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from-red-string · 6 years

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Realiza un salto sin miedo - Long version

I kept this held too long. That was the original fic I wrote to Lutteo 2017 ficweek, specifically to:

Day 3: My friend bet me 20 bucks that I wouldn’t walk up a random underclassman and ask them to senior prom and I’m about to be 20 dollars richer and, no, that doesn’t invalidate the question, you’re actually really cute.

3.6K words, I thought no one would read it in the time and wrote a short version of it. Sorry for the long short story.

Go for it! I hope you enjoy it

“Hey!” Nina slowed down walking when we heard it. I looked at her widening my eyes. No way we’re stopping now, we need to keep moving.

We’re looking for the history class which Ms. Rafaello decided to change the place of her today’s class to the opposite side of the building. And apparently, she informed this last class but since Nina didn’t come and I was too distracted to notice it was important. So now we’re late and doesn’t have time to talk.

“Please, girls!” The voice called as it wasn’t obvious that in the empty hall he was talking to us. Nina stopped completely.

“Nina! We are already late.” I whispered exasperated stopping.

“It’s Gastón, Luna.” Nina murmured and I could see excitement and curiosity in her eyes. No no no no, this is Nina’s crush name this means a lost battle. I can’t be late again, Ms. Rafaello already shows a slight dislike for me naturally, she doesn’t need more things against.

“Nina, I can’t…” As I began saying, Nina showed some disappointment. I don’t even think she knew I could see it. I closed my eyes sighing. I’m not entering class today because Nina’s crush decided to stop by. I nodded to her. “Okay.” I turned to the guy. “Hello.”

“Hey!” Gastón greeted again, a few seconds passed with just the silence surrounding us. He got to be kidding me, he’s just standing still staring at us.

“So…” l blurted trying to make him continue. He shook his head.

“Yeah, I…” Gastón started saying again and turned his head to look at someone. This person is Matteo, Gastón’s best friend. He nodded and shook a paper in his hand. That can’t be good. “Nina, right?” He asked looking at Nina. Again, it can’t be good.

“Yes…” Nina answered quite. My poor shy baby!

“Yeah.” He said smiling but he seemed to be struggling with something. Gastón took a paper from his pocket. “Here.” And now that the paper is on Nina’s hand, he left us walking to Matteo. Matteo hands what was in his to Gastón.

20 bucks.

Matteo looked at me and winked.

They bet on Nina, they’re playing her. They can’t do it.

I eyed Nina while they walked away. Nina still staring at the paper. Maybe she caught that they were playing.

Wait, it’s better if she doesn’t figure out. Nina will be devastated if she knows.

“He is asking me to prom.” She whispered shocked.

“What?” I asked wanting to confirm what I heard. Please, don’t be the prom.

“He is asking me to prom.” Nina repeated handing me the paper, I took a look at it. Looks like a homicide note, it’s written with cutouts of magazines. I don’t know if it’s scary or just weird. So pretty, Gastón, you really know how to get the girl. “Prom with Gastón.” She turned to me, her eyes shining, on her lips the widest smile I have ever seen. “Luna, Gastón asked to be on prom with. What should I do? How can he not be embarrassed by taking me?”

You should decline and we can watch Spider-Man during the prom night. Because Tom Holland is amazing, Gastón not too much.

They got her.

She’s so happy. I can’t break it for her. I will solve this, the prom night will be perfect. Those monkeys will make a perfect night to Nina.

“You can’t turn down.” I told her smiling. “You will be perfect on the prom. You’re amazing, he can never be ashamed of you.”

He should be ashamed of himself. This fuckboy. Although he’s not playing Nina, will not permit this.

“Oh, thanks.” She blushed, I returned the note to her. “You the best friend I could have.” Although, I not feeling as even a good friend at that moment. “We need to go. I’m sorry, Luna.” We started walking. “At least, it was worth it.” And the widest smile is back to her lips.

I was planning how is the fastest way of making things right without Nina noticing something was wrong. The best way was skipping that class, look for Gastón and getting things done. When we reached the class, I stopped Nina.

