Was it cruel to laugh at someone’s embarrassment? Maybe. Just a little bit. But Vio did it anyway. Another of those weaknesses they had accepted about one another, in a way. She just could not help it when she saw this. And there was nothing malicious about that laugh at all, it was almost as if she was trying to laugh at the situation, not at the other.
[break][break]
But she still knew that it was probably still coming across as mean, so she forced it to ebb somewhat quickly. Hence, it remained simply a jovial thing, triggered by a sudden display of emotion that did not quite cross into being mean-spirited. Still, not good. “Sorry about that. But this reaction was just too cute, I could not help but be overjoyed by it,” she explained after catching herself and letting the other cool off a little.
[break][break]
“But that is something I love about you, too. How you can get so supremely flustered all of a sudden. It is strictly speaking adorable.” It probably was not helping at all that she was being so forward about everything. But once again, she did not bother too much in that regard. Here, she could be honest with them both. [break][break]
Though that also demanded that she was genuine and actually listened to the signals the other was giving her. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to do anything that would truly make you uncomfortable. I just figured you might enjoy it,” she hence explained, keeping the other’s hand a bit more tightly. “After all, once you get beyond the embarrassment of it, you would like that, would you not? Being able to relax, your head on my lap, as I feed you something nice. I certainly would not mind that in your position at least.”
[break][break]

+ Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Violet was not sure. Naturally, she liked that Elaine calmed down and found herself in quite the agreement to what Vio had suggested. On the other hand, though, she would not have minded seeing that cute, flustered face a little more.
[break][break]
But then again, there likely would be many more opportunities for that. Her companion was a formidable, world-weary and potentially world-class detective, but she was still inexperienced in even fake love. Plus, those flustered moments were so special because she had to work for them at least a little, and because they did not last forever.
[break][break]
So, she just smiled, before moving on a little bit, towards the bike. “I know what you mean. But that’s precisely because I want to try it. I never did that with anyone either, after all. Making the unreal, well, real, sounds like a fun little proposition, doesn’t it?” Though Violet had to be careful not to overdo that particular thing.[break][break]
After all, she would never want Elaine to feel like some kind of prop to be used for her own gratification or anything like that. Hence Vio picking things that she thought might be fun for them both. “That being said, we probably should take the bike with us over to the other side of the road. There is grass over there. And even your trusty lap-pillow wants to be comfortable after all.” Flicking some hair over her shoulders as she said that, Vio grabbed her bag from the bike and trusted Elaine to push it herself. That just seemed right. After all, it was her vehicle, and she knew best how to treat it even in this menial a way.
[break][break]

+ Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

It was good to have confirmation about her own comfortability. Violet had been a bit worried, given the training of recent weeks and months. It was pretty good as a fitness plan and to lose weight, of course, but she had always been someone who rather struggled with gaining weight than losing it to begin with. And she feared that building up more muscles might make her less, well, comfortable in that kind of situation. It was part of her hangups about transitioning away from her rich girl persona towards an agent that aligned more with who she had once been. Plus, it would make posing as a harmless civilian harder if she got too well defined otherwise.
[break][break]
Granted, that was not really something of great import in this moment. Heck, Elaine was one of the few people that Violet was fairly open about when it came to her being stronger than she seemed, in a way. [break][break]
But still, she liked being comfortable for the one in her lap. Especially seeing her this happy about something so simple. It was enough for Vio to casually take one of the grapes and bop Elaine’s nose with it. “You truly are the first person for whom I would unironically choose the word ‘precious’,” she stated, before moving the grape down lower, seeking to nudge the detective’s mouth with it gently. “Which might be dangerous, you know? I do give off that kind of possessive vibe, don’t I?”
[break][break]

+ Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Ah, the tightrope she was walking here, it was still rather interesting. Though she was not actually going for the thrill of it in this instance. That had been part of the initial attraction, simply being like this near a great detective of all people had just been so interesting that she’d barely been able to keep herself from being even more daring in matters pertaining her past. And yet, the more she actually divulged, the more at ease she felt being honest, the more that had moved into the background.
[break][break]
Right then, just feeding another grape to this woman, she didn’t need any of that. Just feeling the gentle breeze, the sun’s rays and the other’s breathing was enough in those moments. It certainly would not last forever. Vio knew herself too well to believe that. But at least for now, this was nigh perfection. Especially when she was being treated this well. “Eh, are you sure it is wise to give me the royal treatment? Because I so definitely could get used to that,” she replied, doing her best impression of a noblewoman’s laughter in the process.
Which was not a terrible impression. She had practiced it, after all. Violet Fairbanks was an identity that was supposed to belong to an aristocrat of sorts, even though she had always kept that vague. Outright, detailed lies often did more harm in the long run, after all.
[break][break]
But she had cultivated what she wanted others to think of her. That charade had mostly dissipated around Elaine though, but not completely. What remained was simply who and what she wanted to be, without concerning herself too much with how it came across. “But don’t worry. I cannot hold a candle to all that craziness. I think right now I am a danger to your blood pressure at best, given how red your face got earlier~.”
[break][break]

+ Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Oh, don’t worry, I am quite confident in my ability to make your heart race without stopping it~.” Granted, she did not fully disclose why she was so certain of it – that she had anatomical knowledge pursuant for rather dark endeavours in that regard would only sour the mood for sure. But it wasn’t even that. She had always been confident in those kinds of abilities. Although with Elaine, she was very much intent on not just teasing but also delivering. So, that was quite the positive change indeed.
[break][break]
Finishing up the grapes, she shuffled her own position a little. Just enough so that she could lean in, acquiring an upside-down look at the other in the process. Errant strands of pale hair would reach the other this way, those that were not currently bound into a ponytail for better riding, but those kinds of imperfections were fine in this scenario. One might even say they added to it all, in her opinion. “But if I am the princess, does that mean you are my knight in shining armour? That would be kind of fitting, wouldn’t you say?” After all, Elaine was a good person. The kind that would protect others selflessly. Or at least appear that way for selfish reasons. Which, to Violet, was basically the same thing, really.
[break][break]

+ Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Hm? That is actually surprising. You always seemed like someone who fights for justice and aids others. That’s plenty knightly to me,” she noted, though it was possibly more in order to contrast herself from that sort of thing. After all, she was…well, she did sometimes help others and protect them. Not on principle, but just because she felt like she simply couldn’t…not do it. Violet could not quite explain it. She was ready to hurt or even kill others for her work, but at times, even in war zones, she’d found herself protecting others even if she stood nothing to gain.
[break][break]
So far, she had just rationalized that with herself being callous but ‘not a jerk’, though she internally used more colourful language there. Yet, when talking about it like this, she always found herself wondering. [break][break]
“Though, saying that I can’t really turn around and say that I am not one to be a knight for you myself, now can I? Though, also admittedly, I never said I wasn’t a hypocrite.” That was one of those times when she found one of her jokes good enough to chuckle at it herself, so she did just that. “But it is true. Just as before, if I ever see you in danger, I will protect you no matter what.” And she did truly mean the last part. There was little she was unwilling to do if it meant protecting the one she cared about. Even against the latter’s wishes, if necessary.
[break][break]

+Elaine Highland

[attr="class","pokeclass"]