alongbottomedā:
She almost says no, hastily, like a natural-born reflex or subliminal knee-jerk. Alice is so used to saying no. It has become her gut reaction, hot one moment cold the next, that now she has to pull herself back for a moment, wash the expression from her face, swallow the word.
Amos must see the transitionāAliceās skin washes from white to pink and her widened eyes crease into commasābut she doesnāt mind. The mirror is keeled over in the other direction; once it had been her pulling Amos away, from the fragments of Nora left behind that he was desperate to make fit, and out into nature.
Aliceās mouth twists into a smile.Ā āAlright,ā she says, threading her arm under his and curling her fingers on his arm. She casts a glance back to the cobra lily, only for a moment, as if it is like leaving behind a child not yet sure how to dress and feed and care for themselves. Amos guides her, so by way of nature she allows herself to be guided, lifting her chin to look at his face. All her attention is his now.Ā āLetās go wherever our legs take us.āĀ
He can hear the noĀ already, on the forefront of her mind if not on her tongue, can see the doubt on her face that dances around on her browline. He wants to reach forward and smooth the crease that sits on her forehead. He wants to brush his fingers through her hair and banish the part of her that makes her feel like retreatĀ is the safer choice.
He beams when she says yesĀ instead. Grins when she reaches for his outstretched arm and accepts it, follows along when he sets out along the path. Away from the tents. Where no one will interrupt them. In the days before, he probably wouldnāt bother to resume the conversation, happy as they usually are to enjoy each otherās company without needing to talk. He lets the silence sit for a little while, but he fears the results of letting Alice stew in her thoughts alone for too long.
āIāve been thinking,ā he says lightly,Ā āabout doing a bit of gardening myself. Carrots and pumpkins, you know. Iām much better at the Muggle plants than the magic ones.ā














