To Elsie’s endless credit, she didn’t laugh – and even if Tyb still wanted to crack up at the joke or perhaps in sheer nerves, instead all he could did was pause for a moment and think wow, I really love you.
He still didn’t know if exciting or wonderful was the word – it was no getting picked for the national team, or even a fraction of the feeling besides – and maybe it was something more like standing at the top of a cliff face, getting ready to jump into the water. (And maybe the landing would be fine and it would be fun, but, you know, maybe he’d smash his face in on the rocks on the way down and end up as a mess of pulp where a person used to be.)
Tybalt refrained from saying as much in words, though, and just gave her a lingering helpless look. “You think? I don’t know if I should –” take the offer, he had been about to say, but as he’d looked at Elsie he’d digested the fact that she was crying after all, even through all the positive affirmations. Tyb’s face creased up in a different way, about ready to set Bentley down on the rug and bundle her into his arms if she kept it up. He didn’t want to make her more miserable or emotional by pointing it out, but... “Els, are you, uh, okay?”
He still didn’t know if exciting or wonderful was the word – it was no getting picked for the national team, or even a fraction of the feeling besides – and maybe it was something more like standing at the top of a cliff face, getting ready to jump into the water. (And maybe the landing would be fine and it would be fun, but, you know, maybe he’d smash his face in on the rocks on the way down and end up as a mess of pulp where a person used to be.)
Tybalt refrained from saying as much in words, though, and just gave her a lingering helpless look. “You think? I don’t know if I should –” take the offer, he had been about to say, but as he’d looked at Elsie he’d digested the fact that she was crying after all, even through all the positive affirmations. Tyb’s face creased up in a different way, about ready to set Bentley down on the rug and bundle her into his arms if she kept it up. He didn’t want to make her more miserable or emotional by pointing it out, but... “Els, are you, uh, okay?”
