Pastries and Play

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Now that was sweet. Being called a tease was... well... that certainly did something to his heart. Ty refused to entertain what that was, though. Not right now. Not today. Instead he just dug into the shockingly delicious pastry he'd gotten himself. Damn. Crepes were fucking good. Strawberries tasted fresh, too. Not any of that preserved crap that places sometimes tossed on because hey, why not be cheap bastards. The powdered sugar gave the whole thing a nice touch of fluffy sweetness to it that really tied the whole thing together. It wasn't something he could eat all the time, but a once in a while treat to himself sounded just fine. 

    As he quietly took bites out of the pastry, Ty stared down Louise. There was a modicum of concern in his expression. But as the pink technomancer talked, that quickly faded. In its stead remained a tight lipped, wavering grin. The kind that stated in no small part that he was desperately trying not to crack. But it was too goofy. Too sweet. Too undeniably Louise. A quick rush of air escaped his mouth. A quick exhalation of amusement, not loud or long enough to be laughter, but not quite a chuckle. A soft sound that punctuated how funny it all was in hindsight. 

    Looking out and around, the young man leaned forwards and slowly tilted up his cap. She desperately wanted to see, so he was so going to tease her with that fact and make her wait for it. Slower... slower... and then a quick flick upwards. Not to toss it off, but to jerk it up just a bit more. The shadows lifted up, writhing in the new space, as though fighting to maintain their own territory. But still nothing could be seen. 

    Until Ty brought a finger up and swept it across his brow. 

    The shadows were wiped away like marker from a whiteboard, revealing the hidden contents underneath. Only the faintest edge of his hairline could be seen. Short, unsurprisingly, with only a few strands hanging visibly. Up along the right of his brow, a notched scar vanished up and away into the rest of the cap. But the potential for his hairstyle took second place to the main event below. One blue. One green. Left and right respectively. Both filled with a tired calm, with dark purple-blueish tinted skin just beneath. Despite his heterochromia, Ty looked unremarkable. Just another face, another set of tired bags from staying up way too late. No fancy markings or anything that seemed out of the ordinary. 

    But they were expressive. Gentle. Soft. Both eyes sparkled with a genuine air to them that made them look less like pupils and more like gemstones set within his skull. Like they could be plucked out and put in a museum and no one would be the wiser. The emotions within could be read like an open book. Compassion, amusement, kindness, trust, uncertainty, and something else entirely. Something deeper. The young man let Louise get as much of a look as she desired, but the second it felt as though she tried to read what was beneath, the cap jerked back down and the shadows returned again. The young man still wanted to keep some of his own secrets. 

    In lieu of words, the young man instead offered a pair of jazz hands. "Tada."

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

The little cakes were a fantastic and delicious distraction from the distress in her mind. The frosting was nice and smooth. It practically melted in your mouth and they all had slightly different flavors much to her delight. The latte was nice as well, it was her usual. Well- the cakes weren't but the drink, definitely.

Of course, Louise is always close to watch those around her. If she doesn't she'll surely make some unrecoverable social blunder that she'll somehow end up paying for. She notices that crack of a smile on his face and finds herself mirroring a grin. Hers is much more obvious but she doesn't have the luxury or skill to keep a poker face for the life of her.

She sat still in eager tension as he began to slowly lift up the baseball cap he always wore. She didn't want to make a big deal out of it- cause apparently it wasn't. It felt embarrassing how trivial and simple it actually appeared to be to just fucking ask. He certainly was taking his time and she knew it was probably to irk her slightly. She can wait though, she's waited this long already.

Her eyes widen and her lips part in surprise when the shadows suddenly wipe away. Did she imagine this? Ok- maybe like once or twice alright? Still, this was not something she was expecting. Glad to know attractiveness runs in the family. She's not going to think about what she just thought that is some dangerous territory. Louise is left speechless just staring at him. The little jazz hands he gives snaps her out of the invisible trance she was caught in.

All she can do is let out a nervous flustered laugh as she stares at his enchanting jeweled eyes. Fuck she is in so much trouble now. She can feel her face growing warmer by the moment. The way he was looking at her had her heart tripping over itself. She honestly didn't know what to do now. She finds herself grinning like the dorky idiot she is. "Y-You have really nice eyes- like- w-wow...," she stammers out. Also a really cool scar but she has a feeling pointing that out is gonna get him all cagey. She wants to look just a bit longer.

The moment she leans closer is the moment the shadows reappear. Despite her best efforts, there is a pout on her face and she goes back to grabbing her small cake and eating it. "Thank you for trusting me enough to show me and all that though. If I had known I could just ask I would have done it sooner..." Or maybe not with all the new thoughts now racing through her head.

Man, she was really not expecting to have to deal with this possible crisis that may or may not be occurring now. Probably everyone feels this way about friends they are really close to who are nice and have beautiful eyes and- Sheesh she might be down bad. Time to sip on her latte and ignore that.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Another bite out of his crepe. It was such a delicate flavor compared to, well, most of the garbage he shoved down his throat. Ty paused, stabbed a strawberry slice, and held it up. Side to side, the young man looked between the fruit and Louise's growing blush. Tyler actually couldn't remember if he'd ever seen someone get as red as Louise right now. Interesting. There was a guess in mind as to why she suddenly turned into a tomato, but he still really did not want to entertain that thought. Instead he teased her for it. 

