No Strings, I Promise

Alice and Will have been searching for Cyrus for about two months. The timeline of this fic will be a bit different than the show. Enjoy!

Pairing: Knalice

"Alice, I'm sorry."

Alice and Will had been searching for Cyrus for almost two months. Every time they seemed to have a lead, they would either walk right into a trap or hit a dead end. It seemed hopeless, at least to the Knave.

"Will, I wish you would stop apologizing. He's here, and we're going to find him. I know it," she replied, annoyance clear in her voice.

Alice held onto her optimism with a stubbornness that drove Will up the wall. He understood what it felt like to lose a loved one, and he even understood the hope that one day everything could go back to the way that it was, thanks to Anastasia. Unfortunately, also because of Anastasia, he knew what it felt like to have that hope ripped away from you and crushed in front of you. If only Alice could understand that he was trying to protect her. He had born witness to Alice's mental state after Cyrus died the first time, and he couldn't stand the idea of it happening again.

"I'm not trying to be a pessimist, and I'm not giving up either, I just wish that you would take a step back and evaluate the situation," he said, sighing as she cast her eyes downward.

"Look, Knave," he grimaced, knowing that he upset her. "I know that this isn't important to you, and that you're only helping me to get your wish, but that does not mean that you get to tell me how to live my life," she said, hands on her hips and chin up. Will could see through her brave act, though, and he knew that it was only a matter of moments before her emotions would get the best of her, as they had done before.

Will walked towards Alice and pulled her towards him, catching her in a hug just as her knees started to buckle. He buried his face in her hair as her shoulders began to shake. He whispered whatever encouragement he could manage as he traced patterns on her back. Will was angry with himself for starting a fight, when he knew that she was more exhausted than he was, and emotionally spent on top of it all.

The truth was that all Will really wanted was to see Alice happy. He might've been hiding behind that promised wish, but that hadn't been the reason he was helping her for a long time now. He couldn't exactly remember when he started having feelings for Alice as more than a friend. Frankly, he couldn't understand how, without his heart, but it had happened, nonetheless. He knew that Alice's one and only goal was to be reunited with Cyrus, and that she would stop at nothing to achieve that goal.

However, he had something in mind that might help her get her mind off of the genie, at least during the times when they were unable to continue their journey, such as now. He knew that now was not the appropriate time to bring up such a suggestion, as he sat on the ground, Alice resting on his lap, curled up against his chest, so he decided that he would give it more time. The problem was that he didn't know how much more time he could spend cuddled up with Alice and hide his feelings from her.

One of the reasons that he waited to address the situation with Alice is because she might take it the wrong way. She would see it as him trying to take the place of Cyrus, and she would be angry. She might even run away from him. You see, when a man and a woman are on the run together, especially for such an extended period of time as they had been, there are certain needs that arise. He was sure that under everything, Alice could do with something, or rather, someone to relieve some of the stress in her life.

It had been a day and a half since Alice's breakdown, and it was all he could do to keep from blurting it out right there in front of the fire. Once Alice returned from hunting, and it appeared that she would be staying put for awhile, he felt a sudden boost in courage, and he knew that he had to do it now, or he never would.

"Alice, can I talk to you about something?" he asked, careful to avoid her eyes.

Alice furrowed her brow, "What is it?" she responded, obviously concerned.

Will cleared his throat, paying close attention to the meat that was currently roasting over the fire, knowing that if he approached this in the wrong way, he could soon be joining it.

"So, we've been hitting quite a few dead ends lately," he said earning a glare from his blonde companion.

Alice sighed. "Will, I am tired of having this conversation with you."

"No, Alice, you misunderstand me. I'm merely trying to make an observation," he said, hoping she would let him continue.

"Alright then, go on."

That was what he had been waiting for, so why was it so hard for his mouth to form the words his brain so badly wanted to say?

"Look, we've been on the road together for two months, with very little encouraging results. I can tell that it is taking a toll on you emotionally, and I'm worried about how you might handle anymore obstacles," he said, sighing in defeat when he saw the look of complete confusion on Alice's face. He decided to try a different approach.

"Alice, do you find me attractive?" he asked, and was met with a look of shock from the blonde.

"Will, I don't see what this has to do with anything," she said, a slight tinge of pink making its way to her cheeks.

"That's exactly my point, it doesn't have to do with anything. Just answer the bloody question."

"Fine. Yes, Will, you are attractive."

"Brilliant. I also happen to think that you are bloody gorgeous," he said, not even worrying about Alice's increasingly flabbergasted expression.

"Well, I mean, thank you, I guess, but I still don't know what this has to do with my emotional health."

"I am merely trying to make a suggestion that would really help the both of us relieve the tension, so to speak, in this sticky situation," he said, afraid to meet her eyes and see her reaction.

The reaction never came. He looked up to see Alice stand up and start to walk away.

"Alice, where the bloody hell are you going? We're in the middle of a conversation!" he shouted as she walked away.

She turned to face him and took a few steps. "No, Will, you were trying to start a conversation about something preposterous, and I still have no idea what you were suggesting!"

"Nothing Alice, never mind," is what he should have said. What he said instead, however, was entirely different.

"Seriously?! Here, let me spell it out for you: I am a man and you are a woman. This tiring search has left a lot of built up tension within the both of us. I suggest we initiate an arrangement of convenience wherein we sexually please each other as a means of distracting us from the discouraging aspect of this quest."

Bloody hell. The look on Alice's face told him immediately that she was as shocked as he was at the words that had just come out of his mouth. He desperately tried to think of something to say that would let her think that he was joking, but their eyes had already met, and she had an annoying habit of reading him through his eyes.

"Will…" she whispered, her eyes downcast as she tried to think of what to say. "I love Cyrus. We are trying to rescue Cyrus. Why would you suggest something like that?" She asked incredulously, although her face had turned a yet undiscovered shade of red. He loved it.

"I'm sorry, Alice, you're right," he said, trying to seem as regretful as possible even though a smirk threatened to push its way onto his face.

Alice nodded and turned away, rubbing her neck before she disappeared into the woods. When she was gone Will finally let the grin that he had been suppressing make its way onto his face. You see, when he had first told Alice of his idea, he had regretted it, but there was something in the way her face responded, probably subconsciously, that gave him encouragement. He was confident that she would eventually agree. It was only a matter of time.

This is my first Knalice fic, and I would love some feedback! This idea came to me a few days ago, and I decided to give it a try. Let me know if it is something you would like me to continue. Sorry that the chapter is short, but I wanted to gauge reactions before I wrote too much more. If I get enough positive feedback, I will hopefully update within the next couple of days. Until next time!