The Mask
Alfred was sure Arthur was hiding something from him. Their love story had started by a random chance meeting in a bar one summer night. Alfred had finally gotten way from his work, was hanging out with his friends, and finally enjoying life.
Alfred had noticed him the moment he had entered the bar, walking with a swagger, his leather coat and pants somehow complemented the loose scarf around his neck. The first thought that ran through his head was, what guy wore a scarf artistically draped around his neck? It wasn't even winter. The young leather-clad, tousled-hair man sat the end of the bar looking like a rock band star on a second night alcohol binge/hangover.
Alfred couldn't stop looking at him. The man drank Guinness and Alfred could tell the guys shoes cost as much as Alfred's whole wardrobe put together. Out of your league Jones, Alfred thought to himself sternly, trying to stop the attraction right there. He felt ridiculous in his old university hoodie and scuffed up converse.
How it happened, Alfred didn't know. He could have sworn Arthur never even looked at him once that night, but as Alfred came back from the bathroom to his table of friends, walking past the bar, the leather clad man with amazing green eyes said, "buy you a drink?"
There was so much more implied in that statement, so Alfred feeling rather brave, cheekily said back, "why a drink when I could just have you?"
He could hear his twin brother Matthew groaning at the lameness and cheesiness of his pickup line two states and three provinces away.
The drunk rock star, or that's what Alfred was calling him in his head, raised his fantastic thick and dark eyebrows (Alfred immediately thought of Sean Connery) and smiled a bit fiercely. "Whatever you want poppet."
Poppet? Alfred had thought amused, like Pirates of the Carribbean? Excusing himself away from his friends he left the bar with his leather-clad one night stand.
Soon, the night became crazier than just being picked up by a hot British wanna-be rocker. Arthur, as the man introduced himself, was staying at a hotel room. It was private though, he had assuredly murmurred to Alfred in the back seat of the car, as he started kissing Alfred. The car was a driven car, the fancy sleek mini limos, not a taxi at all.
Alfred was going to have hickeys and love bites the next day, and he was enjoying every bit of it. Just as Arthur hit a erogeneous zone, Arthur's cellphone made a pinging noise. Groaning in frustration, he said to Alfred, "Sorry, one second love."
It wasn't like Alfred was going anywhere, stuck in a fancy car with a fancy hot Btitish guy, so he comtemplated if he was being kidnapped, or if Arthur was like James Bond (too conspicuous, so probably not), or if he shouldn't have ditched his friends for the allure of a set of beautiful lips and green eyes.
"Shite, " Arthur said frustrated as he was checked his texts and sent more. "We have to stop somewhere first, " he apologized to Alfred, who just shrugged and grinned.
At the sight of that megawatt smile, Arthur just flushed slightly and stared, his teeth working his lower lip without thinking. Alfred wasn't sure if his imagination was working overtime, that blush could have totally been the coloring of the car's tinted windows from the streetlights glowing in the night.
The stop was a club Alfred had never heard of or seeing the people entering was one he could ever get into. Yet, ripped sneakers and all, the bouncer let him pass. "Are we going to dance?" He yelled over the deep throb of the bass to Arthur. Arthur, preoccupied, shook his head. Grabbing Alfred's hand he led him back to the bar and bought him another drink. Then he met up with people who air kissed cheeks and vanished with their entourage.
Curious to see what Arthur was up to Alfred finally to ask security who cleared it with the bouncer at the front, before telling him where Artgur was. Alfred exited out a back door to the alleyway behind the club to see Arthur arguing on the phone, a cigarette between his fingers. He looked all hard-ass. Alfred just crouched down, leaning against the wall, and waited.
It was almost 3am when Arthur finally led him up to a posh room in the upper levels of a hotel.
Alfred remembered this all clearly.
He remembered his strange run-ins and courtship of Arthur.
See, after their first meetings and finally got into a relationship, albeit special relationship, Arthur's first actions made less and less sense, because the Arthur he had gotten to know was the kind of man who loved lounging around his warm nice apartment in his pajamas, who was really a homebody, and could contentedly stay cleaning, stitching, and reading at home all day.
