Archive of Our Own ^beta

Arthur was not good at having a roommate, which he doesn't think is completely his fault. 

He would've blamed it on any number of annoying habits the man who'd taken his spare room had, but it all boiled down to the fact that John Doe was unbearably attractive. 

Or, his voice was. Arthur couldn't exactly see him, but his voice alone was decadent and rich, something Arthur feels almost ashamed to listen to so intently. He's almost certain John thinks he's scared of him with how often he startles at his voice but it's only because he tends to just zone out and listen to the way words roll off John's tongue like sweet honey until John says his name to draw him back. 

Arthur had grown a habit of asking John to describe things to him when he could. Not only could Arthur listen to his voice for hours, but John was able to tell him about the world in such a poetic way that he almost wonders if he was a writer as well. He would never get tired of hearing how the sunrise looked in the early morning or the bustling motion of the store resembled when the two of them happened to go to the grocery together. 

Despite how Arthur had grown used to his company, they'd butted heads over every little thing at first. John worked as a bartender so he kept odd hours, which would have been fine if Arthur hadn't kept rather strict hours to be punctual for his job as a piano professor at the local university. Then there was the leaving objects on the ground - shoes, coats, backpacks, books, John himself (and hadn't that been a moment , tripping over him and feeling strong hands keep him from an unpleasant impact with the floor. John's apology had been struck through with laughter that cut right through Arthur's indignation). Arthur's carefully kept system to navigate the apartment went out the window and he fell enough times in the first month that the bruises on his knees stayed for almost an entire month after. John got better about picking up after himself or at the least warning Arthur when he was about to trip over something, but it still happened often enough to be a hazard. 

And of course the fact that John was violently antisocial with anyone other than Arthur. 

Arthur wasn't exactly the life of the party, but he had a few close friends he'd bring around - Parker and Oscar for the most part. He'd met Parker while working on his doctorate, running into the detective as he was investigating a vandalization crime on campus and had foolishly asked the only blind professor if he'd seen anything. They had hit it off immediately, Parker buying him lunch in apology and bringing gossip about his cases to every meeting. Oscar had helped him find work as a performer instead of a teacher so he often came around for lunch or after service. Despite being neutral (and on occasion negative) towards religion, Arthur wouldn't turn down a steady paycheck. 

Parker had been the one to introduce him to John in the first place, having met the guy when he'd been at lunch with his fellow detectives. When they got to talking Parker managed to find out that John needed a new apartment on short notice and Arthur had just decided to open his lease to a roommate to curb the rent increase. 

John didn't seem interested in interacting with either of them when they came over while he was in the apartment. Despite Parker being the one to offer John the room (yes Arthur needed the rent money, but he was still irritated at how quickly Parker solved that problem) John avoided him like the plague. When Oscar was over John wouldn't retreat to his room every single time, but instead "brood in the corner" according to Oscar's wry observations. In the four months they'd lived together John hadn't once brought anyone over or mentioned any family or friends that lived in the city. 

If they hadn't managed to coexist with a semblance of civility Arthur would've kicked him out awhile ago. But he can't help but admit it was nice having another person there, he hadn't lived with anyone in years - not since leaving Bella and their daughter. She had voiced her concerns over him living on his own, but he had insisted he would be fine and it was that pride that kept him from accepting roommates despite how much easier it was. 

With how often John humored him, Arthur's certain that he didn't mind the company either. Not that he'd thought to ask, maybe it was Arthur's own wishful thinking. 

All this to say that when John isn't scheduled for work or going out for another reason (they had quickly come up with the idea to share their schedules so they could both expect late night/early morning wakeups) but is gathering together his coat and keys, Arthur gets curious. He can't count a single time John had visited friends or left without at least telling Arthur where he was going.  

"John? Are you leaving?" 

The jingling of keys stops abruptly, halted by a quick hand. John remains silent as he finishes putting on his coat, something that irritates Arthur enough to level a glare in his direction. He didn't like being ignored.  

"John?" 

"I'm- yes I'm leaving," John nearly growls. Arthur raises his brows curiously as he can hear the door opening, "I'll be back in a few hours." 

Arthur isn't given the opportunity to question further as the door shuts solidly, John's footsteps fading rapidly down the hallway. After a few stunned seconds Arthur gets up to lock the door, cursing as his foot collides with an ill placed textbook. His own fault, but he still kicks it harshly out of the way. 

He doesn't understand why his mind is racing, why he's struggling to focus on the recorded assessment he was supposed to be grading. His thoughts keep revolving around John's short tone - almost nervous if he had to assign an emotion to it. Why would John be nervous? He didn't have many obligations other than work and errands, but Arthur knew about those (mostly for both of their sanity's sake). What other reason would he be leaving in such a hurry with no explanation?

Two hours pass, marked by the chime of the clock on the wall and setting him late enough he would normally be getting ready for bed. He's barely graded half of his class's most recent proficiency exams with how distracted he is when he hears a key in the lock. The urge to jump up and head towards the door is strong, but Arthur forces it down and quickly begins typing comments for the most recent student as he hears John enter. He can hear the man pause in the doorway, slowly setting his keys on the hook by the door and sliding his coat off. 

"Welcome back John," Arthur says evenly. Most of the time John would brush past him without saying anything, but he can hear him shifting from foot to foot nervously . 

"It's late," John says, more of a statement than a question. 

"Yes," Arthur agrees, waiting a moment before he realizes John must be waiting for an explanation. "I've been grading. I need to complete these comments by Monday so I figured I would get a head start." It wasn't common for Arthur to stay up at later hours, even less common for him to remain in their living room when he had a perfectly good desk in his room.

John hums, and Arthur just hopes he'll get the hint to offer something about his own evening. He doesn't. 

"I'm just finishing up this one," Arthur says, "Then I'll be headed to bed. Performance tomorrow morning for the church." 

"Right..." John says quietly, "Goodnight Arthur." 

Arthur listens curiously to John hurry away, closing himself into his room. Not uncommon, but it was strange for him to be so quiet about his evening. They typically recapped their days at the least, discussing how their different schedules passed. This was an unusual development, and Arthur wasn't quite sure how he felt about it yet. 

The odd behavior continues sporadically. The only times John acted strange were on the days he had off from work when Arthur was home in the apartment. Of course Arthur wouldn't be able to tell the difference for the days he wasn't home in the evenings, but now that he was noticing them they were forming a pattern. 

Parker is over on one occasion, clearly surprising John as he attempts to make a quick escape. 

"John! Good to see you, it feels like it's been years," Parker jokes, drawing Arthur's attention to where he could hear the door opening. 

"Yes, hello Parker," John says stiffly. Arthur's eyebrows raise curiously at the guarded tone, sitting up straighter from where he'd been leaned back on the couch. 

"Heading out John?" He asks, smiling in what he hopes is a disarming way. 

"I'll be back in a few hours," John replies, not quite answering the question but leaving before Arthur could press him further. 

"What an interesting guy," Parker muses, getting up to lock the door before flopping back down beside Arthur. "He reminds me of a skittish cat, I swear we hit it off when we first met but it seems like he avoids me like the plague now." 

"Maybe he has something against you, or detectives or something," Arthur theorizes, throwing his hands in the air vaguely. He’s glad Parker had noticed it as well, it meant that this was a new development and not something Arthur was overly concerned about. "He's been acting even stranger these past couple of weeks. Leaving when he doesn't have anything else to do and never telling me how his day went." 

Parker hums thoughtfully, "Could be he's just trying to get out of the apartment for once." 

"After nearly four months?" Arthur says curiously, "He leaves plenty for his job already. Nowadays he never sticks around long enough for me to ask." 

"Now that is interesting," Parker agrees, "But I'm sure he'll tell you if it's anything important." 

"I sure hope so," Arthur grumbles, "I feel like I know nothing about the guy as is." 

"Just gotta figure out what makes him tick!" Parker says optimistically, "Try to pin him down tonight if anything, I'll make sure to get out of y'alls hair before it gets too late."

Arthur doesn't manage to catch John that night, or the rest of the week for that matter. Midterms meant he was kept quite busy with practice sessions, performances, and recitals - both him performing and grading. He's grateful when he reaches spring break, even though his obligations are far from over. 

It's on a Tuesday night when he catches John leaving just before dinner - significantly earlier than his usual quick escapes. 

"Do you work today John?" Arthur asks curiously. He could've sworn John wasn't scheduled until tomorrow, but it wouldn't be the first time he got their schedules confused. 

"Ah...no," John hesitates long enough for Arthur to stop stirring the vegetables cooking in the pan and stare at him. "I'm going out." 

"Really?" Arthur says lightly, "That's the second time this week!"

"I'm allowed to leave the apartment when I want to," John growls defensively. 

Arthur sighs, that wasn’t the reaction he was going for. "That's not - I was joking John. You realize in the past five months we've lived together I've only heard you leave for work or for errands." 

