The New CEO

Chapter 20

A/N: we're nearing the end of the book which makes me really sad because I don't want this to end!!! (Technically I've already written the ending, I will publish it soon) I don't want y'all to leave me, so I wish that this story would go on forever. Sadly, it can't, so just enjoy it for how it is, ciao, and I hope you like it. 

------

Alfred drove Arthur back home, stopping at his own house to pick up some clothes for himself.

Alfred had lived alone, and didn't really know how to take care of a sick person, but he tried his best. He did the things that he had seen in shows, where he would lay a damp cloth on Arthur's forehead. He couldn't tell if it was working or not, but he continued to do it anyway.

Two days later, Alfred could see that Arthur's temperature had lowered back to normal. Arthur would wake up every once and a while, so Arthur would have him eat and drink a little. As he slowly got better, he spent more and more of his time awake, and bored. Arthur began to ask Alfred to give him work to do, so he could start to catch up on what he missed, but Alfred refused.

"But why not? I don't want to come back and have even more work piled up than I do right now, because I spent my days doing nothing but sleeping and reading!"

"Don't worry about it Arthur. I've gotten somebody else to take care of it. You just get your rest and regain your health, alright?"  Alfred couldn't understand what Arthur was so upset about. He could use the few days off that he had left to enjoy himself, and not have to worry about taking care of more things when he got back. What was so terrible?

Somebody like Alfred wouldn't get what work was for Arthur. Work was his life, it was what he was here to do. Without it, what was his purpose? He felt lost, wandering in a vast pit of darkness with no end and no beginning. Or at least, he did inside. Alfred didn't know what it felt like, but he realized that Arthur was struggling, so he stayed by Arthur's bedside practically all day. Arthur wasn't sure why he had to stay in bed all day, it felt like he could get up perfectly well, but Alfred wouldn't let him.

"So Alfred, what exactly happened earlier? When I was sick, I mean." Arthur couldn't remember very much, and what he did remember was still a little fuzzy.

"Well, I took you out for a drink, right?"

"Yes, I remember that."

"And then you got a little drunk." Alfred smiled, reliving the memory.

"Oh hell. What did I do?"

"Nothing bad," Alfred assured him. "You just acted so different from yourself, it was nice to see that you were actually capable of being like that."

Well then. So Alfred had seen him drunk. Arthur was sure that any good opinions that Alfred had had of him earlier had been crushed.

"And what happened after that?" Arthur knew better than to dwell on the past. It was already done, there was nothing more he could do about it now.

"I got you into the car, and drove you back here, because I figured it was a bad idea to take you to my place."

Arthur nodded, seeing the point in that, until he realized something. "Wait! You didn't drive drunk did you?! You're an imbecile! You could've gotten us both killed!"

"Relax dude. I wasn't that drunk. I still knew what I was doing, and besides, it was better than letting you drive, you couldn't even stand without help."

"Fine. But next time, call a cab, or get another friend to come pick us up." Arthur swung his head in disappointment. "You must promise to never do that again."

"Whatever dude. But does that mean..." Alfred paused to grin dramatically. "Are you saying that you'll do it again?!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Whatever you say, Arthur."

Alfred made sure to leave out most of what had happened the day after. He knew that Arthur was already taking hits to his pride, and he didn't want to hurt Arthur more than necessary. He told Arthur that he had stayed in the guest bedroom, and had come in to check on him the next morning.

Arthur knew Alfred was lying. He remembered what had happened, how Alfred was in his bed. He just wasn't sure why Alfred didn't tell him.