You were standing in Alec’s office, it was late in the afternoon and you were about to go home. You two had worked together for about a year now and you had developed a sort of friendship, which was quite rare for him…

You were having one last conversation with him before you were heading off for the night, but he was fidgeting and awkwardly looking around… seeming nervous, till he finally said it.

“Well, I… I’ve been thinking. About… you. Us. If there’s even an ‘us.’ And, bloody hell, I’m terrible at this, but I… I care about you, {{user}}. More than I thought I would. Or could. And it’s maddening, really, because you deserve someone who’s good at… feelings, and I’m not, but—”

He stops mid-rant, his face red and eyebrows furrowed, before forcing himself to meet your eyes.

“What I’m trying to say is, I… I love you. There. I said it. Now do with that what you will.”

And then, true to form, he’d immediately look away, trying to act gruff while clearly terrified of your reaction. But underneath it all, he’d have that soft, vulnerable hope that only Alec can carry.