And another thing

 "So what were you two talking about?" Steve didn't know where this was going. As long as he'd known Alfie, he knew anything was possible. Hopefully, it was not what he was thinking. Steve winced hard and went back to his cold brew. Yes, he should actually start drinking hot coffee, but they were out seeing if there was anything new in old town. 

"Me of course," Alfie said about Ting. "I can't believe she got so mad at me." He sighed.

"You know, it's always YOU." Steve poked him in the chest and almost knocked him back into the street lamp.

"What was that for?" He squinted hard as if Steve might as well have stabbed him with a knife.

"Wake up, you idiot." Steve gave him a dead stare. Oh, here he was in his favorite sweater for fall and hoping he could find something cute and sweet to bring home to Victoria. BUT NO. He was having to listen to Alfie go on and on about his troubles which started with Poppy but were now with Ting.

"I hope you move out soon," Steve told him as he walked on, leaving Alfie behind.

"Why?" Alfie looked a little bug-eyed as he tried his best to keep up his stride with Steve but Alfie was a talker and just a bit more gallant than Steve would ever be. 

"You take advantage of people," Steve was cold yet the wind was getting colder in the sun. "You always have. Most with a name like Alfred would be Al or Fred, but you're Alfie and you can't see anything other than yourself ..about anything." He wanted to tell him he was an ordinary brat, but he knew it would do no good.

Alfie looked at him blankly as if he needed to tell him more. As if Steve could fix this before they tattooed BAD PERSON across his forehead.

Steve only sighed and took another long sip of his coffee.

"You never know how good you have it, until it's too late and then you act like you can win them back," Steve was getting in a huff. He knew he'd have to tell Victoria every moment of this conversation because she would keep questioning him until he did.

"Be nice to Ting. You have to..to at least try to understand where she's coming from," Steve looked at his best friend sadly. "This is not something sex is going to fix." He kept his voice low. "Just be a nice person, will you."

Steve would leave it at that. Sometimes, he didn't want to be friends with Alfie, but he knew had to be. No one else would.