ANTONY & CLEOPATRA → ALFIE SOLOMONS

"goodbye"

Lingering and hard for longer times apart. Ones that curve A's body against B's and cause hands to splay against backs. Or short pecks, maybe not even completely on the mouth for short trips to the grocery store.

"Alfie," you mumbled, fingers tightening in the thin fabric of his shirt as though you could anchor him there forever. Your voice was muffled by his coat, head resting in the curve of his neck. "Are you sure that my brother can't handle this on his own?"

Alfie's hands rubbed your back, trying to soothe your unappeasable worries and stresses. He had his chin resting on the top of your head, and you could feel the vibrations as he hummed, his arms squeezing you a tad bit tighter. Alfie didn't want to leave almost as much as you wanted him to stay, but he couldn't. There was business to take care of.

"Now, how would I look if I let Tommy Shelby run off to handle all the dirty work himself, pet," Alfie hummed, pulling back slightly so that he could cup your face in his hands, thumbs stroking along the highest planes of your cheeks. "I won't be gone long."

"You always say that," you grumbled, eyes narrowing as your lips pushed into a small pout. "And then you disappear for a week and a half with no warning, and me and Ollie are left worried sick."

Alfie couldn't help but crack a smile. "And I always come back, right, don't I?" You hesitantly nodded. "Then what are you worryin' for?"

"Getting your body sent back to me in a bag," you tried to snap, but the words came out more terrified than angry, and you watched Alfie's eyes soften. "That's what's got me worrying, Alfie."

Alfie pursed his lips as he absorbed your words, thumbs tucking under your jaw and angling your head up higher. He eyed the pout that your lips were in, and leaned down, his hand coming up to hold the back of your head as he kissed you goodbye.

It was meant to be a short kiss, soft and sweet, but Alfie should have known better than to expect that you would let him go without putting up a fight. Your fingers tightened in the lapels of his coat, tugging Alfie close until your bodies were pressed flush against one another, curving into each other perfectly. Alfie lost himself for a moment as your tongue swiped against the swell of his bottom lip, the kiss deepening as you stood up on your tip-toes.

"Fuck," Alfie said, sort of breathlessly as he pulled away, your face cupped between his rough hands as you breathed heavily, blinking up at him with wide eyes, and pink, swollen lips. "What are you doing to me, pet?"

"Nothing bad," you hummed, reaching up for another small kiss. "You could stop me if you wanted to, Mr. Solomons."

Alfie's eyes fluttered shut, a small smile curling up on his plump lips. "Right, pet," he cleared his throat, leaning down to kiss her lightly again. "That I could, yeah."

"You're still going to leave, aren't you," you hummed, arms wrapping around Alfie and laying your head against his chest, taking comfort in the heat rolling off of him in waves. You dreaded the moment you would have to let go.

"Who else is gonna keep Tommy from getting himself killed, aye?" Alfie grunted jokingly, leaning down to kiss the top of your head when you let out a displeased noise. "Don't fret, now. I'll be back before you have time to miss me."

You let him release you, his thumb brushing longingly against your bottom lip before departing completely, leaving you alone to worry about him for the next few days.