[#4 -- words][Fire and Hemlock][Tom/Polly]
Title: Hidden Power
Author: ninkasa
Pairing: Tom/Polly
Fandom: Fire and Hemlock
Theme: #4 - words for 101_kisses
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Diana owns them. She also owns Howl, this makes her a god in my eyes.
Their entire relationship was built on words.
Fantastical descriptions, calm and sometimes not so calm explanations as to why it had to be that way (because he HAD to know, it was important for some reason) had always been at the foreground of their connection.
The first time she had written “Love, Polly” at the end of her letter. It had just been a word at the time; she had not realized the impact that word would have later on. Or his insisting that she call him “Tom” instead of “Mr. Lynn”. They had only been words; she had not understood that the words made him feel as if he were doing something wrong by devoting so much time to her.
She’d not realized at time the power the words had.
Granny frequently lamented the fact that of all the habits she had to pick up from him it had to be the language. The words she had once believed only her father and the dustmen knew. She was sure Granny was exaggerating; nearly everything she did was somehow linked back to him. It was just the more annoying habit, the one that looked bad when she stubbed her toe and cursed or shrieked obscenities at the radio in front of company.
It was amusing to her, although she was not quite sure why. Fiona would read over her shoulder and look confused while Polly wrote letters with words such as “Tan Coul” or “hero business” (now spelled with a u instead of the i she had once used).
He’d sent her books that had let her into a world where words held power, although, she’d never imagined how much power. It had been his words that had lead them down the road they’d taken. He’d said she had the gift of saying the right thing - True Thomas - it had been made true because he had said it. Laurel had twisted their silly game into something terrible, something dark and dangerous.
Laurel had nearly used their words to destroy him.
It would be words that would save him. Polly’s words.
For the longest time she had thought she had to mean them. For nearly a month she had believed her own words until one day Fiona pointed out, exasperatedly, “Polly, for god’s sake! If you were supposed to mean it, you would MEAN it! Just call him for the love of god.” “God” had become one of Fiona’s favorite words when they were involved in conversations about Tom. Usually “for the love of God” or “for God’s sake”. Occasionally, “Good Lord,” which caused Polly to blink and stare, because those weren’t Fiona’s words.
It had taken her a week after Fiona had finally put her foot down before Polly got up the courage to pick up the phone and dial. And when he’d answered, the words had frozen in her throat. For the first time ever she had not known what to say to him. She had nearly hung up the phone - writing would have been easier.
Silence had reigned and then:
“Polly?”
How he’d known, she had never figured out. How he had convinced her that they had to meet, she did not know.
They met, though. And she burst into tears and excessive babble and explanations and proclamations until he pulled her to him, in order to hug her, kissing her once - steadily and properly this time. None of the awkward, sideways-ness of the first time.
And in that moment, she understood the words he had never been allowed to say. Not the ones that Laurel had forbidden, but the ones that were inappropriate because of their ages and just the overall oddity of their relationship to the outside viewer.
Polly took a deep, exhilarated breath and let it out slowly. For a moment, she wasn’t sure the words would come out, but they did, mixed with tears and such genuine happiness that she thought she might faint on the spot, quiet, in case there would be anyone whom they could not trust within earshot:
“I love you, too.”
Author: ninkasa
Pairing: Tom/Polly
Fandom: Fire and Hemlock
Theme: #4 - words for 101_kisses
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Diana owns them. She also owns Howl, this makes her a god in my eyes.
Their entire relationship was built on words.
Fantastical descriptions, calm and sometimes not so calm explanations as to why it had to be that way (because he HAD to know, it was important for some reason) had always been at the foreground of their connection.
The first time she had written “Love, Polly” at the end of her letter. It had just been a word at the time; she had not realized the impact that word would have later on. Or his insisting that she call him “Tom” instead of “Mr. Lynn”. They had only been words; she had not understood that the words made him feel as if he were doing something wrong by devoting so much time to her.
She’d not realized at time the power the words had.
Granny frequently lamented the fact that of all the habits she had to pick up from him it had to be the language. The words she had once believed only her father and the dustmen knew. She was sure Granny was exaggerating; nearly everything she did was somehow linked back to him. It was just the more annoying habit, the one that looked bad when she stubbed her toe and cursed or shrieked obscenities at the radio in front of company.
It was amusing to her, although she was not quite sure why. Fiona would read over her shoulder and look confused while Polly wrote letters with words such as “Tan Coul” or “hero business” (now spelled with a u instead of the i she had once used).
He’d sent her books that had let her into a world where words held power, although, she’d never imagined how much power. It had been his words that had lead them down the road they’d taken. He’d said she had the gift of saying the right thing - True Thomas - it had been made true because he had said it. Laurel had twisted their silly game into something terrible, something dark and dangerous.
Laurel had nearly used their words to destroy him.
It would be words that would save him. Polly’s words.
For the longest time she had thought she had to mean them. For nearly a month she had believed her own words until one day Fiona pointed out, exasperatedly, “Polly, for god’s sake! If you were supposed to mean it, you would MEAN it! Just call him for the love of god.” “God” had become one of Fiona’s favorite words when they were involved in conversations about Tom. Usually “for the love of God” or “for God’s sake”. Occasionally, “Good Lord,” which caused Polly to blink and stare, because those weren’t Fiona’s words.
It had taken her a week after Fiona had finally put her foot down before Polly got up the courage to pick up the phone and dial. And when he’d answered, the words had frozen in her throat. For the first time ever she had not known what to say to him. She had nearly hung up the phone - writing would have been easier.
Silence had reigned and then:
“Polly?”
How he’d known, she had never figured out. How he had convinced her that they had to meet, she did not know.
They met, though. And she burst into tears and excessive babble and explanations and proclamations until he pulled her to him, in order to hug her, kissing her once - steadily and properly this time. None of the awkward, sideways-ness of the first time.
And in that moment, she understood the words he had never been allowed to say. Not the ones that Laurel had forbidden, but the ones that were inappropriate because of their ages and just the overall oddity of their relationship to the outside viewer.
Polly took a deep, exhilarated breath and let it out slowly. For a moment, she wasn’t sure the words would come out, but they did, mixed with tears and such genuine happiness that she thought she might faint on the spot, quiet, in case there would be anyone whom they could not trust within earshot:
“I love you, too.”