Arthur was the kind of man who grouched about Alfreds lack of decent wardrobe, but then when mysteriously one of Alfreds hoodies vanished it reappeared in Arthurs closet.
Although the same boyfriend who loved sweatervests, horses and good beer would come home in fake drunken stupors and dressed as if he were partying all night. Then he would snuggle with Alfred as if he didn't seem to have a split personality.
It was a mask. A cover that Arthur used for some reason or another. It was really starting to bother Alfred. In comparison, Arthur always complained that Alfred was too open and honest. That's how Alfred liked it though, and he had a sneaking suspicion Artgur did too. No tape to cut through, no hidden agendas, he plainly adored Arthur as much as he never hid how much he loved Batman and Superman.
Arthur was an egnima. He had slowly shown Alfred both sides of him, and that mattered alot to Alfred, but Alfred needed to know why he acted that way. What for? Who for? The last question always made his stomuch clench and made him sick at heart.
"Who are you really?" Alfred finally blurted out one day as they stood shoulder to shoulder, the warm summer light making the wood in the apartment glow honey and amber.
His boyfriend, true to form, turned to him, drying towel draped over his shoulder, and his gloved hands wiping a tea cup with sudsy clothe. They were doing dishes. So domestic, like Arthur really was. "What are you on about?"
Arthur's brow furrowed and he scowled without knowing. Alfred chuckled weakly under the fierce gaze. "I googled you, and I found some Kirklands, and some corporation and company with the name Kirkland, but not you."
Arthur's gaze softened, "so?" he turned back to the task back at hand. "Why are you googling me?" He handed Alfred the rinsed cup.
"Because I wanna know who you are."
"Tosser," Arthur snorted, "I'm Arthur Kirkland. Yeah, my family is a bit rich, I thought we went over this, yeah?"
"Arthur." Alfred gently grabbed Arthur's arm. The serious tone in his voice and face made Arthur stop what he was doing. Disengageing his arm, he pulled off his gloves, and covered his face with his hand. Sighing he looked at Alfred sadly.
"Do you ever watch telly and films?
"If you mean television and movies, yeah," Alfred laughed at Arthur's face now annoyed.
"Git."
"You love me." Alfred ducked in under his boyfriends well-honed defenses and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Arthur blushed, "Yes." he sighed.
"You sound unhappy with that."
"What? No! I'm perfectly content--" he stopped seeing Alfred's playful and smug expression.
There was a silence.
"I'm an actor."
"And I'm a hero." Alfred said semi-sarcastically. Whenever he told his boyfriends about wanting to be a superhero they had all thought he was nuts. Arthur had said to him, "you can be whatever you want love, I won't stop you." He loved Arthur so much.
"You are." Arthur's voice was serious even as he turned red. Twisting the drying towel about he looked unsure at Alfred. "I act." he confessed, " I'm well known on stage and in film. I-I-I just didn't want you to think I was fooling you or something. Think I was leading you on."
Alfred just stood there. How did he start going out with a movie star and not know it? Not everything was making sense and boy, Arthur could be pulling one on him, but it was Arthur's style to do so.
Trying to cover up his shock he teased, "oh, British tv and movies." He said it obnoxiously as if it meant nothing. Arthur was turning and interesting color of puce.
"Idiot! It's perfectly as good as Hollywood! Better even!"
Alfred grinned at him, "so good you hid it from me."
"Every actor wears a mask Alfred, you just also get to see me too."
Alfred smiled. A semblance of normality returned to the kitchen.
"Git! Thinking British films are rubbish, just you wait..." Arthur put his annoyance towards his dishes.
--------
"Woah!" Alfred breathed out quietly as he surfed the web. The quiet of the night was only broken by sirens sometimes going by and the random squeal of car tires.
His boyfriend was hot.
Alfred grinned at all the fansites and pictures. Not in a million years would he have thought he'd be surfing the web in his handsome boyfriend's posh apartment, having slept with a movie star, and earlier that evening also had made dinner with the same one. Each day got more and more exciting.
"Alfred." Arthur was sitting up in bed, awake or asleep, Alfred couldn't tell, "come to bed."
"Yes sir!" he said with the giddiness in his heart. Bounding over to the bed, he jumped in like a little kid.
