Space They Cannot Touch

22.

Fuck. They didn't know. Of course they didn't know, you'd spoilt whatever surprise Tom had planned by fainting.

You looked at Tom, worried that the news of your engagement would be taken badly. Tom didn't seem too fazed by your slip up, an arm still wrapped around you, thumb absentmindedly rubbing your shoulder.

"Y/N, what do you mean spend the rest of your lives together?" asked Nikki, her voice deceptively light.

"I asked Y/N to marry me" Tom said, smiling at you reassuringly. You smiled back nervously.

"When?" asked Nikki.

"Last night"

"When were you planning on telling us?" Sam and Harry's faces were fixed in a look of total bewilderment.

"When we went out for breakfast. I was going to ask her properly...with this". Tom shifted and pulled out a small red velvet box. He opened it and you gasped. The ring was beautiful; yellow gold with three oval shaped white opals, set in place with small diamonds. Tom took your left hand, slipping the ring onto your finger. It fit perfectly, the diamonds and opals shimmering as you turned your hand to look at the ring closer, stunned at its beauty and simplicity.

"This is weird" Harry murmured.

"What's so weird about it?" Tom asked indignantly.

"It's not weird that you two are engaged, but it's a fucking weird time to drop it on us. Y/N just told us about her insane ex-boyfriend who stalked and raped her, who is marrying her sister, and now you two are engaged! Do you see how that might be just a little fucking weird?!" Harry exclaimed, his voice rising.

"Harry" Nikki cut in, her voice sharp. The small light of happiness you'd felt as Tom slipped the ring on your finger quickly diminished. They weren't happy.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. Harry got up, opening it for the room service to be wheeled in. No one moved, all too shocked and confused to eat. Finally, Tom got up and grabbed your breakfast. As he resettled next to you on the couch, he looked at the others.

"Y/N's been brave enough to tell us what he did to her. And I made the decision a long time ago to spend the rest of my life with her. I wish that we were sharing the news differently instead of how it is right now. But you lot better get your shit together - "

"Tom, they have every right to be -"

"We are happy for you both, really. It's just...odd timing" Nikki cut in, tone motherly and placating. "Honestly, we are. We just...didn't expect that story to end with...you two being engaged. It's a lot to wrap our heads around"

You pushed the yogurt and granola around the bowl, appetite non-existent. You knew you should eat but you couldn't bring yourself to chew and swallow food. You felt weird, unsettled somehow; as if you were happy but anxious; exhausted, but filled with an energy you hadn't felt in a long time.

"I think we'll just keep it to ourselves for now" you mumbled. Tom looked at you, his mouth opening to disagree. "I'm not saying we don't announce it eventually. Just, not right after I fainted in front of everyone. There'll be pregnancy rumours and shit already, don't need to add an engagement to fuel the fire"

"I think that's a sensible idea" Nikki said. "Right, Harry, Sam, your food is getting cold".

The twins faces remained perplexed as they chewed their food, obviously trying to reconcile what you'd told them about Jack as well as process the engagement news. You couldn't blame them - you'd feel the same way.

The ring on your finger felt heavy and wrong. Unable to stand the sensation of it anymore, you slipped it off and put it back in the box, trying to ignore Tom's hurt puppy dog eyes.