So we meet again... (a merthur au)

Most Prized Possessions

...

When they reached Arthur's car, Emrys made a point to thank staff as he left and sat in the driver's seat.

"How did my car get here, exactly?" Arthur asked.

After a moment of sitting in silence, Arthur looked over to see why Emrys was waiting around and saw him staring blankly at the steering column, blinking occasionally. Arthur tried to lighten the mood by asking what the hold-up was, repeating his question, and Emrys brought himself back to attention and put the key in the ignition.

"Right, uhm, Morri had keys to your house so he just got the keys this morning and brought it here for you." Emrys muttered, beginning to start the car as he laughed to himself.

"You look mad when you start laughing like that for no reason." Arthur stated, half amused and half confused.

"I forgot how to turn on the car. It came back to me but, I just haven't driven in such a long time. I didn't even think about it when I offered to drive you. I just thought it was funny."

"Well, as long as we don't crash, I'll take being chauffeured around." Arthur joked, but remained tense as Emrys drove him to his house to get some things before taking him back to his own home.

While Emrys was a careful driver, he seemed to be that was due to a tense nature rather than confidence. He kept glancing over at Arthur in concern as the blond was fiddling with his radio.

"So, how is your side?" Emrys asked, trying in vain to focus solely on the road.

"Fine, hell of a bruise, but nothing worse than the ones I got playing rugby." Arthur replied, "Did you get yourself checked out too? After all, I did basically throw you out of the way and then into a ditch."

"I'm okay," Emrys said with some hesitation, "nothing I can't handle."

"Right," Arthur said with frustration, looking outside as they kept driving to Emrys's house.

...

Arthur followed behind Emrys with interest, wanting to see the inside of his place since they had met. The first thing he noticed was how small the place was, a two-room flat (not including the bathroom) with the perimeter of the living area scaled in by a foot from the bookshelves filled to the brim on nearly every wall except for the poor excuse of a kitchen. The mobile desk with a laptop was rolled up beside the bed, the only piece of furniture besides a small dining table and chair against the kitchen wall.

Suddenly, a flood of cats come in through the cat door, filling the room with between 10 to 15 cats. The sight of them brings a smile out of Emrys, his troubled expression gone as he reaches down to pet them. Lovingly, they all rub against his hand and legs, ignoring Arthur entirely.

"Are they all strays?" Arthur asked, taking his attention from the cats as he took to looking at the books lining the walls' shelves. 

"Yes, they're common around this area. They camp around here, sometimes even stay in the house with me. They are all very clean, they only come in to eat, sleep, and spend some time, then they take their leave." Emrys laid on the floor, all the cats cuddling around him like he were magnetic.

"They seem to really like you. Wow, never seen cats act like that before." Arthur took a book from the shelf before yelling in surprise upon turning the first few pages. "Oh my god! A first edition Tennyson... and it's autographed?! How did you get this? Do you have any idea how much this is worth?! You sell this thing, you would be set for life."

"It was a gift," Emrys got a misty look in his eyes but it disappeared as soon as Arthur caught his eyes. "It's priceless to me. "

"Are you sure the signature is real? I mean, it has an inscription, but it's kinda hard to-"

Emrys took the book from his hand and returned it to the shelf, "Best if it be left alone, okay? I'll go get my things. If you could feed the cats, the food is on the kitchen counter; bowls are on the floor."

Arthur did so, unquestioned, but after Emrys was still packing his things when he returned to the living area he took the book next to it from the shelf. It was another first edition, although this one unsigned. Most of the books were old, but somehow Arthur could sense much more than two first editions. Some were even so old that they didn't have any writing on them at all on the outside. It unnerved him, how could someone living under such modest means have so much worth in these books and yet have them seated untouched on a shelf.

"I'm ready to go," Emrys nudged Arthur, bag packed as he peeked in on the cat's food bowls. "I'll just top the bowls off. I'll see you in the car."

Arthur wordlessly complied, waiting in the car. Emrys came out with a tense expression, sitting in the car and exhaling sharply.

"Sorry, I just... I'm not used to people coming over is all. My book collection are among my most prized possessions. I just get touchy about them."

"I get it," Arthur said, not really understanding but lying for the sake of civility. He would have time to ask more questions later.

The rest of the short drive to Arthur's was quiet, neither speaking. It's going to be a long few days.