psl || how did this slowburn happen

[coastal]

Comments

[unfriendliest]

Okay...?

[coastal]

I'll tell you eventually...

[ . . . maybe.]

... logistically speaking, it might make more sense for me to stay here though...

[instead of the two of them having to meet up again in the morning]

I can see about getting another room.

[(narrator voice) the other rooms are all booked]

[unfriendliest]

[ ...right. he still doesn't understand why it's a big deal, but okay ]

That's why I suggested it. But if you want to go back, I can take you.

[ he doesn't trust her to not find trouble along the way ]

[coastal]

What are you saying...

This is my country, I can get to the castle without getting in trouble.

[maybe, but she would absolutely find trouble and make it a bad time for someone else]

[unfriendliest]

I know. But if there are more people like before out there, I'd rather see you get there myself.

[ since his job is to protect, and her attendants are gone, and also he

does not believe her at all actually ]

[coastal]

Most of the kingdom is safe, you know.

[hrmmm]

And besides, I've gotten stronger - so you don't have to worry so much about that.

Just because we're dating doesn't mean it's your job to protect me...

[unfriendliest]

[ it’s safe, huh. is that why she’s looking into drug trade and being targeted by thugs? ]

My job as a sword is to protect, no matter where I go. Whether we’re dating or not doesn’t have much to do with it.

[ sure, he doesn’t want to see her hurt, because he likes her a lot.. but he felt that way before they decided to try dating, so. does that really matter? ]

...I’d like to see just how strong you’ve gotten while I’ve been gone, though.

[coastal]

[for kouka that's pretty safe,

but she just looks a little bit more tired at that - she's not leaving right away, but she might need to go back to get some things from the castle for their journey.... well, they'll deal with that later

instead, she just manages to look a little proud of herself]

Ayura and Tetora finally agreed to teach me their combat styles after I told them everything.

[which was also a very weird conversation, but it's fine. she got to it eventually, because they're both like mothers to her]

[unfriendliest]

[ ...oh. he nods, apparently quite pleased with that even if his expression doesn’t change much ]

Then we should spar again, once we get back.

[ he still wants to spar with ayura and tetora too

but lili is more important. he wants to see how far she’s come! ]

[coastal]

Excited to lose?

[he probably still won't lose

but if she ever easily admits that he'd beat her, then that's how you know lili's been replaced with an impostor]

[unfriendliest]

I won’t.

[ though he always did like that she was so confident for no reason whatsoever

who knows why ]

[coastal]

[sometimes fondness can make you a little dumb - in lili's case it just makes her dumber as she smiles]

I'll win sooner than you think.

[tetora taught her how to throw a man over her shoulder]

[unfriendliest]

We’ll see.

[ he’s absolutely daring her to try ]

[coastal]

[she's going to try, it's going to be stupid

but she does hate how easy this is, to just talk to him again and bicker over something that doesn't actually hold a lot of consequence. something this good never came to her this easily.

. . . ]

Hey... Can I kiss you?

[since he said he'd stay with her forever - she thinks it's a little overdue, all things considered]

[unfriendliest]

[ ...ah. amused, kara shakes his head. ]

You don’t have to ask.

[ he'll ask her, because lili made it clear she'd prefer that, but he wouldn't be bothered if she wanted to surprise him with a kiss most of the time ]

[coastal]

[sdflkjsdf]

But you always ask...

[and ever since the unfortunato milla incident, she figured that maybe he wouldn't want to be caught off-guard....]

[unfriendliest]

Because you said you wanted to know before I did. As long as it's just you, I don't need to know first.

[coastal]

Oh...

[ . . . ]

I only meant for the first one...

[she wanted to know if her first kiss was coming but all the ones that followed were and are fine without warning, even if

just talking about it makes her a little embarrassed]

[unfriendliest]

...Ah.

[ welp. they're both dumb, aren't they. ]

I'll remember that.

[coastal]

[they're both so dumb

they're both so dumb that lili has to actually cover her face for a moment because they're really not very good at this and it's almost funny when it's not crushing her spirit

but eventually she'll pull her hands away and shake her head]

Well... we said we'd figure it out as we went.

[unfriendliest]

[ kara looks away so she won't see him trying to suppress a smile. it's funny when she does that? please stop doing that

but he'll look back in a moment, once his expression is back under control ]

I thought we were doing okay.

[coastal]

[she is 5'2" and made of rage please stop thinking that she's funny

but she will glance back up at him and huff softly, without any actual complaint in her tone]

... well if you think so, then that's good enough for me too.

[it's not like they have to really meet anyone else's standards besides each other's

. . . .

it takes her another second to actually be strong enough to initiate, but she'll lean up to press their lips together again in a soft kiss

when she pulls back, she's definitely blushing but it's fine, that's probably going to be consistent forever]

[unfriendliest]

[ no promises

but he doesn’t tease her for the hesitation at least, so there’s that. and when she presses her lips against his, he’ll kiss her back briefly until lili pulls away ]

...You always turn so red.

[ he’s MEAN ]

[coastal]

[he is SO mean

because it just makes it worse]

Don’t point it out! I’ll hit you!

[unfriendliest]

[ this time he does laugh, quiet enough that lili may miss it if she's not paying attention

she's funny ]