There's an awkward silence and Arthur regrets poking at John's clearly shriveled sense of humor when he can hear him huff in annoyance.  

"I'm...meetingafriend," John mumbles quietly, the words fumbling together into an almost incoherent explanation. 

"A friend!" Arthur tries to keep the shock out of his voice, "That's fantastic." 

"I'm allowed to have friends," John says with annoyance, keys clicking together as they're tossed between his hands. "Are you telling me I'm not allowed to leave our apartment Arthur?" 

"Not at all, I'm not saying it's bad or-" Arthur pinches the bridge of his nose, a familiar frustration rising at John’s bullheadedness. "It's good that you're spending time with a friend outside of the apartment, John. I'm just…trying to grasp our schedule." 

John huffs a sigh that could be relieved or annoyed, Arthur always did have trouble telling the difference. "I'll be back in a few hours." 

Arthur is left on his own, listening to the sizzle of his dinner cooking and wondering if John was going to meet whoever it was for dinner with the time of day it was. Maybe it was a date even, that would explain the nervous behavior. John didn't seem like the type to talk openly about relationships. Not that Arthur did either, the most he did was explain the pictures of Bella and Faroe that he kept in his office when John asked. If it was a date, would John tell him about it? Would he start bringing that person back to the apartment? 

He shakes off the sudden influx of thought over how this would change their current standing as roommates, resolving to just ask John when he gets home, it would be the most sane way to resolve this anyway. 

"It's just so infuriating!" 

Oscar hums, acknowledging Arthur's annoyance, but not interrupting the rant that had been taking place over a good majority of their lunch. The cafe was rather busy at this time of day but it had become their normal debriefing spot after a morning performance. Oscar had noticed Arthur was distracted and despite insisting to himself that he didn't care Arthur found himself spilling all of his concerns about John all at once. He can hear the chatter of other patrons as he picks up his glass, sighing heavily. 

"I mean it's fine, I should expect John to make friends, it's honestly strange that we've lived together so long and he hasn't brought anyone over or mentioned talking to anyone. Not that he talks to me much but- no I suppose that's a lie. He talks to me quite a lot and I enjoy having him around to tell me about things when I simply don't have the energy to parse it out myself but-" 

"You're talking yourself into circles Arthur," Oscar says, not unkindly. 

"Right right," Arthur trails off, setting his glass down only for his fingers to begin tapping an aimless pattern against his empty plate. "I'm not sure what I'm getting myself so worked up over. I suppose I find it strange that he refuses to talk to me about this friend of his. I've never met a man so skilled at avoiding a topic, I can tell he doesn't want to talk about it and he whisks himself away so quickly. I don't understand why it bothers me so much." 

"Do you want me to give you my theory?" The smile in Oscar's voice is clear, as if he knew exactly what was on Arthur's mind even though he had yet to figure it out himself. 

"It can't be worse than sitting here clueless," Arthur sighs, picking up his glass once more. "Go ahead." 

"I think you're jealous." 

Arthur chokes on the water he'd been sipping, slamming the cup back down to the table and attempting to protest through coughs. He can hear Oscar laughing at him, the bastard. 

"I'm not!" 

"Arthur, you just talked about how strange you thought it was for John to have a friend and not tell you about it over the course of thirty minutes. I'm not saying you're stalking the man, but you have to admit that you must feel something about the fact he's spending time out of the apartment with someone who isn't you," Oscar says, poorly attempting to hide his laughter. 

"I- no that's not-" Arthur attempts to protest but realizes how he must have sounded, ranting for John for nearly thirty minutes about him meeting a friend of all things. He covers his face with his hands. "Oh no." 

Oscar laughs at him openly, reaching over the table to give him a solid pat on the shoulder, "Glad you've figured it out at least. I would've thought with how you act even with me around in the apartment you were a married couple already."

"Now hang on!" Arthur protests, feeling his face redden, "What's that all of a sudden? We do not act like a married couple!" 

"You can make an argument out of whether or not there is oxygen in the air you're breathing and then literally recite a poem for him Arthur," Oscar says incredulously, "Come on now!" 

Arthur feels himself blush even more, recognizing the exact moment Oscar was describing. John hadn't known that Arthur had gotten a degree for literature and piano performance when Oscar was getting his opinion on one of the books he'd picked up to read in his spare time. It eventually led to John asking about his studies and Arthur had recited a few poems at John's request. Then they had derailed a bit, somehow discussing chemistry which led to quite a heated debate about the scientific properties of oxygen before eventually returning to poetry. Arthur had not hesitated to oblige John's curious request and thinking back on it he knew that he had recited quite a few just to hear John's impressed comments on the matter.

"Why am I like this Oscar?" Arthur mumbles through his fingers, "I should be happy he's finally getting out of the apartment." 

"It's a natural human emotion, don't beat yourself up over it too much," Oscar replies, "Besides, it may be better if you actually say something about it to him." 

Arthur slams his hands on the table hard enough for their plates to rattle, "What?!" 

"Easy," Oscar chides, catching his near empty cup from falling over, "I'm just saying maybe if you talked to him about it you wouldn't feel so conflicted." 

"Absolutely not," Arthur refuses immediately, mind racing at the implication of bringing this up to John. He really doesn't know enough about the man to make an assumption, much less offer this to him. No, there was no reason to bring it up if it would only possibly end negatively. 

"Didn't say you had to," Oscar placates, "Just an option. Or you could ask to meet the guy John's been hanging out with so much."

Arthur rubs at his face, attempting to valiantly stave off the headache developing from this conversation, "Why do I take advice from you again?" 

"Because most of the time it's decent," Oscar replies cheekily, "I won't give myself credit for it being right all of the time, because that's just not true." 

Arthur grumbles under his breath but he can't deny that Oscar has helped him through a lot. He may not like hearing it, but Oscar was right. Denying what he felt for John - even if he hadn't yet analyzed what exactly it was - was not the correct answer. 

"I'll see if he'll introduce me to his new friend at least, will that get you off my back?" Arthur says, flicking a dry look in Oscar's direction. 

"You do whatever will make you feel the best," Oscar replies good naturedly, "and I truly think a good conversation is just what the two of you need." 

Knowing they needed to talk and actually pinning John down for a conversation are two very different things. It was almost as if fate was working against them, putting them on directly opposite schedules. Over the course of Arthur's 'break' (he never quite managed to keep his spring breaks free) if he wasn't off accompanying a performance or visiting Faroe and Bella, John was working or already out. 

Arthur had just returned from his final performance for the week when he quite literally runs into John, the man quickly steadying him with warm hands and a firm grip on his arms. 

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Arthur apologizes quickly, "Are you heading back to the apartment as well?" 

"Yeah, I was cut early from morning shift," John replies, nudging Arthur's arm. He takes the offer, folding up his cane and letting John guide him the rest of the way to their apartment. It wasn't often that he let others physically guide him since he preferred to use his cane, but he would never reject John's assistance. Technically he could make it back to their apartment fine without John's guidance, but he can't deny how nice it was to feel his arm beneath his own, strong and steady. "Your performance went well?" 

"Yes, quite well," Arthur hums, “It was a few recitals actually, I accompanied many of the graduate students for their midterms as needed." He almost asked how John knew before he remembered he was wearing concert black. It was one of the few things he insisted upon no matter what he was performing for. "I'll have a bit of a break thankfully as only a few students have requested my services for the end of the year. Plus my recital for the semester won't be for a few months yet, just normal classes from here on out." 

"That's good," John says, carefully letting go of Arthur's arm as they reach the apartment. Arthur refuses to let himself feel disappointment as he follows John inside, leaving his things in their place by the front door and toeing off his dress shoes. He can hear John wander down the hall, likely changing out of his work clothes and Arthur quickly does the same to rid himself of the somewhat stiff dress clothes. The two of them reconvene in the kitchen, agreeing to make lunch together. 

"My recital is May 8th, if you're interested," Arthur offers. He remembers when he and John had first met. The schedule for the year had just been released and Arthur had promptly pulled all of the pieces he was scheduling for the semester and chosen the living room as his base of operations. John had been curious about the sheet music Arthur had scattered around at the time, not used to seeing braille transcriptions. He'd mentioned wanting to hear Arthur play at some point, but since Arthur always practiced on campus there hadn't been an opportunity. 

"That would be nice," John says quietly, "I'll make sure I'm not working." 

"You could invite your friend as well if you like, it's not like my recitals are widely attended," Arthur continues. There hadn't been any opportunity to bring it up in the weeks between his and Oscar's conversation, but there was no time like the present. He can hear John pause before continuing to move around him as if he hadn't. 

"I'll...ask," John says hesitantly after a long pause. 

"You can talk to me about them you know," Arthur huffs lightly, "I must admit I'm curious to know who managed to pull you out of your shell." 

