#aampharros

28.  one person tracing the other’s lips with a fingertip until they can’t resist any longer, tilting their chin towards them for a kiss.

   Felix grabbed Annette’s face. She was making sounds and he didn’t necessarily dislike that but most of the time, her sounds were at least something like singing. This was not singing. This was repetitive, almost animal-like noises going up and down the bars.

   “What are you doing?” Felix asked, staring (glaring) into her eyes.

   She pouted. She had very squishy cheeks. “Dorothea told me I can utilise more of my breath if I learned to breathe differently and that I can fine tune my songs by polishing my voice using vocal excercises. I thought you liked my singing.”

   “I do.” Felix told her. “I just didn’t realise singing was so full of effort. I just thought you opened your mouth and it happened.”

   “It does.” Annette said.

   Felix slowly let her face go but he couldn’t help but remember something, someone had told him once that cuteness intiated aggression. Something about small, chubby round things made people want to touch them and that touch sometimes turned to a squeeze, as like with what Felix was doing now to Annette. Pinching cheeks, holding her chin but he was slowly letting up. He could see a faint pinkness underneath where he had been holding her. Maybe he shouldn’t have grabbed her suddenly like that but Annette, being small and weird, was used to being manhandled, even specifically by Felix so instead of getting lost in his own world of faux pas and intricacies, he found his own voice.

   “Did I hurt you just now?” he asked.

   “No.” Annette said. “But I wouldn’t recommend you go around doing that to other girls, though.”

   “Fair point.” Felix said.

   His hand trailed down the side of her face, curiously caressing her, before cupping her chin. He stared into the crevices of her lips. They were very soft looking but also wet, as though she had applied some sort of balm to them recently. He caught the vague scent of strawberries as well but Annette frequently smelt of things which were either fruity, sugary, or charcoaly.

   “What are you doing?” Annette asked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d be thinking that you were going to kiss me.”

   “Do you want to be kissed?” Felix asked in a small voice.

   “No!” Annette said, going red and her hackles raising.

   “Are you sure?” Felix asked, basking in her embarrassed redness which emanated a goofy warmth.

   “No...” Annette pouted. “I want to be kissed but not by some brute like you.”

   “You are the sole person who inspires me to be gentle, I must confess.” Felix murmured.

   “Oh...” Annette said and her big eyes flicked up to Felix’s. She looked so cute and doting. “Am I really that special to you?”

   “More than you can imagine.” Felix murmured.

   Annette smiled to herself. Enjoying how Felix’s hands, well worn but also well taken care of. Felix was a swordsman who respected himself and his craft, after all. Of course, he would take care of his hands so Annette nuzzled against Felix’s hands.

   “Well, you did ask politely...” Annette murmured. “And I only said ‘no’ because I’ve never been kissed before but I think if it’s with you then I think it’ll be fine.”

   “Thank you for entrusting me with something as special to a girl like you like her first kiss.” Felix whispered. 

   He kissed Annette, tilting her chin up slightly yet bringing himself down closer to her. She giggled into the kiss, holding his free hand with both of her own. She played with his fingers tenderly whilst he kissed her. A chaste kiss, not a peck but a kiss, which was without tongue but it was warm. Ardent and yes, made sweet with the caress of freshly grown strawberries which Annette had either eaten or worn as makeup. 

   When Felix lifted back, Annette seemed to be overjoyed. She looked maidenly and wonderful, in the mid-afternoon light coming in through the nearby window of her room and it was heavenly. She giggled quietly, mainly to herself.

   “Thank you Felix, that was a very gentle kiss. I appreciate it.” Annette said.

   Felix’s lips twitched. He wanted to smile and he wanted to tell her something very important but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

   “Don’t mention it.” he dismissed her casually, hoping that she somehow perceived through his guarded facade but probably not.

thank you, sweetheart

thank you so much for your support during this difficult time 

a visual representation of me @ mr. sorkin for your troubles: