he kisses her when she least expects, flour on hands and cheeks; an excuse, " let me see your face, " followed by hands cradling her face, thumbs wiping away the flour sticking to her chin, leaning forth, mindful of poking teeth, to softly lay claim to maria, maria who belongs to none but the west wind.
it's a sweet kiss, much too brief, light and like a breeze, and he leaves just as quickly as he got there in the first place.
" watch the dough, " he murmurs, leaning back, as if he didn't just steal what was never his to have.
an admission bereft of mercy , numerous methods thereby listed illustrating more effective means of murder , yet had , as e’er stubbornness stoked her reckless determination , offered to teach . albeit foolhardy independence near burning on the tongue , maria had not refused . unlike days of teenaged rebellion , the foolish indignation towards perceived slight , immature in her rejection of all feminine roles . A MEMORY THAT SHUDDERS , embarrassing naïveté encroaching distraction shaken from her head , focus found in kneading dough against countertop , concurrently spreading flour from working epicentre . a mess surrounds , chaos colourised , just like a belmont to cause more destruction than she’d create , and she , with grin , calls it ‘ heart ’
hands grasp her face and maria smiles something blithe , expecting bout of humoured taunts , ready to respond in kind ——— instead , he grants a tender display , faltering seasoned wit . fingers featherlight against flesh , lips brought to hers in prayer , a whisper of a kiss that blooms within the half second , half wilting in the next ——
ALUCARD PULLS AWAY / STEPS AWAY / RUNAWAY
—— and fractures the spellbind , murmur that falls dismissive / some form of retreat / forgetting maria will e’er continue in pursuit . she does , of course . nigh predictable in pivot , determination amidst rose flush
❛ forget the dough . ❜ retort , riposte . sweetened , softer , but , ne’er tame . fingers find purchase on his collar , heeding not the flour that dusts betwixt , upon his shirt , and tugs him closer ❛ kiss me properly , ❜ and she , enkindling embers left to smoulder , faint echo to duet , harp song and piano , kisses him as her blossoming heart intends , gentle at the core , true and unafraid , and , boldly / boldly , stirs the bare bones of love
