Beginnings

By rese

Summary: Laurie begins to have feelings for his best friend.

Disclaimer: As always Louisa May Alcott is the bomb and she owns it. Not this story per say but Little Women and its characters which I borrowed for no profit.

…

"I – I don't know. I've never thought of her that way," Laurie's brows furrowed and the other boys just waited. "She's my best friend."

Another tall lad with light hair stepped over to him, "Exactly, don't you know that's how ladies prefer it? You have to be friends first." He smiled encouragingly and patted Laurie on the shoulder.

"There's just one problem with that," Laurie stuck his hands in his pockets, wandering over to the door, "Jo don't like to be thought of as a lady."

…

Jo was clapping and stomping her foot in time with Beth's playing laughing wildly at the funny tune. Laurie sat on the other side of the room, affecting enjoyment whilst he scrutinized his dearest friend.

She clearly wasn't beautiful or pretty but she had an originality about her and confidence in her posture that drew the eye past her plainness. Obviously it was more than her looks that captivated others, she was smart, jolly and a fiercely loyal girl.

Laurie recognized all this. They were all qualities he could easily find himself looking for in a girl. In fact, Laurie was looking for them at his friends' questioning, but now his heart wanted him to know, to see.

Jo turned her glittering grey eyes to him and he reflexively smiled, winking back when she waved. She sung a bit louder when he continued to stare and then rolled her eyes, turning back to Beth.

The more he watched her he realized it. He thought he was falling for Jo.

…

"You're very funny," one of the girls said, bowing slightly as if to afford a better view of her covered chest. Her friend pinched her arm, warning her with a look.

"She means humorous, Theodore." Smiling too at the boy who wouldn't watch either of them. "Your stories are always entertaining."

The girls giggled, agreeing with the eldest, who was a few months younger than Laurie. If Laurie had paid them the attention they seeked he would have found the girl startling pretty, with eyes like Meg but a figure matching Amy's but as it was, the boy was absorbed with another member of his favourite family. Jo was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, laughing merrily at some joke a tall boy with sandy coloured hair had told her. Laurie watched the exchange with great interest, considering how much more Jo might've enjoyed it if he was the one doing the telling. He'd show that young man how to make Jo laugh properly.

"Mr. Laurence, please tell us another story of your friends next door? That Jo girl is so quaint." Laurie glanced at the group next to him. He didn't mean for the girls to find Jo herself amusing, only the story.

"Oh yes, isn't she though! Look at her over there, waving her arms about like a boy. It's a wonder any of them pay her any attention. She doesn't act like a lady at all. No, not a speck of propriety." Murmurs and clucking confirmed the opinion around the group and they waited for Laurie to comment.

He finally turned around, folding his hands, looking like he was about to say something very troubling, which only increased their anticipation for what slander might come. "Actually ladies, I think it's time I found some company where one might enjoy themselves, properly." And he marched off to the group of boys that had gathered about to hear Jo, smiling at the gasps of offence behind him.

Jo was grinning, madly describing some adventurous lark at a pace that confused two or three of the slower ones when Laurie appeared by her shoulder. She paused to take a breath and he tapped her arm, smiling widely at her sparkling eyes that seemed to lighten when she talked.

"Sorry to interrupt my girl, but would you do me the honour of a dance?" asked Laurie, who hoped the other men heard the 'my girl' clearly enough. For Jo, he pointed over to the small hall where young men and women moved in time. Laurie watched as the tall boy he saw joking with her before crease his brow and step forward.

"Sir, I don't think you've heard your friend can't dance this evening."

Laurie looked to Jo, wondering if she fibbed to avoid dancing with the presumptuous fellow but Jo was moving her eyes down at her dress, twitching her head in the same direction. "What?" Laurie thought until he remembered she was wearing her scorched dress.

"Oh yes, my mistake." Still he grabbed hold of her hand with and with a quick "excuse us" to the group he tugged her off.

"Laurie," Jo caught up her dress a little, worried she might trip in all his haste, "what on earth's the matter with you tonight? You've been stuttering, fussing and that was not so polite." They were standing off to the side, close to an unexpectedly empty hall and Jo was waggling her finger at him.

Laurie stood there quietly, not sure how to save himself for it was true, he had been all those things. He wasn't sure what had come over him but it was very likely something to do with Jo, for she had been witness to all his oddness that evening.

"S –" he began but paused to look in her curious eyes, holding her pointing finger in his large hand. "Sorry." Laurie turned and walked off into the hall. He had stuttered when he picked up the girls, surprised to find Jo wearing the dress he'd first seen her in and finding it only to easy to compliment her. However his kind, admiring thoughts scrambled too fast to his tongue and it had come out a blubbering, jumbled mess causing Jo to laugh and hit his shoulder for his trouble. He did fuss when they arrived, making certain Jo had hung her coat properly, fixing her hair as an excuse to touch it and asking if he looked well to see if she cared about his looks. She did it seemed saying, "You look as fine as any of these gentlemen, and just as, if not more handsome." Laurie coloured with warmth at the memory.

"Teddy?" he felt her thin hand on his arm and he looked behind to see Jo's concerned face. But she couldn't bring herself to ask him anymore, fearing the answer that she had begun to guess. Well, save one question, "how about that dance, my boy?"

…

They were by the river, Jo swatting invasive flies as Laurie lay beside her, watching her sisters pick flowers and wade along the bank.

"Aren't these the best days, Teddy? When the world is so bright and lovely you just want to sigh with the wind in pleasure," Laurie looked up at her smiling face not surprised that they should be thinking such similar things. Only, his mind wasn't on the pleasantness of the day but on his friend who had leant back a bit to read him properly. Jo saw Laurie hold a hand to her shoulder, touching very lightly and stirring some unknown feeling deep within her.

"Aye, the very best." But Jo looked away when she saw his eyes properly, elbowing his arm away.

So maybe she could read his mind. Laurie sighed and pulled his hands under his head, friends they were indeed but maybe something more if he tried. For he saw how her eyes had darkened when he brushed her, fear making her oppose his feelings.

He'd just have to win her over.