puppycrush2 | week three

[uuuugh wow his heart is SO FULL in this moment]

. . . of course.

[she needn't even ask. he probably would have done it, anyway. those words had come to him so easily, once he had played quill to parchment]

I'd be happy to, Anna.

And I'd like to eat more of the foods you did when you traveled, too. So you should learn to make do with the ingredients we have in the kitchen.

[ oh, she's laying on demands now. ]

[!!]

Oh. . .! I know a good meatball recipe. Hulkenberg taught it to me. We can make together, if you'd like.

[reasonable demands considering they are all RIGHT UP HIS ALLEYWAY OF INTERESTS]

[ she knows. that's why she's making them. ]

Sure! I'd like to learn how to cook all of your friends' favorites, actually -- gotta make a good impression when I meet them, after all. Not that it'll be hard.

[ she is

~wonderful~

after all. ]

When'd you get this, by the way? [ patting his outfit... ] I wanna take you shopping too, but it looks like someone beat me to the punch.

[ yes she's still jealous. she wants to dress him up... tf... this is her own fault but she wants find his style with him... ]

[SHE'S RIGHT!! THEY'LL LOVE HER!!! at least, that's what Will thinks. Anna and Junah would be best friends and that thought is actually a little terrifying, but it's fine. it's fine?? he can handle them! . . . maybe!]

[he blinks at her next question, glancing down at the trenchcoat and scarf as Anna pats his chest. if a little bit of pink decorates his cheeks at that. . . don't worry about it]

Ah. . . Ritsuka helped me pick it out earlier in the week. [a bit sheepish] She seemed like she was having a rough time, and she wanted to be "normal." So I asked the crew to let us go shopping somewhere.

[and that is how he discovered what a "food court" was]

[ tch!!!!!! ]

Ritsuka-chan's always stealing my thunder. [ puffing her cheeks a bit with a little pout.

and then curling her fingers into his scarf, letting them deflate. ] I made her curry for the same reason -- Tsukasa-kun said it was her favorite, but it turns out she likes it with coffee, not chocolate. I mean, I totally missed whatever made the mood weird, but she caught me up.

[ and

it's fine. it's okay. apparently. ]

[. . . it's okay, huh? he smiles at that, and a thought crosses his mind, sudden and quick]

[I still haven't told her. . . how I'm going to break the Prince's curse, have I. . .?]

[but that is not a conversation for now. the only thing he wants to focus on is her, and how things have changed between them-- for the better. another day. another week. it's something they'll have to discuss before this competition ends, but it doesn't have to be now]

I'm really glad you and Ritsuka are such good friends. She deserves to have someone supporting her. . . through everything she has been through. [genuine! and then, lightly teasing. . .] But we both had to ask the salespeople for help.

So you still have a chance.

[to help him find his style, since he is VERY BAD at it]

[ if he goes this whole time without telling her she'll only be mad he didn't say so sooner. let her help. ]

Jeez, you're hopeless.

[ but it's fond, moving her gloved hand from his scarf to caress his cheek instead. ]

I have some ideas. And some things I'd like to try out. [ then, lightly as he'd been: ] As long as you're fine with being pushed around a little by a bossy lady like me.

[NO HE 100% IS GONNA TELL HER!! WE HAVE ONE MORE WEEK AFTER THIS!!!]

[her hand on his cheek. . . his breath shudders in the back of his throat at how tender it is, and on instinct, he tilts his head into her fingers to seek out more. gods. and to think he had almost lost this]

. . . I don't mind at all.

[because! to him! it isn't being pushed around!!]

It'll be. . . fun.

[ he's like the cats at the cafe... turning his head into her hand like that. anna indulges him, because she wants to, and rubs her thumb fondly against the apple of his cheek the way he does to her. ]

It will be. I'll let you pick something out for me too, since... I'd like to wear something you think I'd look good in. We'll start small though, with jewelry.

[oh my god, thank goodness she clarifies, because for a moment he looks a bit panicked. there is no way he could pick out something nice for her?? his taste is not as impeccable as hers? but jewelry. . . well, that's not so hard]

[. . .]

[it should be a sapphire, right. . .? something that matches her eyes. . .]

Then I can ask Tsukasa to send us back to the. . . [a beat. what was the word?] "Mall" next week, if you'd like.

[unless she has a better suggestion?]

[ she'll have to make him do an outfit sometime. that face is too good. ]

How about an actual jeweler? They've usually got a pretty good selection of gems.