    "Huh. Weird. Your skin tone matches this strawberry." He mused. Then tossed the fruit piece into his mouth. Thankfully, no one else noticed what had transpired. Actually, Ty really didn't want to think about what the cashier had in mind now either. It wasn't as though it was hard to miss a pink haired girl suddenly turn a vibrant shade of red. Followed by a storm of stammering. O-Kay! Time to change the subject!

    "There's a few different reasons why I keep my eyes hidden. Kind of a comfort thing, kinda just an image thing. It's harder for people to get a read on me the more I keep my eyes hidden. So, you know. Better intimidation factor when I'm playing baseball or in a fight. I mean, plus it makes me look cool and mysterious." Ty bit his tongue as it closed into more personal realms. He had to ask himself if he really wanted to go that far. His mouth moved before his mind was fully made up. "It feels safer I guess. Not having fuckers know what's going on in my head just by looking in my eyes. Every shadow mage has their own description of how shadows feel to them. For me it's like... a blanket. Comforting. Dunno, maybe it's cus I look badass so now I feel badass and it's this whole positive feedback loop there." 

    The young man shrugged his shoulders. Ever since he was a kid, he kept his eyes hidden and his face placid. Whenever he was angry, or hateful, he could look at them with eyes flooded with those emotions, and never once would he get found out for it. Because no one could read behind the shadows of his cap. Many people described the sensation around him as "not having a face at all." Which either made people more or less comfortable depending on the situation. 

    If eyes were the windows to the soul, then they would not have his. 

    Tyler quietly finished off his crepe, his expression calm and peaceful as always. His body language gave nothing, there wasn't even a hint of sadness on his face. There weren't many people he told these sorts of things to. Not because he didn't trust them, or because the young punk had some sort of dark secret kept in the back of his mind. But because the boy didn't want to weigh anyone down. Change the image they had of him. He was just some guy. Trust worthy, dependable, but otherwise unremarkable in a world filled with remarkable people. 

    "You're a sweetheart, Louise. You're good to be around. Hell, you're good for me to be around. You have a cute and bubbly personality, and a lot about you is adorable and pleasant. I trust you." Ty folded his arms over his chest while he announced this. Continuing to speak, he motioned one hand forwards in the girl's direction. "I'm not gonna dig into everything you've had to deal with, you deserve that privacy. But you also shouldn't be so critical of yourself either. You don't need to keep apologizing to everyone you meet, especially if you're around friends. You're smart, kind, and unlike all of us, you're a good person. Just gotta start acting like it, and realize that you deserve to take care of yourself just as much as anyone else. That's just my opinion, at least." 

    "You'll always have a home with the rest of us lost orphans. Don't forget that." 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

She raises a brow in slight confusion when he pulls out the strawberry slice. But hearing the comparison made her face deepen in color and suddenly she's slumped over the table, mechanical arms covering her head. She hates how easy it is to read it's always so embarrassing. She used to be called sensitive and she has to admit she kinda is. It's not a fun thing to admit to herself though. Ty was making her act up and she knows it's on purpose but why?! He's gonna make her brain melt- or worse have her limbs glitch. Nah that couldn't happen but honestly, it might at this point with how she's feeling.

She's able to raise her head slightly as he talks to show she's still paying attention. Louise is reluctant to lift her blushing face off the table though. Just until she calms down it's fine! She's calmish. She's calming now. Louise finds herself smiling softly when he describes how he feels under the shadows. "A blanket of darkness. Hahaha that does sound kinda nice to be wrapped up in all day," she says. It just sounds weirdly comfy she can't really explain her logic beyond that. "Sure could use some face hiding powers about now..." she jokes with a small chuckle. "It definitely does a good job on the mysterious front so you've got that covered. I like how expressive your eyes are though they're pretty," she adds earnestly. Though she sort of regrets speaking her mind and goes back to hiding under her hands.

Her eyes were still able to peep through the cracks of her fingers. She still has one little cake left to finish but she's still not as composed as she would like to be. Eventually, she's able to calm down and lean back into her seat with her last cake. She pops in the whole cake at once before Ty begins speaking. Ah, shit now she has to chew faster before she chokes on this. Oh god.

His words were making the blush that never really faded come back full force. Her cheeks are puffed up from the pastry and shock, unsure of how to react other than to swallow her cake. She can only just stare helplessly at him as he just offers up words of comfort free of fucking charge. She finds herself biting down on the inside of her cheek when he says she has a home with the lost orphans. Shit.

Home was something Louise never really had before up until now. Yeah, she has a place to live but that's not- home ya know? This however was different. It's like she's getting slapped in the face with wholesomeness today and she was not mentally prepared to handle it. She has a home now? How long until she loses it right?

Gods she really needs to stop thinking like that.

