Alvin had to strain to look over his shoulder, upward at whatever it was Sisse was indicating. Keeping himself steady was starting to cause an ache in his legs and he tried to give Sisse as much space as he could, but she was practically sandwiched between him and the bench and he was determined not to think too hard about it. It did not escape Alvin's notice that she was indeed no longer the little girl who had visited his house and chattered away with his little sister. Now was not the time to think about it either.

The plant that floated above them was a little foreign to him, and certainly out of place just hovering there above them. He hadn't remembered encountering it in any of his recent visits to the greenhouse so he sort of stood there, stumped. "What is it?" Alvin, despite working with trees for his adult life, wasn't very good at plant identification, even on the best of days and under a Potts' woman's tutelage.

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How could he not know what it was? Wasn't the stuff all around at Christmas? Sisse tamped down on her annoyance, reminding herself that her brothers were likely just as oblivious. But here he was, so very close and she had to explain to him what was hanging over their heads.

"Mistletoe." The word was almost a whisper between them, a gentle caress of admission. "I believe the enchanted kind." The kind that left one with only one option, the kind that stilled you until it had had its fun. Hadn't Sisse been the punchline of enough jokes? She didn't need enchanted mistletoe taunting her even when it wasn't Christmas.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Oh. Alvin wasn't so sure he liked the way she said it. Enchanted plants didn't seem like something that was going to do them any good. He also was pretty sure that, as oblivious as he was, now that he knew what it was, there was likely only one way to get out. "Let me guess, to end the enchantment it requires a kiss?" Generally that's what people did under mistletoe and now he could understand her tone a little better.

Laurel Potts was going to kill him.

An inner debate sparked in his head the instant he realized what he was going to have to do here. Sisse, who was old enough to be an adult, who was debuting this year; who was his baby sister's close friend and ten years his junior was stuck kissing him, the living embodiment of a mess, just to get out of this debacle. Maybe the ground would do him a favor and just swallow him whole instead.

The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable and so he looked at her a little helplessly. Just springing it on her wasn't fair; had she ever even been kissed before. Merlin, he was overthinking this already. "How uh, do you want to go about it?" Maybe if he let her take the lead, it wouldn't make him feel like he was preying on her.

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"Uh huh." That most certainly wasn't lady like or mature of her, but her mind was whirling as she considered what he must be thinking at the realization that he'd have to kiss her someone he thought was a kid. Someone who he would never even consider romantically. And he would regret it, this time she knew that with certainty, he would regret it just as Lester had.

She would not, could not, pity herself. Lester was a mistake. Alvin was ... an awkward situation. At least she knew up front what he would be thinking. There would be no need to overthink it. She knew it as clear as the daylight shining in through the greenhouse's thick glass. Tomorrow she wouldn't wake up floating down the stairs dreaming of him and what awaited her, only to find he wouldn't speak to her. Besides, had it not been for her own bloody pride she wouldn't even be in this situation in the first place.

"Just do it." She couldn't meet his gaze again, fixing her eyes on his forehead. He was so close, almost embracing her, holding her upright, and yet she felt like no matter how she steeled herself, no matter what she told herself, what reasons she explained it away, this would still mean something to her. It would still be a foolish girlish fantasy and a kiss would only ignite it. Better to get it over with then.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Alvin hadn't expected that reaction. Merlin's beard. Alvin's expression hovered between a little exasperated, startled and actually some sort of worried. Of all the things he had expected her to say, that certainly hadn't been it and now he was wondering just what the hell was going on in her brain.

Sighing slowly, Alvin's features softened a little. He didn't know (hoped?) Sisse hadn't been kissed before. Was that an archaic frame of mind? Probably. Sloane would have punched him if he said that out loud. He had to make his mind up quickly, could feel the uptick in his heartbeat and wasn't sure what this was going to mean, if anything. If it was the only way to get them released so they could get her arm treated, it wasn't like he had much of a choice anyway.

With is good hand, Alvin put his forefinger under her chin and tilted it to where it would be easy to close the gap between them. Brown eyes searched hers one last time, hoping that if this was indeed her first kiss, he wasn't going to leave a terrible memory to go along with it. He probably wasn't who she wanted this from, and he honestly didn't know how he felt about it, but he wasn't going to just wing it either. There wasn't all that much of a height difference and so he leaned down slowly, tilting his head just a little to the side, and pressed his lips gently to hers.