“Nina, I will stay out of this class. Ms. Rafaello doesn’t like me much so…”

“No. You can’t skip it, plus Ms. Rafaello likes you, Luna. Stop saying that.” Nina interrupted me defending the teacher. I needed to insist, I just need to skip it.

“Bathroom. I actually need…”

“Luna, if you don’t want to do my class today, it’s fine. But do you mind not bothering who wants?” Ms. Rafaello appeared on the door calling my attention. “Nina, come in, darling.” She smiled at Nina, I tilted my head raising an eyebrow, Nina looks down.

“I’m sorry.” Nina apologized going inside.

“We got lost.” I tried an excuse. But I already knew I will have to go to this class.

“Valiente!” She said nodding her head to the room I got in sighing.

My plan will have to wait.

I have 30 minutes to chase Gastón and solve this.

Nina said she needed to speak with her photograph teacher now so this gave me some free time before the next class.

“Hey. Do you know where Gastón is?” I ask three girls in the hall. They were standing watching people so I think I wouldn’t interrupt if I ask them.

“Which Gastón?” The blonde one asked. I closed my eyes trying to remember his last name, I have no idea of how it was.

“Gastón Perida, obvi.” The redhead said like if the blonde’s question was completely stupid. But I know was that she was right about the name I recall now Nina saying it.

“Jaz!” The brunette girl yelled annoyed.

“What? Her friend is his date, she must…” Those girls know about it, they’re already spreading their ridiculous joke.

“Jazmín!” The blonde one practically screamed, getting some people attention. “We don’t know. Sorry.” She said faking smiling then pulled her friends to walk away.

“But we know. Why can’t she know he is in PE?” Jazmín asked her friends. Thanks, Jazmín. Now on my way to the gymnasium.

“Have you seen…” I was asking some random guy next in the gymnasium when I saw Matteo coming in. “Excuse me.” I ran after Matteo. “Matteo!” I screamed, he turned to look me but don’t stop walking, walking on a reverse. I hoped for him to stumble and fall.

“Hey! Are you the girl after Gastón that people told me?” Matteo said turning his back to me. ‘People told me’? Why it seems like everything about the popular kids turns to the news? I’m glad to be an underworld creature, out of people’s radar to gossip about. At least I hope I’m out, but I don’t care if I’m, I’ll keep being myself.

“Yes, but you serve as well as Gastón.” I answered rushing a little to be able of catch up with his pace.

“For what am I as useful as Gastón?” He asked and silently greeting some people.

“Prom,” I began to say but was interrupted.

“Sorry, he’s already taken.” From behind him, I could see him grinning. “And I...”

“I know. She is my friend, Nina.” I said and he finally stopped turning his whole body to look me, more like checked on me from my feet until his eyes meeting mine, he smirked, raising his eyebrows.

“Out of your limits, it’s the male bathroom.” Matteo points the door behind him. “You can’t come in.” He faked a sad face. He was trying to get rid of her, I’m not allowing he get it that easy. “Bye.” Matteo turned his back to me again.

“It’s a call for desperate acts.” I told myself jumping on his back, my legs tightening around his waist while my hands were on his neck, I was almost choking Matteo but he screamed scared so I guess he is fine. Nina owes me a big one, although she can never know about this. Damn!

“What the fuck, freak?” Matteo yelled, holding my legs. This was rude. I’m not a freak, I’m just helping my friend by jumping on your back. I can take a not regular girl, but freak is too much. “You can’t come in here!” He stepped into the bathroom, wobbling me while he tried to get balance.

“I’m not coming in. You’re taking me in.” I knew it was a childish sentence when I retorted tightening my grab around him. I was to concentrate on not falling on my butt because it would hurt as hell.

“Let go of me, Freak. You got me, I’ll hear you.” Matteo almost yelled calling me a freak again, he paced to a bench so I could reach the something to stand up, not completely fall. I was starting to free my embrace around him when Matteo grabbed my legs again and ran to a cabin.