"Ty I-" she sighs and then plays with the fabric of her shirt. "Thank you... I mean that. You're just-" she waves her hands around attempting to articulate everything but the sensations that come to mind are too overwhelmingly good to describe. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me and you've changed my life honestly and I don't think I can ever repay you for that but I wanna try," she says reaching out and gently grabbing his outstretched hand to give it a squeeze. She was speaking the truth. Her life pretty much did a 180 out of rock bottom when Ty hired her.

She just wonders what got him saying that stuff all of a sudden.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    There was no hope for Louise's blushing face. She never had a chance. The few compliments she gave to him were nice, but it wasn't until she gripped onto his hand that the young woman actually got a new reaction out of him. Under the shadows, the young man blinked his gaze down to their fingers laced together. And he blushed. It was a very faint change. Only a slight tinge of color, unlike the massive wave of red currently tinting Louise's entire face. Ty found his mouth opening and closing several times, each time unable to find the right words. 

    Finally, he reached his other hand out and gently pat the back of her hand, pulling both away afterwards. "Honestly, you don't need to keep trying to repay me for this stuff. I'm not doing it because I want anything back. I'm doing this stuff because you're my friend and I want you happy." Ty's gaze shifted around, looking for a potential out now. Maybe a quick opportunity to snag a drink, or maybe he could just make a joke. The boy sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, best you've given me so far is a quick glimpse at how cute you look when your face turns into a tomato. Oh hey look at that, lemonade, I'm gonna go grab some." 

    Yeah, he was just gonna leave that compliment sitting there to stew in both their minds. 

    Truth be told, he wasn't actually that thirsty. Yeah, the sugar had certainly left his mouth feeling a bit stickier, but really he just needed an excuse to get up and move for a minute. Clear his mind out of the conversation. Why did I just suddenly up and say those things? It's not like I didn't mean it but they were out of nowhere, weren't they? His mind rolled around the situation while he paid for his drink. Gods above, this feels so fucking... EUGH! Why is she so gods damned cute!? She's so innocent it hurts! Ty nodded to the cashier as he took the cup of ice cold lemonade. It was a slow walk back to their table.

    The drink was tart, but refreshing. They used real lemons here, and thankfully knew the art of straining out the pulp. With his free hand, Ty patted Louise's pink head while he passed. Hopefully the five minute break was enough time for both of them to calm down and recollect themselves. Most likely not, but it was nice to take a breather to recollect. Made it a lot easier to resist doing something overly stupid. 

    And right now, Ty really had some stupid ideas in his head. 

    Ones the boy really didn't want to act upon. Not now. Maybe not ever. Or, at least not until he got ahold of Luna and talked about their feely weelies. If anyone was an expert on dealing with an aggressive crush, it would be her. The young punk puffed out a breath and settled back into his seat. The pastries had been eaten up, and it looked as though Louise was close to finishing up her drink as well. Time seemed to fly by in such a flash when they were with one another. It was almost crazy. "So, aside from touch and shit, what other stuff did Luke help upgrade on those thick-ass robo-thighs of yours?" This time his tone was a little more jovial, not as teasing. It was a genuine hearted attempt to get Louise to talk about something she was no doubt proud of. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

She blinked a few times just to be sure she was actually seeing a shift in color on his face. The stunned silence she put him in had her looking just a little smug. Serves him right for everything he's been doing so far. She can feel her leg begin to bounce the longer the silence draws on. This feels really satisfying, revenge is almost as sweet as the cakes she had.

Though she finds her eyes jumping back when she suddenly feels his other hand atop hers. She can feel her fingers twitch a little under the touch. Not as much as her heart though, if anyone was listening in they'd probably be concerned. As fast as it happened though the feeling was gone. Aww.. Wait- uh- she's fine! Totally fine.

"I know I don't have to but I want to," she mumbles. "I mean- I guess I want you happy too is what I'm saying-" she stops short and blushes again at his joke. Does he keep calling her cute?! Does he really think that or is he just saying it to tease her? Well yes but not maliciously she thinks. She just sputters and sighs as he gets up and goes to grab lemonade.

She'll just lean back in her chair and sip on the remainder of her latte and just try and focus on that. She lets herself take in the decor of the cafe around her. Just to get her leg to stop bouncing for a god damn moment. She's desperate to focus on anything else but her thoughts so taking in her surroundings will do. She also glides her fingertips across the table as she sets down her drink. Her mind zeros in on the sensation that she feels. Touch is something that she was never going to take for granted again.

She feels much better now as time passes by. Though she finds herself smiling shyly at the pat upon her head and she lets out a soft laugh. Ah, she's already lost some of her composure, dammit Ty! Why must he do this without truly knowing what he's doing. Or maybe he does. But then what? Her brain is short-fusing at this particular part. It just stops there.

