No, don't worry about that! I'm just excited to spend time with you.
[ She can't help but smile a little wider at the mention of snacks. Oh, Levi...how thoughtful. The tour, too, sounds really cute. She steps back, just enough so she can reach for his hands, and she gives him an enthusiastic nod. ]
That all sounds good! Let me get my bags, first. I might've overpacked a bit.
[ She lets go momentarily so she can pop open the trunk. She pulls out a mini suitcase and a duffel bag...all for a handful of nights. There's also a little...something, wrapped with a bow on top. She hands it over to him with a smile – it's something small, thin, and square. ]
Um...this is for you. It's kind of cheesy, but you can open it when we get inside.
[Heh... It hasn't even been that long since he last held hands with Kara, and yet it still feels like it's been forever. It feels so nice, so warm, so natural...
Ah, he's getting distracted.]
Oh, yeah! Here, lemme help you with those.
[He follows suit, getting ready to reach for whatever she pulls out.
He wasn't expecting a gift.]
...Huh? [He stares at it for a moment, dumbfounded. Kara goes on to explain it's for him, and he feels his heart flutter with joy.] W-Wow! Kara, you didn't have to, but...th-thanks!
[He takes the box and carefully slips it into one of his oversized jacket pockets. Once he has all of Kara's luggage in hand, he leads her inside. The foyer is huge, with two staircases framing a long hallway in front of them.]
Lucas is still at work, but I'll introduce you guys once he's home. The guest room's over by the kitchen, so let's head there first to drop off your things.
[ She tucks some hair behind her ear and blushes when he thanks her for the gift. She seems a little nervous about it for some reason, but when she gets inside, she leaves her heels at the door. The guest room, though... ]
...Whoa.
[ Damn. This is a nice house. ]
You guys really take care of the place, don't you? This is amazing.
[Levi laughs as he walks over to set Kara's bags down.]
Lol, Lucas has pretty high standards for the place. But if you go into everyone's rooms, that's a whole other story.
[Not that anyone else is staying here full time right now, but he's seen the state of their rooms regardless!!
Kara suddenly takes his hand and he looks down at her, surprised. It doesn't take more than a second for him to reciprocate and give her hand a gentle squeeze.]
Y-Yeah, of course I will! [Sharing a room with his girlfriend...ahhhh...!!] I just figured you'd want a private place to go to while you're here, y'know? Plus my bed's not really big enough for the two of us, unless you wanted to be crammed against me the whole time.
Well, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that, [ ma'am, please. ] but I think the extra space would be nice, yeah! This was really thoughtful of you, though. I won't make a mess! Promise.
[ Well, it might get a little chaotic with how many cosmetics she has with her, but she'll be sure to clean up after!!! ]
I'm glad to finally be here, y'know. I've been looking forward to this since we planned stuff.
[ Which technically wasn't that long ago, but still. It felt like forever, leading up to today.
She squeezes his hand in kind, just before she goes on her toes to press a soft little kiss to his cheek. She seems quite pleased with herself afterward. ]
...Hehe, yeah. Much better when it's the real deal.
[kARA... Levi's gaze darts off in embarrassment for a moment. He wouldn't mind either, but...space is still good... Ahem.]
Same here! It feels so surreal...
[Oh!! Oh no, watching her stand on her tiptoes just to reach him is so cute. It's a good reminder of just how small she is compared to him.
He brings his free hand to touch where she kissed, smiling like an idiot.]
Oh, yeah? Well now I gotta see for myself. C'mere...
[He's honestly amazed with himself for holding back this long. He just...didn't want to smother her before she could even make it in the house.
He has to lean forward a good deal to reach her, but he finds his way to her lips. If only he could be super romantic and lift her up... Alas, he's nowhere near as strong as his Fragment counterpart.]
[ She's grinning when he leans in, and when his lips touch hers, she feels her heart skip a beat. He's just as warm in real life as he is in the game. He's just as sincere, much like his feelings toward her are, and her mind goes blank when she leans into the kiss.
They're the only two people in the world, right now. Kara presses in a little more firmly and squeezes his hand.
It's Levi's actual first kiss, isn't it? She should make it count. ]
[It is Levi's actual first kiss, and he couldn't have asked for anything better. More than ever before, it feels right. The taste of Kara on his lips, the smell of her, the warmth of her body against his as he absently brings her close and the steady beating of his heart as he takes it all in... It's never happened to him before, but his gut feeling tells him he knows what's going on here.
He's falling madly in love with this girl.
He breathes out through his nose and lets out a gentle hum against Kara's lips. Eventually he pulls back, almost a little dazed.]
[ When he pulls away, she also feels extremely dazed, and her eyes are half-lidded when she smiles up at him. Like Levi, Kara is also falling in love very quickly. It's what happens when you meet someone who accepts you and makes you want to actually be a better person.
