"I sincerely doubt quick wit has anything to do with asking to marry you. Nah. He's just good at thinking long-term and big picture. Probably worries too much because of it, but that comes with the territory."
Ugh, he was not here to psychologically diagnose Ewan, even if he'd be able to tell Dora in a heartbeat that the man clearly suffered from anxiety and ought to be taking something for it. Would probably help his stutter, too.
For a very long while, Alec just... listened, trying to really absorb what he thought Dora was saying here. She was, wasn't she? Saying that? Actually saying that. Good god.
"Thank you," he started, offering her a nod, hoping that both his voice and his expression captured his sincerity there. "That means a lot coming from her best friend. And it would mean a lot less if you wouldn't threaten to break all of my bones if I hurt her, so that's all well and good. I'm genuinely glad to have your support and your approval."
Now to the more difficult part.
"But... you are also telling me," he said very slowly, "that I should not respect her wishes and should try to talk her out of choosing someone else... even though that would make me look like a controlling, self-absorbed asshole? I mean, if she decides to pick him, I'm more than happy to call in the cavalry, i.e. you, but you really think she can't make that decision for herself? That she's been that obsessed with him for that long?"
Fuck.
That was not the implication he'd hoped to uncover there.