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Alva's lover wasn't always a lover. Well, of himself, but no one else.
The first time they met, Jesper wandered into her schoolhouse, which became a makeshift butchery for various fish. She knew the type: spoiled, oblivious, completely out of touch with how the real world worked. Alva snarled at him the way she did with all of the other "postmen" sent their way. She wanted him out of there just as much as she wanted to leave the whole town.
Suddenly, children appeared in her shop, asking to be...taught? Ridiculous. Alva grabbed that no good postman by the labels and threatened him the moment she saw him waltzing around in his uniform.
"Whatever it is you're doing, knock it off!" Alva growled at him.
"Isn't that why we do it? Why you became a teacher? To make a difference?" Jesper coyly remarked as he looked up at her.
Disgusted, she threw him to the ground. What was more disgusting was how she felt a twinge of attraction to him. Maybe it was the smart-mouthed remarks or the upbeat nature of his sarcasm, but she needed to figure out how to get past it.
She gave up once she realized the kids were changing for the better because of him. The way they lit up at learning, the true desire rekindled that same optimistic attitude she had when she graduated from college. They started bringing her apples, told her how amazing of a teacher she was. She even spent her escape fund to refurbish the schoolhouse. His actions inspired her. He was the real deal.
One night, Jesper came to her door with Margu. He didn't understand a word she said and asked Alva for help. It was adorable the way Margu hugged him, how Jesper looked into Alva's adoring eyes. There was a spark that night that continued when Alva took him by the hand, showed him the new Smeeresburg. Oh, how Jesper's hand fit so perfectly in hers! Shortly after, Alva was showing up at Klaus's place, watching them make toys, reading letters, dancing giddily with the Sámi. Her heart skipped when she realized he put his wooden statuette next to hers, right beneath Klaus and his late wife. Jesper looked towards her the moment he did it, and Alva met his gaze.
That night, she found him sitting in Klaus's large chair in front of the fireplace. He had a large pillow and a straw blanket to accompany him.
"Why aren't you asleep?" Alva asked, stepping closer and closer to Jesper.
"I normally don't sleep here since Klaus and I do night shifts, but it's nice to relax by the fire every once in a while, you know?" Jesper replied.
Both of them looked at the ground, heat pouring into their cheeks. Jesper was the first to break their silence.
"If you, uh, need a place to sleep, I'd be happy to give you the space..."
"No, no, you had it first, don't sacrifice anything for me!" Alva insisted.
"Well," Jesper murmured, "we could share it. 50/50. It wouldn't be any trouble."
Alva smiled. "Well, if you really wouldn't mind..."
Jesper smiled back. "It would be an honor to help out the World's Best Teacher."
"Shut up." Alva said with a smirk.
Jesper motioned for her to join him, lifting the blanket to reveal the space. Alva sat down, leaving some space in between them.
"The blanket can only reach so far..." he hinted. Alva took that as an invitation to lean on his chest, one palm resting on the postman she once loathed. Jesper pulled the blanket over the both of them and watched her fall asleep. Alva had never felt so safe and supported in her life that night. Just as quickly, she was ready to support him and Klaus in the workshop.
That's why the betrayal stabbed so violently through her chest. Alva never cried in front of anyone, and that awful day was no exception. She chewed him out before stomping back into Klaus's house, but the moment she reached the big chair by the fireplace, Alva began to sob. Privately, so she thought, she mourned for the love she thought was there.
Alva felt a hand on her back. She looked up to find Klaus looking at her knowingly.
"I thought...I thought he..." Alva stammered.
"I know." Klaus sympathetically replied. He pulled her into a hug, letting her cry quietly onto his new uniform. Just moments before Klaus revealed his red outfit, Alva was helping Jesper paint a beautiful carousel. She imagined them maybe bringing their own children to a life size one some day. Alva hoped she wasn't soiling Klaus's coat the way Jesper soiled that dream.
To all of their surprise, Jesper returned right as their plan to avoid having the Krums and Elingboes destroy all of the children's toys was going exactly as scheduled. The idiot came swooping in, a wannabe hero. Of course, Jesper had no idea about the fake gifts, but Alva smiled at him from the passenger side of the backup sled, his shocked face proving he had done it out of geniune care for the community.
Still, even after Jesper and Klaus returned from their run, the hurt was still there. Alva waited in the chair in front of the fire, secretly hoping Jesper would come find her. She didn't know what she'd say to him.
Luckily she didn't have to say anything. Jesper waltzed into the room and sat on the other end of the chair. At first, he looked down at the floor in shame. But like a flood, Jesper told her everything, how his father kicked him out, the ultimatum given to him, how he started the whole thing as a scheme to get home...and then he told her what he told his father to let him stay.
"I told him how I started delivering toys with Klaus, how badly I wanted to stay even when the whole reason I did it was to leave, how..."
Jesper paused. He reached for something in his pocket, his hands shaking madly. His palms held a small box. Jesper finally lifted his head, his gaze meeting Alva's carefully.
"How I found the woman I wanted to be my wife..." Jesper murmured as he slowly opened it, revealing a modest ring.
Alva gasped, not knowing what to say.
"Turns out Klaus also knows a bit about metal-smithing..."
Alva still didn't breathe a word. She was in shock. Jesper frowned.
"I know I messed up so, so terribly. I don't deserve another chance from you. If I'm not what you want, I... well, I won't be happy, but I'll understand why."
Alva's eyes widened, the reflection of the ring gleaming in her gaze. Her eyes finally met his.
"If you would have asked me thirty minutes ago, I would have punched you in the face," she remarked, "But I think I have to finally admit that I love you."
Jesper smiled, but then gave her a confused look. "Wait, does that mean you'll marry me or...?"
Alva playfully hit his arm. "Well now you don't have a choice!
A small sniffle came from the thin man. Alva first feared she hit him too hard, but he soon brought her in for a passionate kiss. His happy tears hit her cheeks, and she finally let some of her own mix with his.