[To Arthur's point about being part fairy, Kalmiya mingles effortlessly with the actual fey in the room; in fact, this is one of the few situations where it seems the rest of the room not only stands up to her energy but matches it. Still, the trail of her laughter as Arthur approaches is obvious, as iconic as ever in its crystal clear joy.
She is not wearing a top, as it turns out. She has instead decorated herself with pasties and stickers in the shapes of color-shifting butterflies, which catch the prismatic lights almost as much as the natural glitter of her skin. She also has no pants, but there is some kind of tutu ruffle and tied sandal situation going on.
When she feels Arthur's weight next to her, her entire presence lights with excitement, her posture straightening and a grin coming to her face as she turns to look at him.] You made it! I knew you'd figure it out.
[A flippant wave follows.] Don't worry about that, you're my plus-one.
—Actually, wait. Let me see your hand? [The flippant wave becomes an expectant palm-up gesture as she waits to receive said hand.]
[ Now that he's up close and she's somewhat straightened back up, he can see she indeed, does not have a shirt on. Her skin is decorated with holographic-colored butterfly pasties, complementing the natural gold shimmer of her skin. Bare legs peek out from the fluffy tulle of her skirt and her shins have the criss-cross of ties for her shoes. His fingers itch to adjust them where they've sunk down from her calves. ]
I'm good with directions. [ He shrugs, though he gives her a small return smile to her exuberant greeting. She asks to see his hand and he holds it out to her, a quizzical brow raised. ]
[Good with directions, indeed. Arthur is one of the few people she'd bother to give the unabridged directions instead of a simplified set.
Still smiling, the grip she takes is gentle as she tucks her hand underneath his. With the curl of her fingers, she guides their joined hands up to her face, where she presses a lingering kiss to Arthur's knuckles.]
There we go. [She's satisfied as she straightens up and pats the back of Arthur's hand, which now bears a K in decorative swirling script embellished with butterflies. The symbol radiates a faint warmth in Kalmiya's presence.] Now you're my plus-one. That should keep anyone from getting too cheeky with you.
[ Kalmiya cups her hand under his, gently brings the join of them up to softly press a kiss to his knuckles. The kiss lingers, just a bit, and he feels a warmth radiate from the touch.
It's so intimate that it feels like the heat travels along his nerves all the way to his face, a blush staining his cheeks and ears pink. Arthur's not a stranger to casual hookups or even more sincere affection; it still takes him off-guard, not entirely expecting it to show up in this context.
And while no one is really paying any attention to their exchange, something about this feels—public. Exposed. Swallowing, he tries to force the blush down and recover, taking his hand back now that Kalmiya was done with giving him some kind of mark. He glances down at the back of his hand, watching the curious pulsing glow of the symbol for a moment. ]
What counts as too cheeky for this group? [ Not too bad of a recovery, something he tries to hide a bit more as he shrugs out of his jacket, the humidity of the evening and the still-present but fading blush making him too warm. ]
[She is generally of the opinion that Arthur is cute, though she doesn't say that as often as she thinks it, knowing he prefers other manners of compliment. This, however, might be the cutest thing she's ever seen him do.
It seems like just a trick of the light at first, meaning she stares him down for a much longer moment than is normally polite in the process of trying to verify what she's seeing. It's the bob of his throat as he swallows that confirms it.
The grin that blooms across her face is bright with the affection in her chest. It is also insufferably excited.] Oh, you know.
[Another flippant wave of the hand. She doesn't bother trying to hide the way her gaze tracks his jacket as it slips off his arms.] Getting you lost in a hedge on the way to the restroom. Seeing who can trick you into the worst deal. Feeding you the captivating foodstuff. Sometimes trying to collect you, if they find you attractive!
[ Naturally, he couldn't have hoped to hide the blush from Kalmiya. She's much too observant and has also gotten used to how he reacts to things—so her grin is knowing, which makes the flush linger for a little bit longer. Not just from being caught out, but from the brightness of her excitement over it.
That's the thing that draws him in towards her, every time: she's completely earnest. Unabashed in her affection.
Folding his jacket vertically, he lays it over his lap, feeling slightly more in control with one less layer. ]
Wait, collect me? Like some kind of, I don't know, bug in a display case?
