Little steps

[hufflefluffhouse]

little steps No matter how much they care for the other person and want to be with them, some people simply can't dive head first into relationships. Little things that form intimacy and romance, little acts we take for granted - being close, holding hands, kissing, showing affection in public - they won't or can't do...at least not right off the bat. Something in their past, their experiences, their trauma, or even their personality holds them back. For both them and the person they're "dating," as it were, this can lead to a frustrating experience. Still, steps can be taken towards letting the walls fall down. Little, tiny steps, but those can mean the world all the same. The People One With the help of a partner, one person warms up. Two Both sides of this couple are learning how to be in a relationship and to be open. The Actions Talking → A relationship can't exist if there's not some communication, so either learn to use your words or become so close you can speak without them. Spending Time → Even such mundane occurrences as watching TV or cooking together is new ground. Touching → You might just find you enjoy reaching out and touching them. Kissing → Another kind of touch, when you think about it. Cuddling → ...at least they're warm and, hopefully, soft. Sleeping → You're at your absolute weakest when you're asleep. It shows trust to doze off around this person. Public Display → It's one thing to be in love in private, but showing you care in public is a different story. Kind Words → Three little words (more or less) are all it takes. Why, then, are they so hard to get out? Sex The ultimate stumbling block to some. To be laid blissfully bare is to truly let your guard down.

Comments

haruki sagae | akuma no riddle | f/f

[besieger]

TAGS THIS EONS LATER... also touching, ofc

[thirdbeauty]

[The shade of pink that Natsuru's cheeks have turned, now that Haruki has taken the blue-haired girl's hands in her own, almost matches the shade of nail polish Haruki is painting her nails with.

Natsuru didn't know what to expect when she was invited to visit Haruki's room, but it doesn't seem like this was planned at all. Haruki just gave Natsuru a once-over look, as if she was considering something, and just asked if she could paint Natsuru's nails out of nowhere. Dumbfounded, Natsuru couldn't think of anything to say but to agree. And then their hands touched for the first time...

Haruki isn't a physically affectionate person, as far as Natsuru can tell. But she's also not a very good judge of these things. The point is, they haven't done anything like this before, and just feeling that skin-to-skin contact is enough to make Natsuru blush. To say nothing of the unfamiliar feeling of having another girl delicately painting her nails.

Even the briefest silence is excruciating when one is as flustered as Natsuru is right now, so she quickly fills it with the first thought that pops into her head.]

I, um... I didn't think you'd have a color like this, Haruki-san.

[Little does she know that this is just one of many things Haruki was sizing up Natsuru for... or at least idly considering in that moment...]

[besieger]

[ having multiple siblings crammed into a room lends it to being on the messier side of things— but it's not something haruki immediately made note of, what with the room miraculously being free for once. it's an unusual circumstance, for sure; should someone else enter, she's sure her family would be thrilled to see that she's made a friend. ... or an acquaintance, who knows.

she continues to carefully apply the polish, occasionally turning their hands and lifting one of natsuru's fingers with her own to observe the paint as being just right. nothing less will do. she's even foregone munching on pocky; this takes a damned amount of her concentration. it's what's also caused to her miss the potentially overbearing silence. yet, at natsuru's words, she can't help her smile becoming wry. ]

Hm, why's that?

[ she raises her gaze upward to meet natsuru's, a glint of knowing mischief in her eyes. there's a chuckle threatening in her voice. ]

Don't think that it suits me much, either?

[thirdbeauty]

[That pink in her cheeks turns even deeper, the blue-haired girl clearly not knowing what to do with that question.]

Ah... I didn't say that!

[Help, she's way too flustered and embarrassed for this. She just gazes down at the hand Haruki is working on, watching something as simple as a pink polish bring out the natural femininity already in the shape of her nails and delicate frame of her hand. It's much girlier than anything she'd ever tried, and yet it doesn't look out of place at all.]

I... meant I didn't think you'd pick a color like this for yourself.

[Isn't that just a nicer way of saying the same thing, though?]

Actually... I've never tried anything like this, either.

[Why had Haruki insisted on trying this on her, anyway?]

[besieger]

[ no, it doesn't look out of place— in fact, haruki thinks it complements natsuru rather well. (her complexion now matches the polish, in particular!) while natsuru stumbles through her answer, she'll look down at the girl's hands again to paint a particularly tricky edge of a nail. however, the otherwise clear and convincing evidence of naturu's embarrassment causes her to chuckle... not that flustering her is funny, but...: ]

You're cute when you blush, y'know?

