She would savor this moment where his eyes were on her and filled with nothing but surprise and pleasure at seeing her. Because from this night on, she was certain he would only look at her with the exact expression she would never want to see on his face — disdain and pity. Mabel watched his movements fondly as if looking in on an old memory long since passed. The way his hands moved when he adjusted his coat before double checking if she was alright.

She hadn’t known she was coming over for the night, really. She could tell the truth, because she hadn’t wanted to step a foot near him before she knew. Because then he would ask if she was alright and she would have to lie to him through her teeth and he would know because he was Dory and of course he could spot her poker face before she did.

A drink. Well, at least they would already be where he would be able to process this news. Perhaps it’d be better that way - where she would be protected from the majority of his reaction by wrapping the noises of the pub around her like a blanket to drown out whatever infuriated response he would have. But that would be the coward’s way out. She needed to face this head on, like she did everything else. “Actually, might we be able to step inside?”

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