My Favorite Manchester Tartt

Like we start off Keeley being startled by Roy in her kitchen. idk why, it’s morning, where else is he going to drink his morning cuppa? but he’s unexpectedly close all of a sudden and so she gives a little jump. And sometimes we get annoyed with ppl who startle us, for no real reason, even if the startling was accidental. No one’s fault.

They ride to work together. Of course they do when their schedules align. It would be stupid, expensive, and bad for the environment not to.

They walk in hand-in-hand, Roy gives her a kiss and heads off - note the absolute zero fuss about separating, no "when can i see you later?", just a quick and completely normal peck of goodbye.

Asking about her detour immediately after they separate - I get how people could read this is a little clingy or controlling. But I’ve also been in enough working environments long term to know that you learn your coworkers habits without noticing. And you don’t even have to be actively paying attention to them to notice when they deviate from routines. If they are walking the opposite direction of where they are supposed to be going, you wonder why. And if you’re close with that person, you ask about it. even more normal in a relationship. This situation is both coworkers and relationship. (My ex was super chill, not clingy or controlling. but if he saw me heading away from my home office when it was reasonable to expect me to be going to the room where i spent most of my time, he'd be curious and just casually ask "what are you up to, baby?")

Roy asks to go with her to get tea. Doesn’t make assumptions, doesn’t presume like ‘good idea, me too, let’s go’. And it’s a simple question “can I come?” no pleading, no passive aggression, no facial expression I read as anything that would guilt Keeley into accepting. There's nothing to suggest Roy has ever made a fuss when Keeley tells him no. I think a Keeley who was on top of her game in that moment would have thought of a smooth excuse that would deflect him without hurt feelings, like “you can if you like but I’m heading to [the opposite direction of Roy’s locker room] right after” or “I’m just grabbing a quick one, then I have to rush to make a conference call in time”. And hey!! Maybe Roy really did just want a fucking tea of his own at that moment. We know he loves it.

Keeley mentions to Rebecca that things were easier when they didn't work together. But Keeley was the one who chose to work there, Roy was not involved, didn't ask her to come work where he works. We see her doing work at home so she probably doesn't need to spend all day every day at Nelson Road.

Roy is not bothered when its obvious that Keeley is gossiping about him to Rebecca or Higgins. He doesn't ask what she was talking about, or try to grill them on it, or really stress out at all about what she might be saying about him. He respects that she has her own feelings/opinions/ideas about her life to talk about and might prefer to talk to other people about them sometimes. He doesn't need to know every conversation she has with other people, even if its about him.

Roy is being all kissy and affectionate while she is trying to get some work done... its sweet, its kinda in her way - neither of them are wrong for that. Its not unreasonable for him to love on his girlfriend when he is at her house for the express purpose of spending time with her. If you have someone over to your house, its not weird that they might expect some of the host's attention.

When Keeley puts her foot down, "no seriously, stop kissing me and let me alone to work" Roy immediately does! He goes and sits quietly with his book! He did exactly as she asked. without complaint or even a grumpy(er) expression on his face about it. Keeley could have gone back to work while Roy read, no problem. Keeley distracted herself there. She chose not to focus on her work.

Keeley hiding in the boot room is also her own choice. Rebecca was correct that Keeley needed to tell the one person who could do something about it. And once again Roy raised no objection to Keeley talking about him to others, even when its a room full of people, some of whom he definitely would prefer not know too much private information about him. (Jamie for sure, and probably Ted just out of principle)

Roy had shit timing in talking about his book, but its not exactly bad boyfriend material to want to share excitement about something new. She is watching a 20 year old show so its highly unlikely its an episode she hasn't seen before and really wants to focus on.

When Keeley finally expresses in words that sometimes she needs to be by herself, Roy is upset not about that fact, he's upset that she was discussing it with others, and about how it made him look, when he never had the option to act any differently because he didn't know she wanted him to act differently. He thought they were enjoying their time together! He was happy! and his "I'm an idiot" was, i think, about that, about blindly going along thinking they had a great thing. Thinking he's doing a great job at this boyfriend thing. (and he probably needed some validation a little bit after his retirement woes) He was really blindsided and hurt, and Keeley really didn't want to hurt him like that, but communication needed to happen a lot earlier, before she built up feelings of resentment about not getting what she didn't ask for.

Ignoring her in the parking lot the next morning was some petty shit, yes, but it is far from the first time the 'clingy' side of the 'i need space' argument has responded with passive-aggressive levels of distance. Its not like anyone elaborated on what 'more space' and 'time to myself' means in concrete terms. Plenty of people might interpret "i need space" as "wait for me to come to you". And whomst among us hasn't practiced awkward avoidance after a confrontation, for any number of reasons? its not 'right' or therapist-approved, but its relatable. Its how many human beings tend to act in similar situations.