[ When it came to the day he was born, Arthur always tended to have a kind of ambivalence to it. At least since he was not longer a child.
After that period, he had often come to think of it "just another day". Didn't explain why he made it a point to acknowledge other people's birthdays but not his to the same extent but there it is.
He had noticed the past few days after Christmas how Tommy had seemed a bit... distracted if not tense. Arthur had chalked it up to him needing to go work it out at the gym and hadn't really pressed the other man on it, knowing that Tommy wasn't always one for talking and was more for being physical if more demonstrative with his affections (and, no matter how the other was during the day, usually by that night he'd be back to wanting Arthur's attention and wanting the closeness that often came after they had sex, becoming gentle and, Arthur would dare say, lovable in those moments before they both fell asleep, curled up and entangled with one another).
So, coming back from doing some work at the library for his most recent job (just some point work for someone he's worked for before, not need to get hooked up the the PASIV or fly out to another country - both of which Tommy was happy about), he hadn't been expecting anything special, the day having been relatively uneventful so far.
Closing the door behind him and locking it back he looked around before setting his bag down, calling out softly: ]
Tommy? You home?
[ Sometimes he got home from the gym late, having decided to spar a bit after working out. ]
[Shoulders sore from his workout, Tommy still holds them square at the sound of Arthur's voice. It's not that he's self-conscious about the way he looks, doesn't really care as long as he can still fight. He spends more time with black eyes and cuts to his face than the average man does. But he's close to turning around and taking the stupid smart shirt he's got on off. It makes him feel uncomfortable, like what he usually wears isn't good enough, and that's almost enough to have him getting pissy and grumpy.
Before he can back out he steps out into the hallway and into Arthur's view. He feels ridiculous, but that isn't enough to have him forgetting he's doing this for a reason.]
[ Arthur is about to give Tommy his regular greeting, pulling his jacket off, when he stops, both in speaking and in movement.
He blinks at Tommy once, twice, three times before he finally gets out: ]
What... why are you dressed up?
[ 'And where the hell did you find a shirt big enough to fit you that well?' wasn't said but definitely making his way through his mind as he took in the other man dressed in a way he ever did. ]
[He'd sound matter-of-fact about it if he wasn't currently trying to iron out the creases he's somehow picked up between the packet and his chest. He's almost got his whole outfit right, too, the pants he's wearing smart and mostly pressed. The sneakers that are on his feet are more because he couldn't find any decent shoes rather than his own attempt at rebellion.]
[ Arthur manages to keep looking surprised at Tommy stating such things so simply, as if they were an easy truth to understand. ]
Oh. Well...
[ He looks down at his own clothes before looking back up at the other man, still very surprised by this turn of events (he hadn't been expecting anything). ]
[He shrugs a huge shoulder and doesn't look like he cares either way. What is important is that Arthur has a good time on his birthday, and he's here to see that happens.]
Arthur nods as he looks down at his clothes and decides they'll be fine. He then gives a small smile as he comes closer to Tommy, reaching out to smooth the creases of his shirt.
"Where did you get this?" Because a man of Tommy's build couldn't possibly be easy to fit in a "normal" sized shirt.
"A store," Tommy replies and actually half-smirks at the other man, eyebrows quirking slightly before he squares his shoulders and sniffs that it was no big deal.
"You gonna stare at my shirt all night or can we go eat? I'm hungry."
After that period, he had often come to think of it "just another day". Didn't explain why he made it a point to acknowledge other people's birthdays but not his to the same extent but there it is.
He had noticed the past few days after Christmas how Tommy had seemed a bit... distracted if not tense. Arthur had chalked it up to him needing to go work it out at the gym and hadn't really pressed the other man on it, knowing that Tommy wasn't always one for talking and was more for being physical if more demonstrative with his affections (and, no matter how the other was during the day, usually by that night he'd be back to wanting Arthur's attention and wanting the closeness that often came after they had sex, becoming gentle and, Arthur would dare say, lovable in those moments before they both fell asleep, curled up and entangled with one another).
So, coming back from doing some work at the library for his most recent job (just some point work for someone he's worked for before, not need to get hooked up the the PASIV or fly out to another country - both of which Tommy was happy about), he hadn't been expecting anything special, the day having been relatively uneventful so far.
Closing the door behind him and locking it back he looked around before setting his bag down, calling out softly: ]
Tommy? You home?
[ Sometimes he got home from the gym late, having decided to spar a bit after working out. ]
Reply
Before he can back out he steps out into the hallway and into Arthur's view. He feels ridiculous, but that isn't enough to have him forgetting he's doing this for a reason.]
Yeah.
Reply
He blinks at Tommy once, twice, three times before he finally gets out: ]
What... why are you dressed up?
[ 'And where the hell did you find a shirt big enough to fit you that well?' wasn't said but definitely making his way through his mind as he took in the other man dressed in a way he ever did. ]
Reply
[He'd sound matter-of-fact about it if he wasn't currently trying to iron out the creases he's somehow picked up between the packet and his chest. He's almost got his whole outfit right, too, the pants he's wearing smart and mostly pressed. The sneakers that are on his feet are more because he couldn't find any decent shoes rather than his own attempt at rebellion.]
We're going out. To eat.
Reply
Oh. Well...
[ He looks down at his own clothes before looking back up at the other man, still very surprised by this turn of events (he hadn't been expecting anything). ]
Do you want me to change into something else?
Reply
[He shrugs a huge shoulder and doesn't look like he cares either way. What is important is that Arthur has a good time on his birthday, and he's here to see that happens.]
Reply
"Where did you get this?" Because a man of Tommy's build couldn't possibly be easy to fit in a "normal" sized shirt.
Reply
"You gonna stare at my shirt all night or can we go eat? I'm hungry."
Reply
Leave a comment