“Why...” I said loud when my back hit the wall, Matteo dropped me and I graciously landed on my butt. “Ouch!” I was right, that hurt as hell. Matteo looked at me on the ground.

“Sorry. My bad.” He reached for my hand failing to hold his laugh. “Why you climbed on me? Are you that desperate?” He whispered smirking, pulling me up so I was standing on my feet again.

“Yes, I’m.” I answered loud and Matteo put his hand on my mouth shushing me. I wide my eyes, he had a surprised look on his. I was ready to his hand when I heard some voices in the bathroom. That smirk was on his face again. Once he figured, I notice the reason he pulled me into the cabinet to hide me.

“If you’re desperate for me,” He got closer to me. Space isn’t something that exactly exists in a cabinet, so for him to get closer didn’t need much. We were standing behind the door.

“It’s not about you, snob.” I stated my hand on his firm chest. He is on the swim school team, no wonder why is so firm, but still kinda impressive. Focus, Luna. Nina. Gastón. Prom. Not Matteo’s chest.

“Is it about Gastón?” He asked rolling his eyes and stepping back until resting on the other side.

“Yes,” I answered observing him messing his wet curls and sighing. I’m getting distracted again. Focus. “But this includes you.” I stepped forward. I don’t know what I was thinking, I’m so small compared to him, so stepping closer wouldn’t magically make me looks scary to him. “You’ve made a bet that Gastón would take Nina to prom. So what? You could have any girl. Why choose to hurt someone instead? Jerk.”

“Oh, Nina is your friend?” The only he asked and I had already mentioned this fact. He doesn’t even seem slightly offended by being called a jerk. I’m probably not the first one that called him a jerk, and most likely not the last either.

“Yes,” I answered rolling my eyes, I stick my finger on his chest. “And you made a bet on her. Do you have any idea how bad she would be if she knows it? You could break her.” Not really, you need more than this to break Nina, but he doesn’t need to know that. He needed to learn not to play people. “Nina already has her own problems to mind, without you and your mean activities being one of them. Can you imagine how the school would react to this? Nina will be known as the poor girl who only got a chance with the popular guy because she was fool enough to believe she had a chance.” I looked my eyes on his. “So I don’t care if your family doesn’t treat you like anything more than a project, you need to learn how to treat people as human beings, that they’re not just roles for your games.” I blurted everything stuck in my throat since I saw him paying Gastón. Matteo looked scared again. Okay, maybe scared was too much, but he was definitely shocked. So he heard me. I wasn’t expecting it.

“Okay...” He nodded. “I did bet on your friend.”

“I knew it.” I screamed totally forgetting about the guys on the other side of the door, Matteo’s hand was back in my mouth remembering of them.

“Hello?” Some guy asked hitting on our door, I shut my eyes and caught my breath afraid of what would come next.

“Hey.” Matteo answered I opened my eyes looking at him, he shrugged.

“Matteo? Dude, how long have you been here? What’s taking you so long?” The voice changed, the guy speaking was different from the previous question. They were laughing.

“You know that lunch? My stomach...” If Matteo’s hand wasn’t shutting me, I would be laughing so hard at Matteo’s embarrassed face. His cheek, neck and even ears were burning red and he bit his bottom lip. I never imagined seeing Matteo Bálsano as a tomato. And the guys outside were laughing out loud. One of them made the comment that I would to never hear.

“Do you have four feet now, Matteo?” At this, we looked at our feet, I moved to stand on the bog. I’m not living this. It’s nightmare.

Matteo raised an eyebrow and I knew what this meant. It was my fault, I got myself in this situation. Now I could only hope no of them are sick enough to take a photo.

“So now that you notice. Can you give us some privacy?” When Matteo decided to speak is that what came out. I slapped him on the face, the guys outside might have heard it, by their laughter, they seemed to be having the time of their life.

“Wild one, Matteo!”

“You have no idea.” Matteo whispered grinning. He is insane, he didn’t even recovered himself from the last slap and is dangerously close to getting another one.