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The following 1 user Likes Alvin Bixby's post:1 user Likes Alvin Bixby's post
   Alice Dawson

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There was a soft gentle brush of his hand under her chin, tilting her face toward his, her eyes at last meeting his own. His face had softened slightly and his eyes searched hers as if he were looking for something. It was so at odds with how she had thought of him since Christmas Eve. Involuntarily her body swayed closer to his as if it did not understand what this was. The folds of his coat pressed into her chest, his body warm. Safe. Her body whispered even as she began to tremble ever so slightly.

The kiss was like a sigh, a whisper, a gentle moment sealed in time. Her own lips pressed gently back toward him, something inside her whispering that she didn't want this to end. It was fragile, something that would not stand up against anything beyond this very instance. It would shatter if considered too closely. And yet, Sisse's entire being yearned for him, felt like the banked coals of a fire igniting slowly back to life. But it was a fire that would burn her. So instead Sisse's blue eyes fluttered back open, she held still, absolutely still, and for half a second she could almost believe this was real.

The following 1 user Likes Sisse Thompsett's post:1 user Likes Sisse Thompsett's post
   Alice Dawson

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Alvin was keenly aware of his every movement— and hers. He stayed still, even as she leaned into him, torn for what to do. He was in uncharted territory here. It had been a long while since he'd been this close to a woman and Sisse was not just some fling that he would never see again. He was stuck between knowing she was on the cusp of being an adult, was already considered so by age, but she hadn't debuted and he wasn't a worth candidate to court her (or anyone for that matter) or frankly if she even wanted any of that, let alone with him. Alvin knew he was overthinking this bu the had been enjoying their blossoming friendship up until Christmas.

Feeling the charm release his feet, Alvin stepped back slightly, letting his hand fall back to his side, brows creased in uncertainty. He really didn't want her to think ill of him, had purposely been gentle but he head no idea what was going through her head. "You okay?" It came out as a murmur, they were still close enough for her to hear him, even without raising his voice any higher than that. He knew she was no delicate flower (she had been friends with Sloane after all), but he knew he had to tread lightly here regardless. She was just as likely to punch him as Sloane had been if he'd done anything wrong.

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Cool air flooded into the few inches between them, reminding Sisse that the charm was broken. That this fragile gentle moment was already shattering irreparably. But is voice, his concern... it drew something from the very center of her. "Yes." In that vulnerable moment between then and now, that moment where she hovered in him embrace held her tight and just for one moment, she wanted to believe in the magic of it, in the tender fragile thing of what had been, rather than what would be. And so she allowed herself this weakness, this moment of truth, letting it trail over her face. There was no pain in her look, no anger, no hard edge. It was just her and Alvin and a raw truth between them.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

It felt like something in the air between them had shifted, but he didn't know what or how. This was a wildly different sort of situation than he anticipated for his next interaction with Sisse and he knew nothing about their last conversation was settled, but he was too worried about the present to worry about the past. He exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and passed her a weak smile. "Good," he was unsure as to what this was leading up to exactly, if anything, but things definitely didn't feel the same anymore. The kiss had been to release the spell, but somehow felt like more than that.

"I should find Mrs. Potts," before the blasted greenery decided to move again and he was repeating the moment. She was injured and he was in between where they had been and where they were currently and it left him off kilter. Alvin was not supposed to see her as anything other than Sloane's friend, but it was hard to do so when she was right in front of him looking every bit the woman she had become. It was an odd dichotomy and he didn't know what to do with it. Or if he should.

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It had to end, of course. He was to find Mrs. Potts to take care of the wrist she had so foolishly injured, but she didn't want him to step away. Didn't want this moment to fade into memory. She wanted it to be real, in a way it wouldn't be when her thoughts started to creep back in. "Okay." The word was a whisper, a question, as she bit the inside of her lip nervously.

She had to bring herself back to reality, had to remind herself that it wasn't real. But Alvin's gaze, the air between them, the soft exhale of air, and the look in his eyes made her doubt her own surety that it wasn't real.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"Alright," he left it hanging in the space between them and moved back to go around the work bench toward the front of the store. He had wipe whatever look it was off his features and find Mrs. Potts with some sort of neutral expression. Thankfully she was right where he expected her to be in the small office just off the shop floor. Gently he knocked on the door frame. "Mrs. Potts? Miss Thompsett took a little spill on her way into the greenhouse just as I was leaving and I think she's injured her wrist. I'm not entirely sure what to do about it, can you take care of it?" Alvin had only become a pro in taking care of burns in the aftermath of his accident; broken or sprained or otherwise injured was not his area of expertise, as it was.

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At the knock Laurel looked up to see Alvin Potts. For an instance she recalled him coming to her at the tender age of ten when one of the children took a spill in the backyard. It appeared some things never changed.