[As they are in the middle of a conversation, she resists the very strong urge to kiss his blushing face. Sitting next to her, however, is practically an open invitation for her to press her hip to his and lean her weight against him.
So that's exactly what she does, ticking off options with the hand opposite Arthur's side as she explains.] Potentially! It could be like a specimen. It could also be like a trophy, a treasure, a companion...
[ True to form, Kalmiya scoots closer in her enthusiasm, setting them hip to hip. The fabric of her skirt spills over onto his thigh and he can feel just the brush of it through his jeans. While the humidity would normally make this uncomfortable, there's something pleasing about the point of connection.
Returning some of the contact, he loops his arm around her middle, his palm curled on her waist. ]
So your symbol will keep the fey from stealing me away to fuck at their whims, then? Kind of possessive of you.
[ Except there's not a drop of disgust in his tone as he says as much. Instead, there's a hint of amused mischief in the slight upturn of his mouth, reaching all the way to his eyes. ]
[The mugginess doesn't seem to bother Kalmiya one bit, even as Arthur's hand settles on her waist with the faint stickiness of skin on skin. She laughs as she relaxes into his hold, contentment drawn into the languid line of every muscle.] So uncharitable! I simply wanted you to be able to go to the bathroom without being beset upon by every bored fairy in your path.
[Dramatically she lets Arthur's shoulder bear the full weight of her head and peers up at him with a similar sparkle of mischief in her eyes, the curl of her smile all the more impish for the way it's fed by Arthur's energy.] Besides, it will only prevent stealing.
There's nothing stopping you from going willingly! You should know I don't mind sharing.
Trying to give me a hint so you can watch? [ He bears her weight naturally, used to this push and pull between the two of them. The small smile has formed fully into a smirk, hinting at a dimple at one corner of his mouth.
Momentarily, he glances away from Kalmiya, skimming over the crowd as if he's contemplating who he might consider letting touch him. Eventually, his gaze tracks back to her impish one, expression softening a bit. ] Then again, none of them are you, so—high bar to clear.
I would never be so presumptuous! [So dramatic! So wounded!
All affectation, of course.] ...but I would appreciate being invited.
[There it is.
While she watches him scan the crowd, she contemplates how much she'd like to kiss that little dimple that appears when she gets a real smile out of him, more enthralled by that than a prospective fairy threesome (at least for the time being.) It comes as a bit of a surprise when he meets her gaze again with softness, obvious in the way her own mischief falters and her eyes tick just a bit wider at the compliment.
It's not enough to make her blush, but it does prompt a laugh of the gentle variety that comes around when Kalmiya gets sentimental.] I can't imagine only having eyes for me in a situation like this. How gentlemanly of you.
You're more likely to be the one inviting. But, you know I wouldn't leave you out. [ Because even without their closeness, there's something gratifying about watching Kalmiya indulging in such free and hedonistic pleasure. She's eager and honest with her reactions, the rawness of it a heady draw and something that ripples out and leaves him affected as well.
At her quiet laugh, his smile lingers, a sense of contentment settling in him. ]
Why wouldn't I? They're nice to look at; they don't know me, though. [ Maybe they could, if he does some socializing. Right now they're strangers. Attractive strangers, but ones all the same. He's picked up people from bars or otherwise, but he likes to spend some time chatting first, getting a vibe. That said, he gives her side a little squeeze, thumb drawing along the curve of her waist. ] Don't let me stop you.
[ Not that he thinks he could, but it was worth saying aloud. ]
[It's true that Kalmiya has historically been the one extending invitations, but she's under no illusions about Arthur's charm. He does well for himself when he wants. She's just happy to be included; anything that brings down Arthur's walls, even if only briefly, is a rare treat to witness. Just like the smile on his face now, so at ease that her heart stutters in her chest and she has to once again swallow the urge to grab his collar and kiss him.
Perhaps a blessing in disguise, the snort of good-natured laughter that escapes her as he remarks on her potential activities for the evening redirects that messy energy for the moment.] Do you think I invited you just to abandon you as soon as an orgy starts somewhere?
