Jaime’s cheeks stained pink, mirroring Evie’s bashful expression with one of her own. Though no stranger to compliments, she’d never grown used to accepting them – and somehow, coming from the woman, already sweet words carried a much deeper meaning. The more she got to know Evie, the more enchanted by her she became; now she paid less attention to the curl of her smile and the length of her lashes, and more to the words she used, her mannerisms, anecdotes about her childhood, little trivias about her personal life. Brows quirked with intrigue as she allowed herself to be led through the corridors, all the while holding tightly onto her hand and enjoying the feeling of being close to her. The issue with Evie’s car still hadn’t been properly explained, let alone even brought up, and while she certainly wasn’t complaining ( after all, any time spent with the other woman was more than worthwhile ) it only added to her confusion.
Lips formed around a soft gasp, green eyes glimmering with clear wonderment, soaking up the gentle and warm feeling that spread through her as she took in Evie’s set up, the slow grin that crept on her expression both amazed and admittedly, emotional. “This is amazing,” she hushed, withdrawing her hand from Evie’s grasp in favour of tracing the glass of the exhibit, feeling warm and tingly all over. She bit her lip, turning back to the woman. She’d never experienced anything like this…never had anyone do anything like this for her before, nor had she ever allowed it to happen, and the crowd of butterflies that erupted in her chest and swarmed in her stomach were giddy and incessant. Certainly not having expected this to come from their meeting. “You’re so…” she trailed off, lamely, for the lack of appropriate words to describe how she felt about Evie, shyly shaking her head as again she cast her gaze around the arrangement, biting down on her bottom lip. She’d never been good with words, preferring to express her feelings through expression or, even, action, but in this instance, the ability to speak had been stolen right from her and she was rendered, however cliche, speechless.
Fearing that she hadn’t voiced her appreciation enough, and still lost for words, Jaime was grateful for Evie’s attempt to pronounce the food she’d bought, an amused smile following soft laughter. “No, no, you’re doing well,” she responded with a firm nod, knowing that for a non-native speaker, the pronunciation was a difficult one. “The moussaka is a personal favourite, actually. I’m sure I’m actually half made of the stuff.” Enamoured by the tremendous effort that Evie had put into their…date? Well, she wouldn’t assume anything too quickly too soon. In any case, she was perfectly content with having any kind of contact with her. “I can’t believe you did this,” she murmured, eyes serious as they locked onto Evie’s own. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she stepped forwards, drawing the shorter woman into a careful, but tight, embrace.
There were certain moments that found a way to linger, each second seeming to move more slowly than the last. And as she stood, lower lip drawn between her teeth in anticipation of the taller woman’s reaction, the moment seemed as if it could stretch no long. It was probably no less than a second, but for Evie, it seemed a nerve-wracking eternity. Then there was the smallest gasp, a sound that was so gentle that she nearly missing it over her own racing pulse in her ears. She hadn’t realized her eyes had nearly been glued to Jaime until the other’s smile spread to her own lips.
Her feet stayed almost planted as Jaime wandered to the exhibit. Watching the wonderment creep over the other’s delicate features, she felt a flood of relief roll through her. She hadn’t given herself much time to prepare for a worst case scenario — but as she relaxed, she realized she’d been braced for it. She had never claimed to be the strongest judge of character. She was, at her very core, and optimist. If someone wanted to speak, Evangeline Dawson wanted to listen. There was little that fascinated her more than other people — their lives, their stories. All the little pieces that had come together to make them exactly who they are. And even then, Jaime had captured her attention in a way she wasn’t sure anyone ever had. She hadn’t even seen someone who emanated such a quiet strength and a composed demeanor, but a softness all the same. When she spoke, Evie found herself pouring over the words, clinging to each one in anticipation of the next. And tonight, when the next didn’t come, she still felt her own smile take hold. In any other moment, with any other person, she would’ve asked what came next. She was a woman of too many words, too often, after all. But instead, a light chuckle escaped her. “You too.” She said. She couldn’t have hours to consider it, scour the recesses of her mind, and she still wouldn’t be able to find the word she wanted for Jaime.
Finally letting her feet carry her fully into her favorite room of the aquarium, eyes only momentarily pulled to the tank to see which of the marine life was keeping them company, Evie laughed. “Why do I think you might be humoring me?” She asked, tone playful. “Yeah?” She asked, visibly lighting up at the confirmation. “I was so close to ordering half the menu, just to be safe.” She said, embarrassed laughter sounding as her eyes flickered to the makeshift picnic, realizing she nearly had. That easy smile resurfaced as she tried once again reached for the right words. As blue eyes met green, Evie felt that stirring in her chest that could only be described as butterflies. She would’ve been content to stay there in that moment of magical uncertainty, but what happened next was far better. She was sure Jaime would be able to feel her heart hammering in her chest, even as her nervousness dissipated. She returned the woman’s embrace, as glad for it as she was surprised. It was only as it ended that Evie’s eyes flickered back up to the other’s that all her words again found a way to leave her. “You’re...” she started, lower lip once again going between her teeth as she tried to express herself. “I really —” she took a breath, feeling a rush of courage in the same moment as a wave of affection. She stood on tip-toe, fingers gently touching Jaime’s cheek for a moment before she brought her lips to hers. It was a brief kiss — a few short seconds of bravery stronger than her caution. As she pulled back, she found her eyes once again searching the brunette’s features. “Sorry, I —” she whispered, once more, failing to find the right words to follow.