Relief floods over her being at the question though she does raise a brow at the comment on her thighs. She did not know he was looking there. Why was he looking there? That doesn't matter at this moment. Her mind begins to race with how to try and break down her answer without sounding too boring or technical. "Well we redid the light system in my limbs, made it more efficient on the battery. A lot of it was battery upgrades. Also got to work with super nice material so I'm like extra-durable now. Not like I wasn't before but I'm not gonna complain about bonuses! It's way lighter now than it was before too, which was an adjustment but definitely liked it. Of course, there might be some reworks and upgrade later but I'm really happy with what Luke and I made." She would make a joke about it being Bangarang but that's Luke's catchphrase and she's not stealing that shit. "We also did some 'aesthetic upgrades' which you seem to have noticed," she points out looking a little smug again.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Quietly sipping on his drink, he listened to Louise talk about her new prosthetics. It was sweet that she wanted him happy too. Although given the circumstances she should have probably picked a better wording. Knowing both Luke and Louise, it seemed like she was being pretty tame with the descriptions. Give Luke an excuse and he was going to go hardcore into his projects, and Louise always got carried away with her ideas whenever something struck her fancy. There was a good chance that both of them wound up stuffing the new open space and lower weight with some new bells and whistles, aside from the obvious touch-ability. 

    In fact, one new addition popped into mind as Tyler remembered when they hung out in the winter. "So did you guys make them water proof this time around? Knowing Luke, he has probably more than a few ways of doing it." When he first found out about how susceptible Louise's legs were to being fucked up by water and sand and all that jazz, Ty wondered if she'd find out a way to fix it. Or, if Luke had ideas on how himself. 

    Now he was leaning forwards intently to discover the answer. Instead, he got a joke about her thighs. And he was not going to pass up the opportunity to make a counter. The young man leaned over the side and lifted his hat, so Louise could visibly see him checking her out. Those different colored gemstones flicked up to meet the girl's blue gaze with a grin. The hat came down. He leaned back. 

    "Yeah, I mean, they're pretty nice and all. Good thickness and shit. Very attractive. Super hot as is, and probably killer in any sort of thigh high-type deal." Ty lifted his thumb and forefinger, tucking both under his chin as he spoke. "I could definitely see them being comfortable while they were wrapped around my head." Oh yeah. He went there. Louise got cocky over getting a teensy little blush out of him, but that confidence was now her downfall. She neglected to predict just how hard Ty was ready to commit to this bit, and it was now biting her right on her ass. For a pause, the young man considered going a bit further with the jokes just to really fuck with Louise, but decided against it at the last second. 

    Which was probably a good thing for Louise's sake. 

    Ty leaned back over and popped the hat back up, making it very, very obvious that he was giving her another look up and down. And then he nodded approvingly and settled back down into his seat, sipping at his lemonade with a smug aura. Louise didn't know who she was starting a war with, or that he was prepared to gut his own pride to win it. Especially if it meant turning her into a tomato again. Look, if he was going to have to admit and come to terms with the fact that he liked her and that she probably liked him, then he was going to have fun with it whenever he could. "I'm not sorry."

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

She was doing her best to not go overboard on science jargon. She's not a big fan of people throwing fancy words at her she doesn't know. She's quite sure others feel the same way. Louise nodded excitedly to answer Ty's question. "Yep! I can enjoy swimming...maybe. Implying my limbs don't drown me with the weight but I don't have to worry about rain or snow unless they get me cold!" Getting sick and all is not that great because it cuts into her work time. That and she hates the idea of having to lay down all day and rest.

"Luke was the one to obviously come up with the solutions." Mostly because he also was aware of what material they were able to work with and how it could work together with their plans. She was not so well equipped nor well trained yet. She's about to go on but her voice dies after her little joke and she sees his wonderful eyes again.

Oh. Oh, fuck no. Oh god no what does she do?! She instantly tenses under his obvious gaze and feels her face grow red. He's just teasing of course-! Ahahah... fuck why is this working? All she could do is give him a flustered smile as she dissolves under his gaze which was once more obscured by shadow. Something tells her that her heart won't survive this shit. One joke and he instantly retaliates. She has to get better at this or she's constantly going to be red in the face around him. She'll never hear the end of it if some of the others she knew saw.

Louise can't even muster a response. Her jaw drops at his comment. What? Wait- what? Her face begins to burn as her mind begins to run with ideas that should not even be there. No no no this is bad. This is really bad. All she does is let out a few nervous breaths of laughter. This is what she gets for trying to hit back, he just hits worse.

Plus his gaze that fixates on her frame once more has her utterly defeated. She just falls back into her chair swooning against her will like a fool. He can't just say things like that! Well, he can and he did but there are consequences! Like her nearly dying, for one thing, saying that shit. She really can't stand how smug he looks sipping on that lemonade. It would be funny to see him choke though. Oh god wait- hold on... A response hits her like a flash of lightning. She tries her best not to look smug but she is drumming her fingers against the table.

"Didn't know my upgrades were gonna have that much of an effect on you Ty~," she teases lightly. Though seriously she's fucking losing her mind over the shit he is saying to her face. What has gotten into him?

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    So her new limbs were water proof? Well now that was good, that meant they could have the quintessential beach episode every group of friends needed. Great forethought Luke. Even though you most certainly did it for completely functional reasons and not this really specific and stupid one. Hey, at least now she didn't have to worry about the rougher elements, like when the snow got super heavy. Not having to worry about the limbs breaking down probably felt incredibly freeing for Louise's mind. Especially since all she did was worry, it seemed. 

