high_seas | Trial of the Spades

You... can stay. But... I asked you before. And you refused. I thought..we had a deal.. to help each other...

*Her tone is sad, and her body doesn't relax, despite how much she likes his arm around her*

[His own body tenses at her words.]

In which way is "flirting" with me a way to fulfill that deal?

Ikki, I'm sorry... I never meant to... upset you. I'm sorry if what I said or did was... horrible to you.

*Back still turned to him, she screws her tight as she remembers how repulsed he was the previous night*

[He's silent for a good while, not making any sound or moving. Trying to sort his words.]

The first time I met my father, my mother brought him home, just like that. I don't remember much of her, but I remember thinking that I had never seen her happier than that moment. She snuggled him, cuddled and shooed me to bed quickly, saying there would be time for me to talk with him in the morning. The place was small and the walls thin, I couldn't sleep and the next morning all I found was my mother, crying and broken. Talking to a man who wasn't there anymore, saying that it was rude to reject a woman so coldly.

[The same thing Selphie told him.]

*She turns round to face him, almost alarmed at how close they are. Her eyes are wide and sad as she gazes into his, her voice still soft and timid*

I..meant that as a joke.. I was teasing. And I'm sorry that I said the wrong thing. If - if maybe you'd only said... Ikki, you should know that I would never mean to hurt you like that. I didn't know... and I'm just.. sorry.

[He opens his eyes when she moves, looking at her.]

I know. But it's not easy to react calmly when you feel you're being accused of being like the man you hate the most. He's the reason why I do what I do. He had sex with many women, impregnated them and years later had the kids gathered to send them to become soldiers. Out of all of us only ten survived.

Would you have preferred me yelling at you?

I won't do or say anything like that again if it helps. That deal we had, you can forget about that too...

*At this stage her eyes have lowered to look at his collarbone, unable to look at his chest*

I don't know. Maybe? I just wish... that for once I could spend time with you without you being angry at me. But maybe that's impossible.. I don't know.

I'm not angry at you now.

[A pause.]

I wasn't angry with you last night. Just uncomfortable and angry with myself.

Then.. say so. I just - it felt like...

*She takes a deep breath and her body softens slightly as she tries to move closer to Ikki, still not looking at his face*

It felt like maybe you'd never come back, like maybe you hated me. And that scared me a lot.

I told you we would talk today.

[And he couldn't talk at the moment, not without risking to yell at her for something she didn't deserve.]

Well, what did you come here to talk about?

*She sighs heavily, shaking slightly, still looking at his shoulders*

You don't have to be here if you don't want to...

I want to be here.

[He says nothing else and just sighs heavily, closing his eyes again. He pulls her closer when he notices her shaking.]

Are you still cold?

Okay. If you're sure.

*Her chin rests against his shoulder as she wraps an arm around him, and she mumbles softly*

A little... But it's much better with you here.

[He hums as a response and says nothing for the next couple of minutes.]

Yesterday, the things you did, were they all just you playing? Not serious?

[He had gotten an idea when she had made that comment that reminded him of his mother and his father, but he could still be wrong. Marco didn't deny it, but he could also be wrong. Maybe it was all just a joke he didn't know how to take.]

I got the impression that you were... Flirting with me.

[But it's a stupid idea, isn't it? He just took it too seriously because of that memory. And so everything else that Marco said doesn't matter, because she doesn't want it herself after all. It was just a game.]

*Her initial response to his questions is just to blush - it's only slight at first, but then when he mentions flirting, her cheeks are quite red. She shifts uncomfortably and doesn't know where to look, and it takes a moment before she can choke out an answer*

The thing is - You see... Well - I guess, in a way, maybe I was...teasing you. When I said that thing, that you hated so much. But also, yes. I was.

*She takes a deep breath, to save her from the panic that she's beginning to feel, not to mention the embarrassment with him being so direct about it*

I was. But I can see that that was really, very, really, the wrong thing to do. So. That won't happen again. So...you don't have to worry...

