He had been going to give into her, he thought, but if any misgivings had tried to resurface, well – it was already too late, clearly, because she had clamped onto his hand. So the window for protest had passed – and after the sinking feeling of surrender came a startled burst of gratitude at the easy way she had leant on him. It was only for a moment, her head on his shoulder, but Theo felt the ghost of the motion for longer and held his breath as he realised just how much he’d missed having someone close; something, anything, any touch at all. He’d gotten – too used to it, maybe.
Gemma hadn’t noticed, probably, and reaching the Three Broomsticks was as good a distraction as anything. The flood of warm air hit his face, and when she picked a place he copied her and shrugged off his outer layer, rolling his eyes plaintively when he realised she was surveying him.
The good thing about her having been away for so long, maybe, was that he could pretend things were good now, better. He could almost trick himself into it, with the way she was grinning. All he had to do was mirror her smiles, let her exuberance rub off on him, and let her talk about –
Oh no, did it have to be him? “...Good,” Theo answered, forcibly cracking a grin to prove it and to break the inner tension that had crept in the moment she’d asked it. He huffed a laugh, relaxed more into the seat. “Really, good. I mean, the Cannons haven’t won the league yet, and Cecily still isn’t courting –” and his dad was still gone, and he still wasn’t over Cash, and he was somehow lonelier than he’d been before, and he still hated life, and especially still hated parties – “but, otherwise – everything’s good.” He gave her a smile that was more truthful and also more wry. “You haven’t missed much, wherever you’ve been romping around,” he lied, teasing.
Gemma hadn’t noticed, probably, and reaching the Three Broomsticks was as good a distraction as anything. The flood of warm air hit his face, and when she picked a place he copied her and shrugged off his outer layer, rolling his eyes plaintively when he realised she was surveying him.
The good thing about her having been away for so long, maybe, was that he could pretend things were good now, better. He could almost trick himself into it, with the way she was grinning. All he had to do was mirror her smiles, let her exuberance rub off on him, and let her talk about –
Oh no, did it have to be him? “...Good,” Theo answered, forcibly cracking a grin to prove it and to break the inner tension that had crept in the moment she’d asked it. He huffed a laugh, relaxed more into the seat. “Really, good. I mean, the Cannons haven’t won the league yet, and Cecily still isn’t courting –” and his dad was still gone, and he still wasn’t over Cash, and he was somehow lonelier than he’d been before, and he still hated life, and especially still hated parties – “but, otherwise – everything’s good.” He gave her a smile that was more truthful and also more wry. “You haven’t missed much, wherever you’ve been romping around,” he lied, teasing.