    And then came her clap back.

    Unfortunately, Louise's plan of getting him to spit up his drink did not succeed. But the response did garner some surprise. After she spent the entire day with a reddened face, a deliberate clap back was unexpected. Tyler blinked behind the shadows. Took another sip of his drink. Set it down. The young man seemed to measure Louise, her red cheeks. How the girl's body visibly melted at his teasing. Not to mention the expressions that constantly popped up onto her face. Oh yeah...

    This girl had no idea what she had started. 

    Ty leaned forwards and popped his cap up. He knew how week she was to seeing his eyes now. Especially seeing as every time they'd made an appearance, she seemed to shudder. "Oh they have more of an effect than just that. I mean, you already had a beautiful physique and a pretty face. Now you're just stacking the deck in your favor." His tone was hushed enough so that only she could hear, so at least she could take comfort in no one else listening into what was about to be said to her. 

    The young man's eyes swept up and down her body, making a point of the act. On one hand it felt weird that he was checking her out in public. But this was just another version of chicken that he and many of the other lost boys played back in the old days. Today was not going to be the day he breaks his winning streak. The boy casually leaned over, with a taunting grin on his face. "And I mean, you're one to talk. Seeing as you enjoyed feeling me up so much earlier, are you sure you wouldn't jump at the chance to feel them without the cloth messing with your fancy new sensors? Trust me, it's a much different feeling than you would expect~" 

    As it continued, the line between joking and flirting was becoming ever thinner. In a way, the backlash from doing so was messing with him just as much as it was messing with her. How serious was Louise being? Was she just trying to play herself up to get back at him? Or was she pushing herself into the same situation he was in now? The knots in Ty's stomach continued to writhe and twist themselves. This sort of talk definitely wasn't helping his feelings towards her at all. And with the feelings only getting worse, was left confused as to what the fuck he should do about it now. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

Waterproofing definitely helped with a lot that's for sure. She couldn't wait to be able to play in the snow again with ideally no consequences. of course, she won't really know until it happens. She wonders if she'll feel the cold too. She does feel the heat so... it's probably the case right? No more breakdowns though. That was a huge weight off her shoulders.

Unfortunately, she seems to seek out trouble more than she relieves herself of it.

Louise definitely had no clue what she started. She is a weak thing unused to anyone blatantly speaking about her the way Ty was doing. To her face no fucking less. This is something way beyond her comfort zone and skillset, to be frank. Timely clapbacks are just something she isn't good at. Also because Ty was doing an extremely good job of destroying any clever cognitive functions up in that brain of hers.

She has to admit she was a little disappointed with no reaction this time. But saw him lift his cap and reveal his eyes once more. Oh dear god, he's coming up with a comeback... She finds herself being pulled in by his intense gaze and hushed words.

All she wants to do is say no and deny that this is even happening. Because as much as her brain is trying to ignore it, things are happening and she cannot stop them. Does he really think she's pretty? Has he always thought this? She really has no clue what to do. She finds herself giving a shy smile in response and looking down at the table bashfully. She dared to lift her gaze again to try and give herself a moment of wit and courage. Her efforts are extinguished by his eyes sweeping over her again.

She bites the inside of her cheek again and finds herself tensing up once more. Was it always so hot in here? Yes, it definitely was warm inside. That explains the heat in her face...again. She can only just stare at him dumbly with his ceaseless taunts. She takes a few deep breaths and the words tumble out of her mouth before she stops them. "Correct me if I'm wrong but that kinda sounds like an invitation," She says now looking him dead in the eye, trying her best to look bold even if she's internally screaming about her own comment.

Why did she say that? Oh, fucking gods why didn't she stop herself? Why isn't her brain working?! Is she even being serious right now? She covers her own hand with her mouth in hopes to keep herself quiet because maybe that was for the best right? It was getting hard to breathe and all she can do is slow down her racing heart. She lets out another string of nervous laughter under her hand and chews her lower lip this time trying to keep her scattered nerves in tact.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Oh yeah. He's got her. He knew exactly how to get her and while she was making comebacks, he could tell that internally she was dying. The cashier yawned up at the front counter and idly wandered back. Either to talk to one of their coworkers or to use the bathroom. Or, you know, just to find something to do to stave off boredom. Ty saw this and seized his opportunity without a second thought. Louise wanted to play this game and unfortunately for her he was committed. It certainly helped that he was being honest about his interest for her. 

    A smug smirk continued to keep itself plastered over his face as the boy slowly stood up. With his posture normally slumped or hunched in some manner, it was hard to really get a read on his proper physique. But now, with his shoulders up and back straight, the boy seemed to have a serious power behind him. It gave the young war mage a completely different air. It was easy to see how he could intimidate people with his cap down, especially with how damn near terrifying he seemed just normally. 

    Those shimmering eyes had something more behind them. There was certainly amusement and mischief there, but deeper down, a slight glint changed it all. A quiet uncertainty, a hint of honesty. The eyes really were windows to the soul, and deeper still there was something else. The same thing that knotted up his stomach so badly and twisted up his heart. Fear. As fun as this was fucking with Louise, what was about to take place was really putting everything on the line. Either things would stay the course, fall apart, or they would go somewhere new. Thinking about those risks terrified him, but he wasn't backing down. 

