Alfred didn't know what to do with this feeling, but now that it had settled on him he was having trouble shaking it. It wasn't like he wanted to stop. Having a chance to talk with her once or twice a month, even superficially, was better than not seeing her at all. This was better than nothing, but it wasn't good. It wasn't what he wanted, and it obviously wasn't what she wanted, either. They'd known it would be difficult, but it had seemed like a necessary evil — one unpleasant step on the road to a much happier future. Now that future seemed... not unreachable, not exactly, not yet, but more distant than he'd wanted it to be. Evander was engaged. Evander had started courting the same month that they had, and Evander had gotten engaged at the beginning of the year. So they'd already gone through a complete courtship, the two of them (Evander was many things but hasty was not one of them; the fact that he had proposed meant, in Alfred's mind, that this was really the far end of what society would consider an acceptable courtship window), and there was no indication that her father had even considered changing his mind.
Over Christmas she'd agreed to nudge them in the right direction, if it came down to it and they still weren't amenable. Alfred wasn't sure she really would, though, because Zelda was attached to her family and was apparently willing to put up with a good deal of bullshit for their sake. He wasn't sure she would ever think the time was right to nudge them — but he could hardly come right out and ask her.
So where did that leave him? Just unsatisfied, that was all. There was nothing to do about it. No reason to say it. He had no route forward and refused to take a step back, so he was stuck here. But Merlin, he hated it. He wished things could go back to the way they'd been before they'd been courting. He wished things could be easy again.
He smiled at her request, his cheek brushing up against her hair. That was a vestige of when things had been easier.
He let go of her hand so that he could take her face between both of his and kissed her deeply.
MJ made the most Alfredy of sets and then two years later she made it EVEN BETTER
Over Christmas she'd agreed to nudge them in the right direction, if it came down to it and they still weren't amenable. Alfred wasn't sure she really would, though, because Zelda was attached to her family and was apparently willing to put up with a good deal of bullshit for their sake. He wasn't sure she would ever think the time was right to nudge them — but he could hardly come right out and ask her.
So where did that leave him? Just unsatisfied, that was all. There was nothing to do about it. No reason to say it. He had no route forward and refused to take a step back, so he was stuck here. But Merlin, he hated it. He wished things could go back to the way they'd been before they'd been courting. He wished things could be easy again.
He smiled at her request, his cheek brushing up against her hair. That was a vestige of when things had been easier.
He let go of her hand so that he could take her face between both of his and kissed her deeply.
MJ made the most Alfredy of sets and then two years later she made it EVEN BETTER