Anna resided in her room with Alfred beneath the covers. They touched one another softly. Lips. Cheeks. Necks.

"How have you been, Annushka?"

"I've been…alright. Ellis and Andrei are going back to Austria next week." Anna's mouth pressed together momentarily. "They've decided on a date for their wedding as well. It's going to be in August-on the first."

"That's in about four months. Isn't that extremely fast?"

"I think so. But Andrei said neither of them wanted to wait a long time. That, and they've already began planning. Perhaps it's easier because they don't have to choose a venue. The wedding is going to be here."

"Are they going to talk this over with Ellis' parents?"

"I would assume so. I think they're going to plan more in Vienna. Ellis wouldn't be comfortable buying a dress here, since she can't really speak Russian. Not to mention-buying a wedding gown is something one would want to do with their own mother. I'm positive she'll come back with something lovely and lacey."

"Are you going to miss them, Anna?"

"I suppose so." Those cold blue eyes moved to the ceiling, catching nothing but a strange darkness. "It'll be odd, not having them around. I think I'll miss Ellis, even if she does upset me sometimes."

"Why does she upset you?" Alfred kissed his darling's forehead. And oh, how her little heart burst in the purest of uncut joy. It did not cause the type of anxiety that Francis caused. In fact, Alfred's pretty mouth made her entire body tingle and her face burst into swelling color. "I've met her once or twice, and she seems very sweet."

"Well-that's just the thing. There's nothing wrong with her. Ellis is like a princess from a story book. She's kind and loving and warm." The next few words rolled within Anna's mouth. "I wouldn't admit this to a lot of people-but I'm insanely jealous of her. She's so happy and so at peace with herself. It makes me furious when she's kind to me, because I desperately want something to be horribly wrong with her. If she was cruel, I could at least say, 'oh well. She might be beautiful, but she's a horrible person'. Or maybe, she could have been somewhat deformed. You know-ugly. With a big nose, or tiny lips, or eyes the size of pepper seeds. Even stupid ears would do. But she's so lovely…I honestly think she's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. And I love her. But at the same time, I can't even bare to look at her. I hate her for all the perfection she has."

"You don't actually believe that, do you? There's something off with everyone. Ellis may seem perfect, but she might be hiding her faults. That's completely normal. And it's something people do all the time. Even if she is so called 'perfect' who cares? You'll always be you, Anna. And even if you aren't perfect, I still find you to be fantastic. Honestly, your faults only give your more character. I've never met a woman like you, and I doubt I ever will again. As wonderful as Ellis might be, I'm almost certain that you're more interesting."

Anna sighed. But it wasn't a sigh of exasperation, or one of pain. It was a sigh that held every last one of her emotions. Her love and her passion and all the desires held for a certain driver boy.

"What the hell do I even say to that?"

I love you.

I love you so much, my chest hurts.

I could fucking cry-that's how much I love you.

"I-" Breath. "Alfred, I think you're perfect."

"Oh, Anna. Me? You're being silly. I'm just a driver boy. I almost never have a damn rouble in my pocket and I suffer from some kind of moronic wanderlust. I'm far from perfect."

"Maybe so, but you're perfect to me."

Even in the dark, Anna could observe her American's classic smile.

"You're sweet, Annushka. Why are you being so kind to me anyway?"

Because I adore you, you idiot.

"You're my best friend, and you've got a good heart. I really have no reason to be cruel to you." I wish you were my fiancé. "You're my favorite person, Alfred."

The man tugged the stupid and blushing girl into an embrace. Their bare chests grew together-for a moment.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, Anna. But I think you've been changing lately."

"How so?"

"I've noticed how kind you're being…I mean to say that you seem happier, even. And a lot more open."

"Well, I've decided I don't need to be awful. That I don't have to be the terrible things people say I am. A shrew-a bitch. I earnestly want my life to improve, and I think to make any improvements, I would have to change myself first. I can still wear my trousers and button-downs. I can still have my hair short. The fact is, it simply feels better to be kind person, I suppose. There's no sadness in my heart for giving the cold shoulder to those I love."

Pause.

"I've been lonely long enough."

Alfred merely held the slender thing tightly. But then he spoke. "That's wonderful, Anna."

"I think so as well."

"So…I assume that means you're not going to play dirty anymore with your fiancé?"

"Well, no." A little discomfort sat within Anna's blood. "But we made a deal. If I don't love him, we're not going to marry. He told me that wedding a woman who couldn't stand him would be unwise for either of us. And I don't love him. No, he's not as horrendous as I thought him to be, but he's certainly not someone I adore-someone I could adore, for that matter. It honestly wouldn't be so bad, if we could only be friends. But he wants more."

"And you don't. Not out of him."

"No, not at all."

The pair remained in silence for a very long time. The minutes passed, and they ate up one another's warmth. Pretty moths to pretty flames. Two strong magnets.

Anna simply enjoyed her love's heart beat.

She still wanted to eat him alive.

"I wish you were my fiancé, Alfred." The truth was nearly whispered inside the quiet.

"I wish I was your fiancé too, Anna."

I love you. She could hear it inside his mind. Or at least-she desperately wanted to. Just as badly as she wished to say it.

"I'm going to leave now. Before I fall asleep and get you into a world of trouble in the morning. But I'll see you soon, Anna."

"Can I come visit you tomorrow?"

"Of course you can. Whenever you like." Alfred kissed the saddened creature good-night. "Sleep well."

"Sleep well, Alfred."

And so suddenly, Anna found herself alone. Never before had she been so aware of the divide between servant and aristocrat. It was like trying to clear a gaping hole in the ground.

Unfortunately, Anna's wing had been broken by a certain black leather belt.

But they were healing.

She could fucking taste it.