    The smirk tamed itself as the young man skulked over towards Louise and leaned down. The young punk's voice was lower, words more deliberate. It felt weird to act like this, but also fun in a way because of how it made Louise squirm in her seat. That being said- this was not going to be normal for him. Especially not his new normal. Gods that would be so mentally taxing to try to do all the time, and Luke and Luna would one hundred percent call him out or beat the shit out of him for acting so weird. 

    Thoughts for later, he's getting distracted. 

    Ty leaned in and reached out. The boy's hand carefully drifted forwards and swept back Louise's hair. Touch gentle, slow. Delicate with Louise as though afraid he would accidentally break her. The hand wandered along her cheek, brushed down to her jawline, and traced itself to her chin. "Dunno, Louise, maybe it is an invitation..." He cooed, carefully lifting her chin so their eyes could properly meet. Well, Louise, you wanted a closer look. But it didn't stop there. The young man leaned in closer, his cheek brushing past hers. His breath hot against her skin, voice whispered into her ear. "...maybe I just wanna spread your fancy new legs like the gods' gospel and give you the lip service you deserve..." 

    Silence lingered and stuck, just long enough for those words to sink in and fuck with Louise. And then Ty pulled back. Posture relaxed, hands stuffed into his pockets. The boy's smile was awkward, cheeks red, and he waste no time hiding his eyes back down under his cap. "... Or maybe I'm just a dork who wanted to mess with you a bit..." He shrugged his shoulders, but the awkward smile didn't vanish. Something stuck in Ty's throat, strangled his heart. As much as the boy wanted to end it here... he couldn't. Back towards the front counter, the cashier hadn't come back. Ty looked back towards Louise, cheeks still red. 

    He leaned down and left a peck on her cheek. 

    "Or maybe not, who knows, anyways, lemonade is good." As soon as he stood up, the boy talked as though nothing happened. Maybe for his own sanity. Maybe for hers. Maybe for both of them. Still, Ty settled back down into his seat, sipping more awkwardly at his drink. Victory tasted sweet, but came with a cost. Well, assuming he actually won. Oh gods he hoped he won. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

It's unfortunate Louise is so oblivious that she cannot see the clear signs of flirtation before her. Not like she was great at understanding those sorts of circumstances anyways. She just thought that this was all likely lighthearted and he was just teasing her extravagant reactions to everything. It's making her heart attempt a god damn circus act though to keep itself together.

Louise tilted her head when he began to rise up from his seat. Just where was he going? Suddenly dread found its way into the batter of flustered feelings. She wasn't sure if it was the way he was standing but she started to get anxious. More so than usual anyway. She shifts in her seat back and forth to try and calm herself down a little. "Ty...?" she says cautiously, her voice sounding small. What was he gonna do?

Her gaze naturally drifts to his striking eyes when they're presented before her. The look inside them reassures and confuses her all the while with his demeanor. Was he scared or was she projecting her own fear onto him? Why was she even scared? Well, cause Ty was gonna do something and she has no clue what he's gonna do. She can get an idea based on how things are going but it's a lot to process.

She feels the chill of anticipation creep up her back as he skulks over to her. She begins to desperately look around the cafe only to find the worker up front was on break and it was just them. Oh dammit! Social conventions can't be her saving grace now. "Wh-What are you-?" She finds it hard to breathe when he leans in. Her body is rigid and still like a statue when he comes close.

Her eyes grow impossibly wide as he reaches out to brush back her hair. She can feel her face go violently red from the gesture. She doesn't even register she's stopped breathing when his hand grazes her cheek and traces down her jawline. She finds herself leaning into the warm touch whether she wants to or not her body is already doing it. She finds herself gasping shallow breaths when he lifts her chin to speak.

Louise's lips are parted in a daze that she cannot quite describe. She knows it's the only thing on her mind currently. Her big blue eyes are ablaze with an intense swirl of feelings all fighting for attention. She finds herself speechless once again. Her brain holds the equivalent of white static when she feels his breath against her skin as he whispers in her ear. She literally can't deal with this anymore. All she can do is focus on not forgetting to breathe at the moment because holy fucking shit she is just not at all equipped for any of this.

The things Ty was doing to her nervous system were absolutely unfair. She still couldn't relax even as the silence lingered and he finally gave her some room for air. She's going to be thinking about this for who knows how long. Is Ty acting like this cause he can? Never seen him do it with anyone else, but also given who she has met so far- it's sorta hard to see him doing this with anyone.

Why her...?

Seeing his face red is a little satisfying, but she knows better than to do anything about that. She really can't take any more of this without her brain freaking out over what's going on. It already is but she is this close to sprinting to the bathrooms and hiding just so she can make sense of things for a moment. Going with the flow is really hard when the flow goes from a lazy river to river rapids.

She can only let out a small weak laugh hearing he was just messing with her. Yeah totally, it's all jokes, right? Still, he was just standing there. If he was just teasing well he won...the joke is over. She notices him turn back to look for the cashier who still wasn't there. Damn them but they do need a break.