"I don't have a shell," John protests immediately, "I just have a limited number of people I interact with." 

"Exactly!" Arthur gestures vaguely, "So I'd like to know more about them if you would be willing to tell me." 

John grumbles something under his breath but eventually says, "His name is Noel." 

Arthur waits, expecting more information but John just stands there silently. 

"And..." Arthur waves his hand in a motion to continue. "Did you all meet at work? Around town?" 

"We met after work," John says, "he actually helped break up a bar fight." 

Arthur throws his hands in the air, hearing John sigh at his theatrics. "See now that's interesting! Are you considered a bouncer at your job too?" 

"At times, my primary role is a bartender but if my manager sends me out on the floor to break something up it typically clears up quick." John replies. Arthur doesn't doubt it one bit, Oscar had mentioned how intimidating John appeared the first time they'd met and Arthur knew that he went to the gym often. "Noel was a patron that night, a couple guys were getting rowdy and started throwing punches. It turned into a pretty large brawl, took the three of us working and Noel to break it up till police got there." 

"I'm surprised I didn't hear about it when you got home!" Arthur says with surprise, imagining how the fight may have gone. He knew John was large, hands and muscled arms the main proof of it but visualizing him fighting sent a small thrill through his chest. 

"They were just a group of drunks causing trouble," John waves off, "Noel caught me afterwards, offering a drink on the house for helping him out." 

Arthur makes a surprised noise, "You helped him personally?" 

"Not exactly," John says, "He let me know he was a detective and had been following that particular group of guys for a different reason." 

Arthur tilts his head, "Huh, I wonder if Parker knows him." 

"Right, your friend is a detective too?" 

"Yes," Arthur says brightly, "I'll have to see if he knows Noel. Sorry to interrupt- please continue." He quietly files away the fact that being a detective wasn't the reason John was avoiding Parker, must be another reason. 

"There's not much else to tell," John says, turning away and grabbing plates from the cupboard. "He's been inviting me out on the town when we have time, since I'm new to the city and he's lived here quite awhile." 

Arthur frowns, John hadn’t asked him anything about the city. Something about that sat wrong, he’d lived here for a good couple of years after divorcing Bella after all. There had been many things he’d discovered in the city that he thinks would be interesting. 

"I'm not sure what I could tell you about the sights, but you always could've asked me you know," Arthur says jokingly, but the resulting quiet has him thinking he stuck his foot in his mouth again. 

"I already ask…asked a lot of you," John mumbles, "and Noel offered." 

For some reason Arthur feels his heart skip. Had he put John off asking him for anything? He tilts his head in thought, "I suppose I haven't been the best host. I would blame my blindness but that would be cheap." He can hear John shift uncomfortably, starting to protest so he quickly changes subjects, an idea sparking in his mind. "Tell you what, I'll take you out to my favorite place when we're both free."

"Oh?" The slight smile behind John's words is obvious and Arthur grins wide to match it. 

"Of course! I've collected quite a few gems if I do say so myself. We'll just have to coordinate a good day," Arthur waves away the gathering thoughts of where he would most like to take John. "I've sidetracked us however, please keep telling me about this Noel." 

The more Arthur listens, the more he has to remind himself to be happy for John. It's rare to hear such clear excitement in his voice, but the more John talks about Noel's exciting life as a detective or the many times the man had come to visit him at work, Arthur finds it harder and harder to reply with positive responses. When the two of them split off after lunch, Arthur finds himself at his desk stewing in his thoughts. 

The conversation he had with Oscar returns to him, jealousy returning to the forefront of his thoughts. He shouldn't be so defensive, he knows this. John was making friends, going out at night, finally feeling comfortable in the city. If Arthur wasn't able to give him that then it's only right that he finds it with someone else. 

Why was he still so irritated?

"How do you feel about dancing?" 

John stumbles, something that Arthur raises a brow at. The question was a bit out of the blue but he'd been pondering what to show him that he probably hadn’t seen before. He had a few ideas, but he wanted to do something different from what Noel has likely shown him. 

"Why?" 

"There's a lovely restaurant that doubles as a dance club - older styles like waltzing and swing actually - not like a modern club. I think it would be a fun night," Arthur explains brightly. He had been there once with Bella before Faroe was born. The food was fantastic and they had a wide variety of live performers for the dance sessions. Even if someone didn't want to dance, there was plenty of entertainment for the night. 

"I'm not much of a dancer," John says apprehensively. 

"I can teach you," Arthur replies immediately, perhaps a touch too fast so he continues. "Even if you don't want to dance there's plenty of other things to focus on, the live bands are quite good. We can sit and have a lovely dinner, then dance if we feel like it." 

John is clearly in thought, something that makes Arthur's anxiety grow. He hadn't exactly thought of a backup plan, if John didn't like this idea then-

"Sure." 

Arthur releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "Brilliant! We can reserve a spot two weeks out, is that enough notice for your work?" 

"That's fine," John says, "Just let me know when so I can put in my request off." 

Arthur agrees, promising to do the reservations tomorrow since at this point it was late enough he wouldn't be able to call and didn't want to fight with his laptop. He has to tamp down his excitement at the prospect of taking John somewhere he hadn't been before, doing something fun together that wasn't just sitting around the apartment or going on walks around the local park. It may be a few weeks away, but he was still already plotting and planning how the night would go.

"Arthur!" 

John's voice startles him, uncharacteristically excited and loud enough it nearly echoes. Arthur tilts his head, surprised that he hadn't heard him come in. He'd been so preoccupied with setting the table that the sound of the front door opening had slipped his notice. It was a fair bit later than when John would normally come home as well - although he had been warned that he would be late. 

"Yes John?" 

"Noel taught me how to dance!" 

Arthur tries not to let his expression shift, grip tightening on his fork enough he worries he's going to bend it. "Oh?" 

"I told him you were taking me to a place known for dancing and he said he could show me a few things. He used to ballroom dance," John continues, clearly not noticing Arthur's irritation. Half of his explanation goes in one ear and out the other as Arthur tries to decide how exactly he feels about it. 

"That's great John," Arthur says when there's a pause long enough that John is clearly waiting for a response. He smiles in a way he's sure doesn't quite reach his eyes, but John seemed too excited to notice. John continues to talk about Noel but Arthur isn't comprehending any of it. Annoyance simmers just beneath his veneer of pleasantness and he's not sure what to do about it. 

"-and Noel says he wants to meet you." 

Arthur pauses, gently scratching the end of the fork into the table as he tries to recall what John had just said. "Really?" 

"I-yeah," John seems less excited, something Arthur locks in on, "He wanted me to- he wanted to ask you to dinner. This week. If you're interested." 

Nervous , that's what he sounded like. Arthur hums thoughtfully, thinking it over. He can admit he wants to know the man who caught John's interest for so many weeks. Especially since he was the one who wanted to invite him out for dinner, not John. "Sure, when was he thinking?" 

"Oh," John seems surprised that he agreed, another thing for him to contemplate. "I'll have to ask, he didn't give me a day." 

"Well I'm free tomorrow," Arthur says, thinking of his immediate schedule, "I have lessons in the afternoons and a few evening performances to attend until Thursday so that would be the next best day."

"I'll see when he's free," John says. "...Thank you Arthur, Noel is one of the first friends I've made in the city. " 

"Am I chopped liver?" Arthur asks with mock offense to cover the slight sting at the declaration. Hearing John sputter a protest he laughs, "I'm kidding John, I truly am curious to meet him." 

The dinner he'd just prepared felt stale on his tongue but he takes his time eating, hearing the slight tap of John typing on his phone. Only a few minutes pass before a text tone rings out. 

"Oh, Noel is free tomorrow," John says with hesitance. "Are you sure-?" 

"Yes John, tomorrow is fine," Arthur interrupts before he could talk himself out of it. "Get the rest of the details for me as soon as you can." 

"He says he's going to treat us for lunch, he'll meet us here," John relays after a few more pings. 

"Perfect," Arthur says lightly, "I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time." 

He tunes out John's muttered response, clearing his dishes and cleaning them off before beginning to get ready for bed. He tries to convince himself that this isn't a big deal, that it would be a friendly meeting and if anything he should be excited to meet Noel - just as he'd been telling John this entire time. 

Yet he couldn't fall asleep. It wasn't the first time he was kept up with his thoughts, but it was certainly inconvenient. The last thing he wanted was to be an exhausted and irritated mess and yet it seems like that's exactly where he's heading. Possible scenarios play through his head on a loop, becoming more and more ridiculous as the hours pass. 

By the time his alarm goes off it feels as if he hasn't slept more than an hour and after only a moment of hesitation he hits the snooze button. It wasn't as if he had to be ready to go early anyway. 

John is already in the kitchen when he finally admits defeat, the pleasant smell of coffee filling the air. 

"You look like shit." 

