Jo nodded her agreement despite recognizing she wouldn't reach out first. Not if everything with Zach imploded, not if something happened with Ilona, not even if the sky began to fall. Alfred wasn't hers to contact; he hadn't yet reclaimed his place as her best friend, nor would he until they saw one another in person again. Letters were so easily misunderstood or manipulated to conceal lies. Jo wouldn't take the chance.

"Yeah, sure." She agreed verbally before draining the rest of her glass and moving it aside. Her food hadn't come yet, but she suddenly had no appetite at all. "I don't know where I'll be come spring. I'm sure your owl will be able to find me though."

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beautiful set by mj

He had the urge to press her for details — where was she going, when, why? — but recognized that he hadn't earned that yet. She hadn't entirely shut him down when he'd brought up wanting to reconcile, though, so they were moving in a positive direction. Maybe someday they'd be back in each other's confidences. Maybe even someday soon.

"Yeah, owls are good at that," he joked. He considered adding something about him being able to meet her wherever she ended up, too — he had a ship and the know-how to get around most places, and he did not actually have any work commitments until the season started in May — but recognized that again, that was too much, too soon. Besides, what he actually would have been trying to convey with a comment like that would had nothing to do with the logistics of going abroad, but rather If you did leave I'd still be on your side. That sentiment was dancing a little too close to the last real conversation they'd had before the blizzard, though, and again — too much, too soon. Someday.

"I'm — glad we ran into each other," he said as he reached to finish his own beer (subconsciously mirroring her, for no reason at all). He certainly hadn't been glad when the conversation had started, but now that they'd reached this point he was brimming with optimism about the future. Not that he expected talking to Zelda about it would be easy, but he didn't expect that she'd actually say no — not if he got her to understand what it was he really wanted from all of this, and that it had nothing to do with her or how she compared to Jo.

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MJ made the most Alfredy of sets and then two years later she made it EVEN BETTER

"Too good sometimes." Owls had a pesky habit of finding her even when she thought she was well hidden and they usually came with dark tidings. They could stand to lose some accuracy.

Despite the progress seemingly made in mending their friendship, Jo still had a hard time believing he was glad to have run into her. Perhaps it was all the trust lost or maybe it was just that she wasn't sure she felt the same, but whatever the case Jo knew she needed some space from him. Digging into her pocket for her coinspurse, she placed enough payment down for her uneaten meal and drink. "I hope you have fair winds home."

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beautiful set by mj

Alfred recognized that she was leaving, and though he might have wished she had been willing to stay and talk more he recognized that as a step too far for where their fragile relationship was at the moment. They were ending on a neutral note at least, and that was really all he could hope for at this point.

"And following seas," he returned on instinct, before realizing she likely wasn't sailing home herself. "Er, ah — take care, Jo."

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MJ made the most Alfredy of sets and then two years later she made it EVEN BETTER