“Bye. Don’t forget protection, kids.” That ridiculous recommendation was followed by their steps leaving the bathroom.

“What?” I asked confused when Matteo took his hand back. I needed to Focus! “Continuing, you’ve bet. What’s wrong with you?” Setting things right, it makes me tired. It demands too much focus.

“Nothing.” Matteo defended himself. “I bet, but you got all wrong.” Hearing this, I crossed my arms waiting. “The bet was 20 bucks if you walk up to a random underclass girl and ask them to prom.” He exclaimed.

“How is that better? So Nina is a random underclass.” I spoke quickly.

“Can I finish?” He asked not really expecting an answer. “Gastón already liked Nina but needed a little push. The bet happened to be the perfect way of making my best friend go to prom with the girl he really wants.

“I don’t believe you.” I started narrowing my eyes. “You made this up.” He rolled his eyes.

“You...” He is interrupted by new voices.

“Prom is coming.” One of the said. Matteo’s face enlighten.

“3 weeks.” Another voice said and this voice is quite familiar.

“This is Gastón. If you don’t believe me, you can believe him.” Matteo expounded smiling. I was supposed to thrust Gastón’s words because Matteo told me so, he better bet on this. No, no more bets for him. “He doesn’t know you are here, so he´s telling the truth.” He had a point and was challenging me. I nodded accepting it.

“Someone is counting down the days until prom.” A guy mocked. I know this one is Ramiro. I forgot they’re friends.

“Is that for the company?” The unknown guy asked.

“Nina?” Gastón said. “Maybe, she doesn’t answer it yet.”

“Like she would decline.” Matteo yelled in front of me. My soul left my body as I jumped in surprise I frowned.

“You know she could. Nina doesn’t fall for things most girls fall for. She’s unique.” Gastón replied. How cute! He really is blind if he didn’t notice Nina was madly in love with him. She has been for the last 3 years. “Matteo, where are you?”

“In the cabinet with the girl, the guys are talking about it.” Ramiro said and I rolled my eyes. And they say girls talk too much.

“Matteo would never do it.” Of course, Gastón stands up for his best friend. “We have a deal.”

“Yeah, people believe what they want to believe.” Matteo agreed, but the phrase was directed to me. I know because he narrowed his eyes, then raised his eyebrows to me. I didn’t want to admit I was wrong, but Gastón was indeed convincing me that Matteo said the truth.

“Matteo, since we are talking about prom.” The unknown said hesitantly. “Do you have a date?”

“What do you say? Are you up for prom?” Matteo leaned in whispering. Matteo asked me to prom? The guy who called me a freak? The world is upside down and we haven’t noticed it yet.

“No.” I simply answered he smirked.

“I thought, maybe, we could go together.” The unknown finished and Matteo’s smirk fell, I could tell he was awkward.

“Sorry, I have other plans.” Matteo tried to be soft in his answer.

“Oh, okay.” The silence followed what the unknown hushed. “I have to go anyway.” The next sound was the door closing.

“Matteo, this was so careless of you. Turning him down like this.” Ramiro joked.

“Shut up, Ramiro. Whatever.” I saw guiltiness. Maybe he doesn’t like making the guy sad. Or he is gay, which is perfectly normal, he shouldn’t be afraid. “We were talking about Nina.”

“I got a message from her now.” Gastón exclaimed with excitement in his voice. “She asked to meet me.” And he was gone.

“He left?” I whispered confused to Matteo. He barely received Nina’s message and... What is Nina doing? Sending a message asking Gastón to meet her is so non-Nina.

“He is head over heels for her,” Ramiro commented. “I’m so glad for the bet otherwise we would him complaining about the prom forever.” We heard a sound of a zipper. “I’m going too. Good luck with whatever is happening in this.” Soon Ramiro was gone too. Matteo opened the door for me.

“Do you believe me now?” He asked.

“Yes. I was wrong but I really thought you’re playing Nina.” I admit eyeing Matteo. “I’m sorry.”

“What about prom?” Matteo insisted. This guy can’t be real.

“What about no?” I answered and left the bathroom.

