Christ, he could sense that she was on the verge of tears - but she couldn’t cry, because then he wouldn’t be able to leave her like this. But she knew, she clearly at least had an inkling, of what was going through his mind, her next sentence made that plain. Whether her cousin had said something to her, it had been the likeliest option dictated by logic, or she just knew him well enough to guess, Tyb wasn’t sure, but he looked away uncomfortably.
It was very well and easy for Elsie to say please don’t do it, but... what choice did he have? If he did nothing, he was going to lose her anyway, and how was that an option? “‘Course I won’t,” Tybalt promised, the lie barefaced and cheerful, looking back at Elsie like leaving quidditch was akin to a walk in the park, like he had the faintest idea what he was going to do with himself without it.
Anyway, it was his decision, not Elsie’s, and Elsie had been risking a great deal more than he had all this time already, so it was about time for it to be his turn to sacrifice something. “You know me, I don’t do regret,” he joked, determined to leave this conversation on a bright note, if it was to be their last one for a while.
But even that thought made the false cheer flicker in his eyes, crashing through him like the sky falling in. Glancing over his shoulder first to be certain no one was watching, he stepped forwards and tucked an arm around Elsie to pull her in towards him. He held on for a moment, and then pressed a careful kiss to her cheek and pulled back, murmuring, “Except this, maybe.”
He should go, before he gave her the chance to argue.
It was very well and easy for Elsie to say please don’t do it, but... what choice did he have? If he did nothing, he was going to lose her anyway, and how was that an option? “‘Course I won’t,” Tybalt promised, the lie barefaced and cheerful, looking back at Elsie like leaving quidditch was akin to a walk in the park, like he had the faintest idea what he was going to do with himself without it.
Anyway, it was his decision, not Elsie’s, and Elsie had been risking a great deal more than he had all this time already, so it was about time for it to be his turn to sacrifice something. “You know me, I don’t do regret,” he joked, determined to leave this conversation on a bright note, if it was to be their last one for a while.
But even that thought made the false cheer flicker in his eyes, crashing through him like the sky falling in. Glancing over his shoulder first to be certain no one was watching, he stepped forwards and tucked an arm around Elsie to pull her in towards him. He held on for a moment, and then pressed a careful kiss to her cheek and pulled back, murmuring, “Except this, maybe.”
He should go, before he gave her the chance to argue.