Arthur rolls his eyes, "Wow, thank you so much John. I'm so glad you've decided to comment on my lack of prepared appearance, part of which ignores the fact that I am blind." 

John snorts in response to his sarcasm, something that warms him despite the irritation at John clocking his exhaustion so easily. "Please, like you haven't said worse to me. Besides, you don't usually sport the visage of someone who hasn't slept in a month." 

Arthur taps at the delicate skin under his eyes, "That bad?" Not that he was worried about looking ok for Noel, but John typically only commented on how he looked if he thought Arthur would care. Maybe he was worried. 

"Just wash your face or something, or take a nap," John replies, tone a bit kinder than what it was previously. "I can ask Noel to move the time to dinner instead?" 

"It's fine," Arthur waves off, distaste at the thought of inconveniencing the both of them. Let alone the thought of letting John know he was anxious at the thought of meeting Noel. "I'll just have coffee instead of tea this morning." 

John hums, "You do realize it's almost noon right?" 

Arthur pauses from where he was fetching his favorite mug, mentally counting back the number of times he’d hit snooze. He tended to sleep in when he could, but that was certainly excessive. "Damn, I guess I did sleep in longer than I thought." 

"Still sure you don't want me to move the time?" John asks and dammit Arthur can hear the shit-eating grin in his voice. 

"No," Arthur says pointedly, "I'll just drink this and get ready." 

The familiar sound of John's text notification rings out and Arthur sighs heavily as John makes a mock disappointed noise. 

"Oh no, Noel asked if dinner was better for us since he had something come up, whatever shall we do?" 

"You can be such a prick," Arthur mutters, "What time then?" 

"Six, he'll still meet us there," John replies, sounding distracted. "Drink your coffee, I left toast for you too." 

Arthur is slightly more sincere in his thanks as he wanders back to his room with his meager breakfast. He doesn't typically eat in his room but he could already feel himself becoming jittery at the thought of sitting in the kitchen while Noel texted John. He was too jittery to consider going back to sleep, and now with so much empty time now he debates what to work on before settling on studying one of the pieces he was learning for his recital. 

As faculty on campus he was contracted to perform at minimum a recital once a year. He typically waited until the end of the year since most of his students requested his assistance for their own recitals. For each of the recitals he'd given he would always compose a new piece - always something meaningful and never too lengthy since he never had a large amount of time to create it. Last year it had been one for his daughter's fourth birthday, but he was struggling to come up with an idea for this year’s piece. He decides to dedicate his afternoon to playing with melodies, utilizing the small electric keyboard he kept in his room to experiment and jot down what he thought could be useful. He quickly loses track of the time until there's a knock on the door. 

"Yes John?" He calls, sliding off his headphones and looking in the direction of the door. 

"I didn't realize you were working," John says as he enters, clearly curious as he steps closer, "It's after three, you were going to rest right?" 

Working on his composition had distracted him, but now that he wasn't as focused on it the exhaustion had returned full force. He sighs heavily, setting his headphones off to the side and organizing the hastily created notes for his composition. 

"Yes yes, I will," Arthur waves him off, "I'll be ready by 6, I'll set an alarm." 

"Alright," John sounds almost doubtful, but doesn't press further, just quietly shuffling away. Arthur doesn't let himself dwell on it for too long, instead setting an alarm on his phone before flopping onto his bed. He hadn't even thought about what he was going to wear, he'd need to do that once he got up from his nap.

Arthur smooths down the material of the button down shirt he had chosen to wear, contemplating throwing a suit jacket on top of it but instead choosing to don his trench coat, it was still chilly enough in the evenings to warrant wearing one. One last check of his hair, the lay of the coat, and that he had everything he needed before venturing into the living room. 

"John? Are you ready?" He asks, unsure where John was since he had been listening to music while getting ready. 

The sound of weight shifting, Arthur turns to the right as John finishes standing from where he'd been sitting at their kitchen table. "Yes Arthur, we're going to be late if we don't leave soon." 

"It's not my fault my alarm didn't go off," Arthur grumbles. He had been so certain he'd set it for just thirty minutes but he'd dozed for nearly an hour and had to rush through getting ready while John had waited for him. 

"At least you look better than you did this morning," John quips, earning him a quick slap on the arm from Arthur. "Hey!" 

"That comment was unnecessary, I'm certain it wasn't that bad," Arthur defends, "Now lead the way, don't want to be late after all." 

John mutters underneath his breath but Arthur just holds out his arm, waiting for John to take it. He does after a moment, Arthur smiling in response. They take the train to where they would be meeting Noel, John quietly narrating the early evening surroundings. Arthur is almost distracted from what they were traveling for until John informs them that they've arrived at their stop and it comes back in a rush. 

Once they're on street level again Arthur pins himself close to John's side. It was part of the reason he preferred John leading him with how busy it was even for a weeknight. After a few blocks of tracing their path with John dutifully reporting each of the street names a voice distracts them both. 

"John!" 

Arthur can feel John tense from where he was holding onto his elbow, but continues forward. Arthur drops his arm once they've stopped moving, tilting his head curiously as what appears to be a silent conversation occurs between John and Noel. 

"Arthur, this is Noel," John's voice is tense as he introduces the two of them, something that doesn't slip past Arthur's notice. Arthur smiles, holding out his hand in offering and hoping that Noel hadn't attempted to do so first. He's not sure how much John had talked about him to Noel, but hopefully he was able to pick up that he was blind if not. 

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Noel," Arthur greets. He feels a hand slip against his own, palm rough and grip strong. Noel's hand was larger, but not as large as John's, he notes with interest. 

"I should say the same Arthur," Noel's thick New York accent catches Arthur's attention immediately, "I get why John likes to call you Sherlock now." 

"Sherlock?" Arthur's lips curl into a curious grin, hearing John's noise of protest.

"Noel that's not-" 

"I kid," Noel laughs, "He only said it once." 

John stutters something, clearly trying to explain himself and Arthur can't help but chuckle at how nervous he sounded. Maybe Noel wasn't so bad after all. 

"Anyway!" Noel interrupts John's nonsensical protests. "This place is great, trust me, it’s the only diner I'll willingly bring myself to when horrendously hungover." 

"That's high praise," Arthur says wryly, "And I presume it's just as good sober?" 

"It's even better believe it or not," Noel holds open the door, waving the two of them inside. 

It smells delicious, which could also be the fact that it had been many hours since Arthur had last eaten his meager breakfast. There's the low murmur of conversation and the clanking of dishes in the kitchen to indicate it as fairly busy. He follows John's low instructions towards their chosen table, unsure if he's disappointed when he finds himself alone on his side of the bench. 

John and Noel settle across from him, the two of them quiet in a way that makes him suspicious. It wasn't impossible to communicate silently, and he could practically cut the tension between the two of them with a knife. Before he could open his mouth to speak though Noel starts talking again. 

"Ah, they got a lot of different menus, this here is a braille one," He slides it over on the table, gently bumping Arthur's hand. He can faintly hear the sound of other laminated menus opening and he can't help but wonder if the two of them had been here before. 

"Thank you," He replies, running his fingertips over the material. It feels new which is rare for a place in a busy city. He notices a trend in many of the entrees on the front page, clearly their bestsellers. "Breakfast for supper?" 

"Yeah that's one of this place's specialties," Noel says with a grin, "They've got some killer pancakes if you like nothing else." 

"I think their waffles are better," John mutters. 

"And you clearly have no taste," Noel retorts, "You might have to settle the score here Arthur." 

Arthur realizes that this is most certainly not their first time eating here and like many other things, he doesn't know how to feel about it. 

"I'm afraid I'm partial to pancakes, but I'll give them both a try," Arthur replies, hearing Noel make a small noise of victory. 

"See! Your guy knows how to pick 'em." 

Arthur raises his brow at the phrasing, that tense silence falling for just a moment until there's the chipper voice of their waitress. 

"Sorry for the wait! Y'all ready to order?" 

By the time they place their orders the moment has passed and Arthur can hear Noel tapping his straw against the table in an absent pattern. John clearly wasn't interested in starting a conversation and Arthur didn't want this dinner to be an awkward mess the entire time. 

"What is it that you do for work Noel?" Arthur asks curiously. 

"Surprised John didn't tell you, he finds it interesting. If he wasn't such a competent bartender I think I could convince him to work with me," Noel says. "At the moment I'm a freelance detective, I'll take a contract with whoever needs me whether it's businesses or local police forces. I try not to talk about work too much though since half of it's under contract and the other half is just unpleasant." 

"Oh I can understand that, I've been a ducky for one of my friends. You may know him actually, he's a private investigator - Peter Yang? Or Parker depending on if you're friends," Arthur adds idly. Nearly everyone Parker met ended up calling him that anyway since he was so friendly with everyone. 