As they snuggled in together Arthur said accusingly, "you have a mask too."
"I do?" Alfred said, but Arthur had fallen asleep already.
Alfred had noticed him the moment he had entered the bar, walking with a swagger, his leather coat and pants somehow complemented the loose scarf around his neck. The first thought that ran through his head was, what guy wore a scarf artistically draped around his neck? It wasn't even winter. The young leather-clad, tousled-hair man sat the end of the bar looking like a rock band star on a second night alcohol binge/hangover.
Alfred couldn't stop looking at him. The man drank Guinness and Alfred could tell the guys shoes cost as much as Alfred's whole wardrobe put together. Out of your league Jones, Alfred thought to himself sternly, trying to stop the attraction right there. He felt ridiculous in his old university hoodie and scuffed up converse.
How it happened, Alfred didn't know. He could have sworn Arthur never even looked at him once that night, but as Alfred came back from the bathroom to his table of friends, walking past the bar, the leather clad man with amazing green eyes said, "buy you a drink?"
There was so much more implied in that statement, so Alfred feeling rather brave, cheekily said back, "why a drink when I could just have you?"
He could hear his twin brother Matthew groaning at the lameness and cheesiness of his pickup line two states and three provinces away.
The drunk rock star, or that's what Alfred was calling him in his head, raised his fantastic thick and dark eyebrows (Alfred immediately thought of Sean Connery) and smiled a bit fiercely. "Whatever you want poppet."
Poppet? Alfred had thought amused, like Pirates of the Carribbean? Excusing himself away from his friends he left the bar with his leather-clad one night stand.
Soon, the night became crazier than just being picked up by a hot British wanna-be rocker. Arthur, as the man introduced himself, was staying at a hotel room. It was private though, he had assuredly murmurred to Alfred in the back seat of the car, as he started kissing Alfred. The car was a driven car, the fancy sleek mini limos, not a taxi at all.
Alfred was going to have hickeys and love bites the next day, and he was enjoying every bit of it. Just as Arthur hit a erogeneous zone, Arthur's cellphone made a pinging noise. Groaning in frustration, he said to Alfred, "Sorry, one second love."
It wasn't like Alfred was going anywhere, stuck in a fancy car with a fancy hot Btitish guy, so he comtemplated if he was being kidnapped, or if Arthur was like James Bond (too conspicuous, so probably not), or if he shouldn't have ditched his friends for the allure of a set of beautiful lips and green eyes.
"Shite, " Arthur said frustrated as he was checked his texts and sent more. "We have to stop somewhere first, " he apologized to Alfred, who just shrugged and grinned.
At the sight of that megawatt smile, Arthur just flushed slightly and stared, his teeth working his lower lip without thinking. Alfred wasn't sure if his imagination was working overtime, that blush could have totally been the coloring of the car's tinted windows from the streetlights glowing in the night.
The stop was a club Alfred had never heard of or seeing the people entering was one he could ever get into. Yet, ripped sneakers and all, the bouncer let him pass. "Are we going to dance?" He yelled over the deep throb of the bass to Arthur. Arthur, preoccupied, shook his head. Grabbing Alfred's hand he led him back to the bar and bought him another drink. Then he met up with people who air kissed cheeks and vanished with their entourage.
Curious to see what Arthur was up to Alfred finally to ask security who cleared it with the bouncer at the front, before telling him where Artgur was. Alfred exited out a back door to the alleyway behind the club to see Arthur arguing on the phone, a cigarette between his fingers. He looked all hard-ass. Alfred just crouched down, leaning against the wall, and waited.
It was almost 3am when Arthur finally led him up to a posh room in the upper levels of a hotel.
Alfred remembered this all clearly.
He remembered his strange run-ins and courtship of Arthur.
See, after their first meetings and finally got into a relationship, albeit special relationship, Arthur's first actions made less and less sense, because the Arthur he had gotten to know was the kind of man who loved lounging around his warm nice apartment in his pajamas, who was really a homebody, and could contentedly stay cleaning, stitching, and reading at home all day.
Arthur was the kind of man who grouched about Alfreds lack of decent wardrobe, but then when mysteriously one of Alfreds hoodies vanished it reappeared in Arthurs closet.