What a wild thought, but it's one she won't discredit. Levi has only made her life better by being in it. ]
Yeah. Definitely.
[ She laughs softly. ]
I've had a lot of kisses, but yours are seriously the sweetest and the warmest. Nothing beats how you make me feel.
[Kara looking at him like that is going to make him weak...]
R-Really?
[Knowing Kara has more experience with this sort of thing was intimidating to learn at first. He felt like he had hidden expectations to measure up to, and he's...had some rough experiences with meeting expectations.
Not only is he relieved to find out he apparently had nothing to worry about, but he's proud to have been able to give so much to Kara that she would rank him well above the rest. He feels like he really might be better than he gives himself credit for.
He's so happy to make Kara happy. She deserves it, more than he can properly say.]
Hopefully you never get tired of them, then, because I have so many more in me to give.
[He leans in for another as if to punctuate that claim.]
[ She senses a little hesitation at first, and her fingers gently squeeze his hand in response, trying to reassure him. Then, he speaks...and her heart skips a beat again.
She gladly leans in when he does and presses her lips to his, capturing him in a sweet, lingering kiss. The grip on his hand gets even tighter, a display of trust -- and then she pulls away, only slightly. ]
Good. I'm looking forward to every single one.
[ She plays with his hair with her free hand, and she ducks her head a little bashfully. It's still surreal that she's here with him, face-to-face. ]
Let's get more comfortable?
Edited (I HIT ENTER TOO EARLY...) 2023-08-25 06:17 (UTC)
[He seems just as reluctant to pull away, but he doesn't mind settling for enjoying the sensation of Kara playing with his hair.
"Let's get more comfortable?"
Levi's grip on her increases in surprise and he draws in a shaky breath. He tries not to look overly eager about the suggestion, but it's written all over his reddened face.]
Let's.
[He starts to guide her to the bed to settle down onto...but then a thought hits him and he laughs.]
W-Wait, I haven't even given you a tour of the place yet...
[ She's grinning as she leans her head on Levi's shoulder.
Yeah. The real deal makes this super worth it. ]
Have you told anyone, yet? Like, about us dating, I mean. [ ... ] Man, it's been a while since I've been able to say that, too. Couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend, though.
Um... [With Kara so close, Levi uses the opportunity to gently press his face into her hair like he's trying to hide.] N-Not yet.
[He immediately realizes that makes it sound like he's not proud to announce his change in relationship status.]
Not that I don't want or plan to! I... I just...haven't figured out a way to do it yet. I've been practicing in the mirror, but...I don't know how they'll react, so I c-can't be completely prepared...
[It's his brothers. Why is he so worried about this??]
[The back rub helps a lot. That, combined with Kara's reassurance lets him calm down and release the tension in his body. He visibly sinks a little bit.]
Same here. I told my brother Barrett it feels like I won the lottery after connecting with you at the dunk tank.
[A little anecdote to further affirm that he isn't ashamed at all.]
I do want to tell Lucas while you're here, though. I was thinking...maybe having you there with me would help. Just so he doesn't think I'm being delusional.
[...]
If I said I had an online girlfriend he would have dismissed it outright. I know him.
[A bashful little chuckle. He really does believe that, though. Of course, he used an incomprehensible analogy about rolling SSRs first and still likes that better, but this works too.
He lifts his head when Kara mentions the gift.]
Your...? Oh! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot about it!
[He reaches into his pocket to retrieve the little package. He looks at her with an excited smile before going ahead and opening it.]
No, it's okay! Honestly, it's...kind of embarrassing, but I hope you like it.
[ And what Levi sees is a mixtape! It's a CD with a track list written on it in pink sharpie. There's also his name written on it at the top in purple.
Finally, there's a little signature at the bottom: A heart, and her name. ]
I... I'm kind of shy sometimes, so if you ever find yourself doubting how I feel, listen to this.
[A mixtape... His eyes brighten and smile widens big time. Wow! He's always wanted to share something like this with someone, so to have one given to him makes him so happy.]
Kara, this is amazing! I love stuff like this. Thank you!!
[He starts to scan the track list.]
Heh, that's hard to imagine, though. You being shy, I mean.
[ She can't help but bring her hand up to hide her face a little. She was so nervous about giving this to him, that hearing his approval makes her both relieved and excited for him to listen to it. ]
G-good! I was worried it'd be kind of lame... Do you know any of the songs on it?
And I'm kind of shy about this stuff, yeah. [ ... ] I'm not used to being so vulnerable.
[Levi usually finds normie love playlists to be hella lame.
...but now that he's in a relationship and receiving one made for him, he wonders if he only thought that because he was single and bitter about it. After all, he was convinced he'd never get something like this.]
