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

[ 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?

I dunno! [ but she does lay her head back down, so she's probably not irritated with him, at least. ]

I guess it depends on what you mean by that, you know? [ she pauses briefly, and when she continues she sounds a little stiff, because this is still new territory. ] I mean, if you told me it only ever turns off when you're around me, I'd be pretty ticked off.

[ not to mention embarrassed. she would probably kick him out in the most literal way possible, cold or no cold. ]

I think you know very well which direction it's going.

[The switch has now become even more of an innuendo now, and this was completely unintentional.]

[ she can work with that... maybe... if she just thinks of it as a big joke, it's a little easier, at least. ]

It's off, right?

For the moment, but only because I'm making it that way.

I'm trying to be a decent guy here, you know.

[Which is to say, it would be on but he's keeping it off.]

Yeah, I figured as much.

[ the fact that he's still attracted to her even when she's a sniffly, pajama-wearing mess is kind of flattering, in a way, though. or... it's more flattering than his comment about her "curves" had been, at least. a few months ago she wouldn't have been able to really imagine a situation where anyone— let alone alvin— could be like this with her, but now that they are like this, it feels pretty natural.

so, after she takes a moment to steel herself, she shifts around so that she can press a quick kiss to his cheek. the mouth is too risky, on the off chance that she's still contagious. ]

You can be a jerk sometimes, but you're pretty good at being a gentleman when you wanna be, anyway. [ and now the awkwardness from before is gone from her voice. she might even sound like she's teasing. ] I never thought I'd see the day where my little buddy'd be able to cuddle up with a girl without trying anything funny.

[ ... okay, yeah. she's definitely trying to tease him a little. ]

[Given that they already fully kissed not that long ago, the worry of her being contagious is a bit moot. But he catches her teasing, and—really. She still has that nickname for him? Dammit, Teepo—

He could make it worse, though. Maybe something else could be called "little buddy"—]

Come on, I'm not that—[There's a distinct pause.] Okay, I take it back. [Ha ha ha. No, he really was that kind of guy. ...Kind of still is, but now rather than "any girl" it's just toward "one girl" so there's that.] But I'm a changed man, you know?

[Well at least his morals have changed. Other things however...]

Although, if you weren't sick right now, I think things would be going a little differently.

[ if he can call her snoops, she can break his nickname out every once in a while to keep things fair. and would he really want her to use the words "little buddy" in reference to anything related to him? because those are unfortunate implications. ]

If I wasn't sick right now, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't even be having this talk. [ which sounds a little suggestive, but she only realizes that as she's saying it. ] I mean, uh... we could be doing something more fun than just laying around!

[ ... not that that's any better. ]

[Hm, point. Maybe "big buddy" is better.

At her words, he just arches a brow, that smirk playing on his lips.]

You're right. We'd be doing something like...

[His voice is a low murmur as he moves in, his lips lightly brushing against the corner of her mouth and her lower lip.

But then—]

Maybe a few board games or cards—actually, we should really invest in one of those new console systems, too, although my place would better since I have an actual entertainment system instead of that lame TV you have right now.

[Jerk. He is such a jerk.]

[ nope, not happening. she'll never fluff his ego up that much. ]

Uh... I think I have a deck of cards around here somewhere.

[ that's probably not a good response to what he said, but she's wrestling with the urge to pull him closer and kiss him (but she's sick, so she really shouldn't, and he really is a jerk) so she has to take a minute to think of something better. ]

But you're gonna have to drop the gald on games and stuff by yourself, if you seriously want them. [ there. much better. ] Especially if you hate my TV that much.

[...Her initial response is indeed a little flat, but the second is a bit better.]

I might...I've been thinking about it. [He's still hovering near her mouth, just out of reach.] It would be fun for us. We had a pretty good time at the arcade last time and it would give us something else to do together. [Aw, was he really thinking about that?

Probably not. He was probably seeing some of those first person shooters and thinking he'd totally ace them (and then realize that handling a real gun is completely different from a console controller and have issues but then still ace it). But now that he was talking about it more, it does come to mind and hey—it sounds sweet?]

All right, then! Should I be ready to kick your butt next time I stop by your place?

[ if she just focuses on the topic at hand instead of how close he is, she can make it through this, she figures. except she's leaning in a little now, enough that her lips lightly brush against his when she continues: ]

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even need to bring my A game.

Is that right? Maybe we should make it a little more challenging.

[He keeps his mouth close and there's a light graze of his teeth against her lower lip.]

Or maybe I'll let you have a win. So you won't feel bad losing all the time.

As if! I never lose.

[ her ego might not be as out of control as his, but there's no way she can just take something like that laying down. her hand moves to clutch at his shirt, like she's considering pulling him closer again, but instead she pulls back just a little so that she can look at him properly. ]

How can we make it more challenging?

Could make it like strip poker.

[Of course.]

I dunno if that'd make it any harder than a regular game, but... [ she looks thoughtful for a moment and then shrugs. ] All right! I'm game.

[ is she maybe just a little bit over-confident? yes indeed she is. ]

Oh, that's a lot of confidence. You're on.

Maybe I should get it for when you're better.

Awesome! It's a date! [ ... in a manner of speaking, at least. ]

I guess that means I should hurry up and get better, huh?

[ not because she's eager to jump into playing strip games with him (even if a small part of her does think it might be kind of exciting), but because she's already ready to (attempt to) beat him, regardless of the activity. her overconfident enthusiasm might be dampened a little by the fact that she punctuates that question with a sneeze and then a quick sniffle, but the sentiment is still there. ]

[He does move back a little when she sneezes, but then there's a light laugh.]

Maybe I should let you get some rest then.

[Although he is pretty comfortable and he's glad she still has her energy, he doesn't want to make her worse either.]

Yeah, that might not be a bad idea.

[ but between what he's saying and the way that he moved away, she can't help but tighten her hold on his shirt a little. ]

You're not gonna leave, though, right?

[ who's clingy? certainly not her, that's for sure. ]

[He feels that hold tightened, the fabric of his shirt being pulled down a little more. But it's her words that makes him glance down at her.]

Are you saying you want me to stay?

[Lightly teasing her.]

Well... yeah! You're done with work for the day, aren't you? So it's not a huge deal if you hang around here for a little while.

[ if she can tell he's teasing her (she probably can't, let's be real) she doesn't seem too put off by it. she actually sounds pretty earnest. ]