#and matthew's response being “It's my house too” like sir you're missing the point here

[sukibenders]

Marcus: Listen, I get you want to protect Diana but be rational. Just take her somewhere where she'll be safe and can lie low.

Matthew: You're right. I know just the place.

Marcus: Okay so you'll take her to Scotland or-

Matthew: Sept-Tours, to see Ysabeau.

Marcus:

[clocksfanfiction]

Hello hello! I hope that everything is going well with you! I just have a quick question: the regency era, ukus a/b/o snippets that you wrote... you wouldn't happen to have more of those aside from the two, right? Not to be dramatic or anything but I would literally sell my soul to you for a whole story or at the very least a few more snippets from that story. If not, I totally understand! I just want you to know that you're writing is beautiful

Hello hello indeed. 

Just for you anon, I do in fact have another I never finished. I’m giving fair warning here; it does not end in a satisfying way, it stops abruptly because I never finished it and I have no intentions of continuing to write it. I might one day come back to writing, but my time and energy these days just isn’t made for it. 

I never had a clear plot for this au, I just enjoy writing in that stupid flowery way and I love repressed idiot Arthur who has no idea how to handle his emotions and attraction to Alfred who is far too bold for his own good and doesn’t actually know how to handle his emotions any better. Eventually I imagine either Arthur confesses very badly to an annoyed and oblivious Alfred, or even worse he just proposes in the least romantic way possible. Give it a whole year of stolen eye contact and blushing and one or two scandalous brushes of fingers first. I never got to any of those points though.

I will, however, give you what I have written just because you asked so nicely and I hope you can enjoy it for what it is (with a grain of salt for the way it cuts off).

“My word!”

Alfred looked up from his book, eyes drawn towards the door where his father’s muffled voice had carried over the sound of the rain. It had been dreary all day and though Alfred had quite the mind that morning to get up and go and call on Miss Vogel, his mother had refused to let him leave out of fear from the rain. Alfred didn’t like the rain, but he wasn’t afraid of a little bit of it, but now glancing out into the growing storm he couldn’t help being quite glad his mother hadn’t allowed him to go.

The windows rattled with the force of the wind, prompting Alfred up out of his chair to shut the curtain in the hopes it would keep out some of the draft. However, glancing out of the window, he paused. Far below, through the blurry film of water upon the windowpane, Alfred caught sight of a shadowy figure approaching their doorstep.

Alfred frowned. They could have no visitor at this hour, and certainly not in such weather, but the sound of his father’s voice carrying up the stairs once again drew his attention back. Whoever it was was certainly unexpected, perhaps it was simply a messenger.

He shut the curtains, stopping briefly to retrieve his book before he wandered out onto the landing, curious to see if he could catch sight of the messenger before they left and pester his father for the contents of the message.

But as he crept down the stairs, he found no messenger standing in the doorway, but a very sodden looking Mr Arthur Kirkland trying to ward off the towels passed to him.

“Mr Jones this is very kind of you but I was only stopping-”

“Nonsense Mr Kirkland, it’s storming out there and I cannot have you heading further out into it. You will undoubtedly catch a chill and my wife will never forgive me for the loss of such a fine young man.”

“I do appreciate your concern but I am expected at my mother’s house-”

“Then I will send a message as soon as the rain clears ahead of you to apologise for holding you back. I would rather be reprimanded for making you late than be responsible for your illness, sir.”

Mr Kirkland once again opened his mouth to protest, but the words caught in his throat as Alfred took another step down and the wood creaked conspicuously beneath his foot. Both alphas turned in his direction, and Mr Kirkland’s expression flickered oddly, his mouth snapping shut against whatever protest he had previously been about to make.

“Sorry sir, should I have stayed upstairs?” Alfred turned slightly as if to retreat, though he had no interest in returning to his room when Mr Kirkland was stood dripping rainwater on their floor.

“Not at all Alfred,” His father smiled, though the expression was wry. “you would in fact be doing me much a service if you could convince Mr Kirkland not to run out into the rain again.”