All thoughts come to a screeching halt when Ty dives back in for a peck on the cheek. She almost couldn't hear the words he said next but it made her nearly faint right then and there. The only thing she does in response is slowly raising her hand to brush over where his lips had been a few seconds before. This man was going to be the death of her and ya know what she's fine with that.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Eventually, the cashier would come back, now met with the scene of the two sitting at their table, both blushing awkwardly in silence. Ty couldn't see what reaction they gave, eyes locked to the table. Only occasionally did he allow them to flick up towards Louise. Her fingers against the spot where he'd pecked her cheek. But she didn't leave. She didn't get upset, didn't yell, didn't tell him off. So... Ty counted himself lucky. Maybe it was a win, maybe it wasn't. Bit by bit, his lemonade was sipped away.

    And the silence hung. 

    A silence heavy with the implication that Tyler himself caused this. Impulsively. Foolishly. Maybe it was because this was his first crush, and inexperience ran rampant in his mind? Perhaps the boy simply got carried away with himself. The reasons didn't matter now. There was no escaping the results of his decision. With an awkward shift, the young man could only think about the last few minutes. A confidence he wasn't used to outside of fights. A kiss he'd never given to anyone else. Words that he only said in joking manners now said honestly. And now the lingering question of where they went from here. Ty didn't have many to compare to when it came to romance. In the movies, the relationships felt like they sped into themselves in only a matter of days, and the implication was that they lasted forever. Happily ever afters. 

    Callahan had flings with people of both genders while Io, his other role model, had only a relationship or two for as long as he'd been around. Luke had one relationship that ended poorly and sabotaged everything with Luna, keeping that relationship stagnant for years. Zack had one relationship, and now they were married. 

    But there sat Tyler. Always giving advice or pushing people to chase relationships that would make them happy, but never having been in love himself. It felt alien. It felt terrifying. And yet he didn't want to lose that feeling. Time spent around Louise was fun, and he appreciated and enjoyed having her as a friend. The girl's appearance might not have been sudden, but it pulled Ty out of his bubble of stagnation. For the past year the two knew each other, not once did he regret hanging around her. 

    Now he was scared of losing her. 

    Ty leaned back in his seat looked away. "...I'm... sorry if I took it a bit too far. Uh. I guess... I dunno, I'm not really... used to situations like this. This is a bit of a big... new spot in my life for me, and I never planned for it." Why was he explaining himself? He didn't have to explain himself, all he had to do was say he was sorry and leave it at that. But... Louise also had a tendency to overthink things, and if he could ease anything in her mind before she had a chance to let it go crazy... then he wanted to make sure to take that chance. 

    The young man awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, blowing a puff of air out between his lips. "I dunno when I started liking you. Wasn't ever stuff on my mind completely, but I'd always thought you were really pretty. Loved hanging around you. I liked when you let your personality out for those brief spats before you tugged yourself back. It made me wanna see you feel comfortable enough in your own skin, so that you could make that your new normal. I guess, at some point, that shit grew into something different and... I dunno... seeing you blushing and shy and happy and excited over everything, so adamant about little things... it did stuff in my chest, tied up knots in my stomach." 

    "I guess what I'm tryna say is... I-" Ty's mouth opened, but the words didn't come. The boy sucked in a shaky breath, pursed his lips, and let it back out. Try again. "-I... uh...-" Another paused. Try again. "What I'm tryna say Louise is that I like you." Ty made sure to state those words clearly. Expecting the worst, not even knowing what he hoped for out of it. The young man tugged his hat down further over his face, trying to mentally sink away into the shadows. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

The silence presses down on her with the weight of the world. She's never had anyone do this to her. Be nice, show affection, or anything like that. Close relationships- if she ever really had them before, were defined by distance and keeping to herself. Keeping herself on lockdown was safer than letting herself go crazy. There was a time when Louise adored the attention. She still likes it but now that want for attention is corrupted with fear. She was really scared of what Ty was doing and it felt weird knowing that her first reaction was to be scared.

This was something good! Really good. Right? The heavy silence that was their new companion was beginning to make her think otherwise. She honestly didn't know what she was doing at all. The situation Ty and herself were now in was uncharted waters. She always assumed Ty had more experience with his chill attitude and great advice giving when it comes to this stuff. When her eyes dare to look at him every once in a while though something tells her that assumption might have been wrong. Or perhaps this is all so horribly awkward he regrets everything. Why was he doing all this in the first place? It's not like he likes her- right? ...Right? It would explain a lot but that is TOTALLY not the case. Couldn't be she can't fathom it.

Louise never saw herself as someone people would want to be around, romantically or otherwise. Sure, she's cute and fun at first, but people have gotten tired of her attitude. Then again, Ty's stuck around for this long and she has to say this is the longest and most consistent friendship she's had with anyone. She doesn't exactly have any other reference for healthy relationships except maybe books and stuff but those are a little unrealistic. Also, the novel usually ends when they get together, they don't really explain the whole being together part and that shit is also terrifying to think about. Goddammit, why did Ty start making her think about this?

