.. was he always so charming? [break][break]

or.. rephrasing: was he always this charming? of course he was; she just hasn't been able to fully appreciate it, or realize it, until more recently. especially when he was thinking so hard - there's something so cute about the way he gazes at her, and gives her such a lovingly, warming look (it's still foreign to her, but she's growing accustomed to it. little by little). [break][break]

there's slight confusion as he traces his hand along the frame of her face, and a tinge of rose comes to hr cheeks as she feels his thumb brush over her lip. his touch lingers, and she has to take her mind off it. it's okay, she'll tell herself. it was just an innocent gesture. innocent, and good natured. get those sinful thoughts out of your pure head. [break][break]

in an attempt to distract herself, she mulls over his words and begins to think, quietly. her eyes close, and she raises her other hand to gently hold her chin. leather and.. pockets were a usual trend in the autumn, so it works perfectly well, but "i was thinking more.. design, or style-wise~" she clarifies, raising her gaze back up "when you think autumn.. what pokemon comes to mind? that kind of thing~"

Calix Nikolau

☉

”No, yeah. That’s still what comes to mind first, is the thing~...”[break][break]

A response laced with a slight chuckle of awkwardness. With no way to see into her thoughts for himself (it may have been nothing but beneficial to her, for reasons), he’d been left only with the response that he was given, as well as the attempt to wrap his way around a better phrasing.[break][break]

His brows furrowed slightly in thought as he crossed his arms. Idly.[break][break]

”Those two words still come to mind first, since, like—... Well, I dunno about you, but I’ve honestly always loved the greaser look~,” he started off, laughing. ”Leather jackets and all that’s always been nice in my opinion~. As for Pokemon, though? I dunno…”[break][break]

A hum escaped his lips in further thought, but before long, his eyes widened just faintly with a faint spark of curiosity. He eyed her once more.[break][break]

”...You said Unfezant, though, yeah? They look different based on gender, don’t they?” he mused lowly, almost skeptical of himself as he continued on. ”It could both be, like…a couple outfit kinda deal? Maybe with a central color between the two of them and different accents depending on who’s supposed to wear what?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

"greaser look, hm?~" she hums, just a little more loudly. certainly, she hasn't exactly dabbled in that kind of style.. but she could, couldn't she? there's a first time for everything, and if she'd like, she could always just change the design another time, if not make some drafts to see what she could come up with. though the two of them were eating dinner, she can never stop herself from brainstorming what could be - especially if she's going to think about how it's going to look on him. [break][break]

maybe that's why she's been more passionate about men's clothing more recently. not that she would dare speak a word of it. [break][break]

the smile reaches her eyes at his suggestion, and she nods her head whilst picking up more food, wrapped in the pita that he so delicately crafted for them "i was thinking of something along those lines, yes~" and he said that he didn't know anything about fashion. a couple outfit was certainly something she's thought about, especially with pokemon who have different forms depending on their gender. with another hum, she leans forward towards him to offer the bite. [break][break]

"mm.. perhaps some green or red accents for a male outfit, and more black and brown tones for women.." she starts to ponder shortly after pulling the fork back down (after he's taken a bite, of course), in favour of raising her hands, slightly, to make a frame with her fingers - and with him in the centre. ".. i think that style would look good on you~"

Calix Nikolau

☉

”...Oh? You think it’d look good on me~?”[break][break]

Spitballed as it was, after all things said and considered, there was a sense of relief that he felt in the midst of her reception— but it was really the latter of all the words she’d spoken that had caught his attention. While the thoughtfulness of it all had cast the majority of his smile away in favor of taking the question seriously, his lips were quick to tug upward in amusement once more upon hearing her speak.[break][break]

”I mean,” he started off again, chuckling, ”some part of me thinks you’re giving me a little too much credit, but if you ever need a model once you start putting the ideas into practice, we could see if that’ll really be the case~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

"i couldn't give you enough." [break][break]

her lips stay curled into a smile, and she wonders if she's ever smiled this much before meeting him, really. she probably hasn't, if she had to wonder. her hand moves to pierce another piece of their meal, bringing it up to her lips to take a bite. it's when she finishes does she lean over, slightly, to rest the side of her head against his shoulder. [break][break]

"... you're attractive enough to get into modelling, if you wanted to." she hums, eyes slowly closing "i mean it. honest~."

