crescentview | ( summer catch-all! )

( Could this man get any more adorable....... )

If you say so. ( She steals another sip, with a giggle landing on the rim of her cup. ) Well, these are some very talented beans! They did a great job at brewing themselves so perfectly.

( Amber can banter with him!! As a treat!! )

Say, how do you feel about going upstairs to enjoy these? It'll be nice and warm in bed, unless you're worried about spills ... in which case we can stay down here. ( It just sounds really snuggly enjoying a warm drink in bed together, ok ... )

[He is not adorable!! You take that back.]

[His expression flattens when he looks at her for her snark, sighing softly.] I suppose we could, if you'd like. We're both adults, I imagine we can get by without spilling our coffee.

( Hooray!!! Late night coffee and cuddles!! She visibly brightens at his acceptance! )

Thank you! Ah, this is going to be so cosy...! ( She'll just head back upstairs with him, coffee cup carried carefully in both of her hands, although she has drank enough of it to prevent and spills. Once they reach Akechi's room, she shuffles over to the wall-side of the bed, lifting the sheets for him to slot in next to her. )

I'm really happy I got to spend more time with you tonight ... thank you.

( Amber takes in the aroma of her coffee before taking another generous sip. She wants to savour this moment for as long as possible. And- well ... she can't resist. With all of those warm sentimental feelings bubbling inside of her, the woman rests her head on his shoulder. )

[He's quiet as they ascend back to the bedroom, only humming wordlessly to her suggestion of the situation being cozy. He's not sure he agrees, really-- stifling and overwhelming were both words that came to mind well before cozy. But he climbs onto his side of the bed with his mug, half-gone by now, and folds his knees to his chest in a somewhat comfortable resting position.]

[And then she drops her head onto his shoulder and he goes stiff as a board, tension pulling every muscle in his body taut.] ...mmn. [He has absolutely no idea how to respond.]

( Amber can tell he's tense, and the last thing she wants is to make him uncomfortable. She mentally scolds herself for a moment for perhaps being a bit too physically doting, but ... this is her nature. She's always been unafraid of physical affection, especially for people she likes. Has she been inconsiderate towards him?

In any case, she lifts her body and gazes up at him with her kind golden eyes, offering him a tone of softness in her voice. )

Sorry ... I-I haven't made you uncomfortable, have I? ( She stutters, a rarity for the bold confident woman. )

[He's always uncomfortable, Amber.]

[He shakes his head slowly, frowning.] It. I'm unaccustomed to physical contact, forgive my stiffness. [A thin, humorless laugh at his own expense, and he takes a swig of his cooling coffee.] I made such an effort to be disarming and approachable, cultivated it for years..., and yet, I still spurn people's attempts to actually approach me.

( Ah, so it's like that ... once again, she is reminded of Collei. Eula, too. What is it about people who are closed off and cold that makes her want to be there for them? While Amber can't identify the emotion at a surface level, it's ultimately down to how kindhearted she is. Perhaps she knows the pain of being alone, having no one there to love - and if she can see familiar isolation in others, she desires to light them with warmth.

Her gaze flicks down, and she really digests his words for a moment. But, then she looks right back up at him. )

Does part of you yearn for something greater? ( She rubs her fingers around the body of her coffee mug. ) The company of another person, someone to hold you ... a warm presence, a caring embrace ...

Do you ... ever long for that sort of thing? ( How alike are you to her, Akechi? )

[Amber you can't just ask him these sorts of straightforward questions. He chews on the words, hinges on warm presence and caring embrace, and something in his chest cracks under the pressure of his inhale. He closes his eyes, shrugging gently, but the way he curls back around his knees again is probably telling.]

I've gotten used to the cold, by now. [It's a cryptic statement, but Amber probably reads well enough into him to understand his meaning. It isn't that he doesn't want these things, it's that he's scared to seek them, let alone accept them.]

( Before she can stop herself, Amber reaches out to let her hand land on one of his scrawny arms - and immediately, he should notice a brilliant warmth radiating from her. As a Pyro user, warmth comes naturally - but in this instance there's definitely something stronger. )

Well ... if you'll let me in and be your friend, I'll be your warmth. ( Her words are spoken gently, yet there's a rare flash of seriousness on her face when she affirms this to him. There's no passive, empty compassion here - that isn't Amber's style. ) Little by little. Okay? You don't have to make a huge leap, since I know it's not easy, but ... you don't have to be out in the cold any more. I'm here for you.

[He curls tighter around his knees at the contact, closing his eyes, but he doesn't flinch away further than that. For a long moment he's quiet, just processing, his mind screaming that he should push her away now before she has the chance to realize what he is, get cozy and then wrench herself away when he's let her in and gotten a little warmer. The warmth radiating off her makes the pit in his stomach colder, and his breathing gets briefly haggard for the polarized sensation.]

I'd prefer if you didn't make suggestions like that, [Quietly.] But I'm not opposed to some semblance of camaraderie. [He hasn't looked at her-- he's not sure he can. The acidity of his coffee suddenly more than his stomach is willing to tolerate, he unfolds from around his knees just enough to extend an arm to the side to place his mug on the window sill. He stays folded away from her that way a bit, lanky and tangled up on himself like a gargoyle, and glances over his shoulder.] ...I'm being difficult again.