[ heh. ]

And it's cool, it's cool! Can't say I've ever gotten my nails professionally done, either, and I'm sure this doesn't quite meet any of those standards— but, hey. I'm glad to be your first.

[thirdbeauty]

[Haruki, please, that's only going to make her blush more! She seems happy, though? It's embarrassing that it's happening like this, but being told she's cute by someone like Haruki...

She can let this continue, can't she? She's curious how it'll look when it's done now.]

N-No, it looks great so far! You're... doing it really well...

[She sounds a little surprised at this, too. And of course there's more blushing at Haruki saying she's 'glad to be her first'.]

[besieger]

Thanks.

[ the compliment's accepted easily enough; with a more prounced upturn of her mouth, haruki flashes natsuru a pretty smile. and even if she's still concentrating, she's at least capable of some idle conversation in the meanwhile (gosh, why doesn't she try out as a nail tech, the real questions). ]

So! What does Natsuru-san like doing in her free time?

[thirdbeauty]

Oh... I-I'm not really that interesting! I don't really go... shopping, or whatever.

[Why was shopping the first thing to pop into her head? It's hard not to feel incredibly girly with another girl painting her nails pink, so she jumped to the most typically feminine activity she could think of. It has nothing to do with that really pretty smile making her heart jump! She's not trying to seem any particular way for Haruki or anything...!]

I, um... I like music, I guess.

[besieger]

Really? No shopping?

[ haruki's done laying down the base color; she has to allow natsuru's hands to rest a moment, though noticeably that's-- within her own, and not on the surface. chalk it up to her being distracted for the moment. ]

[ she gives natsuru a rather shameless lookover. there's no judgment to it. ]

But you seem so fashionable? [ is that how being fashionable works? must go shopping? hm. ]

[thirdbeauty]

Well... [The color is really rising to her cheeks now.] I don't mean never! Of course I go shopping, but it's not like... a hobby...

[The way she looks her over and deems her 'fashionable', though, is definitely making her heart race. All while Haruki is holding her hands in hers, too!]

Er... th-thank you...

[Fashionable isn't exactly something she's worked hard to be seen as. But now that someone has said that... well, she can't deny it feels nice to be complimented.]

But I think... you're pretty fashionable too.

[There's something different about how Haruki dresses and styles herself compared to Natsuru, a little more tomboyish. No wonder she thought the pink nail polish didn't suit her, though it's still a mystery to Natsuru (and literally no one else) why Haruki thought she'd wear it better.]

[besieger]

... You're joking.

[ tone somewhat skeptical, haruki can't help but bark a laugh at that.

it's not enough to jostle their hands or anything, but that's just so.. wonderfully complimentary. she wants to accept that as truth, as it's something she selfishly strives for, but even she knows better. ]

Well, thank you. Aren't you the one that pulls it off effortlessly, though? [ her smile quirks, slanting it into a smirk. ] But I wouldn't mind hearing any tips, you know, if they could work for someone as poor as me...

[thirdbeauty]

Eh?

[She almost can't believe how... flattering it is, hearing Haruki say things like that about her.]

Do... you really think so?

[It's true she doesn't try too hard. But despite that, does she still seem so much like the naturally feminine, fashionable type that even Haruki thinks so highly of her???]

I just... go with what looks nice enough? It doesn't have to be super girly, or anything. Like, you'd look amazing even in just jeans and a t-shirt...

[She's not even aware of how much she's playing into Haruki's perceptions. With her appearance and demeanor, of course she seems like the effortlessly feminine type. Even the pink nail polish Haruki is finishing up looks perfectly at home on her fingers.]

[besieger]

[ second coat evenly applied, haruki settles natsuru's hands back to the hard surface of the table.. gently, carefully, and perhaps natsuru notices that she doesn't quite pull away - instead allow the other girl's hands to rest over hers. ]

I'll admit; that surprises me to hear. [ the compliment, too. not that natsuru is reticent on praise, but haruki just doesn't happen to be the type to have thought of it that way. ] But, if you think so...

[ hm. just one more coat - the clear, finishing one - to go, she notes to herself. then she glances to her dresser, looking back to natsuru with a grin. ]

How 'bout it, wanna play dress up? ... I don't have many outfits, but with the two of us, I'm sure we could make it fun, anyway.