[A slight turn of her body allows her to set a hand into the careful folds of the jacket in Arthur's lap and give his thigh an affectionate squeeze.] I already decided who I'm going home with tonight. So it's a good thing you actually showed up to escort me!
It's not like I'm a ten year old you can neglect in a market or something, Kalmiya–I could watch as you work your magic.
[ That in itself is enticing, in its own way: watching as her magnetic personality drew people in, letting their hands wander along the lovely, shimmering lines of her body while he held himself off.
Some other time, perhaps, since she curls her hand around his thigh, touch and voice full of affection. ] If that's what you want, I can hardly complain.
[ Far from it, really, with the warm ring of her laughter still hanging in the air, the sticky humidity on her skin making him want to lean down and breathe in, kiss the sweat right off her lips. Instead, he reluctantly disentangles the two of them to push himself to his feet, holding a hand out for her. ]
Mm, tempting. [And she's easily distracted, so there is a moment that her mind wanders to many grasping hands and dark, focused eyes. It's only idle imagination, though. She's very set on who she wants right now.
Which is why there's a soft sound of protest as Arthur pulls away, petulant in its exaggeration, but the pout on her face evaporates as he extends his hand to her. How gentlemanly drifts through her thoughts again as she grins and sets her hand in his, tugging herself up off the log by his grip.
She's quick to thread her fingers into the spaces between his and drift right back into his space, pressed up along his arm in spite of the oppressive heat and the inconvenience it could pose in locomotion.] Lead the way, cutie. I'll find you something to watch next time.
[ Balance steady, it's an easy thing to help tug Kalmiya to her feet. Equally easy is to accept how she threads their fingers together, his other hand hooking a couple fingers into the collar of his jacket as he swings it rakishly over his shoulder. Even though the air is muggy, he doesn't shrug Kalmiya's contact off his arm, enjoying the closeness. ]
Well, you know I can always watch you fall to pieces. [ And has, on more than several occasions. He wends them carefully through the crowded party, avoiding the flap of fairy wings and press of bodies. Soon enough, they end up near the entrance–a twisted archway of wisteria lit up by ethereal looking lights. ] You get dinner yet?
[Has she ever told him that jacket thing he does is hot? She should. She nearly does, except she's distracted by the jacket thing itself, and then by wondering if she's ever said anything to that effect, and then how much she'd like him to throw the jacket to the floor while she falls to pieces, and—]
Dinner? [As if the concept had never even entered her mind. Or, more appropriately, like her mind was somewhere else entirely.] No, I've been snacking.
[Probably unsurprising, given the spread of strange novelties that any fey party is guaranteed to have and Kalmiya's penchant for eating weird little morsels. She reaches out with her free hand to brush her fingers along the petals of a wisteria bloom as she teases,] But I could eat. Especially if you're treating.
[ She repeats his ask about dinner, except it's more quizzical about the nature of it being a meal time. That had escaped her entirely in the time she'd arrived at the party, he thinks with bemusement.
At the very least, he doesn't doubt that she's been snacking on things. He's not familiar with gatherings thrown by the fey, but he'd passed by little spreads here and there as he'd been trying to find her in the crowd earlier.
Glancing down at her, he catches her motion as she lightly runs her fingers across the purple blooms. There's a response, he registers, but he's captivated by the whimsical movement, his heart giving a small squeeze at the sight. So it's a slightly longer pause before he blinks the feeling away, tracking back to what he was going to say. ] I know a place that won't look at your pasties twice.
[ So yes, he's treating.
And he gently tugs her in the direction of said place as they exit the arboreal archway, gait relaxed as they walk along the park's brick pathway. ]
[It's a beat long enough for her to notice, but not to question. Not out loud, anyway. Arthur always has something going on in that head of his; far be it from her to pry into every pause for thought.
A cheeky grin follows his acquiescence.] Oh? That's almost a shame when they're meant to be looked at.
[But she doesn't actually want to be removed from the restaurant for indecency, so that's probably for the best. If she's going to get kicked out of a place for something obscene, it will at least be for a partner activity.
She could ease the task of traipsing to the venue if she were to float and just let Arthur pull her along like a balloon, but she rather enjoys the opportunity to hang off his arm and occasionally bump her hip into his while they take an unhurried pace to dinner. She can get a good look at his outfit this way, too; really admire how it flatters him even when he dresses down.
