Sybil Crawley does have feelings (lady_sybil) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-10 12:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, sybil crawley, tom branson |
Who: Sybil and Tom
When: Wednesday afternoon
Warnings: Low
Where: Their cafe
Status: Complete
Sybil shifted from one foot to the other. She hadn’t even worked up the nerve to walk inside the cafe yet. She’d met Tom here several times, but she was having a hard time organizing her thoughts. For a moment, she’d felt certain. Now, she was wavering. She’d said so many stupid things lately, and she worried she was about to add one more to the list.
Tom had been surprised, pleasantly so, to be asked to meet Sybil. He figured they were on a good sort of track, though what that track might be, he wasn’t really sure. Though he was worried he was running late, and grinned when he saw he wasn’t, walking up behind Sybil.
“Don’t tell me you were being polite and waiting for me,” he teased.
Sybil jumped a little, startled. She turned, smiling. "Hello! No, I just... I don't know." She wasn't even sure herself what she was doing out here. "How are you?"
“Sorry!” he said, holding up his hands, though he was laughing a bit. “Didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m good, thanks. Getting my things sorted for my trip and all. How about you? How is everything?”
“It’s all right! That’s good. I’m good. I--” She should probably bring it up quickly. Before she lost her nerve. “I’ve been thinking.” She paused, biting her lower lip. “We should probably go inside and order our drinks.”
Tom raised an eyebrow, trying not to look amused. “Sounds like a good thought to me,” he said, holding the door open for Sybil.
Sybil was blushing as she slipped inside in front of Tom, moving up to the counter. She ordered a cup of black tea and waited for Tom to order before finding a table for the two of them. Even if she did sound stupid, Tom probably wouldn't reject her, would he? He might say no, he might laugh at her, but he wouldn't stop talking to her. And besides, she couldn't live her life worried about what a man might think of her, even a man she liked.
Tom got himself a coffee and followed Sybil, settling into a chair opposite her. As he sipped his drink, he watched her with a vague frown.
“Something’s on your mind. I can tell. Is everything all right?”
Sybil nodded, secretly grateful for the nudge. She was sure she would've gotten there eventually, but sometimes running out of excuses helped. "I was wondering.. Do you have a date for your cousin's wedding?"
He blinked a bit, caught off-guard by what he figured was an obvious implication. “Oh - I, uh, no. Not really.” Then he cracked a bit of a smile. “Why, do you have any suggestions for me?”
"Well, I know this isn't really proper, and you don't have to say yes, but I don't have any obligations until later on in the month and I thought it might be really nice to see Ireland. In person, not a postcard." Sybil took a deep breath. "I know it's short notice.."
“I’d love to,” he said, maybe a bit too quickly. Tom cleared his throat and put on a soft smile. “I mean, I think it’d be great. We could go investigate our dream-land together. Maybe run into some wayward souls who have no clue about it all.”
Sybil smiled broadly, feeling terribly relieved. "Good! If you send me your flight number, I'll make sure we're seated together. It's a long ride, and flying alone is dreadfully boring."
Their drinks arrived and Sybil still hadn't stopped smiling.
“Agreed.” Actually, now Tom couldn’t stop grinning, either. He gave her a bit of a toast with his cup and took a long sip, figuring it might be one of the best trips home he had in a long time.