“You are going with me, girl.” He screamed, I smiled.

He is saying that but doesn’t even know my name.

And Matteo really tried, the second invite was two days after the bathroom talk, I was on biology lab when a moonflowers bouquet with a Gucci case were delivery for me. The Gucci case had a silver bracelet and a ticket to the prom.

“Thanks, but still no.” I said returning the Gucci case, although I kept the bouquet because it was beautiful.

The second time was when he decided that was a good idea to paint the sidewalk in front of my house writing: “Shall the princess concede me the honor of going homecoming with me?”. I still not sure of how he found where I live but okay, what was not okay was my parents. They didn’t appreciate this invite, but it’s truly remarkable, this means part of it hasn’t erased yet so still on the sidewalk. It’s been 2 weeks.

My answer was no. After that, he messaged me every day “Good morning. Prom, Luna?”, I tried to ignore it, but it surprised me that he actually learned my name by the time. So eventually, I started answering and we came to have an actual conversation which made me realize Matteo wasn’t the big jerk I thought. Or he is and I just got used to him.

Some days after, he said he needed to apologize to my dad for painting the sidewalk, I believed him. Huge mistake. Matteo asked my dad:

“Can I take your daughter to prom?” My parents were absolutely marveled at how Matteo was a gentleman. But my dad said the answer was up to me since I was the one who needs to go. My answer was no. Following this invite, my parents started shipping us and they kept to make me go to prom with Matteo.

Then came the post-it’s day. Matteo glued post-it forming PROM? on Ms. Rafaello’s board. My answer was no, but Ms. Rafaello’s face almost made me say yes. That invite was totally worth it for the look her face.

The fifth invite was embarrassing cute. I told him I love “10 things I hate about you” one of our late night chats and few days after, he performed his called “Allá voy”, which he said he wrote for me, on the gymnasium, I really enjoyed. For the second time, I almost said yes.

So one day I came home after school, I didn’t find my parents home which was weird. The house completely quiet. Once I opened my room’s door and shocked. There was a pizza on my bed and poster covering the window behind my bed saying: “Moon, would you light up my night at prom?” Matteo came from behind the door giving me a heart attack. He was holding a bouquet, a lollipop bouquet.

“Is only one moon not enough for you? So you need two? I think I finally got why you want me to with you, chico fresa.”

“Luna, I know...”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, I go with you.” He hugged me tight when he heard it. I wanted to stay in embrace forever. If I know it was so good, I might have accepted it before. “Yes, I’ll light up your night.” I murmured into his neck and he shivered.

And now, prom.

#Have fun because it was one of my favorite fics to write and i love it #lutteo #sl #soy luna #thanks everyone I made read it #without this would've never be published #lutteoficweek #💛b

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yankeecountess · 7 years

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happy “enemies to lovers” Valentine’s Day!

So back when this month’s “rock the AU” theme was announced, I messaged @magfreak and “joked” that I would love to see an alternative version of ITWD in which Tom and Sybil started off as “enemies” the same way Mary and Matthew do...

And so here’s just a drabble of my own with that in mind; a “fanfic based on a fanfic” because WHY THE HECK NOT? (Also, ITWD is ten-times superior to what Fellowes coughed up) ;oP

So anyway, this is the dinner scene that follows the Crawley girls’ first encounter with Tom and Matthew from chapter 6. I borrowed a little bit of dialogue from chapter 6, but for the most part, this is an AU based on her wonderful story with an “enemies to lovers” twist!

Sybil frowned at her reflection, glancing at her gown from the side, before facing the mirror fully once again, her hands on her hips and an exasperated sigh escaping her lips.

“What on earth are you pouting about?” Mary asked from her dressing table, eyeing her little sister from across the room. “Surely you’re not making a fuss over Cousin Matthew and Mr. Branson--”

“No!” Sybil answered, perhaps a bit too quickly. “No, not at all, just...” she gritted her teeth at the memory of her meeting with the odious Mr. Branson. She had overheard him muttering to Mr. Crawley from the front hallway, something about how “those girls aren’t for me” when Cousin Matthew returned Mr. Branson’s prior tease about “putting his best foot forward” because one of them was “bound to fall in love with him”. Sybil hated it when men made presumptions about women, but what followed truly riled her.