Noel lightly slaps the table, "Parker! I love that guy. We were on a case together a few months back, he's more into the fraud cases though. I respect it, less running around for his part. I didn't realize you knew him, damn John you gotta talk about that sort of thing more." 

"It's not like I'm friends with him," John grumbles, "Besides I didn't think it was relevant." 

"John, he literally helped you find a place to live in the city," Arthur deadpans, "If you weren't friends before you should think of yourself as friends now." 

"Wow seriously John? Should I be worried about what you say about me?" Noel asks jokingly. 

"I don't say anything about you," John replies defensively. 

"That's true, I don't think I heard your name until two weeks ago," Arthur adds quickly. 

"Way to make a guy feel loved John," Noel says with false hurt, "It's not like I took you to my favorite diner or anything-" 

"That was your thanks for me keeping you from getting your ass kicked," John huffs. 

"I had 'em on the ropes!" Noel protests, "I swear Arthur, I don't know how you can live with the guy." 

"Fighting fire with fire," Arthur shrugs with a small smile, "This is how many of our conversations go honestly." 

"They do not!" John protests vehemently, "If anyone argues it's you!" 

Arthur can't help but laugh at that, saved from having to fight for his honor as their food arrives. He's honestly surprised by the quality of the food, not that he expected it to be bad but he had tried his fare share of diners around campus and had found many of them to be lacking. 

"I must admit this surpassed my expectations," He says when the silence between the three of them had lasted longer than a few minutes. 

"Isn't it great? It's good for every occasion too," Noel says excitedly, "I swear I've never had a bad thing here and I've eaten almost their entire menu." 

"That's high praise, but well deserved," Arthur smiles. It was the definition of comfort food in his opinion, he could easily see himself stopping by after a tough day at work for a filling dinner. He makes a mental note to ask John for the restaurant name  

"Good food and conversation goes a long way," Noel says with appreciation, and something about the way he says it makes Arthur feel as if it's directed to both him and Noel. "I talked about myself a bit but I still don't know much about you Arthur." 

"Ah, so John doesn't talk about me to you either?" Arthur asks playfully, hearing John's offended noise. 

"Can't say he does," Noel replies, but the clear smile in his voice makes Arthur feel as if he has been talked about before, but he's not sure in what form or fashion. 

"Well I'm the adjunct piano professor at Miskatonic University. I teach a few classes, give lessons, compose and arrange pieces as needed, and occasionally perform. I actually told John about my last recital for the year, it's May 8th if you're interested in attending," Arthur offers. He isn't sure if John had actually gone through telling Noel about it. 

"Classical performance has a special place in my heart I gotta say. I make an effort to watch their symphony perform when I can." Noel says with clear appreciation, "I'll keep that date clear for you doll, I'm sure you're an amazing pianist. Has John ever heard you play?" 

"Unfortunately we don't have a full piano in the apartment and it's actually simpler to just practice on campus," Arthur replies, neatly compartmentalizing how that 'doll' made his heart skip a beat. "My office has a Steinway which I prefer to practice with when I can. I love an upright piano as much as the next person but there's something amazing about playing on such a well designed instrument." 

"I don't doubt it," Noel says with wonder, "how's teaching? Do you ever have problems with it?" 

"Education was never my end goal, but I've certainly discovered a love for it." Arthur replies thoughtfully. "Originally piano performance was my second major, but I chose to pursue education for my masters and doctorate. I had a studio of students at the time so I've taught every age and ability of student, but I appreciate the schedule of a university job more than anything else. I still teach some beginners, but it's at a much lower concentration than in undergrad." 

"Stronger than me I gotta say," Noel says with awe, "I could barely plunk out Mary had a little lamb, let alone be a teacher." 

"Oh, anyone can learn," Arthur dismisses lightly, "I recently taught a woman who had just turned seventy-three and hadn't touched a piano in her life. Those are the most rewarding of lessons." 

"You're a pretty amazing guy Arthur." 

Arthur reels slightly, caught off guard by the compliment, "It's really nothing - I went to university for it after all. I mean-" 

Noel laughs, "It's a compliment doll, no need to act as if I'm accusing you of something over here." 

Arthur forces down the surge of warmth at that, ducking his head, "Yes well...thank you. I suppose." 

"I don't think I've ever seen you fold to a compliment so fast," John comments idly. 

Arthur sputters, realizing that John had been sitting there silently for a majority of their conversation. If he wasn't so flustered he would feel guilty for sidelining him unintentionally. "Shut up John!" 

"What, is John not telling you how pretty you are? I'm shocked," Noel says. It takes Arthur a too long moment to register what Noel had just said and he can feel his face light up with a blush. 

"What?" 

"Noel!" John shoves at Noel's shoulder, the detective laughing at their responses. "Arthur I would say he isn't normally like this but unfortunately this is his default setting." 

"Aw, John you're such a charmer," Noel chuckles, "I can't help but state the truth you know." 

"I see," Arthur ducks his head and clears his throat, compartmentalizing yet another portion of the conversation to dissect later. "I suppose I should be expecting John to learn some sweet talking from you." 

John makes a noise of protest that Arthur just smiles at, feeling that John would’ve continued to protest if their waitress hadn’t returned with the check. The three of them help with clearing off the table before donning their coats. John nudges him as they head for the door, Arthur gratefully taking his arm as they head outside. It's only gotten brisker, something of a relief to Arthur's still warm face. 

"It was wonderful to meet you Noel," Arthur says as they come to a stop a little ways away from the diner. He assumes that they’re about to split ways with how close they seem to be from the subway station.   

"You as well Arthur, I would not be opposed to meeting again," Noel replies happily. "Get home safe you two, I'll see you around." 

"He's heading towards his apartment, he lives about five minutes from here," John says quietly as Noel walks off. Arthur notes how John has likely been to Noel's apartment before if he knew its proximity and had been to this diner before. 

"Thank you John," Arthur replies almost automatically, then clarifies, "and thank you for letting me meet him. I know it meant a lot to you." 

There's a moment of quiet between them as they're walking back to the train station. Arthur recognizes it as John thinking on what to say, patiently trailing beside him and breathing in the comforting night air.

"You were my first friend in the city Arthur," John says carefully, "but Noel was the first person I met on my own and I wanted the two of you to like each other. I'm glad that you did." 

"Of course," Arthur says with surprise, "And I wouldn't be opposed to meeting with him again,." 

John's silence after Arthur says that feels heavy, heavier than the few silences that had fallen throughout their dinner together. He knows that John's deep in thought and is deciding on whether to interrupt it when John speaks. 

"I can...give you his number. If you'd like." 

Arthur stumbles over the curb they'd been crossing, not expecting that offer. John quickly steadies him from where he was holding onto his elbow. 

"That's fine, but I don't expect to hang out with him one on one John, he seemed quite..." Arthur searches for a word that wouldn't be too incriminating to the thoughts brewing over Noel and John's relationship, "you both seemed interested in each other." 

Saying it aloud was more difficult than Arthur thought it would be. Throughout the dinner he could tell that Noel and John had shared quite a few evenings together and were comfortable in each other's company. He wouldn't be surprised if they were together, even if the thought of it felt bitter on his tongue. 

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" 

John's sharp question catches Arthur off guard. He frowns, "I just mean to say that you're good friends John, I wouldn't want to take that from you." 

"Really?" John presses, "That's not what it seems like." 

Arthur scoffs, "What do you want from me John? You're allowed to have more than one friend. If he's more than a friend that's fine too." 

"I don't understand you sometimes," John mutters, "Is this about how Noel was flirting with you?" 

"He was not flirting with me!" Arthur protests, willing down the blush rising to his cheeks. "You said yourself that's how he is normally, which means he talks to you like that too." 

"I didn't say that specifically," John replies shortly, "Now you're just twisting the conversation." 

Arthur takes a steadying breath, rocking to a stop as they reach their platform. "John, this was a perfectly pleasant evening that I would not mind repeating. It's great if you and Noel are interested in each other, you don't have to tell me if that’s the case but I am just stating it for a fact. Can we just enjoy the rest of the night without arguing?" 

John is quiet for such a long moment that Arthur worries the argument will begin anew before he huffs. "Fine." 

"Perfect," Arthur says lightly, "Now, what was your schedule for next week?" 

"Oscar I don't know what to wear." 

The speaker crackles, Oscar clearly laughing at him, "Did your tag system fail you?" 

"No!" Arthur huffs, "I'm just not sure what to wear. How much should I dress up? Will I match what he plans on wearing? All he told me was that he was wearing black dress pants and a white button up with gold accessories. How do I match that?" 

"Oh, so you're looking for fashion advice from a man that wears the same uniform a majority of the time." 

"Oscar I know you wear things other than your priest garb," Arthur says sharply, "Just get over here and help me already!" 

"Right right," Oscar replies kindly, "I'll be over in an hour then, still have a bit of paperwork to finish up." 