*The last thing she says is delivered with disappointment. She's perhaps managed to hide just how upset she was last night, but the hint of disappointment is there*

[Silence and then...]

Why did you do it?

[He catches on that tone change at the end but he's not going to make assumptions. That's why he doesn't like that flirting thing, among other reasons, it's not direct, it's not clear. Ikki is a man that prefers simplicity and clarity over convoluted plans and schemes.]

*This is proving to be a difficult conversation to have while so close to him. She pulls her arm away from him, and shuffles back so that there's some space between them in the bed. She feels like an idiot, and she rolls onto her back so that she can stare at the ceiling and avoid looking at him at all*

Because. Because I really like you, and I thought that maybe... Maybe there was the tiniest chance that I could get you to like me too.

*She closes her eyes tight shut, painfully aware of how stupid she sounds. She wishes that maybe she had just lied, said it was because she was drunk, but she doesn't want him to like her any less that he probably already does*

[He remains were he is, eyes closed. It is a strange feeling, the moment when part of him curses inwardly, and another part is actually relieved. Either way now he's in a difficult position, with the cards laid out he has to decide on his own play. But no, there's one thing left yet.]

Does that mean that you flirt with everyone you like? But you like a lot of people don't you?

[No one said he had to make it easy.]

*Oh dear. This was so hard. She takes another deep breath and covers her face with her hands. When she speaks, her voice is muffled slightly by the heel of her hands*

Yes... I like a lot of people. But - I don't flirt with them all! And besides - there's liking someone and there's 'liking' someone. I don't 'like' anyone else...

*She keeps her face covered, too scared to look at him or let him see how embarrassed she is*

[He will never admit that something in him actually lays down upon hearing that. Though the memory of how the Doctor and Ace rescued her instead of him still irks him, but it will always bother him most probably.]

You will regret this, I hope you are aware of that. And I won't let you back down when you do.

[He's not selfish enough for it. Whether someone better appears or not.]

*Selphie frowns behind her hands - why would he ask if he was only going to tell her that she'd regret it? She rubs at her eyes hard with her hands, and slowly moves them away from her face. Turning onto her side again, she faces him, eyes wide with upset and confusion*

Regret...? What will I regret?

[He opens his eyes to look at her, frowning for a moment before he sighs. He's not a man of words so maybe he shouldn't bother with them after all.

Ikki shifts to bring an arm around her waist again, pulling her closer, close enough that their noses are basically touching. He doesn't look away from her eyes the whole time, but once he's satisfied he closes his eyes with another defeated sigh.]

Don't do that flirting thing again. You don't need it.

[It's probably clumsy, and part of him still feels ridiculous with it, but he leans forward, moving his head in order to press his lips against hers. A shy and inexperienced, but determined kiss.]

*When his arm moves over her waist, the sudden affection from him was a surprise enough that for a moment her eyes glazed over and threatened tears. Being even closer still, Selphie's cheeks flushed and her heart beat a thousand times faster. If he's trying to keep her warm against the curse then it is certainly working.

As soon as he speaks, Selphie is ready to retaliate, and to admit her own defeat - that she had tried, and had failed quite miserably. But then his lips are on hers and she gasps at how utterly unexpected it is. She returns the kiss, carefully at first, before closing her eyes and clutching her hands against his back*

[It's not as disgusting as he expected. Having no experience with those things except what little he remembers of when he was a kid, he expected some kind of monstrosity, actually. He wouldn't be able to explain it himself. But it's nothing like that, instead is a comfortable feeling, warm and sweet. Specially when she starts to kiss back, and her hands clutch against his back.

He could get used to this very easily. And he has no intentions of breaking apart until she does.]

*Given that she's pretty sure that this is something that neither of them have ever done, the kiss is very pleasant, and surprisingly sure. Selphie isn't entirely sure if this is something that Ikki will ever want to repeat, so she's enjoying it for all she can, holding herself as closely to him as possible. Eventually, though, even she can recognise that perhaps a little breathing space would be good for both of them. Following a soft noise of appreciation she slowly, very reluctantly, takes her lips from his, though she doesn't stop holding herself so closely*

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