“I’m not the only bachelor who lives in this house.”

“You’re the only one worth marrying...besides, those girls aren’t for me, and I’m certainly not for them.”

“Oh? So certain, are you?”

“Of course! Can you imagine me with a posh girl? Or better yet, can you imagine a posh girl with me? She’d be expecting a castle and loads of servants, all at her beck and call. She’d scoff at the idea of doing something as simple as making a cup of tea on her own...no, I don’t think any of them are for me, no matter how pretty I might find them.”

Sybil didn’t know who this man was talking with Cousin Matthew, but she realized right then and there that she detested him. And perhaps detested him EVEN MORE when she realized, much to her blushing shame that he was the same handsome man she had seen helping Pratt with the car.

The truth behind her current frustration was that she wanted to look her best, to somehow “shame” Mr. Branson for what he had said, but at the same time, she resented that he lumped her with his prejudice of “posh girls” and she didn’t want to fuel that prejudice any further.

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Mary said with a sigh, rising from her dressing table and grabbing her gloves as she passed Sybil. Like her, Mary didn’t seem to be as eager for this dinner either, although Mary was much better at controlling her emotions and appearing cool and aloof, whereas Sybil felt like she was ready to explode the second she laid eyes on the handsome, odious Irishman.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the end, Sybil didn’t explode; she somehow managed to keep her cool and hold her head high with the practiced haughtiness that would make her grandmother proud. She resigned herself to the fact that Mr. Branson had preconceived notions about her, and was unlikely to change those notions, at least not as soon as he entered their foyer, so why bother trying to cater to his whims and counter his stereotypes? She knew who she was, and really, that was all that mattered.

As for Tom, he sat rather awkwardly across from Lady Sybil, who looked every bit as breathtaking as he remembered from earlier today when he came face to face with her...and was once again a constant reminder how “far above him” she was (and most likely believed herself to be).

He watched out of the corner of his eye, Matthew do battle with Lady Mary, wit for wit. If he weren’t so engrossed with the icy looks being sent his way from the youngest Crawley girl, he’d probably find amusement in his friend’s trial. But he couldn’t stop squirming in his seat, every time he felt her eyes fall upon him...ESPECIALLY as he knew he was no doubt making a fool of himself, trying to decide which glass to drink out of, which fork to use, and the correct manner in which to sip his soup.

“So Mr. Branson...you are originally from Ireland, is that right?” Lady Grantham asked him out of politeness.

Tom swallowed the bit of food in his throat and politely nodded his head. “Aye, your Ladyship, I am; Dublin, originally.”

“Ah, how lovely,” she answered, again more out of politeness’ sake than general interest, so he assumed. “And is it very different to Yorkshire?”

There was an understatement. “It is,” he answered truthfully, but before he could go on, Lady Sybil piped up at that point.

“I’m sure being from a bustling city like Dublin, seems very advanced to our simple country ways.”

Tom blinked, and then frowned, glancing briefly at Lady Grantham who seemed rather surprised by her daughter’s comment.

“I wouldn’t say that...” he began, unsure exactly what was happening.

“Wouldn’t you?” Lady Sybil challenged. “From what I understand a great many ‘city dwellers’ feel superior to those who live in the country.”

Was she of all people declaring that HE was the “superior” one? If anyone here thought themselves “superior”...

“I would say that is a harsh prejudice given by country dwellers whose ignorance of the greater world keeps them locked in their own ‘protective bubble’.”

Isobel’s eyes widened at Tom’s words, and he had no doubt she was sending him a look of warning, but Tom ignored her and kept his focus completely on Lady Sybil.

She lifted an eyebrow at his comment, and so did he in turn. “So you would say that ignorance only breeds in the country?”

“I would say that anyone who makes an assumption about another person before getting to know them is ignorant,” Tom countered.

