melodiesoflife | Event || The Festival Of Light

[ So far Tear had been successful in avoiding her more aggressive pursuers, able to ignore the ones that seemed intent on dancing amidst the swirling folds of her yellow dress. The choice in outfit itself was a little fancier than normal, but... it was their first date in so long.

Still, she hasn't expected this kind of attention. ]

That's true... It's also amazing that some of them found this place from so far away.

[ Admiring the little bugs? Maybe, some of them were fuzzy and cute. Yet Tear keeps them at a respectable distance, leading Ace to an area where there were fewer swarms. ]

I've... never seen so many flowers in one place. [ Ducking her head, her hair slips forward to obscure the tiny smile of delight she wore. ] They're all different, even the bugs.

[ Truthfully, Tear could hide it all she wanted, but he didn't even need to look at her in order to find himself being absorbed by the radiance of her happiness. It was just... obvious, every aspect of it, and even surrounded by all the colours and fragrances, it was all he could pay attention to. ]

There's no rush, if you'd like to take a closer look. [ Leaning in, he tried to chase away yet another bee perched on the girl's shoulder. ] Just be careful, or you'll be taken for one of them, in that dress of yours.

[ It was his turn to bow his head before it became too obvious how flushed his cheeks were. It would have been optimal that he hadn't stuttered when expressing his compliments, but it was easier said than done. Inhaling softly, he corrected himself. ] ... The flowers, I mean. [ Not the insects. Flowers. He paused, his throat feeling somewhat dry as he contemplated what he was even trying to get at, here. ]

[ Tear had been just quick enough to look up and see him bow his head, catching what she saw was a hint of flushed cheeks—not that it made her any less puzzled, for a moment stepping over to actually try and look him in the eye. Had he really just compared her to a...?

Well, there were worse things to be compared to.

Except the clarification that followed didn't really help matters much, at least in easing the confusion still touching her face. Yet, slowly but surely, it gave way to the soft blush now dusting her cheeks. ]

You think so? [ Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, she continued. ] I'm sure they would be able to recognise all the beautiful flowers...

Well, that just proves my point, then.

[ Ace hadn't expected her to simply hand it all to him on a silver platter, but that was exactly what Tear had ended up doing. Knowing he was being observed, he shifted his eyes back to her, feeling somewhat more confident than before, but nonetheless still fumbling with his thoughts. He really wanted it to sound right.... ]

Listen, maybe I'm not the best at this sort of things, but, um...- [ He paused to hold her hand a bit tighter. ] I think you look beautiful no matter what you wear. [ Regardless of whether he was or wasn't secretly fond of that bright yellow that brought to mind the softest of feathers. ]

I figured you should know.

[ There. ]

[ If Ace had wanted her to blush more, it wouldn't take much to recognise that he had definitely succeeded. Eyes widening for a brief moment, her look of surprise gave way to a bashful smile, one she felt the need to try and hide by ducking her head. ]

You don't have to be the best at everything, even if flattery might have its place in some situations. [ She was well-familiar with his manner of phrasing things by now, and the fact that he was trying at all despite those difficulties was enough to warm her heart as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Allowing herself a pause to collect her thoughts, Tear then reached forward to also take his other hand into her own. ]

It's fine the way it is, Ace. But... [ She couldn't really deny how... nice it was, to hear her partner say it out loud. ] ... thank you, for telling me...

[ It hadn't been his intention to make her feel uncomfortable, and it was how it had initially looked like to him before the smile had come to wave away his concerns. Redder than the roses they'd seen passing by, Tear certainly looked like she was struggling with accepting the truth.

Just like he wouldn't have been able to gather up his courage in front of anyone else. What was the point of playing it safe if the opportunities often presented themselves without a warning? Ignoring the sound of bees buzzing around the flowers, and any outside influences, for that matter, he used their newly established connection to retreat even further into the shadow provided by the exotic plants, pulling the melodist closer. Maybe this moment of privacy would grant her the well-needed confidence boost.

(Granted, the same mixture of happiness and nervousness was flowing through his own veins.) ]

You're welcome. [ Briefly focusing on their interlaced fingers, he mused. ] I-It's so warm in here, don't you think? Must be... the microclimate.

