#hes so so confused by it honestly but kfjgnkf

[secrecykept]

@lachalaine she IS SO CUTE AND SOFT AND I LOVE THIS THANK U

She’d been idling about him pretty much all night by now, & she was pretty sure he’d noticed. Between peeking at him from around corners & watching him from afar, it’d felt like the chocolates she’d held constantly in hand were screaming at her at some point, telling her to just get the darn thing over with.

Which is what she inevitably did, later towards the end of the night, when she’d finally seen him starting to leave so she’d grabbed her coat as quick as she could just the same. A swift shuffle past the doors on heels that weren’t quite meant to be run in, & then, as she makes it out into the evening air, “Excuse me, wait!”

How familiar such words seemed to be with him, as they closely mirrored a single instance in an elevator not so long ago. And yet here she was still somehow frozen, only instead of holding herself away from him, was she instead taking careful steps closer.

“I — sorry, I know you’re going home, I just wanted to give you — something.” Suddenly stiff hands that’d fumbled with the pouch she’d stuffed into her coat, finally slipping it out only to awkwardly hand it to him in offering. “You’d mentioned you weren’t sure about cake before so, I mean I gave roses to everyone else today but I thought — chocolates might be a good start for you — this time.” A slight tremble as she spoke, as she wasn’t sure if it was the February winds or being under the intensity of his gaze that made her quiver something soft. Still, she attempted to stay strong, as much as she was able.

A soft whisper, a nod. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Oh, he’d noticed alright. Her stare and distant presence had been playing with his senses the entire night, like a ghostly touch or mirage. However, each time he glanced towards her, she seemed to be looking another way or was nowhere in sight. It was enough to have him questioning himself for a while. Was he imagining things?

But he’d caught her a few times. Curiosity sparked and twisted around him to begin with. What was she up to? But as the night went on and the persistent awareness of her attention didn’t fade, the curiosity shifted to amusement, and later to mild frustration.

It wasn’t as if he minded having her eyes on him, not at all, but with her watching him so consistently, he hadn’t a chance to disappear and leave a gift for her in her dressing room as he had done so previously.

Oh well. He could return later and slip it in there, he supposed, but for now, it was time to leave.

In preparation for the cold, he secured his coat tighter against himself as he headed to the door. The cooler times of year were never his favourite, that was for sure, though they did have a certain charm at times. He recalled a particular morning–

“Excuse me, wait!”

The thought shattered like ice on a lake and then drifted away.

“Hmm?”

His steps halted and he turned, mild surprise showing at the sight of the woman (though truth be told, he’d wondered if she might follow after him).

“Miss Dulcet…” he said in greeting, his lips softening into a brief smile. Ah, this was familiar indeed, but this time she chased after him specifically. Why?

Curiosity made a return and tilted his head as he watched her struggle with her coat. What did she have there…?

He blinked. Presented to him in her hand…were chocolates.

The gust of wind around them seemed to sweep right through his mind and clear it of any coherent thought. He could only stare. A moment passed, then another lingered. It was only instinct that had him reaching out to accept the gift, rescuing the sense of tension.

The chocolates were a soft weight in his hand. A present for him. How very strange. He frowned at them ever so slightly as confusion could not be held back.

Valentine’s Day. Still a mystifying concept, but what was more mystifying was the idea that this particular woman would give him something for the day. Did it mean something…? She said she had given roses to others, so perhaps this was nothing special. But why…

And she even remembered his offhand comment about cake.

It was…thoughtful.

Something inside him shifted uncomfortably at that, but he ignored the feeling and raised his eyes to her, his expression smoothing into a smile.

“Thank you, I…” He paused, “I really don’t know what to say.”

The wry quirk of his lips spoke of how unusual it was for him to have such a lack of words.

He stepped closer to her, drawn by the way she held herself, like a flower struggling not to shrink back against the cold elements. He hoped his shift blocked most of the chilled air from getting its icy touch on her.

Closer and closer still, he finally stopped. He leaned down to her, instincts ringing loudly through his body. Closer. Until his lips brushed her cheek like whisper.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Slowly, he straightened up, eyes soft and warm upon her as he lifted the chocolates partway between them. “Share them with me, won’t you? And if you’re finished for the night, can I walk you home?”