Lady Sybil’s eyes seemed to sparkle then. “Indeed, Mr. Branson, I actually agree with you. Therefore it’s a shame when a man makes such assumptions about a group of people he has yet to meet.”

Tom’s face paled for a moment, before the blood came rushing back. She was trying to hide it, but he saw the corners of her mouth lift then, in a haughty smile of triumph. He wasn’t sure what bothered him more, the fact that she had heard what he had said earlier that day when he thought he was speaking in private to Matthew, or the fact that she had called him up on it and was all too happy to extract her revenge upon him publicly. He’d admit that he was in the wrong earlier, but now...oh, now the game was on...

“You’re quite right, Lady Sybil,” Tom replied back, earning a slight look of surprise from Lord Grantham’s youngest. Clearly she thought she had the upper hand and had won, but little did she know he was just getting started. “That is a shame, as is the fact that you don’t have to be from the city to make yourself feel ‘superior’ over another--that some people take delight in doing so, especially when there’s an audience.”

Lady Sybil’s eyes widened and the brief haughty smile disappeared completely from her lips. Isobel coughed and Matthew muttered something under his breath, while at the same time nudging his leg, but Tom continued to keep his eyes on the young woman across from him.

“Well, better to do so in the open rather than behind someone’s back!”

“Better to approach the other in a mature, respectable manner and express your disagreement in private than in public with the childish hope of embarrassing--”

“Childish!?”

“Sybil, please!” Lady Grantham hissed.

“Aye, childish,” Tom growled back, wincing at the hard way Matthew’s foot came down on his.

“And you wouldn’t call THIS childish? Do you truly think yourself so different as to not see that you are every bit as guilty--”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Lord Grantham bellowed, throwing his napkin down on the table and looking back and forth between Tom and his youngest daughter with a mix of confusion and frustration. “What on earth is going on? Mr. Branson, you are a guest at our table, and Sybil! You’re behaving--”

Tom stood up then, surprising everyone including Lady Sybil. It was amazing how in the midst of their argument he was only aware of her and could only really see her, but now that they were being called out and addressed by their host and Lady Sybil’s father, Tom suddenly felt a deep sense of shame...not exactly for what he said, but for putting Matthew, Isobel, and yes, even Lady Sybil, through that display. His mother would be deeply ashamed of his behavior, and would no doubt get an earful from Isobel later. And in all honesty, Tom was rather dumbfounded as well; he didn’t normally lose his temper like that, nor did he “rise to the occasion” but...with Lady Sybil, he found he couldn’t help himself!

Which rather frightened him...

“Excuse me, your Lordship, I...I wasn’t feeling altogether well before arriving, and I believe it would be best if I take my leave and return to Crawley House. I do beg your pardon,” he murmured, looking now at Lady Grantham and offering a polite bow of his head, before glancing at Isobel and offering a quick apologetic smile. He turned on his heel then before hearing Lord Grantham’s response and exited the dining room, knowing everyone was looking at him, but in all honesty, there was only one pair of eyes he could feel burning into his back...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“What on earth had gotten into you and Mr. Branson?” Mary asked Sybil later as they were preparing for bed.

Sybil was looking down at her feet, poking out beneath her nightgown. “I’m not really sure,” she mumbled. She didn’t feel like telling Mary the complete truth, about overhearing what he had said earlier about “posh girls”. Mary would have handled that so much better, she thought. But Sybil...she couldn’t help herself, she just...seeing him sitting directly across from her, and remembering what he had said, and...and despising herself for finding him and his Irish accent so bloody attractive...

“I don’t like him,” Sybil finally answered at last.

Mary looked up from her jewelry box where she placed her earrings and gave a little shrug of her shoulders. “Alright,” she simply answered. “Well, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about Papa asking him to come back, not after tonight.”

Sybil made a face at that. “He’s like a brother to Matthew...”

“Well, I doubt he would want to come back anyway.”