[ While he had definitely felt the rise in temperature just now, the glow in his eyes carried a different implication than the words would suggest. An involuntary smile parted his lips as he wordlessly sought her permission to, perhaps, close the distance between their faces if she so wished. Stolen kisses were all fine in their own place and time, but for their first official date in months, those seemed hardly fitting. ]

[ Tear allowed herself to be pulled into the more secluded spot, releasing a sigh of relief as she allowed her curiosity to show itself despite the lingering blush. ]

The microclimate... [ Judging on what she was feeling, the girl knew full well that it was more than that. But explaining it was beyond her current capability as an almost laugh pushed past her lips, lest she become too warm. ]

I mentioned before that it takes a lot of care and effort, didn't I? Flowers can be... fragile.

[ There were several reasons for her voice becoming softer, and why she so shyly ducked her head for a brief moment. The smile she met upon looking back up was one, and Tear gladly returned it with her own before leaning in to further close the distance between them.

It was hardly a matter of not wanting to kiss him properly, so much as a testament to her own shyness as she timidly pressed her lips to the corner of his own, feeling even more warm as she did so. And she knew it could hardly be blamed on the conditions created for the plants this time. ]

Edited 2016-09-01 09:11 (UTC)

[ So, they didn't make the most proper pair in the world and it was perfectly fine. To be honest, a part of him hadn't expected this sort of initiative to begin with, not with the delicate layer of tension accompanying the quiet whisper.

It tickled. For some reason, it was the only thing his mind registered before being overtaken by instinct, that, a bit clumsily, ordered him to repay for the kindness by kissing back.

He tilted his head to the side, only to lightly brush against her upper lip in his attempt. As pleasant as each second felt, he needed to do better than that if he was meaning to make up for all the dates that should have been.

Breathing growing a little heavier, he pulled away for a second, mouth curled in a bright smile only she was capable of bringing out. ]

I'll… take that… from an expert.

[ Leaning in again, he finally caught her lips in a tender kiss, stifling a nervous chuckle that threatened to escape his throat. It was still so very new to him, after all, and the possibility of getting something wrong scared him, so he didn't apply that much pressure to the touch. ]

[ Being the one to initiate it didn't mean Tear was any more prepared to have the action reciprocated, stifling a gasp of her own when their lips brushed together. Willing herself to relax and just enjoy the moment, Tear felt her hands tighten around his when he pulled away, as if she were ready to bring him back in if he hadn't spoken uttered the words that made her smile inwardly.

Not that he gave her much time to even think of a proper reply, already enveloped in the next kiss. It wasn't a sense of nervousness that made her shiver, but the sentiment being carried over in the gesture, a force that had both frightened the girl and yet ultimately served as the strength that only Ace could provide her.

But she could feel his hesitation, too. Willing herself to breathe, she squeezed his hands again and slowly began to apply pressure as well, silently giving him permission to continue despite their shared uncertainties. ]

[ It was something Ace hadn't taken into account before, but the whole bee incident had really worked out in their favour, in the strangest of ways. The absence of visitors granted them some semblance of privacy as they made that little garden corner into their own… retreat.

Parting his lips a little more, he accepted the challenge with a broken sigh. She was a fierce opponent that never pulled any punches, but he was nonetheless still surprised to see that translate into such a raw and tangible display of emotions.

She also had his hands in an iron grip, to which he responded with pulling her in even closer, practically letting the girl lean against him at this point, with very little regard for the state it would leave her pretty yellow sundress in - or his shirt, for that matter.

All he wanted was to kiss her some more, eager to learn what sort of adorable sounds would yet leave her lips. ]

[ If it was noises Ace was seeking, he would find his efforts to bring her closer rewarded immediately when a muffled squeak escapes the girl, a soft whimper following as she settled into the new arrangement. Unsure of how to proceed, but hardly wanting to stop just yet, Tear instead focused on just how pressed together they were, enough that she let go of a hand to carefully place her free one against his chest. Beneath her touch she could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat, strong and warm even through the fabric in the way—it brought to mind the position they had been in that day all those months ago on the balcony, just before he spoke the words she had secretly been wishing for.

And it made her smile.

Encouraged by the odd elation born from the memory, Tear continued to kiss her partner with varying degrees of intensity, though never without the ever-present hints of shyness that came with expressing herself in such raw form and so openly. But if it was for Ace, she was willing to allow him past that careful guard.

However, her enthusiasm—and lack of real experience for that matter—meant that the melodist had to pull away to catch her breath soon enough, cheeks absolutely flushed when she did. Normally she would have ducked her head to try and hide it, except this time she bravely kept her stance and even lifted her gaze to meet his, waiting for whatever response he may have in store. ]

Event || The Festival Of Light

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