Mmm... [He reviews the tracks.] I recognize some of the artists, but not the songs. Oh, I do think I heard "Call Me Maybe" once or twice, since you couldn't escape that song when it was mega popular. I never paid much attention to the lyrics aside from the chorus, though, so I'm looking forward to listening in another light.
[He almost continues his TL;DR, but Kara mentions being vulnerable and he can't help but pump the brakes on his playlist review.]
...
Is that why one of the songs is called "Terrified"?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ She can't help but smile a little wider at the mention of snacks. Oh, Levi...how thoughtful. The tour, too, sounds really cute. She steps back, just enough so she can reach for his hands, and she gives him an enthusiastic nod. ]
That all sounds good! Let me get my bags, first. I might've overpacked a bit.
[ She lets go momentarily so she can pop open the trunk. She pulls out a mini suitcase and a duffel bag...all for a handful of nights. There's also a little...something, wrapped with a bow on top. She hands it over to him with a smile – it's something small, thin, and square. ]
Um...this is for you. It's kind of cheesy, but you can open it when we get inside.
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Ah, he's getting distracted.]
Oh, yeah! Here, lemme help you with those.
[He follows suit, getting ready to reach for whatever she pulls out.
He wasn't expecting a gift.]
...Huh? [He stares at it for a moment, dumbfounded. Kara goes on to explain it's for him, and he feels his heart flutter with joy.] W-Wow! Kara, you didn't have to, but...th-thanks!
[He takes the box and carefully slips it into one of his oversized jacket pockets. Once he has all of Kara's luggage in hand, he leads her inside. The foyer is huge, with two staircases framing a long hallway in front of them.]
Lucas is still at work, but I'll introduce you guys once he's home. The guest room's over by the kitchen, so let's head there first to drop off your things.
[Turns out the guest room is really cute.]
Here we are!
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...Whoa.
[ Damn. This is a nice house. ]
You guys really take care of the place, don't you? This is amazing.
[ She reaches for Levi's hand again. ]
This is where I'm staying? You'll join me, right?
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Lol, Lucas has pretty high standards for the place. But if you go into everyone's rooms, that's a whole other story.
[Not that anyone else is staying here full time right now, but he's seen the state of their rooms regardless!!
Kara suddenly takes his hand and he looks down at her, surprised. It doesn't take more than a second for him to reciprocate and give her hand a gentle squeeze.]
Y-Yeah, of course I will! [Sharing a room with his girlfriend...ahhhh...!!] I just figured you'd want a private place to go to while you're here, y'know? Plus my bed's not really big enough for the two of us, unless you wanted to be crammed against me the whole time.
[Extra space is good!!]
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[ Well, it might get a little chaotic with how many cosmetics she has with her, but she'll be sure to clean up after!!! ]
I'm glad to finally be here, y'know. I've been looking forward to this since we planned stuff.
[ Which technically wasn't that long ago, but still. It felt like forever, leading up to today.
She squeezes his hand in kind, just before she goes on her toes to press a soft little kiss to his cheek. She seems quite pleased with herself afterward. ]
...Hehe, yeah. Much better when it's the real deal.
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Same here! It feels so surreal...
[Oh!! Oh no, watching her stand on her tiptoes just to reach him is so cute. It's a good reminder of just how small she is compared to him.
He brings his free hand to touch where she kissed, smiling like an idiot.]
Oh, yeah? Well now I gotta see for myself. C'mere...
[He's honestly amazed with himself for holding back this long. He just...didn't want to smother her before she could even make it in the house.
He has to lean forward a good deal to reach her, but he finds his way to her lips. If only he could be super romantic and lift her up... Alas, he's nowhere near as strong as his Fragment counterpart.]
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They're the only two people in the world, right now. Kara presses in a little more firmly and squeezes his hand.
It's Levi's actual first kiss, isn't it? She should make it count. ]
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He's falling madly in love with this girl.
He breathes out through his nose and lets out a gentle hum against Kara's lips. Eventually he pulls back, almost a little dazed.]
So much better IRL.
[He'll give this one to the normies.]
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What a wild thought, but it's one she won't discredit. Levi has only made her life better by being in it. ]
Yeah. Definitely.
[ She laughs softly. ]
I've had a lot of kisses, but yours are seriously the sweetest and the warmest. Nothing beats how you make me feel.
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R-Really?
[Knowing Kara has more experience with this sort of thing was intimidating to learn at first. He felt like he had hidden expectations to measure up to, and he's...had some rough experiences with meeting expectations.
Not only is he relieved to find out he apparently had nothing to worry about, but he's proud to have been able to give so much to Kara that she would rank him well above the rest. He feels like he really might be better than he gives himself credit for.
He's so happy to make Kara happy. She deserves it, more than he can properly say.]
Hopefully you never get tired of them, then, because I have so many more in me to give.
[He leans in for another as if to punctuate that claim.]