That didn’t put Sybil’s mind at ease. If anything, it made things worse. “I just can’t believe that he had the AUDACITY to say that I was being childish, when he was EVERY BIT AS GUILTY--”

“Darling, please, lower your voice,” Mary groaned. “Honestly, I don’t know why you continue to get yourself worked up over the matter! It’s done, he’s gone, and as I said, I doubt we’ll be seeing much of him in the future, so put yourself at ease.”

Oh, if only it were that simple. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw him looking back at her, his own eyes hard and blue and intently fixed on her, challenging her with his stare, causing her blood to boil and her heartbeat to quicken, and her skin to tingle all over...

“Sybil? You look flushed.”

Sybil swallowed and gave a shake of her head. “I’m just feeling rather hot, that’s all,” which wasn’t a complete lie. Despite the chill in the evening air she was feeling rather...hot. She mumbled her goodnights then and quickly retreated to her room, burrowing under the covers of her bed and hoping somehow to keep the image of Mr. Branson and his intense eyes from her mind...and her heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You behaved like an ass tonight,” Matthew muttered over his brandy.

Tom grunted, but didn’t argue the matter. He knew Matthew was right, and he had already offered a long apology to Isobel as well as his mother, who he had gone straight to explain what had happened as soon as he had entered the house after that disastrous dinner. I think it’s safe to say I won’t be returning any time soon, he thought to himself. Had someone told him this earlier today, he’d be thrilled at the notion. But right now, he felt the exact opposite...

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get like that,” Matthew added after a moment.

Tom rolled his eyes. “You’re exaggerating, my arguments are much more passionate than your own--”

“As a solicitor, yes, but not at the dinner table of someone we’ve just met, and with a woman no less!”

Tom frowned. “Men can argue with women every bit as passionately as they would with other men.” More so, he thought.

“Perhaps, but...still, I don’t understand what happened tonight to cause you to--”

“She just got under my skin,” he growled, moving away from Matthew, his defenses rising up as he glared out the window, Downton’s massive spires rising over the forest in the distance.

He caught Matthew’s reflection in the glass, and frowned at the somewhat amused expression his friend and brother seemed to wear. “You don’t say?”

Tom gritted his teeth. “No,” he warned.

A smile broke out across Matthew’s face. “I don’t think I can recall you ever saying that about a woman...”

“Stop it.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t be so quick as to cut your chances with all of Lord Grantham’s daughters--”

“Enough!” Tom snarled, moving away from the window and stalking across the room towards the door that would take him out of the parlor, groaning at the sound of Matthew’s laughter behind him.

“Oh come on! Would it really be so bad?”

“Aye!” Tom threw back over his shoulder, not stopping until he reached his room and slammed the door behind him. Good God, Matthew couldn’t be serious, could he? No, no, he was just trying to get a rise out of him...and succeeding, damn it.

Tom stalked over to the basin in the corner and splashed some cold water onto his face. It helped with relieving the fire on his skin, but did very little to relieve the fire he was feeling in his veins.

Why was this bothering him so much? Why did...she...bother him so much? It made no sense! And why did it bother him that Matthew was most likely right, that he wouldn’t be going back to Downton any time soon? He muttered a curse and stripped off his shirt, threw open a window to let in some cool air and took a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to calm this strange rage that was flowing through him.

But when he closed his eyes, it was her face he saw, her own blue eyes, wild and fiery, her body beautiful and tense and alive with anger and passion, not backing down, not shrinking away, but rising to meet him, glare for glare, word for word--

A ragged breath escaped Tom’s lungs and his body trembled, not from rage but an altogether different emotion, one that was having a somewhat unwelcome effect on certain portions.

He kept the window open but turned out the lights and collapsed onto his bed, forcing his mind to think about Ireland, about Manchester, about ANYTHING but Lady Sybil Crawley...and her other possible passionate responses.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

#downton abbey #Downton Abbey AU #sybil crawley #tom branson #rock the 'enemies to lovers' AU #If Things Were Different #an 'enemies to lovers' AU version ;oP #fanfic of a fanfic #I couldn't help myself!#magfreak #happy valentine's month #sybil x tom

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