He half expected her not to say anything, because this meeting had not been planned, they oughtn't be speaking at all, never mind that this - Honeyduke's - was neither the time nor the place for it. Sparing her the public humiliation had been half the reason he'd resolved to stop seeing her in the first place, so making a public spectacle of themselves in a crowded sweetshop over the holidays was clearly not the best course of action.
He could see her wiping at her eyes, even when she was turned towards the sugar quills. He knew he ought to let her go before things got worse. But then, her answer. You won't understand. True, maybe, but Tybalt couldn't imagine anything worse that she possibly could have said (and maybe she regretted it, the way her hand leapt to her mouth). Too late. The condescension stung, knocked him further off-kilter than he had ever been. He wouldn't understand. No, he wouldn't. He didn't know what she was thinking - didn't know what had happened to her in the time they'd had apart - didn't know her life or her reasons or the future she envisioned for herself, only that it was nothing like the one in his mind.
Maybe he'd always been a real fool to think he could keep up with her. In the meantime, Elsie's comment had sent him reeling so far, wounded and dizzy with bewilderment, that she had started moving before he had gathered himself well enough to react. He blinked, breathed deep, left his shopping where he'd set it down and paced after her in a long stride. With any luck, it might only look like she'd forgotten something - Tyb tried to make his movements discreet as he caught up to her before she could leave, his fingers curling hastily around her wrist to keep her there, just for a moment more -
He had meant to try and meet her eyes to see if he could read her any better there, but he could barely bring himself to - and she was a different person now, already, someone he felt he didn't know at all. "Then make me understand, Elsie," Tybalt breathed, shaking his head at her in fractional, furious disbelief. If she was trying to spare his feelings - well, she had already failed at that pretty staggeringly. She wouldn't explain, he supposed, and that was probably for the best. Maybe she hadn't moved on just yet - she was still hurting, too - but it looked to Tybalt like she, at least, had resolved to.
Well, good for her.
He could see her wiping at her eyes, even when she was turned towards the sugar quills. He knew he ought to let her go before things got worse. But then, her answer. You won't understand. True, maybe, but Tybalt couldn't imagine anything worse that she possibly could have said (and maybe she regretted it, the way her hand leapt to her mouth). Too late. The condescension stung, knocked him further off-kilter than he had ever been. He wouldn't understand. No, he wouldn't. He didn't know what she was thinking - didn't know what had happened to her in the time they'd had apart - didn't know her life or her reasons or the future she envisioned for herself, only that it was nothing like the one in his mind.
Maybe he'd always been a real fool to think he could keep up with her. In the meantime, Elsie's comment had sent him reeling so far, wounded and dizzy with bewilderment, that she had started moving before he had gathered himself well enough to react. He blinked, breathed deep, left his shopping where he'd set it down and paced after her in a long stride. With any luck, it might only look like she'd forgotten something - Tyb tried to make his movements discreet as he caught up to her before she could leave, his fingers curling hastily around her wrist to keep her there, just for a moment more -
He had meant to try and meet her eyes to see if he could read her any better there, but he could barely bring himself to - and she was a different person now, already, someone he felt he didn't know at all. "Then make me understand, Elsie," Tybalt breathed, shaking his head at her in fractional, furious disbelief. If she was trying to spare his feelings - well, she had already failed at that pretty staggeringly. She wouldn't explain, he supposed, and that was probably for the best. Maybe she hadn't moved on just yet - she was still hurting, too - but it looked to Tybalt like she, at least, had resolved to.
Well, good for her.
