Murdock could not help but hide a smile by looking away, it felt the kindest response for both of them, two awkward creatures who were dancing around their feelings by not looking into each others eyes. She was an exquisite creature, pale, delicate and strong in equal measures. Beautiful, like the landscape around him and just as captivating.

Murdock cleared his throat, 'Eh, with your permission Miss Allaway' he managed, faltering sounding like he had the first time he had had to testify before the wizengemot, a boy -rather than a family patriarch. 'Might I be so bold as to ask if you might...that is, if you might consider the possibility, that we may....em, that we might consider each others company a little more carefully, with a view to a more long term consideration of companionship. he ended as though he was suggesting a merger of their departments or something much more stiff and formal than the affectionate consideration he was really asking for - but this sort of formal social wrangling was not his comfort zone and there was little better he could really manage.

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