you're real enough to me

On Tuesday evening, as arranged, Mordred is settled at a table in Three Sheets, waiting for Alex to show. By now the place is almost familiar, by now most of the staff recognizes him: Alex's latest thing, a little standoffish but never any trouble.

While he waits he's studying the paper he's brought with him, handling it carefully for all that it's cheap copy paper, the kind Gaheris uses for his constant offhand sketches. It is a sketch, a girl with masses of curly hair, an upslanting glance; he took it for more of Morgause at first. (He's avoided too much talk with Gaheris, since that last disquieting conversation; he's going to have to figure out what to do about that.)

Alex has joined Alcoholics Anonymous in the last week, and he's already feeling better for having made a responsible decision--after all, nearly twenty years without a drink and then he just starts again for Anna, and immediately turns reckless, well, that bespeaks a problem greater than a need to return to social drinking.

The change in his mood is easily reflected out, Alex being the person he is; he's been more cheerful and flirty than ever this week, his walk almost like a dance, and he has been an absolute joy to live with.

Right now he's in front of the mirror straightening his tie. He's meeting Mike for drinks this evening (it's a Tuesday, not his shift at the bar), but it's only three in the afternoon and he has plans to kidnap his daughter for some time together.