@galeleads asked: 8, 12, 17, 20
romance & relationship headcanons | Currently accepting.
8. is your muse a good kisser? are they experienced or inexperienced?
Riza has never kissed anyone or been kissed, leading them to have zero experience. They are not sure they understand the concept at all or why other people like it. That would require letting someone get that close to them.
12. does your muse get flustered easily? how would they typically react to compliments from someone they are interested in/dating?
Honestly, Riza usually does not realize someone is flirting with them. It will go over their head until either someone points it out, or they had time to think about the experience. This leads to them responding to flirting in a matter-of-fact tone with dry replies. They don't realize they're doing it. Genuine and direct compliments, though? Yes, they get rather flustered.
With how Riza experiences romantic attraction, they won't tend to show interest in someone until there is a deep emotional bond in place. Not only that, but Riza takes a long time to trust someone on a level of, "I feel like I can date them." Someone getting to the point of dating Riza and thus being able to compliment them? That means Riza is incredibly comfortable around them, and they're less likely to be flustered by compliments from a person of interest and/or a partner. A compliment from that person will actually mean more to Riza because they know it can be trusted.
It will still fluster them and catch them off guard a bit. Such is their nature since they did not grow up with regular praise.
17. what are some of the signs that your muse shows their care/love without saying they love/care about their partner?
Their tone will change some once they warm up to a person. By the nature of their job, Riza can come off brusque and somewhat cold. Their replies will be short when they don't know a person well, and they will maintain their distance in a conversation. However, once they become friends with someone, their tone warms right up to the point that one can hear the smile in their voice.
Another thing Riza does is bestowing. What this means is "giving something without expectation of reciprocity" (source - Speaking from the Heart: 18 Languages for Modern Love). Riza will do things for their partner like making their lunch, taking care of a chore their partner might be struggling with, or making them tea. In their mind, they just want to make their partner's life easier and better. These are small ways Riza likes to show they care.
20. how does your muse feel about public displays of affection? would they engage in them?
Nervous. Very nervous.
Riza has never been in a relationship before, thus leading them to not know what to expect, how to act, or what to do. They are typically focused solely on their job and nothing else. What do they do with their partner when they're out and about in public? Do they hold hands? That seems reasonable. Even that, though, leads Riza to on edge due to their hypervigilance left over from war and their job. They feel they need to be ready for anything.
That, and they don't want anyone else to see them in what they consider a vulnerable state. They simply don't want to be perceived most of the time! Hand holding, if done in a subtle way, can be acceptable, but anything beyond that will make Riza uncomfortable.