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She gladly leans in when he does and presses her lips to his, capturing him in a sweet, lingering kiss. The grip on his hand gets even tighter, a display of trust -- and then she pulls away, only slightly. ]
Good. I'm looking forward to every single one.
[ She plays with his hair with her free hand, and she ducks her head a little bashfully. It's still surreal that she's here with him, face-to-face. ]
Let's get more comfortable?
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"Let's get more comfortable?"
Levi's grip on her increases in surprise and he draws in a shaky breath. He tries not to look overly eager about the suggestion, but it's written all over his reddened face.]
Let's.
[He starts to guide her to the bed to settle down onto...but then a thought hits him and he laughs.]
W-Wait, I haven't even given you a tour of the place yet...
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[ WHOOPS. She had completely forgotten... ]
Heh, I guess I got a little too excited. If you'd like to do that, I wouldn't be opposed.
[ Sometimes your brain is just settled on cuddling your adorable boyfriend, okay. ]
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Levi's gaze drifts towards the door, but ultimately redirects to the bed.]
I mean...it's not like the house is going anywhere, right?
[Moments later, they're sitting on the bed.]
I don't think either of us are gonna be able to concentrate on any of that, anyway.
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[ She's grinning as she leans her head on Levi's shoulder.
Yeah. The real deal makes this super worth it. ]
Have you told anyone, yet? Like, about us dating, I mean. [ ... ] Man, it's been a while since I've been able to say that, too. Couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend, though.
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[He immediately realizes that makes it sound like he's not proud to announce his change in relationship status.]
Not that I don't want or plan to! I... I just...haven't figured out a way to do it yet. I've been practicing in the mirror, but...I don't know how they'll react, so I c-can't be completely prepared...
[It's his brothers. Why is he so worried about this??]
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[ Her hand moves to gently rub his back. She remembered he liked that last time. He seems so anxious... ]
You can take your time. I didn't think it was out of shame, don't worry.
[ She laughs, trying to be reassuring. ]
I mean, I consider myself to be incredibly lucky, so I have no reason to be ashamed, either!
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Same here. I told my brother Barrett it feels like I won the lottery after connecting with you at the dunk tank.
[A little anecdote to further affirm that he isn't ashamed at all.]
I do want to tell Lucas while you're here, though. I was thinking...maybe having you there with me would help. Just so he doesn't think I'm being delusional.
[...]
If I said I had an online girlfriend he would have dismissed it outright. I know him.
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[ She doesn't think of herself that highly, but it's nice to see him so happy with her.
As for that online girlfriend thing... ]
Heh, well, it's a good thing I'm actually here then, huh. Now I'm not just an online girlfriend. This is the real deal. I may have told Hani that I...
[ She blushes a bit, and glances at his jacket. ]
Well, I think my gift will say it all for me.
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[A bashful little chuckle. He really does believe that, though. Of course, he used an incomprehensible analogy about rolling SSRs first and still likes that better, but this works too.
He lifts his head when Kara mentions the gift.]
Your...? Oh! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot about it!
[He reaches into his pocket to retrieve the little package. He looks at her with an excited smile before going ahead and opening it.]
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[ And what Levi sees is a mixtape! It's a CD with a track list written on it in pink sharpie. There's also his name written on it at the top in purple.
Finally, there's a little signature at the bottom: A heart, and her name. ]
I... I'm kind of shy sometimes, so if you ever find yourself doubting how I feel, listen to this.
1/2
Kara, this is amazing! I love stuff like this. Thank you!!
[He starts to scan the track list.]
Heh, that's hard to imagine, though. You being shy, I mean.
[He studies the titles of the songs.]
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It's a lot of normie music that he's not familiar with, but it doesn't take much to conclude that this is a whole lot of love songs.
His smile softens as he holds the CD close to his chest.]
I'm gonna give it a listen later tonight.
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[ She can't help but bring her hand up to hide her face a little. She was so nervous about giving this to him, that hearing his approval makes her both relieved and excited for him to listen to it. ]
G-good! I was worried it'd be kind of lame... Do you know any of the songs on it?
And I'm kind of shy about this stuff, yeah. [ ... ] I'm not used to being so vulnerable.
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...but now that he's in a relationship and receiving one made for him, he wonders if he only thought that because he was single and bitter about it. After all, he was convinced he'd never get something like this.]
Mmm... [He reviews the tracks.] I recognize some of the artists, but not the songs. Oh, I do think I heard "Call Me Maybe" once or twice, since you couldn't escape that song when it was mega popular. I never paid much attention to the lyrics aside from the chorus, though, so I'm looking forward to listening in another light.
[He almost continues his TL;DR, but Kara mentions being vulnerable and he can't help but pump the brakes on his playlist review.]
...
Is that why one of the songs is called "Terrified"?
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