Week Two: Imagination

Some pining of the Eve/Will variety, denial of aforementioned pining, and shipper!Lily being exasperated. (Purely out of selfish reasons, I'm afraid, because I have three essays due for my coursework and I just - I can't even. So this is my kick starter for myself. Enjoy.)

Set after 02x02

"Okay. What is it?"

"What's what?"

Will rolls his eyes at her expression, the perfect face of innocence and confusion. "That. That face you keep pulling whenever you think I'm not looking. What's up? Is it what I said earlier? I really am sorry about that -"

"It's not about that!" Lily cuts in quickly, looking keen to reassure him. Her eyes drift towards the window next to their booth as she continues. "Seriously, it's not. That's forgiven and forgotten. It's just, well, other stuff."

Will scoops another mouthful of ice cream. "Like what?"

"Eve. Zac. Y'know, all that."

Ah, yes. All that.

"Oh." Will quickly crams the spoon into his mouth so that Lily won't see his dampened mood. "You think he's given up?"

"Doubt it," Lily mutters darkly, before the bitter expression is replaced by one of concern. "Sorry. I don't want to be unsupportive or anything. I think we've all had enough of that recently."

"How would you be unsupportive?"

"Well...well, you know."

Oh. It's this conversation again. Great.

"I mean, it would be cute if it wasn't so tragic," Lily continues, licking a trace of strawberry sauce from her thumb. "I would encourage you to follow your dreams, but I don't want them to get destroyed, so I'm gonna try and sway you for your own good. Don't go there. Don't be the cookie that always falls out of the box and gets crushed."

Will sighs. "Lily."

"What?"

"You know what. I don't know where you got this from, but Eve's just my friend."

"I got this from my eyes." Lily rolls these eyes of her at him with these words. "You know, because I'm not blind?" She's silent for a moment. "I don't get why you didn't make your move already. You should have just gone for it after that day with Mary. Would have saved all this unpleasantness now."

"Is this you trying to not be unsupportive?" Will asks with a raised eyebrow.

Lily matches his expression exactly. "Is this you admitting to it, then?"

"Wh - No! There's nothing to admit to in the first place!"

"Okay." His best friend abandons her spoon in the glass of ice cream in front of her and spreads her palms flat on the table. "Have it your way. Close your eyes."

"Hm?"

"Do it. Close your eyes."

Will swallows his mouthful of ice cream before speaking. "Why?"

"Just trust me."

There's a moment's hesitation before Will lets out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Whatever you say." He shuts his eyes, resting his head in his palms so as to not feel like such an idiot out in public. "Now what?"

"I want you to imagine that you're sitting on a bench. It can be anywhere in the world. But you're sitting on this bench, you're relaxed, Eve is sitting beside you, and you love each other - although we don't have to pretend that bit." That last part is mumbled, but not quietly enough.

"This is so stupid," Will grumbles.

"Just do it! Use your imagination!" Lily sounds as though she's one complaint away from grabbing one of the spare menus on their table and whacking him over the head with it. Will reckons that the safest option is to shut up and do as she says, and so he pictures the bench. It's no where specific, this bench, just in the middle of some dusty football field that's been left unkempt, but it feels familiar and that's enough for now. Eve's sitting there too, wearing the Viking helmet and tutu that she'd worn when attempting to "fit in", to no avail. Her face looks a little downcast, her eyes focused on something off in the distance, almost as if she's trying to see something that's out of reach to her. He rests a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention towards him; her mouth curls up into a smile - not a beaming grin, but a smile, and that's a start - and her own hand moves up to his, threading their fingers together.

Lily starts snickering from opposite him, and Will cracks an eye open to see her trying to muffle her laughter behind her palm.

"What now?"

"Nothing," she replies, pressing her lips together as she tries to compose herself. "It's just amusing when you deny it and then you blush."

Yeah. I don't know. This made me happy. See you all next week! X