Which leads her back to thinking about the jacket, and before she knows it, her mouth has run away with a fraction of the praise bouncing around in her brain.] This is a good look for you. I would have been the target of a lot of envy if you'd stayed for a drink.
[ The emotional pause has passed entirely, her playful grin setting off his own sense of cheekiness. So, he returns her expression, just a bit more subdued.
While they walk along, the grin fades but the feeling of it doesn't–the air between them buoyant with a relaxed happiness. It's somewhat of a rarity for him, since he's usually coming off of a job or thinking about his next one. Right now, though, he's between work; his last payout would more than float him for a year. That is, if he could stand being bored.
Which, as Kalmiya's hip occasionally bumps his and a natural swing happens between their linked hands, maybe he'll give it a try for a few months. ]
And I'd be the target of envy for having your lovely attention.
[Of course he will. She can always count on Arthur.
It's not an unusual shade of compliment, the way he returns her praise. The preciousness of this comfortable closeness has revealed a soft spot for it to sink into, though. Always a sponge for affection and sentiment, she finds herself grinning as she glances up at Arthur, mischief set aside for sincerity.]
Might want to tread carefully, then. [Her fingers flex, giving his hand a squeeze in emphasis as she speaks.] Since you always have my attention.
[As impulsive as Kalmiya can be, those who are dear to her are never far from her heart even when she's engaged elsewhere. Why wouldn't she think of Arthur while they're apart, when everything is so much better with him at her side?]
Yeah, well, you know I like a thrill. [ In the first few months of them getting to know each other, that hadn't been so readily apparent. At least, not in how much it permeated and defined his character. Kalmiya had unearthed his enjoyment of high stakes pretty early on; it'd shown up in the bedroom, where he was generally less reserved.
Now, though, she gets it. Gets him.
Which is what has him timing the natural swing of their arms to bring the link of their hands up, letting him brush a kiss to her knuckles, smiling into it. ] I don't want to tread carefully.
[ He lets their hands drop, syncing up with their gait, slanting a happy glance over at her. ]
[For how strong his reaction earlier was, Kalmiya isn't expecting a reversal of the gesture. At least not in relative public, and not so intimately. Arthur lets her get away with a lot nowadays, and sometimes she nudges up against those limits, but she's very mindful of what might be too much.
Because it's been there for a long time, for her. It's not something she's ever chosen to name or interrogate, but it has undeniably helped to mold their relationship into the shape it takes now, and she's aware of it in moments both grand and small. Like when that kissable dimple in his cheek appears. Like when he so attentively takes her apart and puts her back together in the bedroom. Like when she's able to catch that sparkle of thrill in his eyes while danger brushes near.
Like now, when she sees the ease in that smile wash outwards over his whole being, and something in her chest squeezes so tight she momentarily forgets how to breathe.
Her feet take their next steps on autopilot, her face an open portrait of vulnerable surprise. It shouldn't be so surprising—Arthur's love is shaped like loyalty, and she knows she's had that for a while—but for all of Kalmiya's confidence, she's not someone who expects to be loved. Especially not like this.
A faint flush has touched the apples of her cheeks in the awestruck instant that it takes her to absorb his words, and even in the heavy humidity, her hair floats and fluffs up around her face with the tingle of excitement in her skin.
Softly at first,] Yes.
[Then, a bubble of giddiness, swelling with each word and the beaming smile that creeps across her face.] I— of course! Yes! You really— is that really what you want?
[ It shouldn't be surprising that this is where they'd been heading towards. Because while Arthur doesn't put much stock in love at first sight, he'd be stupid to deny the compatibility from the very first word. Even if he hadn't wanted to believe it, with his need to analyze and assess getting in the way of his ability to read people.
Since then, Kalmiya's shown who she is in a thousand different ways; her overflowing optimism and determined whimsy a counterbalance to the two feet he has firmly planted in reality and logic. This was more than them making up for each other's weaknesses, though. Others may describe her as flighty, distractible, but he's found she's always fully present when it matters.
