"I was, oh I was so worried you might have been gone forever. But you told Death no. You told Death no, for me. And you were right, I do need you. My sweet Alfred, you mean the world to me. I do need you so desperately. You have no idea."

Finally, someone to take away my boredom, he'd said. But truly, he'd been so lonely. Preferring short term lovers who he could leave before they left him. But Alfred, oh. He wanted Alfred to stay.