you don’t want to play video games anymore, but maybe we can do something else?”
Arthur turned to meet Alfred’s hopeful gaze and let out a resigned sigh. Alfred got lonely and bored too easily. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”
Alfred’s face lit up instantly and he turned to leave. “Awesome! Let’s get going then!”
Arthur shook his head in resignation and followed after the exuberant American. “That’s quite the library you have, Alfred,” he offhandedly remarked.
“You think so? I’m not all that interested in books, but Mattie is, so I kept them. Otherwise I’d probably just donate them to the local library.”
Arthur’s eyes widened and he stared incredulously at Alfred. “You can’t be serious! Some of those books must be worth thousands! Museums would pay good money for those and you’d just give them away?”
“Huh. Really? Guess I’m not the best judge of the value of things, ha ha!”