"Yesterday you brushed a leaf from my hair and on Tuesday you laughed hysterically at something I said."
Her words struck a nerve with him and he couldn't stop replaying those words over and over on a loop. Realizing how Happy reacted differently when other people were around, he waited until it was just the two of them in the garage before going to talk with her.
Happy was at her workstation – welding helmet on and blowtorch in hand – when he finally worked up the nerve to approach her. Cup of coffee in hand, he stood there patiently until she lifted her helmet. "What do you want, doc? And remember, I'm holding a blowtorch, so act accordingly." Her jaw clenched as she turned the blowtorch off and set it on the table, her eyes widening with impatience as he remained quiet. "You want to tell me what you want or do you just want to waste more of my time?"
"Are you mad at me?"
"I'm always mad at you, you'll need to narrow it down for me," she told him. She tapped her fingers against the wood, "Well, speak up."
"About what you said earlier, with the leaf and the laughing. Are you mad I did those things?" He sipped his coffee and studied her. Her shoulders tensed slightly before sagging.
With a wry smile, she spoke. "I don't need the team thinking there's something between us when there isn't."
"But there is something between us," he said. "Something more." Now on her side of the workbench, he put his coffee cup down and leaned back, distance still between them but close enough for her to punch him if she chose to. "If that principal hadn't come out we would have kissed. That's something."
"Fine," she relented, an exasperated sigh escaping her lips, "Something almost happened. Yet that principal did come out and as a result nothing did happen."
"Do you wish it had?" Toby knew he was pushing his luck but he needed to know.
She looked away, "I'm not answering that."
Amusement played in his eyes. "You're not answering because you wish it had and don't want to lie to me or because you're trying to spare my feelings." Still looking away from him, he added, "I'm going to go with the former."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself," she muttered.
"And thank you for thinking of my feelings in this time of emotional turmoil for you." Those words were whispered in her ear and they were both frozen before her elbow made contact with his side.
Crying out, "My gall bladder," she laughed. "That's for testing me. You fail."
His breathing was strained and he stepped back, bent over with hands on his knees. A minute or so later, he let out a deep breath and spoke. "Are we still friends? And if so, do I still have the designation of your best friend?" Happy looked over her shoulder and he took another step backwards. "Because you're definitely my best friend, and I'd hate it if the feeling were no longer mutual. Even if you are prone to violence, it's one of the many things that turn me on about you."
Now she turned around. "Yes, Toby, you're still my best friend. Even though you are an idiot and I seriously wonder about my judgment in times like this."
He grinned like a fool and moved towards her, only stopping when she picked up the blowtorch and put it between them. "Not another step, doc." He obeyed, stopping to tilt his head as he wondered what she'd say next. "Now go, do whatever it is you do and leave me in peace."
"As you wish." He swaggered away, content in the knowledge that he garnered from their exchange – she was in just as deep as he was. And he knew it was only a matter of time before she wasn't scared to death of exploring it with him.