highfiving | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ it's a few days after their trip to the hot springs, and leia has come down with a cold— it's nothing serious, just sniffling and sneezing, the occasional headache, and a slightly-higher-than-normal temperature— but considering all of the good things that the trip brought, it's a small price to pay. resolving the problems she had with alvin and taking the first (admittedly really big) step toward having a relationship together was probably worth a few days of feeling less than stellar.

especially since she can bug him without feeling too terribly guilty, since she's not just his friend anymore. that's still a really novel idea, given that this is her first real relationship, and she... may or may not have been taking advantage of that by talking to him a little more than usual. it's nothing too ridiculous— since she's sick and she can't drop by his place and bother him in-person, she's just been sending more texts and calls than usual his way— but still. considering how bad things had been between them before the trip, being able to talk to him freely feels pretty nice.

it's also something she does when she's starting to feel a little stir crazy from being cooped up inside. it's only day two of her cold, but calling into work sick and not having anything to do gets old fast for someone like her; she's quick to get restless. she's already jotted down some ideas for her next big article and talked to all of their friends about her new relationship (elize and elle wanted details, specifically). she's watched all of the shows she's behind on, done some light cleaning— which was probably a mistake, since it leaves her feeling worse than before— and now she's lounging around in bed, wrapped up in blankets and surrounded by a small army of pillows and stuffed animals.

so, naturally, she texts alvin. she'd call him, but it's closer to the middle of the day than the evening, and she's not sure if he's busy with work, so... it's probably better to play it safe. ]

hey!!! ☆ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ im still sick and i could use a little company |･ω･｀) its getting pretty lonely around here! (シ_ _)シ feel like dropping by?? ♡(*´∀｀*)人(*´∀｀*)♡

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I should charge you for this kind of service. [But he is amused.]

You know, taking a picture of just me won't be enough. It would be more convincing if we were together.

[ charge her for a picture. when they're dating. right. she doesn't look amused at all, but she does turn to face him again. ]

All right, then lemme take one of us together!

Let me have it—I have a better reach. [He's already grabbing it because chance. Also he's scooting in really close, his other arm sliding around her shoulders to pull her closer to him.]

[ she'll let him have it, because he has a point and by the time she realizes that he's got it, it's a little too late, anyway. he's already pulling her in, so she goes with it, slipping an arm around him naturally. ]

Should we do a pose or something?

[ a cutesy, couple-y pose, maybe? ]

[Subtly switching the GHS to the hand that was originally around her so that it's the one that's holding the device at just the right angle as he glances at her.]

"Or something" is what I have in mind.

[And that's her only warning when his now free hand reaches up to tilt her chin toward him and he just outright kisses her right on the lips.

Guess what the sound of that click following right after was, as well as the sound of a message being sent.]

[ maybe it's instinct or maybe it's because she wanted him to kiss her earlier— either way, her eyes slide shut and she actually kisses him back for a moment, one hand coming up to rest on his shoulder for support as she leans into it.

of course, that only lasts until she hears the shutter click and the noise that signals that a message was just sent.

it takes some effort to pull away, but when she does she's red in the face all over again. ]

You didn't actually send that, right?

[ and she makes a quick grab for the GHS because he has officially lost his privileges. ]

[He lets her have it, knowing full well he probably got himself banned from it for a while (until he steals it again), but he just leans back looking smug like a cat that had caught its favorite toy and knows he got away with it.]

Pretty good proof if you ask me.

Well, yeah! [ it's not like she could fake a picture like that, so "good proof" is... certainly one way of putting it. ] But now everyone's gonna see, and—

[ and there goes her GHS, notifying her of a new text, which she immediately opens and reads, even though she already has an idea of what it will probably say. ]

See, this is exactly what I was afraid of!

[ she turns it around so he can see the message. it's equal parts gushing and surprised (with the tiniest dash of jealousy thrown in), and it's worded in what might be the most embarrassing way possible. there are even a few hearts and emoticons thrown into the mix, along with a sly comment about leia's apparent preference for the rugged, handsome type. why did he do this to her. ]

[He is reading those words with great interest and that smug look of his isn't going away at all.]

What, becoming popular? Not seeing the problem here.

[Actually, he can easily see how she might get hammered by those girls wanting to know more and all that.]

Besides, showing off every now and then isn't a bad thing.

You don't get how gossipy reporters can be, huh?

[ especially some of the girls in her age group. just because the paper doesn't publish many stories like that doesn't mean the people she works with can pass up on juicy dirt— not that she's much different. ]

Besides, there's a difference between showing off and sucking face and sending people pictures of it!

[ she's all about showing off, but that? not so much. ]

Oh come on, relax. It was just a kiss. It's not like we were really making out.

If they throw a fuss about it, you can just blame me and garner sympathy points.

[ she works on tapping out a reply to that message, and once she's done she sets her GHS aside altogether. this is a sick day and he's right that it was just an average kiss, so she doesn't have to indulge in whatever office gossip might start up from this, but— ]

So you're saying you want me to make you look bad?