Arthur thanks him before hanging up, returning to his post in front of his dresser. He dressed business formal most days, feeling the most comfortable and put together when he was in a suit even if some of his students asked why he went through the effort. Of course he had a wide variety of suits he could wear, but he was aware that if they were dancing it would not be wise to go with most of them. For a moment he considered wearing the same outfit he'd worn when he went with Bella all those years ago, but discarded it as a cheap cop out. 

John was at work so he had the apartment to himself, and now knowing that Oscar would take a bit to get to him he decides to practice a bit of dancing with music he knows would be playing at the venue. It had been a bit since he'd danced for fun like this, but just as if he was sitting down at a piano the steps came easy to him. Despite how much he felt he wasn't fit for it, he enjoyed the movement and the ease with which moving with music came to him. By the time he's started wondering if he should think about his outfit options again there's a knock on the door. 

"Oh thank god Oscar," He greets as he throws open the door, "You're a lifesaver, come on." 

"Jeez Arthur, it's like you've been standing here waiting for me the entire hour," Oscar chuckles, but follows Arthur to his room. "So do you have any clue what you want to wear?" 

"No," Arthur groans, running his hand through his hair, "I don't know if I should match him or not try to at all or if I'm just truly overcomplicating this - I mean we're just going for dinner and dancing it's not like it's anything absolutely huge." 

"Arthur..." Oscar says with hesitance, clearly searching for what to say. 

"What Oscar?" Arthur asks with a tad more annoyance than necessary. He sighs, "What is it?" 

"Is this...does John...do you think this is a date?" Oscar manages to get out. 

Arthur tosses down the pair of slacks he'd pulled, quickly going for what he thinks is a matching button up but the tag doesn't correlate. He growls under his breath and shoves it back on the pole, reaching for the one beside it. 

"Arthur?" Oscar presses, "Have you even talked to him-" 

"I haven't said anything, ok?" Arthur snaps, throwing another outfit he thinks will work on the bed. "I just said that we'd go out on the town because that's what he's been doing with Noel and I wanted to show him something I really liked within the city. I felt bad I guess, not doing anything to help him get familiar other than staying local or taking him to the grocery store or whatever. I don't know if he would want it to be a date, I don't know if I want it to be a date, and frankly it's not at the forefront of my worries." 

"It clearly is a worry though," Oscar observes mildly, "Or else you wouldn't be so worked up over it.." 

"Yes well," Arthur turns to the outfits he'd thrown to the bed, hands on his hips. "I have chosen to focus on one crisis at a time, now which of these would work best?" 

Oscar snorts, "You can try to avoid it but it'll catch up to you eventually. This one." 

Arthur runs his hands over clothes Oscar had passed to him, humming thoughtfully. "Not too much? It feels like it might be too much of a match." 

"Not at all," Oscar assures, "In fact, complimentary is best. That shirt is one of your best, I'm not sure why you don't wear it out more." 

"Because it's sheer , Oscar," Arthur stresses. He had bought it on a whim, liking the soft fabric and Parker's description of how at the right angle the black shirt had patterns of gold flowers. According to Parker it wasn't completely sheer, but enough that he wouldn't want to wear it to a professional setting. "These slacks?" 

"You look good in these, makes your legs look miles long. Plus you don't have to worry about clashing since they're black, they match the shirt nicely," Oscar says easily. 

"Shut up," Arthur replies automatically, turning quickly to hide his blush, "I should've asked Parker for help." 

"I thought he was out of state at the moment, otherwise you wouldn't have asked me to help," Oscar replies playfully. 

"He is," Arthur sighs, "Visiting family or else I would've dragged him over here too." 

"What, you don't trust me?" Oscar ribs, nudging at Arthur's elbow. 

Arthur elbows him back, "Not that I don't trust your advice, but I do appreciate a second opinion." 

"Well, go try this on and we'll send him a picture," Oscar says, pushing the clothes into his arms and ushering him off. "I'll grab accessories." 

Arthur starts to change as he hears Oscar go into his closet and rifle around. He's passed a belt and watch, frowning at the shoe choice before realizing that if he was planning on dancing he couldn't wear his nicer dress shoes. 

"Well?" He asks when he's decided it's as good as it's going to get. 

"Parker says you look great," Oscar says idly, as if looking at his phone. 

"When did you send it to him?" Arthur asks with surprise. 

"Just now," Oscar replies, voice clearer as he faces him. "Seriously Arthur, you look great." 

"Not too much?" Arthur asks nervously, plucking at the material of the shirt. "I don't want to show John up or anything-" 

"Trust me," Oscar interrupts, "John has enough tattoos to elevate anything he chooses to wear. Don't overthink it, especially if you aren't even sure if you want this to be a date." 

"Don't remind me," Arthur mutters. "Thank you, Oscar. I appreciated the help." 

Oscar claps him on the shoulder, "Anytime! Now don't go changing anything, if you think about it too much, it doesn’t matter what you wear because you’ll think it’s a bad choice. And keep me posted, I expect to hear about this date once it's finished." 

"Not a date," Arthur says quickly before amending, " Maybe a date. I will of course keep you updated Oscar but-" 

"Yeah yeah, I know," Oscar waves off, "Call me if you need anything day of of course. I wouldn't worry too much about it honestly Arthur. Date or not I think John will enjoy whatever you choose to take him to." 

Arthur takes a steadying breath, knowing that on a base level Oscar was right. It didn't matter what he did, John would likely enjoy it regardless, but there was still that underlying anxiety. He chases it off by beginning to put the outfits he wouldn't be wearing back in their proper places before showing Oscar out with a quick goodbye. He didn't want John returning while he was still talking after all. 

God Arthur was nervous. 

He had spent most of the evening shaking out his nerves, distracting himself every which way until it finally came time to leave. Now that they were at the restaurant he lets his thoughts wander in an attempt to calm it. 

On warmer nights the building could be converted, or so Arthur had been told. Bella had brought him during the winter months, a bit of a pick up from their normal routine. He had been able to feel the chill from the walls and had asked curiously if they weren't well insulated. It turns out they were similar to garage doors, something that could be opened up allowing fair weather inside and the dancing to continue in places other than the central floor. 

Arthur can smell the flowers they had passed on the way in, strong enough that he was certain the doors were open - the breeze ruffling his hair, another indicator as the two of them followed their waitress to their table. It was a busier night, and Arthur kept himself tucked close to John's side as he felt someone brush past them. John didn’t seem to mind the proximity, quietly describing the hallway as they entered - decorated for spring - and the people they pass - all dressed for dancing. 

Conversation shifts around them, Arthur had chosen a weekend on purpose since he knew it would be crowded. It would be easier to blend in with the crowd, more people dancing since that was his end goal for this entire night. The evening had started perfectly pleasant, John had seemed almost stunned at his outfit - making Arthur worry if he'd gone overboard before John quickly reassured otherwise. From what he could tell John had dressed on the plainer side, but he was wearing a short sleeved button-up, which means his tattoos were exposed. They had taken the train here, filling their time with idle conversation and John's descriptions of the nightlife before arriving at the restaurant. 

As they ate the band took to the stage, a few of the earlier arrivals immediately headed to the dancefloor. All of this is described to Arthur with John's low murmur, leaning closer and capturing Arthur's attention with only a few words. A vocalist greets the crowd, introducing the band behind her before the music begins. 

"Wow," John says after only a few moments of listening. 

"They're amazing," Arthur agrees, losing interest in his dinner as he focuses on the music. This was the same band that had played when Bella had brought him, part of the reason he'd wanted to bring John. The lead singer specialized in jazz and covers of modern pieces. There was a skilled pianist that captured most of Arthur's attention, but with a jazz band accompanying instead of the standard modern band. "Are you ready to dance?" 

"Oh uh," John stutters, the distance between them growing suddenly as he leans back. "A few more minutes?" 

"Of course," Arthur says with a gentle smile, trying to calm his nervous heart. He knows that they don’t have to dance. He wanted them to, but he wouldn’t push.  "No rush. And if you don't feel up to it, we can always sit and listen." 

"No, I want to," John says quickly, then seems to make up his mind. "I...let's just go." 

Arthur raises his brows,  but can't help the excited smile as he gets to his feet. "Wonderful, lead the way?" 

John gently takes his hand, guiding him to the dance floor. They pause just outside of it, Arthur noticing the slightly raised edge of flooring that differentiated the restaurant from the dance section.

"Are we alright?" Arthur asks, not feeling John move any further. He wouldn’t want to get run over by any of the couples dancing, or interrupt anything. 

"Yes," John reassures immediately,  "Just watching for a moment." 

Arthur hums knowingly. Bella had done her best to describe the wide variety of people who typically attended this establishment. Many came to enjoy the food, but there were also many who came just for the dancing. A few swing dance clubs and ballroom dance associations would use these evenings as time to keep their skills warm. Of course there was still the casual dancer, but he can only imagine what it looked like from the outside. 

