– ANYA SMILES, FINDING IT HARD TO BE ANNOYED WITH HIM when she’s charmed by his sleepy expression, the softness of that ‘just-waking-up’ version of oneself. it sets her at ease, too, the vulnerability of it, and already her shoulders feel a little lighter, as if she hadn’t realized that some imaginary weight had been sitting on them. maybe she had built up most of her intimidation surrounding him in her head, probably as a result of all the tensions there were at gallagher. there was so much to be on edge about back then, but now they’re in her home, there’s no pressing threat of double agents … they can just be themselves again.
just as awkward, she doesn’t pick up on any of his. “ planes make me anxious enough as it is without all the congestion of other people, ” she adds, “ but hopefully you can get some space out here, there’s a little more room. ” hair tucked behind her ears, she nods. she’s sort of looking forward to seeing conor and cecilia interact more, just out of curiosity.
“ it’s a little weird, if i’m being totally honest with you. to go back ‘home’ but to a different house, without my family and … with cecilia, ” she adds with a short laugh, “ so, it’s all so new, even if the place is old to me. i don’t think i’ve really settled yet, but it’s a nice break from the school year – if my biggest problem is asking my sister to put away her dishes, i kind of have it made now, huh ? ” she jokes, hoping she’s not rambling too much in the impulse to fill the silence. her eyes light up a little at the mention. “ that’s brave of you. that’s one of those books that never felt quite finished to me, ” she says, “ maybe the baby was trying to save you the trouble. ”
conor normally isn’t this chatty when he first wakes up, needing at least a cup of tea or coffee to get through the morning before talking to anyone. but he doesn’t mind the conversation with anya. maybe he’s just compensating for how awkward things were at gallagher or maybe conor’s just more comfortable now that they’re not at a school having to worry about whatever comes next.
“it’s always so chaotic, i don’t know how people do it all the time,” he laughs, pouring some of the coffee into a mug for himself. “but this place is a lot better than anything.” the openness of it all reminds him of his own home, and maybe that’s why conor feels like he can be himself. “and i made plenty of coffee, if you want any.” he’s still learning how to work their fancy coffee machine, overestimating every single time. conor would just hate to waste something when he’s a guest in their home.
conor listens as anya speaks, knowing how tense things were with anya and her siblings. conor had never asked cecilia about it, feeling as though she would tell him what she thought he needed to know. conor wants to ask if anya’s settled with cecilia, but he knows it’s not his place. so instead, he focuses on something entirely different and not of much substance. “don’t know how you’re going to go back to a tiny dorm after all this space,” he says with a laugh, and honestly, conor doesn’t know how he’s going to manage it; going back to gallagher without cecilia being there. but he’ll deal with that thought later as he speaks to anya. “i have a feeling my sister is going to give me grey hairs as soon as she steps foot onto gallagher’s grounds.” but at least it’ll be his last year at the school. conor smiles at anya’s critique of tender is the night, and he knows she’s right. “i kind of like that about some books. it’s not a concrete ending, and you can make up what you want.”