You aren't.

( She issues firmly. Sure, it stung a little to see him react in this way, but Amber expected it. Eula pushed her out. Collei did, too. But she never gave up on either of them - and she certainly isn't about to give up on Akechi, no matter how much of a fuss he kicks up. )

I won't make you do anything you don't want to. I'm good with camaraderie. ( Honestly, it could've been worse. ) And I won't prolong your struggle with any more flowering language ... okay? All I want you to know is that someone is here for you. That's all.

( Removing her arm from him, she takes a sip of her coffee, with a small smile on her face even still. Gazing down into the remnants, she exhales a low breath. )

[He barks a soft, ugly sound vaguely reminiscent of laughter.] I am, [He argues, but pulls his legs back up onto the bed and folds back against the wall. Slowly, he leans more toward the center of the mattress, inward toward her, but keeps his arms folded tight over his chest.]

You're being far too tolerant, and trying far too hard for someone like me. [It's a dull statement, and one he won't relinquish easily, even if he can see Amber chiseling away at the argument already.]

I am trying hard for you.

( She affirms, and why should she be shy about it? )

And I know you think you don't deserve it, but ... I do. ( Again, she smiles - warm and kind. ) The Goro I met who played twenty questions with me ... the one who told me of his love of cycling, rock climbing and coffee ... the one who makes a great cup of coffee, in mention of that. Who said he would help me out here, who carries so much knowledge I could only dream of knowing, who caught me about France and the other wonders of his world, who is trying to wiggle out of his comfort zone just so we can do this "share a bed" square together.

That's the Goro I have come to admire. No matter how much he thinks he doesn't deserve to have someone care for him, I do.

[He lets her prattle on, his posture slowly pulling inward further the longer she talks, in subtle measures. Being seen is the most terrifying thing he's ever experienced-- it was the same with Akira, with Sumire. With all of the Thieves, to some extent. Amber is no different, except she has no concept for who he is or who he was, only short glimpses of him given by a game of 20 questions and his poor reactions to her multiple attempts to be kind.]

[He tsks softly.] I'm right here, you know, you needn't speak of me in third person. [But there's a slight grin on his face, and he turns to look at her sidelong with it.]

( Amber laughs and smiles. Her laugh is a little too enthusiastic, which causes her to hiccup. )

So, I'm not perfect ... ( She finishes the rest of her coffee and places her mug off to the side. )

[God, fuck this, her laugh is so soothing. He closes his eyes and lets himself list sideways until their shoulders bump.]

Mmn, perfection is boring, anyway.

Eheh, yeah ...

( The silence carries off into ... awkwardness? Which isn't normal with her around. Amber is usually the type of woman to fill any empty space with enthusiasm or commentary. Yet in this instance, she feels a rise of butterflies within the pit of her stomach mute her from continuing her sentence.

She gazes up at him from where their shoulders meet, silently watching him just ... uh ... hm. )

[And Akechi is blisteringly oblivious. He's made something of a huge step in the right direction in leaning back against her, nearly mimicking her previous gesture. He doesn't think he could survive putting his head on her shoulder, nevermind that it wouldn't be comfortable from this angle, but-- well. She doesn't seem to mind the simple contact, and for him it was most certainly best to start small.]

[He focuses on his kneecaps again, folding his arms tighter across his chest-- the gesture makes him look cold, but he isn't. He's just squirmy.]

( mmmm. )

( hmmmmmmmmmmm. )

( Will she live to regret this? Who can say.

Against any better judgement she may have, Amber mururs his name to catch his attention. Once she grabs it, the woman reaches out to gently cup his face, and ...

kisses him softly. )

[Akechi is some kind of oblivious dunderfuck, because he sure has no idea what's about to happen. He hums in question when she murmurs his name, angling himself to look at her, and... Well.]

[You see, he's gay.]

[But this is a transactional affair, so it's fine.]

[He goes very still, going as far as to stop breathing for a few seconds while he figures out how the fuck he's meant to respond. This was only meant to fill a sharing a bed square, but now she was kissing him. Was this indicative of him misreading her? Was she interested after all?]

[He's gay, though. Isn't he??]

[His lungs burn after a while so he remembers to breathe, sucking in a sharp breath on a delay and leaning back from her, startled.] I--

[Abruptly, he goes scarlet from the collar bones up, and mashes a hand into his face.]

You might have warned me. [Is he sulking? This absolute tsundere.]

( Well................ that happened. And that was a reaction and a half. It was a bold move by Amber - but it is not one she's taken lightly. When she retracts her arms, he may notice that her hands are shaking. )

... Sorry, I ... ( She what? How does she finish this sentence? "I just sort of like you" doesn't feel appropriate to say - but then again, she just kissed him. Is any of this appropriate? )

Y-You can just, uh ... forget I did that if you want.

( God, Amber!! This isn't like her at all, but - here she is. Dealing with her puppy crush as elegantly as a brick through a window. )

outrider amber!

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1/..., idk i'll let you know

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okay i'm done.

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