She didn't think about this before! Or maybe she never let herself think about it. Thinking about romance was fun but ultimately depressing for Louise since she didn't have it. Well- that could change. Maybe. Perhaps she's being too presumptuous about the situation.

The silence is seriously killing her. But she really doesn't know what to say. She can't really speak. She feels frozen to the spot. She doesn't think he would stop being friends over this. That doesn't stop the irrational thought from popping up though. She didn't want to leave! Not without a good reason anyway. That and she also genuinely didn't want to leave despite every cell in her body screaming at her to move and run.

His casual breaking of the silence gives her space to let out a sigh of relief. Though now his words got her thinking. Maybe he was acting all weird cause he had some crazy good news or something. Gosh, and she was sidetracking him this whole time. "I-It's ok you don't have to apologize! I have no clue what's really going on either!  Uh well, I mean, you just don't have to worry about upsetting me I'm not upset!" She says quickly trying to reassure him. He actually seems kinda nervous? That's not an emotion she's used to seeing on Ty. She's so oblivious it's unreasonable. At this point, it's verging into straight denial territory.

He goes on and the more he speaks the faster Louise's heart races. She didn't think it was possible for that to happen but here she is achieving unheard-of speeds in record time. Hold on wait he likes her? He doesn't know when? But- He just- hold on... Was this a date? Did she accidentally invite Ty on a date? Is this how's he's taking it? It wasn't- but she doesn't mind it being a date! What is she saying!? Whatever it started out as it definitely felt like a date now.

Ty's words fill her with a warm feeling on top of all the anxiety she feels. How is he so good with words and stuff? It just wasn't fair that he had the gift of proper articulation while she is struggling to get words out.
All she can do is smile giddily at him as he goes on. Also seeing him be a nervous wreck for once was something she is going to relish. She can't believe the fact that he's nervous because of her. She's making him feel nervous just by being her. Louise did not think she could actually affect someone like that but also considering who it is she is most certainly not complaining.

His words echo over and over again in her mind. He likes her. He really likes her. As a friend and he REALLY likes her. Oh, my gods so he was flirting this whole time! He was serious about the- there she goes blushing again as she's staring him down while he's trying to hideaway. That's adorable.

"Ty," she says slowing still smiling like an idiot as she gets up and walks over to him. "You're by far one of the kindest people I've ever met. I'm grateful to have you in my life and ya know..." she leans a little closer to whisper to him. "I like you too." She's sure he could have guessed that though her face is awful at hiding these sorts of things.

It's normally why she's terrified to even have a crush in the first place, but maybe this time things won't go horribly wrong. They haven't so far so...hey! She wanted to make whatever this is work and she's sure he does too. "Also you look way too fucking cute hiding under your cap like that," she teases giving him little pokes and giggles.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Wait. Did he hear that correctly? Did... Louise just say she liked him back? Oh gods, how does he react to that? Ty pursed his lips as he heard her talking to him. Let the thoughts and words mix and roll around inside his mind. The fact that the girl liked him back didn't actually shock him that much. It being admitted to, on the other hand, did. Maybe the same storm had been brewing up in Louise's head too, and his honesty was the spark to draw it all out. Ty balled his hands into fists. Mulled the situation over. It felt surreal. And also... so... nice. His stomach untangled itself, and in its place was a feeling of warmth. Giddy. That was the sensation that Tyler felt right now. 

    And Louise kept going. 

    A sigh slipped out. Shaky. Nervous. But the breath in was more solid. Reassuring. Ty un-balled his fists and reached the hands up, up towards Louise. And he smooshed them against her cheeks and gave the girl's pink head a gentle shake. His gaze popped up to meet hers, no longer completely buried under the cap. Her skin and hair were so soft. Blue eyes like crystal clear pools of water. Her lips looked... Ty bit back a breath and gave her another gentle shake. 

    "Stop being so fucking cute, you're either gonna give me a heart attack or give me no choice but to smooch the shit out of you." Ty released her face, but then paused and reached one back out to cup her right cheek. The palms of his hands were calloused, firm, but delicate at the same time. With a shake of his own head now, the punk's thumb carefully caressed her cheek. "You have a beautiful smile, and I wanna be able to see it more often. I wanna be there for you whenever you need me. Whenever you need someone to lean on." 

    That gentle touch slowly left her cheek, but now he felt like his hands needed something to do. Somewhere to go. And more still, a question still hung on the young man's mind. "S-so... I guess... I mean... does this mean we're dating now?" The two of them just admitted to liking one another, and continued to burry each other in playful compliments. Going out with someone both scared and excited Ty, but remembering who it was definitely brought a sense of calm to the matter. He knew Louise. Trusted the girl. Knew that he could feel comfortable in her presence. As hyper as the girl could be, Ty liked that energy she brought. The young man took a glance around, and let his hands come up to hold onto hers. 

    "Do you wanna get out of here?" The question was genuine as he looked back up towards Louise. Fresh air sounded nice, and it gave both the techie and the punk a chance to get some fresh air. Something to help clear their minds and let what just happened settle in. Plus, Ty definitely liked the idea of holding her hand as they walked.