[Her brow furrows at his answer. She whispers back incredulously.]
Seeing us wouldn't be tooโ
[There's a pause as she falls silent trying to gauge any approaching footsteps. But there's the other matter of how he holds onto her hand and how precarious this proximity between them is. To be honest, her thoughts are entirely jumbled by trying to figure out the implications of why it was bad for Dr. Manx to see them together, clashing with the very distracting notion of how broad Dr. Dekarios is up close and the floodgates of that night begin to creak and damn it, damn it, DAMN IT.
Amelia takes a huge breath and looks down at their feet.
If he wasn't willing to take his chances with Dr. Manx seeing them together, then there were some possibilities that she doesn't feel great about entertaining, but logically lead to some plausible conclusions. But this isn't the time to ask him (and she wonders why she doesn't want to really know).]
[The moment she says so, he becomes entirely too aware of the fact that he had not, in fact, released her just yet— just as he becomes keenly aware of how very close they are in this crowded aisle, and a flash of that night comes back unbidden: the kiss under the streetlight, when he had first stepped close and put his arms around—
No, no, none of that now. He releases her hand and furrows his brow slightly, apologetic.]
My apologies. I was— distracted.
[By Dr. Manx or their close proximity, he doesn't know. A bit of both, perhaps. It's not only that he wishes to avoid any unnecessary attempts to play at being able to be professional with the dean herself, but there is something in his gut that tells him allowing her to see him speaking closely with any woman who wasn't Tara was likely to draw undue and unwarranted attention, even if it was only friendly conversation.
She had always been the jealous type, and there had been nothing gracious about their parting. His visit to her office following that meeting at the beginning of the semester had made it clear that very little had changes.]
I suppose if we aim to be friends, we don't need to be so concerned about whether or not we're seen speaking.
[Gods above, tucked away like this, the scent of her is difficult to ignore— he doesn't know if it's shampoo or perfume or something else entirely, but he has to draw in a breath and avert his gaze to right himself before his thoughts get carried away with him.
Right. This friendship business may have a few obstacles to overcome, but it will be well worth the effort, he's convinced. Better to push through than to continue dancing around one another awkwardly.]
[Why, she does smell like honey and lavender, maybe a hint of cardamom, thanks for asking.
(Yeah, rough restart on the friends thing already.)
The professor's head remains bent down, making her red hair curtain her flushed face. The second Dr. Dekarios releases her hand she does a half-swerving motion so she's standing next to him on his right rather than staying right in his front.]
... Let's give it another minute and wait it out.
[She rubs her hands together restlessly.]
... If it helps... Thank you for being... Considerate. About everything.
[He exhales slowly to steady himself, smoothing out the front of his vest with his newly-freed hand as she moves to his right, stepping back into his field of vision. When she thanks him, his brow furrows slightly, a small crease forming just between his eyes. His immediate thought is that it's wholly unnecessary, but he supposes not everyone would have had the common sense to keep private matters private.]
Of course. I would never have dreamed of doing otherwise.
[He understands, of course, that there's no way she could have known that. They both knew a few fairly personal details about one another, but... they had still been strangers. Acquaintances, at best.]
What happens behind closed doors is no one else's business. I've never been all that fond of gossip, myself.
[He looks straight ahead before he glances back towards the expanse beyond the aisle.]
You gave the impression that you came to this city when you did to make a clean start. I'll not do anything to hinder that.
[He's so blindsided by that unintended pun and her acknowledgment of it that it starts a laugh out of him, enough so that he has to clap a hand over his mouth to smother it and keep from drawing attention— just in case a certain dean is still close by, but he still crinkles around the eyes, much like he had that night when she'd managed to make him laugh and pulled him from his own brooding thoughts.
He's smiling when he lets his hand drop away, happy to address her other concerns.]
I'm not certain what it will look like, either. It may surprise you to know that my pool of friends is actually quite small.
[The result of having spent so many years investing all of his time and energy into one person— and that particular person's insistence on privacy. He'd been unable to share his life with anyone other than Tara, and so other friendships had fallen away.]
Coffee seems an excellent place to start. I can teach you the trick to it, if you like, though it does take some time to perfect.