What's more is that she's perfectly, happily, unabashedly herself—from the golden fluff of her curls to the way she balances along the edge of suggestive and earnest. To how she's full to the brim with curiosity and love in near-equal measure and somehow manages to be shocked when she gets it in return.
Like right now, a startle written in the wide open lines of her face. A burnish of a blush colors her cheeks, floating up about as swiftly as the bob of her hair.
(Perhaps a bit insanely, he's overtaken by the urge to drag her down into the soft grass and kiss her until she's breathless with laughter.
For now, he settles for giving her a bemused smile.) ]
Of course. [ Easily, because this is easy; the kind of surety he so rarely has. Temporarily, he pauses and disentangles their fingers, cradling the side of her face in his palm. ] You know I don't say things I don't mean.
[She does know that. She knew that even as she fumbled her words in her excitement, even as wonderful disbelief filled her lungs instead of air. It feels too good to be true, too much to ask of someone who's already had to give too much to others, but she should have known—she can always count on Arthur.
Her face is hot to the touch as he settles his palm along the side of it, and hotter still as she lifts her own hand to press his closer and tilts her head to lay a quick kiss along the heel of it. While it may not be down in the grass, it's not long before the bright mass of feeling in her chest takes shape as a giggle, awestruck and nearly lightheaded with delight.] I know, I know, just—
[It's not exactly bashfulness, as Kalmiya isn't capable of that level of reservation right now, but there's something close to it in the little laugh that fills in the spaces between her words.] I didn't— [didn't expect it, didn't dare ask for it, didn't ever think of what she'd do if she did have it,] —I didn't realize how much I wanted it until you asked!
[Also true. She was never ignorant of this feeling, but her love lives without expectation, far away from where it could ever be tainted by what she doesn't have. She's never been unhappy with how things are. Only unwilling to try and make them something they're not.]
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Date: 2025-08-16 07:08 pm (UTC)She is not wearing a top, as it turns out. She has instead decorated herself with pasties and stickers in the shapes of color-shifting butterflies, which catch the prismatic lights almost as much as the natural glitter of her skin. She also has no pants, but there is some kind of tutu ruffle and tied sandal situation going on.
When she feels Arthur's weight next to her, her entire presence lights with excitement, her posture straightening and a grin coming to her face as she turns to look at him.] You made it! I knew you'd figure it out.
[A flippant wave follows.] Don't worry about that, you're my plus-one.
—Actually, wait. Let me see your hand? [The flippant wave becomes an expectant palm-up gesture as she waits to receive said hand.]
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Date: 2025-08-17 12:21 am (UTC)I'm good with directions. [ He shrugs, though he gives her a small return smile to her exuberant greeting. She asks to see his hand and he holds it out to her, a quizzical brow raised. ]
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Date: 2025-08-17 01:28 am (UTC)Still smiling, the grip she takes is gentle as she tucks her hand underneath his. With the curl of her fingers, she guides their joined hands up to her face, where she presses a lingering kiss to Arthur's knuckles.]
There we go. [She's satisfied as she straightens up and pats the back of Arthur's hand, which now bears a K in decorative swirling script embellished with butterflies. The symbol radiates a faint warmth in Kalmiya's presence.] Now you're my plus-one. That should keep anyone from getting too cheeky with you.
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Date: 2025-08-17 04:11 am (UTC)It's so intimate that it feels like the heat travels along his nerves all the way to his face, a blush staining his cheeks and ears pink. Arthur's not a stranger to casual hookups or even more sincere affection; it still takes him off-guard, not entirely expecting it to show up in this context.
And while no one is really paying any attention to their exchange, something about this feels—public. Exposed. Swallowing, he tries to force the blush down and recover, taking his hand back now that Kalmiya was done with giving him some kind of mark. He glances down at the back of his hand, watching the curious pulsing glow of the symbol for a moment. ]
What counts as too cheeky for this group? [ Not too bad of a recovery, something he tries to hide a bit more as he shrugs out of his jacket, the humidity of the evening and the still-present but fading blush making him too warm. ]
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Date: 2025-08-17 05:23 am (UTC)It seems like just a trick of the light at first, meaning she stares him down for a much longer moment than is normally polite in the process of trying to verify what she's seeing. It's the bob of his throat as he swallows that confirms it.