[ and

heehee

they'll be correctly seen as a couple...♡ ]

[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

Wouldn't that be expensive. . .?

[how rich do you think he IS, Anna, he ain't king YET]

All jewelery is expensive, Will-kun.

[ matter of fact... ]

Besides, production'll handle it. Dori-chan and I went on a real spree when we went shopping. ♪

[. . . hey, wait a minute. . .]

You did?

Ritsuka and I could only afford a few outfits and lunch.

[he senses FAVORITISM]

[ hmmmmmmmm! i wonder! ]

Well, when you send two fashionable girls out... it's to be expected their budget has to be a little more flexible, you know?

[ yeah it's favoritism. every one of anna's dates had a Good Budget. ]

Besides, you two caused a lot of trouble at the ceremony. Think you'd be rewarded for all that just because it was good TV?

[ she's only teasing though ]

[DEFLATING. . . SULKING SLIGHTLY. . . but only slightly; he isn't one to really sulk]

That. . . wasn't on purpose. . .!

You shouldn't have kissed me.

[ but she's following it up with a kiss anyway. soft as ever, lingering, before she moves back again. ]

But I'm glad you did. Don't think it'll work every time though, Will-kun. Kissing a girl when she's mad is a big no-no.

[. . . the kiss mollifies the (mild, probably not even real) pout, and he happily lingers in it along with her, hands squeezing hers tightly]

I didn't. . . do it because you were mad.

[not exactly, anyway. though perhaps there were hints of that]

. . . I remember what you said about being jealous. And I thought. . . it might reassure you.

I thought it'd help you believe that even if I had to walk away, I'd always come back.

[that had been the purpose of the kiss. not to insult Akechi, not to merely keep her from causing a scene. but to tell her, without words, that he would always return, no matter what]

Edited 2024-11-29 02:57 (UTC)

[ oh. her gaze softens, warm with affection, and she presses against him to hook her chin on his shoulder. comfy. ]

You're dumb. I hate seeing leave, Will-kun, but I never had a doubt about you coming back. Not after you'd make a point to wait for me night after night just for a kiss. [ god. she was so stupid.

but. maybe she was a bit afraid at the same time, even if she won't admit it to herself, and she sighs by his ear. ] I just... didn't want to see it again. You walking away, without turning to call me up with you. If there'd been a third time...

[ ...

anna buries her face into his scarf, squeezing his hands. ]

I'll be okay now. Promise. I'll wait for you. I'm pretty good at that, actually. Sometimes.

[oh. . . Anna. . . maybe it was his folly, then. for not believing in her strength in that very moment. for not believing that even if he walked away. . . she would still be there for him when he came back. she was, to him, one of the strongest and bravest people in the entire competition. he should have known. . . he should have given her the chance. . .]

[. . .]

[he smiles, turning his head slightly so he can bury his face into her hair. she thinks she was stupid, but perhaps on this point. . . he is the idiot]

[well. not just on this point, of course. he is pretty dumb all around. but. . . that's something he is working on]

I'll wait for you, too.

[he won't be bringing it up-- at least not in this thread-- but he knows the chances of them being paired are slim to none. one of them will have to walk away at the next few match ceremonies. that's just how things are]

[and it might not be him this time!!]

. . . no matter how long it takes.

[ haha!!!!!!!! she has to tell him that minami's going to pick her. oh my god. she can't let that be a surprise. that's a later anna problem. ]

I know. That's something I love about you, after all.

[strategizing is for later Willanna, being IN LOVE is for NOW Willanna]

[. . . he isn't sure what overcomes him in that moment, but he does press a small kiss to the crown of her head. while he is here! he may as well!! just because he can!! wow, there are many things he can do just because he can, aren't there??]

. . . we came all this way. . . and we still haven't properly looked at the stars, have we?

[his words are a bit wistful, with a certain sense of romanticism in them]

[ oh... it feels so sweet, and her face flushes in his scarf. mmmmmmmm. she'll lift her head, turning to the railing again and pulling his arm to be around her. hug her from behind. she'll lean on him if he does. ]

Guess not. You were really determined to get me to stargaze with you, huh?

[ little tease... she knows they didn't get to for. well, obvious reasons. ]

[he goes easily with those movements, allowing his entire weight to rest against her side as his arm sits comfortably at her shoulders. she is. . . the perfect height for him]

I am.

[just. admitting that casually!!]

We never got to after the ceremony.

[again, for obvious reasons, but. . . ! he hadn't let it go]

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