"Oh of course dear, show me where she is?" Laurel got up from her seat and followed behind Alvin to the greenhouses where Miss Thompsett did indeed appear to be standing, bone white, but with an alarming amount of color in her cheeks. Just as he had been leaving, hm? She certainly was skeptical about that, and the fact that Sisse's eyes darted to Alvin's face and then quickly away did nothing to quell Laurel's misgivings.

"Let me see that wrist dear." Laurel demanded kindly, extending her hand out for the girl's wrist. Sisse dutifully held it out to her and she inspected it, watching Sisse's reactions as she moved the wrist to fro. At last she determined, "It may be a fracture. Better to have a healer tend to it I think. Alvin, could you grab the bandages over there." She gestured at the basket of cloth strips she kept in the greenhouse in case of cuts and minor injuries, continuing to speak as she did. "If you could just wrap this up," She told Alvin, "I think it'll be best to see you to the Hospital."

  

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Mama Potts' is a joy thanks to Bee <3

Alvin knew that motherly look he was getting and he didn't like it all. But he wasn't stupid enough not to play stupid. He led her back through the greenhouse to where Sisse was still standing and hovered a ways away while the Potts matriarch did her thing. He did what was asked of him blindly, locating the bandages and handing over a set for her to work her magic.

It was as bad as he feared then, worse than a bruise or a sprain. Now he felt guilty again on top of everything else. He was going to have to try to make it up to her somehow. If he'd just sucked up his pride and helped her up the stairs none of this would have happened. It all seemed to keep piling on and he was useless at trying to decipher what it was he felt about everything exactly. That was a later project.

"Do you think the school nurse could take care of it?" Alvin suggested; he couldn't handle the hospital well after spending so much time there for Wally.

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It didn't take long for Alvin to reappear with Calla's mother, but it gave Sisse enough time to remember precisely what she was to Alvin - no, Mr. Bixby - and that was not whatever that moment, that kiss had hinted at.

When they arrived back in the greenhouse her eyes darted to his face, trying to read whatever thoughts were there, but Mrs. Potts all too quickly drew her attention back to the throbbing of her wrist. "I'm so sorry." Sisse apologized even as she grimaced and winced at each small movement. "I should have been more careful." But Mrs. Potts seemed to disregard these comments and settle into helping Sisse as if Sisse were one of her own. With no judgement, only kindness.

Wrapping the bandage up hurt even as Mrs. Potts set her wand to doing it, each wrap around her wrist made her wince, but she did her best to solider through and make it seem as if it hardly hurt at all. Honestly? She just wanted to go back to the castle and curl up under the covers to hide from the world and sleep away this miserable day.

His question had Sisse's blue eyes darting up to him, trying to consider why he'd ask that question, watching his face for each clue it gave. She suspected hospitals gave him pain given everything and there was no way she could hurt Alvin any further than she already had. "Yes, the nurse will be perfectly fine!" Sisse was quick to chirp with an eager nod, perhaps too eager, "I'd just be a nuisance at the hospital."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

At Sisse's quick interject Laurel looked between the pair. Slowly she nodded, stepping back from Sisse now that what she was able to manage was taken care of. "If that's what you would like then I don't see why not. Although I don't see how you'd be a nuisance to healers" She brushed her hands off as if to brush the matter aside, a natural habit she had when she had decided something, or was ending a conversation or task, picked up from years of brushing dirt off her hands.

She gave Alvin a sharp look, catching his eye and making sure she held his gaze, "You'll escort Miss Thompsett back to the gates. I won't have you go alone by yourself dear." This she addressed much more kindly to Sisse, before returning to her stern gaze over the Bixby boy. "Pepper will go with you." She added, mentioning the shop girl she'd employed once Dahlia and Zinnia had both gotten married and moved to their own homes. She couldn't very well let them go alone afterall. "Pepper, come in here!" She called over her shoulder.

  

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Mama Potts' is a joy thanks to Bee <3

Alvin kept a better poker face than Sisse, but he had a lot of practice trying not to cower under the watchful gaze of Mrs. Potts. He had spent a good portion of his youth running around their greenhouse and yard, it wasn't like he didn't have the experience. "I sure will." The agreement was swift and decisive; it wasn't like had a choice.

At the mention of the Potts' shop employee joining them, Alvin paled a little. He wasn't sure if that was better or worse. There would be no way candidness to their conversation, but if he was being honest with himself he didn't know what to say to her at this junction. Poor Pepper was going to have an awkward walk. There was no escaping it however. "Should we not find your chaperon?" Surely she had been under the watchful eye of a school matron of something of the like? It would be bad if they just took her back to the school, no? He wasn't about to outright argue with Mrs. Potts, but was trying to make it easier on everyone else if they passed the torch to the right people.

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