What's a friend?

"You're too kind," Arthur said, shaking his head. While he was often complimented for his work, people saying anything about anything else he did - good things or bad things - was rare. Another reason he should spend some time out of the office, he supposed, though it made him a bit uncomfortable.

He had gotten a little too used to being recognised by only his work and little else. Not healthy. But it's all that he knew.

"Actually, I think my social life became better after I left St. Peter's," he commented, after the silence had became a bit uncomfortable. "Before you can become a lawyer in the UK, you have to join an Inn of Court. Sometimes it's a bit like a club. I met my fiancee there, and I think by sheer force of will alone she made me maintain a few connections. But now I don't work there anymore."

Pushing his hair away from his eyes, Arthur decided that it was best to leave the rest unsaid. Hardly a topic for a first conversation.

"Getting late, isn't it?"

“Yes. It isn’t often that I get to have a conversation like this,” Arthur said, giving a smile. While he liked his work, Theo was right. It was good to get a break once in a while. Have a normal conversation with someone, like a normal person. It was definitely something that he could get used to. “Thank you.”

Reaching over to grab his cane, he straightened up, wincing a little. There was still some unfinished coffee in his mug, but that wasn’t an issue.

“Well, you can contact me on the phone. Text me, ring me,” Arthur offered. “I’m free most evenings and weekends. If you want to meet up here again that’s okay. Or anywhere in the city, really.”

Reaching into his pocket, he removed a few bills and laid them on the table, using his mug to weigh them down. More than needed to cover the bill, but it wasn’t like Arthur actually did anything with his money.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. Then, as more of an instinct than anything else, he offered another handshake.