Fanfiction in several chapters inspired by 'Grantchester'

Conversation / fluff

The next morning, Y/N woke up her body intertwined with Sidney's. If she had nothing to do during the day, she would have stayed in bed while Sidney's face would descend in her collar bone. But here it was: today was an important day as she had a job interview for a job she was, for once, truly interested by. She kissed the delicate ivory skin crawling out of Sidney before leaving the hearth the bed had been all the night long. Albeit her efforts to be subtle, Y/N woke the spiritual man. After all, he was at hers and there would have been this unelegant speech of how he would have to go but Y/N thought that around some tea, it would be easier.

"Love, where do you think you're going?", he said in this gentlemanlike voice.

"Making you some tea?"

He got a grip, firmly but slowly, at his shirt that was caressly displayed on the floor next to him and jumped out of the bed. Literally, jumped out of it to reach out for the wonderful woman that was now looking at him with eager desire to kiss Sidney's lips.

But the boy took the lead and kissed the woman first.

"Well, let's make some tea!", he added, his lips still brushing Y/N's

The sun was breaking behind the window in an agressive manner. The canon was still half naked or half dressed, depending on how you look at things. Not that the two seemed to care. This just joined this idea of this ad-libbed morning ; the kettle was modest, the lovers half-dressed and the place untidy but it was the greatest morning of all.

It was a Saturday morning and usually, Sidney saved his Saturdays at reading and making his sermon ready for the next day but now, he did not want to leave. When Y/N had to go for her job interview, Sidney naturally asked her if he could join her.

And so, as nothing had happened between the two of them, they rode their bike towards Cambridge, where Y/N had applied for a job as a teacher in a primary school. They did not even try to be discreet by evolving in the cold streets. It was still fairly early and it is at this time of the day, when everyone is asleep, that Mrs. Chapman likes to wake up. She went by the window ; reckoning her lodger, she had to look more closely to acknowledge it was a woman who was riding behind him. Y/N, her face looked familiar since she had already seen her a few days syne.

Sidney gladly recognised the belfry he had known during his studies and had missed during the war. He decided to make a detour by the Board of Theology in hope to see his professors. Y/N leniently followed him when she perceived that he was not nearby.

After meeting Sidney's professor of Roman religion and thus being introduced to the intellectual, Y/N parted after she saw what time it was. Late, she thought. Sidney kissed her cheek and as he did so, he whispered that he would be by the threshold of her flat that same evening.

Sidney after spending the most part of his morning in Cambridge - meeting former students he had drunk with or played the chess with -, Sidney sat astride his bike and figured out that it was more than time to go back to his cell in hope to write his sermon. By arriving, Mrs. Chapman was in discussion with a neighbour. As Sidney approached, he deciphered what the conversation was about as key words would pop up.

"I have seen her on a bike... Yes, she was in trousers as well", Sylvia said to an old friend of hers, Mrs. Dargate that had a distorted face that Sylvia's speech only made worse. Sidney could not believe what he was hearing. Why on Earth would she care who he was hanging out with? After Hildegarde and after Amanda, Sidney innocently thought that Sylvia would give him some rest but it appeared that gossips would always come around. It was to believe that Sylvia wanted to keep Sidney for herself.

Noticing that Sidney was near them, Sylvia fell sheepish and discussed about something else, hoping that Sidney did not hear. Sylvia was a great woman for sure but she had two (major) flaws: she was prejudiced and hypocritical about the first drawback.

"Oh, please keep on talking about Y/N, I beg of you", ironically announced Sidney as he locked his bike to the doorway "So, she wears trousers and that goes against how a woman should behave, huh?"

As Sylvia tried to look away not to be brought face to face with the tenant, Sidney added.

"No, nothing else to say?", this time his voice was harsher, with a glimpse of frustration and anger "Mrs. Dargate, you better go back to your house and excuse me for I must have a talk with Sylvia"

Once inside, Sidney could not repress his anger. Usually, he would gather all the calm in the world not to explode but this time was different. The final straw on the camel's back.

"Could you please explain what that was Sylvia?" it was one of the first times that he named his landlady by her name and not by her surname "Why do you care that she wears trousers or that she goes around Grantchester on a bike?"

Sitting on a chair, Sylvia looked at Sidney that was pacing back and forth around the table, his hands on his hips. He was not scolding her anymore for he knew he would be remorseful afterwards if he kept on giving this treatment to Sylvia.

"I'm sorry Sidney", muttered Sylvia in between her teeth.

"What was that?", asked Sidney.

"I am sorry Sidney"

"Listen, Mrs. Chapman, I'm not asking you to like her. I just wish you could see why I like her", declared calmly the canon, putting the stress on "I". "Promise me you'll try your best not to despise her"

"Sure I will", promised Sylvia by covering Sidney's hand that was lying on the table with her own hand.

+++

His sermon written - oddly enough it came naturally that he would use the allusion to Rebecca's pious life to talk about love and prejudice -, Sidney's thoughts came back to Y/N. Inexorably. It could only come at the right time for the door rang just when Sidney started to profoundly miss his now lover.

Sylvia opened the door on Y/N that for ornament had a large smile over her lips.

"Hello again", warmly said the landlady. That is a change, Y/N thought. "Please do come in"

Only a couple of steps in, Y/N was welcomed by Dickens that toyed around her before sitting conveniently before her. Sidney called the dog as he reached out for Y/N kissing her both with tenderness and strength.

Leonard who was busy translating Chaucer to German greeted Y/N from afar while Y/N followed Sidney to his room.

"What did you say to Mrs. Chapman?", asked Y/N, aware of the change.

"Nothing, nothing at all", Sidney tried to no avail to pay customs duties "So, how did it go?"

"Surprisingly very well! They gave me the job"

"I see no surprise in that. I knew you would get it!"