Don't Stand So Close To Me

12 - I Wanna Hold Your Hand

"We should probably go down there," Lyra says with an uncontainable smile, plunging her hands into her pockets.

Eddie sighs with a mirrored smile, "I guess. But, hey, you don't need to imprison those little hands of yours like that anymore, you know?"

"Oh, I know I don't have to just, um, I'd like to break it to Phil a little more gently, you know?" Lyra says, toeing the floor

Eddie laughs, "I could be wrong, but I suspect Phil already knows. Most people seem to already know. I think we were last." He says with a faux pensive face.

Lyra stops and puts her hands to her face, "You're right. He said he didn't want to be wrong about not telling me what he found out about you. He wanted to give me, well, us, a chance because he could tell. Jesus! Who else knows."

"Well, three more might be my fault, Tabitha, Clara and Liam", Eddie answers with a little laugh of awkwardness.

"Actually, Clara might be my fault", Lyra adds, "She asked me about it outside the costume fitting."

"Outside the costume fitting, huh? Interesting..." He teases.

"Oh, are you going to be insufferable about this now?" Lyra says regretfully but with a smile.

"Oh, you bet. You deserve at least...oooh...six months of me being insufferable about anything I find out about your crush on me. I think that's a just amount of time," He says affirmatively, receiving a light, playful shove to the arm, "Lyra, see these kinds of hands? You can keep to yourself," Eddie laughs, "actually, on second thoughts, I'll take them" Eddie takes Lyra's hand and holds it in his as they walk down the stairs.

It occurs to Lyra that out of the two guys she'd had a romantic relationship with, Eddie was the only one to hold her hand like this. She hadn't realised how a simple act like this could make you feel. She didn't feel so alone anymore.

"Eddie? I hate to be that person, but I'm new to this, so I'm gonna ask. I don't need the answer you think I want. I need the real answer so I can understand. Is this... Are we like a thing now? Is it exclusive or an open thing? Is it a secret or not?"

Eddie stops walking and pauses halfway down the staircase, "Now listen, you can ask me anything, ok? I got to see a glimmer of that piece of shit of a guy today, so I understand a lot of this will be new, but honestly, a lot of this will be new to me, too" Eddie takes her other hand with his free hand, "I can only answer these questions from my point of view, but the answers are as much yours as they are mine. The decisions aren't all mine to make. This is a two-person thing. So that being said, I would definitely say this is a thing. I would like it that it was exclusive and not a secret. How do you feel about that?"

Lyra smiles up at him, "I'd like that too, but I am a little worried about some of the reactions of other people."

"Shit", Eddie laughs. "Me too, but er, you won't have to deal with that by yourself, ok? I'm not gonna leave you in the lurch like that guy did, alright? Don't get me wrong, I am no hero, but I won't let you face things alone if I can help it."

Eddie's words made Lyra feel something she hadn't felt in a long time from someone outside her home, acceptance and support. "Actually, you're wrong about that", Lyra says, squeezing his hands a little, "I can't speak for anyone else, but you are definitely my hero, Eddie Munson."

"Oh, now flattery will get you everywhere" he grins widely, flutters his eyelashes at her and releases one of her hands so he can put it to his heart.

"Good to know, " Lyra smiles as they reach the stairs' bottom. She can see Phil staring directly back at them through the archway that leads into the kitchen. Lyra swallowed nervously. She didn't think Phil would react badly. He had, after all, hoped for a positive outcome if her guess was correct, but he was so important to her that disappointing him would tear her apart.