Calix Nikolau

☉

”Ehhh… I dunno~. Not sure if I’m buying it, really~...”[break][break]

Words laced with faint laughter, he watched as she helped herself to another share of her food. Before long, however, he found himself lifting an arm out of instinct in order to give her the proper room to nestle closer, and once she settled against him, the lingering laughter trailed into a soft hum as he lowered his arm against her shoulders.[break][break]

Just as she rested her head against his shoulder, he gave himself the leniency to lean his own into her hair with a gentle, ongoing smile.[break][break]

”...Honestly, though? Models are a different breed, in my opinion.” He laughed again, his eyes narrowing towards the fire with a raise of the cheeks all the while. ”People can say what they want, but it takes skill to be confident and not look stupid while striking the poses they do…”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

"well.." she starts, nestling further against his shoulder with a hum, and a smile to her lips "you should~" she chimes with a humming chuckle, golden locks pressed against his arm and chest as she begins to make herself more comfortable in his grasp. [break][break]

"or are you calling me a liar..?" a gaze of viridian emerald moves to gaze up, all as her free hand idly moves about to search and rest her fingertips between the gaps of the arm around her shoulder. "my eye tells me you would do wonderfully, especially with the confidence of yours~"

Calix Nikolau

☉

”Oh, woah, that's a big accusation~.”[break][break]

Mock offense and defensiveness, alike; two different things that greatly contrasted (or even emphasized) the grin that broadened upon his lips all the while. With her fingers touching against him, he merely leaned against her a bit more; a notion that had ultimately been short lived as she shifted enough to direct her eyes up.[break][break]

He met her gaze with a hum.[break][break]

”I mean…yeah, I have no reason not to trust your opinion?” he mused, raising a brow with an ongoing smile of amusement. ”I’m curious, though… What if I did say I was calling you a liar~?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

her smile broadens at his reaction. her fingers hook between the spaces of his, and her grip tightens, slightly, as she nuzzles closer against his shoulder and chest letting out an idle hum. "i wonder~.." [break][break]

the hum trails off, almost as though she were actually thinking on it. "i can go back to work? and continue to say 'five more minutes' every five minutes~"

Calix Nikolau

☉

He stared at her.[break][break]

”...Yeah… No…” he hummed, furrowing his brows in some form of faux frustration— a gesture rivaled only by an otherwise amused grin at the sound of her words. While he knew (hoped) she hadn’t been all too serious about the threat, the man leaned over in what seemed to be an initial gesture to pull her closer.[break][break]

Which he did.[break]
He just…tried to lock her in place, instead.[break][break]

The arm already around her shoulders simply pulled her closer, but with a careful mind and eye towards the plates before them, he shifted back slightly before pulling her after him, hooking his other arm around her almost as if latching on. Biting his tongue softly with a broadened grin, he moved one of his hands down to poke softly at one of her sides.[break][break]

”Caaan’t let that happen, sorry~. You made the suggestion, too, so I’m pretty much obligated to keep ya here, now~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

"oh?"[break][break]

though what words she was going to say afterwards are cut off by a soft giggle, followed by a soft and quiet squeal as she's pulled against him. a man is like a bear, so much larger than she is, to where her body can only take up.. maybe half? two thirds of his? where he's able to wrap his arms around her, and completely envelop her in his embrace. [break][break]

honestly.. it's endearing, and she's found herself enjoying it more than she should, nowadays. it's a far cry from when he first did it, and she was feeling slightly uncomfortable from the sudden physical affection. though the sudden grab is followed by a poke at her side. her body tenses up immediately, and she lets out a brief yelp - one that she tries to muffle via gently burying her face against his shoulder and chest. "w-wait, no, stop--" her waist moves away from his hand, and her arms and elbows try to pin down to be her barrier. [break][break]

"pff.. i-i apologize! don't poke my sides--"

Calix Nikolau

☉

Her requests were met by nothing more than a beam, all while he simply wrapped his arms further around her.[break][break]

”Huuuuuuh? Sorry, what was thaaaat~?” he called out in an overly loud, teasingly mocking tone as he leaned, immediately, after he within her attempt to shift away. Though careful as he could be, he shifted faintly onto a leg in order to properly move after her, continuing on with an additional, ”Sorry, Daph— I. Didn’t. Catch that~...!” as he cackled, shifting his hands just long enough to attain a better hold before pulling her back in.[break][break]

And on went the attack for however much longer, but before long could pass, he eventually found resting his face against her as he found a place against her head, and he merely maintained his grin as he maintained a lingering grin while holding on.[break][break]

”...If it isn’t already obvious, no,” he hummed softly. ”Pulling the ‘five more minutes’ card isn’t an option. Sorry~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

amused, her viridian emerald eyes linger upon him as she's pulled in, closer, and as her body squirms slightly in a reflex response. of course, she's still mindful and careful of the food that was resting in a try not too far away from where they sit. "goodness--" the chuckles dull down, until there's only a soft smile lingering on her lips. her head gently nestles and nuzzles against him in response, although her arms finally lifts a bit an her finger gently pokes at the other side of a man's cheek.[break][break]

"you're so silly~" it's endearing, it's precious. with the smile still on her lips, she moves her hand down in favour of resting over his hand, slipping her fingers between the gaps of his as she turns her head, slightly, to reach onto her knees and plant a gentle kiss upon his cheek. [break][break]

"we can finish dinner first, then.." she lowers herself again, and her fingers tighten their grasp over and around his "... i think i've finished enough of my work, so we can spend the rest of the night together~.. maybe pull up a movie and have some wine?"

Calix Nikolau

☉