Chapter Text
Arthur liked where he worked. It wasn’t perfect, but it paid the rent and the people were nice enough. Sure he got papercuts daily from the million files he had to cart around, and his boss called him at odd times to carry out inane tasks, and yes, maybe his friends made fun of him for being a grown man and working as someone’s assistant. But that he didn’t mind. He could stand teasing and his absent-minded boss and stinging cuts. If only for one thing.
“I’ve got a package.”
He’d been working at the company for almost half a year, and spent almost all that time ogling their delivery guy. Alfred was, as Arthur had described him the first day he’d walked in with his sky-blue eyes and superhuman ability to make brown overalls sexy, unfairly attractive. He had that stupid American sunny smile, glasses that made him look dorky and cute instead of aging his face, and for a man who delivered letters and parcels for a living his biceps were bigger than they had any right to be. Every time he stepped foot in their building Arthur damn near forgot how to breathe.
They exchanged smiles and pleasantries almost daily, and half the time Arthur could swear he saw Alfred staring at him while he filed things away, but he was certain that was just his stupid crush talking. They had a good rapport though, more than once he’d made the man laugh and on one particular occasion between the little bits of information they exchanged Alfred had winked and said this stop is the highlight of my day.
But he’d left so quickly after that Arthur had marked it as some sort of mistake Alfred had made and was too kind to take it back. That or it was some sort of fever daydream. And as he preferred to believe that he still had his sanity and hadn’t simply lost it over a pair of warm hands (they’d touched a few times accidentally exchanging parcels) and some ruffled blond hair, polite accident it was deemed.
“For me, I expect?” Arthur turned around from where he’d been standing behind his desk, eyebrow raised playfully as was the normal for his interactions with their sinfully handsome postman.
He’d deny flirting, he was horrible at it if anyone paid attention. But a friend of his who’d once witnessed his interactions with Alfred had called him damn near coy with the way he smiled slyly and looked right into Alfred’s eyes. They’d received Arthur’s backhand on their bicep and a curt shut up.
“Always.” Alfred grinned right back, putting the parcel down in front of Arthur and taking out his pad for the signature. “Well, not really for you I guess, but your boss isn’t coming down here to take it himself, is he?”
Arthur laughed quietly despite the fact that what Alfred said was deserving of an entertained smile at best, and would’ve well been embarrassed for it if not for the way Alfred’s grin had widened when he did it. He looked down, clearing his throat from some new fluster that had occurred looking at Alfred’s face.
“No, I don’t think he is. But maybe one time I’ll actually have a parcel delivered to me instead of him.”
“Well if you did I bet you’d want me to give it to you at your house, not here.” Alfred’s grin didn’t waver, at least not until he’d registered Arthur’s startled, owlish stare. “The package! Give you, give you the package.”
Alfred had a habit of doing that. Accidental innuendos that he was painfully unaware of as Arthur’s head reeled with the suggestion of what he’d said. On one occasion, he’d made the mistake of asking Arthur to hold his package. Arthur dared not share the illicit fantasies that had sprung up in his mind from that particular slip, but the embarrassment on both parts was enough to make eye contact awkward for almost two weeks.
“Right, well uh, I’m quite happy for you to give it to me anywhere.”
And on some days, Arthur too fell victim to innuendo.
He winced as the words passed his lips, all too aware of exactly what he’d just said and internally cursing himself for not thinking before he spoke. Of course what he’d said was true, but that honesty wasn’t exactly going to score him any points with the obviously flustered postman staring back at him.
Oh, Alfred could give it to him anywhere.
Arthur looked down as he tried to collect himself, searching for something to fill the silence that had suddenly fallen between them. Alfred seemed to have the same idea, finding just about any excuse he could not to look at Arthur while the tension ebbed away. For a couple of seconds, an odd rubber mark on the floor was a good distraction.
“Uh…” He cleared his throat. “Yeah well, uh, I don’t think your house is on my route. Be weird if I knew where you lived, huh?”
“Quite.” Arthur looked up quickly, embarrassed at the way his voice cracked, but at least Alfred didn’t seem to notice. “So…Signature?”
The signature usually signalled the end of their interactions for the day, and Arthur had found himself increasingly delaying that moment for as long as he could each time Alfred showed up. It didn’t help that the man himself seemed to cling to the device until the very last second. For a moment he could even swear he saw disappointment flicker in Alfred’s eyes at the very mention of it, but that had to be his imagination.
“Yeah, right, uh.” Alfred sighed, laughing at himself a little as he fumbled to get the pen out of its slot on the side of his little machine. “Here you go.”
Arthur took the pen, doing his best to ignore the slight brush of his skin against Alfred’s as he leaned over the desk to scribble his signature onto the pad.
“There you go.” He righted himself, handing the pen back over to Alfred with a small smile that he couldn’t help from returning to Alfred’s bright grin.
“Great. Have a swell day.”
“You too.” Arthur bit his lip subconsciously, trying his best not to stare at Alfred’s butt as he walked away.