Hey, I'm used to it. [A small shrug.] Besides, I could pull off the "bad boy type" if necessary. [And there's a small glint and a smirk.

He might have mellowed out these past couple of years, but he really could fit the type without trying too hard. If she weren't sick, he probably would have played it up, too. But for now, she's just getting the more low-keyed treatment of him turning toward her, an arm sliding over to the other side of her waist and leaning toward her as if to push her down.]

[ if he actually does push her down, she'll let it happen without too much of a fight. if she weren't sick, she might even encourage it. add that to the ever-growing list of reasons that being sick sucks, probably. ]

Yeah, I kinda figured that much out already. [ between this and how he's acted around her in the past, it would be hard not to pick up on it. he even looks the part, in a way. ] You're probably as far away from being the squeaky-clean, do-gooder type as possible, you know.

[ unlike someone else they both know. maybe that's something she likes about him, though. ]

[He just grins as he indeed pushes her down—slowly.]

You got that right. So does that mean you actually have a preference for the shady, dangerous, troublemaker types?

[Is his face leaning closer to hers? Why yes it is.]

[ why is he making her suffer like this? that's the real question here. ]

I dunno if it's a preference. [ she shrugs as best as she can, considering her current position, and brings one hand up to lay it over his shoulder. she's trying pretty hard to keep her cool, but she can feel her face getting warm again, so she's probably starting to blush. ] Maybe I just like you because you're you!

[ but the whole bad boy thing doesn't hurt, either, since he's pulling it off in just the right way. ]

[It's Alvin. Does she really expect anything less?]

Aww...that's actually kind of sweet. [There's a light teasing grin.] I think a lot of people would question your reasoning, though. [Even he knows how much of a jerk he is and that he's not the "best pick" by any standard.]

Well, yeah! Liking you because you're a jerk would probably be even worse, though.

[ liking him in spite of that is probably marginally better. ]

And besides! [ the hand on his shoulder slides to his chest, and her fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt so that she can tug him down a little in an awkward attempt at getting him to lay with her. ] I don't hear you giving out any better ones.

[ which may or may not be a not-so-subtle attempt at getting him to offer up some reasons as to why he likes her. ]

[Ooh, a tug. He likes that. Dammit, Leia, stop being sick. If she weren't, he'd lie fully on her and just be all "I can show you instead" but as it is...he lowers down to lie more alongside her.]

Well let's see. I'm smart, handsome, charming, talented in many ways—want me to elaborate?

That's not what I meant.

[ once he's laying down, she shifts around so that she can curl up beside him, one arm slipping around him as she does. ]

I meant you could always try to give me better reasons. [ she actually sneezes here, her free hand coming up to cover her nose and mouth as she does, so it takes her a moment to continue: ] You know, like... reasons that you like me!

[ she doesn't want to listen to him stroke his own ego, okay. ]

Oh is that what you want to know?

[Again, he'd be more than happy to show her—but he knows that's not what she means. With his own arm going around her, he settles in with a thoughtful pause.]

You're cute, funny, spunky, easy to talk and hang with... [There's a light smile because he knows he's still not being quite genuine here. Not that what he said isn't what he genuinely likes about her, but he has deeper (and somewhat) sappy reasons that he knows she'd like more.]

[ if he tried to show her, she'd just turn him down. or try to turn him down and then inevitably end up encouraging him. whichever. ]

Those all sound like reasons you'd wanna be friends with someone. [ even if hearing them is still pretty nice. ] They're not reasons to seriously like someone.

[ which roughly translates to: tell her the deeper reasons. she's sure there has to be at least a little more than that, since they're actually together. ]

[All right, all right. He grins a bit as he doesn't directly respond to her and just continues.]

I wouldn't call you sweet, but you are nice and a good, honest person. You're fun to be around and you're probably the only one who's made me smile as much as I have. [Of course there are the teasing ones, but also genuine ones.] And I've told you before—I feel comfortable around you and feel like I can be myself.

[He's not looking at her, instead his chin resting lightly against the top of her head as his thumb idly brushes against her back. There's more he could say, but this is already sappy enough. Anything more might be going a little too deep and best saved for another time. So after taking such a sweet, romantic turn, he does an Alvin.]

And you have pretty nice curves, so you're attractive on that level as well.

[ that's more like it. a small, content smile tugs at her lips as he talks, and her eyes are starting to drift shut— not because she's tired, but because hearing those things is nice and their position is relaxing— when he says that last part. ]

Seriously? Is that all you think about?

[ and she lifts her head to give him a look. it's not like she doesn't appreciate having her ego stroked (because she does), but he could at least try to read the atmosphere. ]

I'm a guy. It's a switch that's hard to turn off.

[He read the atmosphere perfectly fine. He just voluntarily chose to ruin it. It's still a little early for him to be honest and stay honest without twisting things around to "escape." He's better about it, but... Old habits die hard.]

Would it make you feel better if I said that the switch only works around you?