[She doesn't laugh when he does, but her nose does twitch slightly when she turns her head to look at his smiling face.]
I wouldn't mind learning how to make better coffee.
[Amelia could use it too; there's probably some mornings he's seen her with the local commercial iced coffees because sometimes, a girl's gotta be real basic and quick.]
If anyone really wants to ask about us, we'll just say it started with the coffee and sandwiches. There's only so much they can read into that.
You're quite right. Besides— it would hardly be the first time two people of the opposite sex became friends.
[Really, there's nothing to raise any eyebrows over, is there? It's not as though anyone else would know anything about how they had met, or the fumbling it took to get to this point. There may still be a bit of fumbling ahead, but he does feel they're pointed in the right direction.]
It's not as though anyone has ever given a second thought to my friendship with Dr. Prescott.
[Possibly because of their apparent age difference, though that seems terribly small-minded.]
Perhaps we needn't worry quite as much as we have been.
[He smiles faintly, encouraging— there are far, far worse things to be, he thinks, though they could afford to be a touch kinder with themselves.
When she declares that the coast is clear, he exhales, letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. The complexity of the Ariel situation— if they were truly to be friends, that would all have to come out someday, but this was hardly the day for it.]
Excellent idea. I never thought I would find myself so eager to put a library behind me, but I'll resume my task another time.
[As he steps out from the aisle to gather the things he had left in the armchair, he does pause to look back at her, his smile hitching upwards at one corner.]
[She tries not to notice his smile, tries not to focus on it. But for a second, when he affirms his anticipation, Amelia feels the relief that indicates that maybe, just maybe, this could work out.
Her reply to him is still brusque, however.]
I hope you understand that the same rules will apply?
[No pictures of one another, but anything interesting objects or sights will be allowed.]
[He places his hand over his heart and gives her a bit of a mock bow before reaching for his bag and pulling it over his shoulder, a wry smile quirking to one side.]
I'll be certain to bear them in mind. I don't strike you as much of a rule breaker, do I?
[Well— maybe he shouldn't have asked. He wasn't supposed to have messaged her beyond assuring she made it home safely that first morning to begin with, but he feels there are always worthy exceptions.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
recluserose) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sunfloras2024-01-21 09:17 pm
no subject
Seeing us wouldn't be tooโ
[There's a pause as she falls silent trying to gauge any approaching footsteps. But there's the other matter of how he holds onto her hand and how precarious this proximity between them is. To be honest, her thoughts are entirely jumbled by trying to figure out the implications of why it was bad for Dr. Manx to see them together, clashing with the very distracting notion of how broad Dr. Dekarios is up close and the floodgates of that night begin to creak and damn it, damn it, DAMN IT.
Amelia takes a huge breath and looks down at their feet.
If he wasn't willing to take his chances with Dr. Manx seeing them together, then there were some possibilities that she doesn't feel great about entertaining, but logically lead to some plausible conclusions. But this isn't the time to ask him (and she wonders why she doesn't want to really know).]
... Do you have to keep holding my hand?
no subject
No, no, none of that now. He releases her hand and furrows his brow slightly, apologetic.]
My apologies. I was— distracted.
[By Dr. Manx or their close proximity, he doesn't know. A bit of both, perhaps. It's not only that he wishes to avoid any unnecessary attempts to play at being able to be professional with the dean herself, but there is something in his gut that tells him allowing her to see him speaking closely with any woman who wasn't Tara was likely to draw undue and unwarranted attention, even if it was only friendly conversation.
She had always been the jealous type, and there had been nothing gracious about their parting. His visit to her office following that meeting at the beginning of the semester had made it clear that very little had changes.]
I suppose if we aim to be friends, we don't need to be so concerned about whether or not we're seen speaking.
[Gods above, tucked away like this, the scent of her is difficult to ignore— he doesn't know if it's shampoo or perfume or something else entirely, but he has to draw in a breath and avert his gaze to right himself before his thoughts get carried away with him.
Right. This friendship business may have a few obstacles to overcome, but it will be well worth the effort, he's convinced. Better to push through than to continue dancing around one another awkwardly.]