The grin that blooms across her face is bright with the affection in her chest. It is also insufferably excited.] Oh, you know.
[Another flippant wave of the hand. She doesn't bother trying to hide the way her gaze tracks his jacket as it slips off his arms.] Getting you lost in a hedge on the way to the restroom. Seeing who can trick you into the worst deal. Feeding you the captivating foodstuff. Sometimes trying to collect you, if they find you attractive!
[Normal fey stuff!]
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Date: 2025-08-17 06:12 am (UTC)That's the thing that draws him in towards her, every time: she's completely earnest. Unabashed in her affection.
Folding his jacket vertically, he lays it over his lap, feeling slightly more in control with one less layer. ]
Wait, collect me? Like some kind of, I don't know, bug in a display case?
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Date: 2025-08-17 06:24 am (UTC)So that's exactly what she does, ticking off options with the hand opposite Arthur's side as she explains.] Potentially! It could be like a specimen. It could also be like a trophy, a treasure, a companion...
[Her tone dips with lewd implication.] Or a toy.
It really depends on the fey!
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Date: 2025-08-17 07:08 am (UTC)Returning some of the contact, he loops his arm around her middle, his palm curled on her waist. ]
So your symbol will keep the fey from stealing me away to fuck at their whims, then? Kind of possessive of you.
[ Except there's not a drop of disgust in his tone as he says as much. Instead, there's a hint of amused mischief in the slight upturn of his mouth, reaching all the way to his eyes. ]
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Date: 2025-08-17 07:52 am (UTC)[Dramatically she lets Arthur's shoulder bear the full weight of her head and peers up at him with a similar sparkle of mischief in her eyes, the curl of her smile all the more impish for the way it's fed by Arthur's energy.] Besides, it will only prevent stealing.
There's nothing stopping you from going willingly! You should know I don't mind sharing.
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Date: 2025-08-17 08:07 am (UTC)[ Because it sounds like a hassle, otherwise. ]
Trying to give me a hint so you can watch? [ He bears her weight naturally, used to this push and pull between the two of them. The small smile has formed fully into a smirk, hinting at a dimple at one corner of his mouth.
Momentarily, he glances away from Kalmiya, skimming over the crowd as if he's contemplating who he might consider letting touch him. Eventually, his gaze tracks back to her impish one, expression softening a bit. ] Then again, none of them are you, so—high bar to clear.
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Date: 2025-08-17 08:31 am (UTC)All affectation, of course.] ...but I would appreciate being invited.
[There it is.
While she watches him scan the crowd, she contemplates how much she'd like to kiss that little dimple that appears when she gets a real smile out of him, more enthralled by that than a prospective fairy threesome (at least for the time being.) It comes as a bit of a surprise when he meets her gaze again with softness, obvious in the way her own mischief falters and her eyes tick just a bit wider at the compliment.
It's not enough to make her blush, but it does prompt a laugh of the gentle variety that comes around when Kalmiya gets sentimental.] I can't imagine only having eyes for me in a situation like this. How gentlemanly of you.
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Date: 2025-08-17 07:55 pm (UTC)At her quiet laugh, his smile lingers, a sense of contentment settling in him. ]
Why wouldn't I? They're nice to look at; they don't know me, though. [ Maybe they could, if he does some socializing. Right now they're strangers. Attractive strangers, but ones all the same. He's picked up people from bars or otherwise, but he likes to spend some time chatting first, getting a vibe. That said, he gives her side a little squeeze, thumb drawing along the curve of her waist. ] Don't let me stop you.
[ Not that he thinks he could, but it was worth saying aloud. ]
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Date: 2025-08-17 09:05 pm (UTC)Perhaps a blessing in disguise, the snort of good-natured laughter that escapes her as he remarks on her potential activities for the evening redirects that messy energy for the moment.] Do you think I invited you just to abandon you as soon as an orgy starts somewhere?
[A slight turn of her body allows her to set a hand into the careful folds of the jacket in Arthur's lap and give his thigh an affectionate squeeze.] I already decided who I'm going home with tonight. So it's a good thing you actually showed up to escort me!
