As she nodded, she began setting up next to Perie, deciding to continue on about the weather and seasons. It was the easiest subject to talk about, the universal ice breaker that everyone had at least one opinion on.
“ I cannot wait for the snow ! ” she told her excitedly. “ I love getting to wear mittens and those big poofy jackets. It makes me feel like a little kid. ” All of her wintertime memories included her grandmother, Scrooge, and his personal driver - the snowmen, the hot chocolate, the one and only snowball fight. Those were some core memories of her’s.
“ At my house, we usually celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah during the winter months - one of the guys that work at the house is Jewish - and it gets a little crazy, but it’s really nice. It really makes everything feel more homey, ” she explained, unfolding the little easel and setting the canvas on the stand.
Inside, Willow was trying not to keep her stomach from doing cartwheels. The moving around helped, thinking about the weather and the holidays coming up helped, but nothing could quite get her mind off of the girl next to her. They were going to make something together. They were going to share a nice moment together, side-by-side, on a cute blanket and surrounded by pretty scenery. The more she thought about that, the more she wanted to call it a date. She liked Perie so much, liked how her voice sounded and how she smiled, and it was odd how that all combined with her other emotions.
The question easily brought her back to the moment at hand, making her laugh. “ No, no, that’s cute ! Not cheesy at all. I totally get what you mean, ” the blonde insisted, catching a stray blonde curl and tucking it behind her ear. “ You’re totally okay to ramble. I like hearing you talk. ”
A beat. Then two. She knew what she’d said the moment she said it, but she couldn’t take it back now. It wasn’t a lie, but at least it was honest. She couldn’t fight the small smile on her face when she said it, looking from her back to the canvas and the paint set she had in front of her.
“ I like the idea of painting what we’re feeling. ” A single nod. “ Whatever it is - You can even paint the playground and the scenery, if that’s what you’re feeling ! ” Another little laugh. “ I’ll set the timer, and then we’ll switch. ”
She pulled out her phone. “ Ten minutes. Ready ? ” She set it up, thumb hovering over the green START button. “ Go ! ”
And with a tap, they were on the clock.
There’s a moment where Perie thinks about how easily she could make it snow for Willow right here and now in the park. But she doesn’t. She doesn’t know how Willow would react to that, and that’s... sort of an extreme measure to take for someone just saying they like something, right? But she would keep it in mind. Maybe a second date? Is this even a first date? Still so many questions she didn’t know how to answer. All of them making her stomach turn. “Yes, I love that! And comfy sweaters and hot chocolate. It’s the best time of year.” She listens as Willow talks about her family traditions around the holidays and smiles. “That sounds like so much fun. My grandmother and I always do a tree. She likes to decorate it very traditionally with like, silver garland and all that. It’s still fun though. And then we’ll make paper snowflakes and hang those all over the house.”
It’s nice to talk about those sorts of traditions with her. She isn’t sure if she’s shared much about that with anyone. She hasn’t really had many friends until recently even. “It sounds lovely to grow up around so many people in a big house like that,” Perie says, smiling.
Willow laughs and Perie blushes. Not because she’s embarrassed or because she thinks Willow is laughing at her, but because her laugh is so nice. It made her heart skip a beat. She busies her hands with her paint brushes to keep frost from forming on her fingertips. But it gets harder the more Willow speaks. And saying what sounded like compliments. She doesn’t even know if she’s breathing for a moment. When Willow looks away with a smile, almost like she’s realizing what she’s said, Perie turns to her canvas as well, grinning to herself, feeling the blush on her cheeks only spreads.
Perie nods along, but the thought of painting what she’s feeling? That would turn into just a big mess of colors. Like a rainbow vomited up even more rainbows. That’s a gross analogy, she thinks to herself. But what she’s feeling is confusing and scary and exciting and wonderful all at the same time. But she doesn’t have much time to think before Willow starts the timer.
Hurrying to get out the colors she’d need, Perie starts painting a scene. An icy field with a small pink flower starting to push past the snow. Was that what she was feeling? Yes. What the heck does that even mean?
“Soooo,” she starts to talk, trying to think of something to say while also focusing on her painting. “Have you ever done anything like this before?” she asks, talking about the art challenge, but after she’s said it she realizes it could be taken in different ways. But Perie decides not to specify further. Not yet. She kind of wanted to know how Willow would respond.
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