John releases his hand for a moment, applauding with many of the other patrons as the song ends, changing to a slower piece. Arthur applauds as well, but takes a few careful steps up to the dancefloor, turning to look in John’s direction. He remembers what John had learned with Noel and realizes that he likely hadn't learned most of the fancy footwork that appeared on the floor tonight. 

"I'm afraid I only know basic steps for ballroom dances," Arthur says apologetically in an attempt to assuage any of John’s worry as he holds his hand out, "but I figure we can make do." 

John's hand envelops his own, interlacing their fingers and leading Arthur further onto the dance floor. Arthur couldn't feel the heat of overhead lighting anymore, instead the refreshing breeze from the open walls and the cool night air. Through the soft croon of the singer's voice there was the sound of nightlife and others chatting. Quiet footsteps of those slow dancing urged Arthur into pulling John closer. He takes intentional breaths, following the lines of the melody and predicting when the song would end. After only a few minutes the ballad that was being sung ends and a slightly more upbeat song begins. 

"Ah, this is more like it," Arthur says, chipper. He wanted to put this nervous energy to use, he was itching to actually move . "This is closer to a swing dance. Did you learn something along these lines John?" 

"Something like it," John murmurs, tentatively placing his other hand to Arthur's waist. "Do you want me to..."

"Yes yes, you lead," Arthur says, realizing John's hesitance. He feels the hand on his waist squeeze slightly, stepping back as John steps forward. The two of them find themselves in an easy back and forth rhythm, becoming familiar with each other's movement. When Arthur is used to the spacing of John's steps, he grins wide and wild. "Let's kick it up a notch!" 

It had been ages since he'd danced a true swing. Arthur had learned with Bella,  one of the many odd hobbies she had picked up in university. They would switch off who lead just for fun, and Arthur could admit he enjoyed the following role as much as leading. He gently removes John's hand from his waist, stepping out with a larger step and throwing himself to the side. He can feel John's arm catch his weight almost automatically, rebounding with a spin until he's hit John's chest. 

John catches on, loosening the hold on Arthur's hand to allow him to move and twist with a little more freedom, shuffling to catch the quickened steps as the music picks up tempo. Arthur can feel him laugh as they collide again, John's hand shifting to his lower back as he keeps Arthur close for a moment, confidently leading the two of them until Arthur dips under his arm, facing him over his shoulder. It's a little out of John's territory, but Arthur doesn't let him stumble, throwing himself back towards him in a few quick steps and readjusting their position. As the song comes to a close John tugs him close, both hands on his waist as Arthur's hands drape over his shoulders for stability. The song ends, scattered applause from those who had remained seated and the excited chatter of those who had chosen to dance. Another song starts up, another slow one. 

Arthur can feel John's shoulders shift with each quickened breath, interlacing his fingers behind his neck and taking such small steps their legs are nearly intertwined. He can feel John's gaze on him, heavy as the weight of his palms shifting from his waist to his lower back, pressing them even closer together. He can feel the warmth of their bodies pressed together, barely doing more than swaying at this point. 

"I must say," Arthur says softly when the quiet between them is too much to bear, "You're much better at this than I thought you'd be." 

John's laugh is low enough he can feel it vibrate from where he's pressed against his chest, "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" 

Arthur can feel himself blush, ducking his head in hopes John won't be able to see it, "That's- I mean-" 

"I'm joking, Arthur," John rumbles, tucking his chin on top of Arthur's head with ease. He would never not be surprised by how tall the man was despite Arthur’s own considerable height. "I didn't expect that out of you to be honest." 

"I took some classes with Bella," Arthur murmurs, wanting so badly to lean his full weight to John's chest but instead letting his forehead rest against John's shoulder. If they were any closer he believes they would become one being, separated only by the distance that grew as they swayed to the music. "Dancing has always been enjoyable to me, it's even better when it doesn't matter if people are watching." 

"Thank you for inviting me out Arthur, I've had more fun than I thought I would," John says quietly, "I think I would like to do it again."

Arthur is sure John can feel the way his breath hitches, heartbeat thudding hard enough to be felt through where the two of them are pressed together but he steadies himself with a careful inhale. "I would be more than happy to take you out for dinner and dancing again, John." 

John hums, "Like a date?" 

Arthur short circuits. 

"It..that-um-" 

John's soft laughter vibrates directly through Arthur's bones, his arms tightening just slightly around him, "I'm sorry Arthur, if you don't want that-" 

"No no, hold on," Arthur says quickly, heart and mind racing at such a speed that he can't figure out what to say first. His face is hot, a blush and the simmering of panic just beneath the surface. 

"Here, let's sit down," John’s voice shifts to concern, carefully disentangling their limbs from where they had been so closely twined it was almost like one person instead of two. 

Arthur is too busy trying to keep his feet under him to process whatever else John says as they head back to the table. He feels all of a sudden exposed, as if every person in the room had clocked his alarm and was watching carefully for any other signs of weakness. 

"Can we..." He has to clear his throat, realizing he was speaking too quietly to be heard over the music, "John can we head home?" 

"Oh, yes of course," John says, sounding surprised. He still hadn't let go of Arthur's hand and that single point of contact warms his entire arm. Arthur follows him to the front, batting at John's hand when he offers to pay. This had been his idea after all, he hadn't...

He'd wanted a date, hadn't he?

The city is so much quieter compared to the restaurant venue, John's hand finds its way back to his own and Arthur squeezes it gently as John quietly warns him of the curb. The walk is almost painfully silent, Arthur attempting to come to terms with what he'd believed he'd wanted and now unsure of why he had ever let himself dwell on this in the first place. 

"Arthur..." 

They'd just made it to the apartment when John called for him, soft and gentle and nervous. 

"John," Arthur replies, equally quiet, equally soft. Even more nervous. 

"I didn't mean to upset you." 

Arthur toes off his shoes, tossing his keys off to the side and faintly hearing John close the door behind him. He sheds his coat and throws himself to the couch, rubbing harshly at his face as if he could gather his thoughts together with enough friction. 

"You didn't upset me John," Arthur says firmly, "I'm just a bit...I should have been clearer in my...in my..." intentions wasn't the right word because Arthur knows what the real reason he'd done this was. "John, do you like Noel?" 

That seems to stun John, his footsteps stopping abruptly just in front of Arthur. 

"Why do you ask?" John asks warily. 

Arthur takes only a second to gather his thoughts, "From what I can tell you and he are quite enamored with each other, I'm not exactly sure where I stand. I don’t want to come between you two." 

"Really?" John asks, clearly bewildered. "What about tonight?" 

"Right well," Arthur sucks his teeth, "I...I wanted this to be a date. I didn't say anything though because I didn't want to make it uncomfortable. For you I mean. If you're interested in Noel." 

"I wasn't uncomfortable," John says immediately, and shifts his weight enough for Arthur to hear before he feels his hand being enveloped in John's large palm. He's tugged slightly forward, John's other hand cupping the side of his neck as Arthur finds purchase on John's shirtfront, tilting his face upwards."I've been interested in you for awhile Arthur, I was just unsure on how to show it. Noel helped me figure it out." 

"Did he now?" Arthur tries not to bite out the words, but with the way John snorts at him he knows he didn't succeed. 

"Arthur, are you jealous?" 

Just as it was with Oscar the urge to deny was strong enough Arthur had to grit his teeth to resist refuting John's accusation. 

"Not exactly, I'm just...wondering where we stand." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I'm interested in you as well," Arthur blurts out, "for god knows how long. Your voice captivated me almost instantly and even your annoying habits and your desire to lay on the ground when there's a perfectly good couch right here. I would trip over you a million times just to feel you catch me even if I would yell at you as many times for choosing to block the rest of the living room and all I’ve wanted for the past few months is to take you out lie this but-" 

John's hand slides up to his jaw and Arthur's words stumble to a stop, lips parted and breath held tight in his chest as he feels John lean in. 

Arthur had thought about kissing John many times, wondering if his lips were as soft as his voice could be, how his hand would feel caressing his cheek and pulling him closer. He knows the answer now, tension releasing in a rush of relief. Breathing each other in and pressing closer and closer until Arthur is sliding off the couch and pushing John back, landing on his lap. 

It’s everything he wanted and more, arms draping over John's shoulders and running his hands through John's hair - as soft as he’d dreamed it would be - humming as he carefully undoes the braid his hair had been plaited into. John growls as Arthur winds his fingers into his hair and tugs, his hands slipping beneath his shirt to grip at Arthur's waist. 

Arthur gasps at the sudden heat of John's palms, a fire burning just under his skin that spreads to the tips of his fingers and toes. Breath catches in his chest, pulling back just enough to chase the oxygen that struggled to fill his lungs. John shifts, pulling Arthur closer onto his lap but rests his forehead on Arthur's shoulder. 