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Date: 2025-08-17 09:56 pm (UTC)[ That in itself is enticing, in its own way: watching as her magnetic personality drew people in, letting their hands wander along the lovely, shimmering lines of her body while he held himself off.
Some other time, perhaps, since she curls her hand around his thigh, touch and voice full of affection. ] If that's what you want, I can hardly complain.
[ Far from it, really, with the warm ring of her laughter still hanging in the air, the sticky humidity on her skin making him want to lean down and breathe in, kiss the sweat right off her lips. Instead, he reluctantly disentangles the two of them to push himself to his feet, holding a hand out for her. ]
Shall we?
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Date: 2025-08-18 04:54 am (UTC)Which is why there's a soft sound of protest as Arthur pulls away, petulant in its exaggeration, but the pout on her face evaporates as he extends his hand to her. How gentlemanly drifts through her thoughts again as she grins and sets her hand in his, tugging herself up off the log by his grip.
She's quick to thread her fingers into the spaces between his and drift right back into his space, pressed up along his arm in spite of the oppressive heat and the inconvenience it could pose in locomotion.] Lead the way, cutie. I'll find you something to watch next time.
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Date: 2025-08-18 07:24 am (UTC)Well, you know I can always watch you fall to pieces. [ And has, on more than several occasions. He wends them carefully through the crowded party, avoiding the flap of fairy wings and press of bodies. Soon enough, they end up near the entrance–a twisted archway of wisteria lit up by ethereal looking lights. ] You get dinner yet?
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Date: 2025-08-18 08:21 am (UTC)Dinner? [As if the concept had never even entered her mind. Or, more appropriately, like her mind was somewhere else entirely.] No, I've been snacking.
[Probably unsurprising, given the spread of strange novelties that any fey party is guaranteed to have and Kalmiya's penchant for eating weird little morsels. She reaches out with her free hand to brush her fingers along the petals of a wisteria bloom as she teases,] But I could eat. Especially if you're treating.
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Date: 2025-08-18 01:46 pm (UTC)At the very least, he doesn't doubt that she's been snacking on things. He's not familiar with gatherings thrown by the fey, but he'd passed by little spreads here and there as he'd been trying to find her in the crowd earlier.
Glancing down at her, he catches her motion as she lightly runs her fingers across the purple blooms. There's a response, he registers, but he's captivated by the whimsical movement, his heart giving a small squeeze at the sight. So it's a slightly longer pause before he blinks the feeling away, tracking back to what he was going to say. ] I know a place that won't look at your pasties twice.
[ So yes, he's treating.
And he gently tugs her in the direction of said place as they exit the arboreal archway, gait relaxed as they walk along the park's brick pathway. ]
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Date: 2025-08-18 09:52 pm (UTC)A cheeky grin follows his acquiescence.] Oh? That's almost a shame when they're meant to be looked at.
[But she doesn't actually want to be removed from the restaurant for indecency, so that's probably for the best. If she's going to get kicked out of a place for something obscene, it will at least be for a partner activity.
She could ease the task of traipsing to the venue if she were to float and just let Arthur pull her along like a balloon, but she rather enjoys the opportunity to hang off his arm and occasionally bump her hip into his while they take an unhurried pace to dinner. She can get a good look at his outfit this way, too; really admire how it flatters him even when he dresses down.
Which leads her back to thinking about the jacket, and before she knows it, her mouth has run away with a fraction of the praise bouncing around in her brain.] This is a good look for you. I would have been the target of a lot of envy if you'd stayed for a drink.
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Date: 2025-08-19 12:20 am (UTC)[ The emotional pause has passed entirely, her playful grin setting off his own sense of cheekiness. So, he returns her expression, just a bit more subdued.
While they walk along, the grin fades but the feeling of it doesn't–the air between them buoyant with a relaxed happiness. It's somewhat of a rarity for him, since he's usually coming off of a job or thinking about his next one. Right now, though, he's between work; his last payout would more than float him for a year. That is, if he could stand being bored.
Which, as Kalmiya's hip occasionally bumps his and a natural swing happens between their linked hands, maybe he'll give it a try for a few months. ]
And I'd be the target of envy for having your lovely attention.
