Of course, she said, as though it were a given. Tybalt might not have been able to envision feeling otherwise about her, but he had not been so certain as she made it sound. Even if she loved him - and she did, he knew that much, it would be wrong of him to pretend that had ever been in doubt - she seemed as though she might be happy living a quiet life working amongst her books. He didn't think she had ever planned to marry, before.
But she wanted to marry him, she said, and that was all he needed.
There was a feeling ballooning up in his chest so strongly that he wouldn't be surprised if he'd started spontaneously levitating. "I don't know what I'd do without your clumsiness," Tybalt answered, hardly able to stop his face splitting into a smile and the mirth spilling out. "I love the blushing, and all the awkwardness," he continued, in fond teasing. "Although I'm undecided on the books -" he broke out in a laugh, feeling more like himself than he had in months, and chased the feeling further by winding his other hand around her, revelling in being this close again.
"I know things might not work out," he admitted slowly, after that - he didn't know how he would convince her parents, either - "but I know what I want, and that's you." There were other things he had come to realise he wanted, things that had always felt just as much out of reach but which he was sure would be worth the work and the sacrifice - marriage, a family of his own (a family like hers, close-knit and kind and warm through happiness and hardship) - but those were still secondary here.
"And that's worth the risk for me, whether we find a way or not. I'd never resent you, I swear," Tyb told her, in complete earnest, "- but I'll resent me if I don't at least try."
But she wanted to marry him, she said, and that was all he needed.
There was a feeling ballooning up in his chest so strongly that he wouldn't be surprised if he'd started spontaneously levitating. "I don't know what I'd do without your clumsiness," Tybalt answered, hardly able to stop his face splitting into a smile and the mirth spilling out. "I love the blushing, and all the awkwardness," he continued, in fond teasing. "Although I'm undecided on the books -" he broke out in a laugh, feeling more like himself than he had in months, and chased the feeling further by winding his other hand around her, revelling in being this close again.
"I know things might not work out," he admitted slowly, after that - he didn't know how he would convince her parents, either - "but I know what I want, and that's you." There were other things he had come to realise he wanted, things that had always felt just as much out of reach but which he was sure would be worth the work and the sacrifice - marriage, a family of his own (a family like hers, close-knit and kind and warm through happiness and hardship) - but those were still secondary here.
"And that's worth the risk for me, whether we find a way or not. I'd never resent you, I swear," Tyb told her, in complete earnest, "- but I'll resent me if I don't at least try."