Alfred turned his gaze to the alpha in question, though the moment their eyes met Mr Kirkland looked sharply away. Alfred was undeterred -- he’d grown used to the odd, stiff mannerisms of Mr Kirkland from the meetings they had so far enjoyed. At least, Alfred had enjoyed. He found Mr Kirkland more than a little intriguing.

Not to mention he could not help but find the way the rainwater dripped down his tensed jaw rather unbearably dashing.

“Well we cannot have that. You should allow us the pleasure of your company at dinner, Mr Kirkland, at least to excuse the puddle you are forming on our hallway floor.”

Mr Kirkland looked down self-consciously and had his cheeks and nose not already been flushed rosy with cold, Alfred was sure the alpha’s expression would have coloured with embarrassment.

“I, excuse me, I do apologise.”

Whatever easy eloquence with which he had been addressing Alfred’s father before seemed to have vanished; that caught and affected tone that so irritated and amused Alfred at once returning to his voice.

“There is nothing to apologise for, Mr Kirkland.” Mr Jones began again, grinning as a servant handed him another towel. “Though you should heed my son’s words and allow us the pleasure of your company.”

Mr Kirkland’s gaze lifted to Mr Jones, and for just a moment flickered to Alfred. He hesitated, once again some other comment on his lips that seemed to die as he turned from Alfred.

“It would be a pleasure to join you for dinner. But I do apologise for being such a terrible burden on your household.”

“Not at all, not at all Mr Kirkland.” Alfred watched as his father slung the towel around Mr Kirkland’s shoulders, pushing him gently towards the stairs which Alfred was quick to descend. “I’m sure my elder son’s clothes will be a fit for you, we must have you out of these sodden things at once or you will catch cold. Mary! Mary, show Mr Kirkland to our guest rooms…”

Alfred watched his father guide the servant about, looking up just in time to catch Mr Kirkland’s shy gaze upon him. Mr Kirkland was a strange alpha: though he exuded a kind of quiet confidence and pride among his peers, he became cold when made to socialise with any he didn’t already seem familiar with, and while he seemed to close in and shy away from all but a few of Alfred’s own looks, this was the third time Alfred had caught his gaze upon him. Another omega might well have been flattered, but the strange perceptive aura of Mr Kirkland’s handsome green eyes rather made Alfred feel that he was being picked apart for his flaws and not admired. Yet the man had asked him thrice to dance at the only two balls he had attended and blushed each time he’d had to take Alfred’s hand.

He was an odd enigma of an alpha, and Alfred took great pleasure in seeing the red upon his cheeks when he smiled at him as he passed up the stairs.

--

As it happened, Matthew’s clothes were the best fit in the house for Mr Kirkland. But Matthew was a slight taller than the other alpha, and broader too, which made the alpha appear slightly smaller than he really was. Alfred couldn’t help finding it just a little endearing, though he made sure to keep any sign of his thoughts out of his expression when Mr Kirkland joined them in the front room.

His hair was towel-dry, which only made the flyway strands sit lower than usual and his fringe fall into his eyes. He kept pushing it back in the most inconspicuous manner he could manage, though watching the hair fall into his eyes Alfred couldn’t quite ignore the desire to reach over and brush it aside for him. He didn’t of course, such an action was far too familiar and utterly improper -- but the thought of Mr Kirkland’s possible reaction did entertain Alfred.

Mr Kirkland was easily startled, oddly enough. Though Alfred had seen him unphased greeting an alpha who had clearly snuck up on him, he had once near jumped out of his skin when Alfred’s shoulder had accidentally brushed his in stepping too close.

He could only imagine that Mr Kirkland’s cheeks would colour delightfully if he were to brush his fringe from his eyes.

“You said you were heading to your father’s house, Mr Kirkland?”

Dinner had been served shortly after Mr Kirkland had dried and changed, which had been followed by an odd series of events wherein Matthew had made as subtle movement as he could to walk into the dining room immediately after Alfred. He couldn’t explain why, but they had ended up with an arrangement that left Mr Kirkland sitting opposite himself. If he were less rational he might have imagined that his family had engineered their seating for it.

“Yes sir. I prefer to ride from London, there isn’t much opportunity to get the horses out in the same way in town.”