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Date: 2025-08-19 01:37 am (UTC)It's not an unusual shade of compliment, the way he returns her praise. The preciousness of this comfortable closeness has revealed a soft spot for it to sink into, though. Always a sponge for affection and sentiment, she finds herself grinning as she glances up at Arthur, mischief set aside for sincerity.]
Might want to tread carefully, then. [Her fingers flex, giving his hand a squeeze in emphasis as she speaks.] Since you always have my attention.
[As impulsive as Kalmiya can be, those who are dear to her are never far from her heart even when she's engaged elsewhere. Why wouldn't she think of Arthur while they're apart, when everything is so much better with him at her side?]
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Date: 2025-08-19 05:28 am (UTC)Now, though, she gets it. Gets him.
Which is what has him timing the natural swing of their arms to bring the link of their hands up, letting him brush a kiss to her knuckles, smiling into it. ] I don't want to tread carefully.
[ He lets their hands drop, syncing up with their gait, slanting a happy glance over at her. ]
Let me take you out, officially.
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Date: 2025-08-19 06:10 am (UTC)Because it's been there for a long time, for her. It's not something she's ever chosen to name or interrogate, but it has undeniably helped to mold their relationship into the shape it takes now, and she's aware of it in moments both grand and small. Like when that kissable dimple in his cheek appears. Like when he so attentively takes her apart and puts her back together in the bedroom. Like when she's able to catch that sparkle of thrill in his eyes while danger brushes near.
Like now, when she sees the ease in that smile wash outwards over his whole being, and something in her chest squeezes so tight she momentarily forgets how to breathe.
Her feet take their next steps on autopilot, her face an open portrait of vulnerable surprise. It shouldn't be so surprising—Arthur's love is shaped like loyalty, and she knows she's had that for a while—but for all of Kalmiya's confidence, she's not someone who expects to be loved. Especially not like this.
A faint flush has touched the apples of her cheeks in the awestruck instant that it takes her to absorb his words, and even in the heavy humidity, her hair floats and fluffs up around her face with the tingle of excitement in her skin.
Softly at first,] Yes.
[Then, a bubble of giddiness, swelling with each word and the beaming smile that creeps across her face.] I— of course! Yes! You really— is that really what you want?
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Date: 2025-08-21 06:10 am (UTC)Since then, Kalmiya's shown who she is in a thousand different ways; her overflowing optimism and determined whimsy a counterbalance to the two feet he has firmly planted in reality and logic. This was more than them making up for each other's weaknesses, though. Others may describe her as flighty, distractible, but he's found she's always fully present when it matters.
What's more is that she's perfectly, happily, unabashedly herself—from the golden fluff of her curls to the way she balances along the edge of suggestive and earnest. To how she's full to the brim with curiosity and love in near-equal measure and somehow manages to be shocked when she gets it in return.
Like right now, a startle written in the wide open lines of her face. A burnish of a blush colors her cheeks, floating up about as swiftly as the bob of her hair.
(Perhaps a bit insanely, he's overtaken by the urge to drag her down into the soft grass and kiss her until she's breathless with laughter.
For now, he settles for giving her a bemused smile.) ]
Of course. [ Easily, because this is easy; the kind of surety he so rarely has. Temporarily, he pauses and disentangles their fingers, cradling the side of her face in his palm. ] You know I don't say things I don't mean.
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Date: 2025-08-21 01:36 pm (UTC)Her face is hot to the touch as he settles his palm along the side of it, and hotter still as she lifts her own hand to press his closer and tilts her head to lay a quick kiss along the heel of it. While it may not be down in the grass, it's not long before the bright mass of feeling in her chest takes shape as a giggle, awestruck and nearly lightheaded with delight.] I know, I know, just—
[It's not exactly bashfulness, as Kalmiya isn't capable of that level of reservation right now, but there's something close to it in the little laugh that fills in the spaces between her words.] I didn't— [didn't expect it, didn't dare ask for it, didn't ever think of what she'd do if she did have it,] —I didn't realize how much I wanted it until you asked!
[Also true. She was never ignorant of this feeling, but her love lives without expectation, far away from where it could ever be tainted by what she doesn't have. She's never been unhappy with how things are. Only unwilling to try and make them something they're not.]
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