... she must have passed by now.
no subject
(Yeah, rough restart on the friends thing already.)
The professor's head remains bent down, making her red hair curtain her flushed face. The second Dr. Dekarios releases her hand she does a half-swerving motion so she's standing next to him on his right rather than staying right in his front.]
... Let's give it another minute and wait it out.
[She rubs her hands together restlessly.]
... If it helps... Thank you for being... Considerate. About everything.
no subject
Of course. I would never have dreamed of doing otherwise.
[He understands, of course, that there's no way she could have known that. They both knew a few fairly personal details about one another, but... they had still been strangers. Acquaintances, at best.]
What happens behind closed doors is no one else's business. I've never been all that fond of gossip, myself.
[He looks straight ahead before he glances back towards the expanse beyond the aisle.]
You gave the impression that you came to this city when you did to make a clean start. I'll not do anything to hinder that.
no subject
[She fiddles with her intertwined fingers keeping her gaze firmly towards the floor.]
I've done a bang up job already.
[...]
No pun intended.
[Somehow, the delivery manages to remain dry. But then she follows up on a more serious note.]
If we're going to be friends I don't know what that will look like yet. Maybe it could start with you making me more of that coffee.
[Amelia finally looks at Gale.]
I haven't been able to make it taste the same when I brew it myself.
no subject
He's smiling when he lets his hand drop away, happy to address her other concerns.]
I'm not certain what it will look like, either. It may surprise you to know that my pool of friends is actually quite small.
[The result of having spent so many years investing all of his time and energy into one person— and that particular person's insistence on privacy. He'd been unable to share his life with anyone other than Tara, and so other friendships had fallen away.]
Coffee seems an excellent place to start. I can teach you the trick to it, if you like, though it does take some time to perfect.
no subject
I wouldn't mind learning how to make better coffee.
[Amelia could use it too; there's probably some mornings he's seen her with the local commercial iced coffees because sometimes, a girl's gotta be real basic and quick.]
If anyone really wants to ask about us, we'll just say it started with the coffee and sandwiches. There's only so much they can read into that.
no subject
[Really, there's nothing to raise any eyebrows over, is there? It's not as though anyone else would know anything about how they had met, or the fumbling it took to get to this point. There may still be a bit of fumbling ahead, but he does feel they're pointed in the right direction.]
It's not as though anyone has ever given a second thought to my friendship with Dr. Prescott.
[Possibly because of their apparent age difference, though that seems terribly small-minded.]
Perhaps we needn't worry quite as much as we have been.
no subject
[The professor sighs, but at least she puts down her fidgeting hands and relaxes her shoulders.]
But I think I can safely say that I can at least hide it.
[She takes the risk and steps forward to look both ways down the aisle to make sure no one they know are in their proximity.]
Okay. We're safe. Let's just gather our things and call it a day before the library closes.
... And I'll text you when I get home.
[That is the most promising sign from Amelia yet.]
no subject
[He smiles faintly, encouraging— there are far, far worse things to be, he thinks, though they could afford to be a touch kinder with themselves.
When she declares that the coast is clear, he exhales, letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. The complexity of the Ariel situation— if they were truly to be friends, that would all have to come out someday, but this was hardly the day for it.]
Excellent idea. I never thought I would find myself so eager to put a library behind me, but I'll resume my task another time.
[As he steps out from the aisle to gather the things he had left in the armchair, he does pause to look back at her, his smile hitching upwards at one corner.]
I'll be looking forward to it, by the by.
no subject
Her reply to him is still brusque, however.]
I hope you understand that the same rules will apply?
[No pictures of one another, but anything interesting objects or sights will be allowed.]
no subject
[He places his hand over his heart and gives her a bit of a mock bow before reaching for his bag and pulling it over his shoulder, a wry smile quirking to one side.]
I'll be certain to bear them in mind. I don't strike you as much of a rule breaker, do I?
[Well— maybe he shouldn't have asked. He wasn't supposed to have messaged her beyond assuring she made it home safely that first morning to begin with, but he feels there are always worthy exceptions.
He clears his throat.]
Perhaps best not to answer that. Shall we?