Although the same boyfriend who loved sweatervests, horses and good beer would come home in fake drunken stupors and dressed as if he were partying all night. Then he would snuggle with Alfred as if he didn't seem to have a split personality.
It was a mask. A cover that Arthur used for some reason or another. It was really starting to bother Alfred. In comparison, Arthur always complained that Alfred was too open and honest. That's how Alfred liked it though, and he had a sneaking suspicion Artgur did too. No tape to cut through, no hidden agendas, he plainly adored Arthur as much as he never hid how much he loved Batman and Superman.
Arthur was an egnima. He had slowly shown Alfred both sides of him, and that mattered alot to Alfred, but Alfred needed to know why he acted that way. What for? Who for? The last question always made his stomuch clench and made him sick at heart.
"Who are you really?" Alfred finally blurted out one day as they stood shoulder to shoulder, the warm summer light making the wood in the apartment glow honey and amber.
His boyfriend, true to form, turned to him, drying towel draped over his shoulder, and his gloved hands wiping a tea cup with sudsy clothe. They were doing dishes. So domestic, like Arthur really was. "What are you on about?"
Arthur's brow furrowed and he scowled without knowing. Alfred chuckled weakly under the fierce gaze. "I googled you, and I found some Kirklands, and some corporation and company with the name Kirkland, but not you."
Arthur's gaze softened, "so?" he turned back to the task back at hand. "Why are you googling me?" He handed Alfred the rinsed cup.
"Because I wanna know who you are."
"Tosser," Arthur snorted, "I'm Arthur Kirkland. Yeah, my family is a bit rich, I thought we went over this, yeah?"
"Arthur." Alfred gently grabbed Arthur's arm. The serious tone in his voice and face made Arthur stop what he was doing. Disengageing his arm, he pulled off his gloves, and covered his face with his hand. Sighing he looked at Alfred sadly.
"Do you ever watch telly and films?
"If you mean television and movies, yeah," Alfred laughed at Arthur's face now annoyed.
"Git."
"You love me." Alfred ducked in under his boyfriends well-honed defenses and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Arthur blushed, "Yes." he sighed.
"You sound unhappy with that."
"What? No! I'm perfectly content--" he stopped seeing Alfred's playful and smug expression.
There was a silence.
"I'm an actor."
"And I'm a hero." Alfred said semi-sarcastically. Whenever he told his boyfriends about wanting to be a superhero they had all thought he was nuts. Arthur had said to him, "you can be whatever you want love, I won't stop you." He loved Arthur so much.
"You are." Arthur's voice was serious even as he turned red. Twisting the drying towel about he looked unsure at Alfred. "I act." he confessed, " I'm well known on stage and in film. I-I-I just didn't want you to think I was fooling you or something. Think I was leading you on."
Alfred just stood there. How did he start going out with a movie star and not know it? Not everything was making sense and boy, Arthur could be pulling one on him, but it was Arthur's style to do so.
Trying to cover up his shock he teased, "oh, British tv and movies." He said it obnoxiously as if it meant nothing. Arthur was turning and interesting color of puce.
"Idiot! It's perfectly as good as Hollywood! Better even!"
Alfred grinned at him, "so good you hid it from me."
"Every actor wears a mask Alfred, you just also get to see me too."
Alfred smiled. A semblance of normality returned to the kitchen.
"Git! Thinking British films are rubbish, just you wait..." Arthur put his annoyance towards his dishes.
--------
"Woah!" Alfred breathed out quietly as he surfed the web. The quiet of the night was only broken by sirens sometimes going by and the random squeal of car tires.
His boyfriend was hot.
Alfred grinned at all the fansites and pictures. Not in a million years would he have thought he'd be surfing the web in his handsome boyfriend's posh apartment, having slept with a movie star, and earlier that evening also had made dinner with the same one. Each day got more and more exciting.
"Alfred." Arthur was sitting up in bed, awake or asleep, Alfred couldn't tell, "come to bed."
"Yes sir!" he said with the giddiness in his heart. Bounding over to the bed, he jumped in like a little kid.
As they snuggled in together Arthur said accusingly, "you have a mask too."
"I do?" Alfred said, but Arthur had fallen asleep already.