🔭 worlduphigh:
As this was completely different from the way they had spoken before, Sierra realised she needed to do something about the ways to address him. She wasn’t threatening him in any way and she also didn’t think it was necessary for him to be as nervous as he seemed, though yet he was here and she needed to make sure that he wouldn’t flee the first chance he got. There was no threat in being here, and Sierra felt that he simply needed to realise that. “So, you would like a drink, then?” She smiled, but she also thought it must have sounded a little strange for her to ask the other to clarify a ‘yes’.
For a moment she felt like he– Hugo– wasn’t all too different from the many ways he had been presenting himself through his pictures. He’d never been clear. He’d always been open for interpretation. Just like now. Perhaps she just needed to get used to it.
When she heard the stutter, she turned to look at him. She couldn’t deny that he looked endearing in how uncomfortable he was, even though that immediately made her wonder what he would look like when he would be a bit more at ease. “The box,” she noted, and that immediately made her grin. She knew about this already. In fact, she had wondered about this for days on end, wondering what he had picked out for her and how that fit in with the way their… friendship had been growing on them. She laughed softly, but she definitely wasn’t laughing at him. She was laughing because of this entire situation. The discomfort between the two of them wouldn’t matter when all of this was behind them. “I’ve been wondering about this box.”
She looked at him a little more curiously then, wondering whether she wanted to take him into the room and blend him in with the others just yet. Perhaps she wanted to keep this moment to herself a little longer as she was curious and didn’t want that to be interrupted by her family members and friends asking for his name while she had only learned his a couple of moments ago. “I want to show you something too.” She therefore said, stepping away from the door and heading for the stairs instead.
It was no surprise that she’d been wondering about the present. Likewise he’d been wondering what she was going to think of it. In many ways it didn’t matter whether she would like it or not. He’d never sent her a picture in the hope she’d like it. It was about something deeper than that, as was the content of that box.
He looked towards the living room once more when loud laughing sounded. It was clear people were enjoying themselves in there and Hugo became very aware--once more--that he had no idea how to mingle. Was where the customs at a party like this? He had no experience to go on, but Sierra knew that. Hopefully that meant she wouldn’t expect the impossible. He was glad when she stepped towards the stairs. That’d at least give him another little moment before he’d have to face his fears.
He didn’t say anything--he rarely said something when he didn’t absolutely have to--and followed her towards the stairs. Did this mean she would take him to her bedroom? He wondered what it’d look like. He wondered if it’d be exactly how he’d pictured it. It probably wouldn’t be, which was exactly what excited him.