"I've wanted to do that for months," John mumbles into his shirt and Arthur can't help but laugh. 

"Why didn't you?" 

"Why didn't you ? You even said you wanted to." John throws back at him, wrapping his arms so tightly around Arthur's middle it's as if he were trying to meld the two of them together. "I've never dated anyone before." 

Arthur pauses, John's hair cascading from his fingertips, "Never?" 

"No," John mutters, "I didn't know what to do, which is why I asked Noel." 

"Ah," Arthur says, then pauses with realization. "Wait, was I your first kiss?" 

"...no. That was Noel." 

Something hotter burns in his chest at that, overtaking the pleasant heat of each point of contact he had with John and filling him with a much more volatile emotion. 

Arthur pushes at John's shoulder, ignoring the grumbled complaint, "John, did you seriously ask Noel to kiss you before me? And you don't feel anything for him?" 

"It's not like that," John huffs, "I didn't want to do anything wrong and he was helpful. I mean-" 

Arthur tilts his head back and prays for patience, not listening to the rest of John’s stuttered defense. "John, call Noel." 

"What?" 

"Your phone," Arthur reiterates pointedly, patting at John's pockets and shifting just far enough off his lap so he could dig it out, "Call him. Now." 

John follows his order with confusion, putting it on speaker so Arthur could hear it ring. There's only two before it's answered. 

"John! How'd it go-" 

"Hello Noel, are you available at the moment?" Arthur cuts in before Noel could get any further. He doesn’t let himself dwell on the fact that John had told them about the dinner and dancing - had Noel thought it was a date too? He was going to get answers soon anyway. 

"...hello to you too Arthur," Noel sounds significantly more nervous than his originally excited greeting, "I'm not currently doing anything but-" 

"Fantastic, come to the apartment. You do know where it is right?" Arthur interrupts him just as shamelessly. 

"Yes," Noel says slowly, "Can I ask why?"  

"No, you'll find out," Arthur says curtly, "Knock when you get here." 

He hangs up before John can say anything, tossing the phone off to the side. The heat has lowered to a dull simmer, jealousy and annoyance and the distinct sense of loss that irritates him more than anything else. John had mentioned that he hadn't been in a relationship before, but to not have his first kiss yet? That was something absolutely baffling to him. How could a man as captivating as John not have found someone before him?

Technically he had. 

"Arthur?" John asks unsurely when Arthur hadn’t moved. "What are you planning?" 

"Oh, nothing," Arthur says with false innocence, trailing his fingers through John's hair once more and scratching his nails in a way that makes John sigh in content. "How far away does Noel live?" 

"Fifteen minutes or so," John says, the frown clear in his voice, "But Arthur-" 

"Then that's fifteen minutes we can keep busy," Arthur murmurs, pushing at John's shoulders until he's on the ground, Arthur leaning over him and pressing a featherlight kiss to his lips. He pushes against John’s hands as they come up to hold him, pinning them to the ground and keeping him where he wanted him. John groans into his mouth, a smile quirking Arthur’s lips at the clear annoyance of not being able to do what he wanted.  

The fifteen minutes pass far too quickly, a quick rap on the door distracting Arthur from where he'd been slowly taking John apart. He leans back, gently pulling John upright and stumbling to his own feet. Their shirts had been unbuttoned at some point, something he ignores as he runs a hand through his hair in an attempt to gather himself. He can hear John start to get up behind him so he quickly turns and presses down on his shoulder. 

"Stay there," He tells John sharply, going to answer the door as Noel knocks again. When he pulls open the door, he can tell he surprises Noel with his debauched appearance, the choked sound and unspoken question clear. "Hello Noel." 

"Arthur," Noel says, voice carefully neutral as he clearly bites back what he wants to say. "Should I come in?" 

"Yes, I think that would be good," Arthur says agreeably, standing to the side and gesturing Noel inside before shutting and locking the door. There's the faint sound of shoes being removed, Noel's weight shifting from foot to foot unsurely as he looks between John and Arthur.  

"Hey so uh-" 

Arthur locates Noel's shirtfront, judging how tall the man was and sliding his palm up until he reaches the collar of his shirt. There was a tie loose around his neck, something he takes advantage of as he wraps his hand into the material. Noel makes a concerned noise as Arthur tugs him forward, before smashing their lips together. It's a far filthier kiss than what he'd done with John, Noel's hands hesitantly landing on his arms as Arthur shoves him back a step. He licks into Noel’s mouth, whiskey burning his tongue from Noel's last drink, the faint scent of cigarette smoke as he bites at Noel's lip. He follows the man down as he stumbles, straddling his hips and smirking at his yelp of surprise. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" John exclaims, shifting from where he'd been leaning against the couch. Arthur holds up a hand to signal him to wait. He runs his thumb along his mouth, smirking at the hint of copper from where Noel had bitten back. He can feel Noel shift beneath him, pulse thundering against where Arthur was pinning his wrists. 

"Now we're even," Arthur says, tilting his head and smiling. "Detective, were you aware that you were John's first kiss?" 

"I told you it was a bad idea John!" Noel says frantically, "Listen Arthur, seriously I just wanted to help him out you should've seen the guy-" 

"You're not making your case very well, Noel," Arthur leans closer, feeling Noel’s breath brush over his lips once more as his voice drops to a dangerous pitch. "Try again." 

"John help a man out here," Noel pleads. 

"Arthur I asked him to help," John blurts out, "It...I was nervous! I didn't want to mess it up!" 

"Of course," Arthur sniffs, leaning back and nodding. "So you just practiced kissing with Noel. No, stay down," He says sharply when Noel shifts beneath him. "I think we need to have a bit of a discussion over what we all expect out of each other, what do you two say?" 

At the mumbled agreements Arthur finally releases Noel, climbing off of him in one smooth motion and shuffling until he finds the couch. He flops down, feeling John shift to lean against his legs, still on the floor. 

"So I'm guessing John told you?" Noel asks, grunting and rubbing at his back as he shifts to be fully upright. "I really thought you were going to strangle me there for a second, doll." 

"Yes well," Arthur shrugs, "I considered it." Briefly of course but he had considered it. 

"I knew you were crazy but even this is a bit much Arthur," John grumbles, nudging Arthur's leg. 

"When you are attracted to someone and find out they asked someone else to practice kissing like a teenager it certainly is reason to be a bit crazy," Arthur retorts tersely. "So to set the record straight - John, I like you. Noel, I will admit that you are attractive but I am incredibly irritated that you have been swaying John with your wiles. State your cases." 

"Way to put us on trial here doll," Noel snorts, sounding relieved. "John, do you want to go first?" 

"I don't know what else I’m supposed to say!" John says with frustration. "I have liked you since the first night I moved in Arthur, Noel helped me figure that out and sure I would be lying if I said I didn't find him attractive but it's not like I'm having a whole fling while trying to-" 

"I'll stop you there John," Noel says, clearly seeing the sour look on Arthur's face. "Arthur, I'd be lying if I said you weren't someone who could stop traffic with a hard look and I do mean that with the utmost compliment. I had to bite my knuckles to keep from blurting out how badly I wanted to take you out the first time we met because I promised John he'd have a chance first. Yeah he got nervous - who wouldn't in this situation - and I agreed to help him out. You gotta believe us that it came from good intentions." Arthur stiffens as he feels Noel's hand on his knee, squeezing slightly in reassurance. 

"You two are ridiculous," Arthur mutters, scrubbing his hand over his face, "Why the fuck didn't you say anything sooner?" 

"You're intimidating as hell English," Noel says. 

"I had Noel swear he wouldn't say anything," John says morosely, "And I was hoping you would say something first." 

Arthur snorts a laugh, winding his fingers into John's hair to pull his head back. He flicks his forehead and laughs again at John's noise of offense. He presses a kiss to the offended spot, "Ridiculous like I said. How was I supposed to know if you didn't say anything? Casual touches only get so far after all. I tell you I want to take you dancing and you have Noel teach you instead of asking me, what was I supposed to think?" 

"Shit, I really didn't mean to steal your thunder," Noel sounds sheepish, "John was afraid he'd trample you." 

"And he didn't so I suppose some thanks are in order," Arthur allows, "But I'm still peeved." 

"Very understandable," Noel says quickly. "So uh...are you done chewing me out now?" 

Arthur tilts his head, a smile quirking his lips, "In a hurry to leave, Noel?" 

"No no not at all just uh," Noel stutters unsurely, "Not wanting to interrupt." 

"Well," Arthur maneuvers his way to John's lap once more, finding that Noel had been sitting on the floor just in front of him. He winds his hand back into Noel’s shirt front as he feels John's hands return to where they'd been holding him beneath his shirt. "If I'm to understand this correctly the attraction works all ways, so why not have fun with it?"