Anyone with even the tiniest fragment of emotional intelligence could tell that Maggie was nervous. Kira could definitely tell, but this didn’t seem to actually inspire him into halting the origin of it from progressing any further. If anything, it appeared that he was actually looking forward to pushing her just a… smidge… bit… more. She’s just too cute for her own good, after all.
Besides, who, in good faith, could blame Kira? He’s sure that anyone would have done the same in his place. Honestly, she was making it a little too easy– she’s playing into his hands almost concerningly fast, as if she was actively seeking (like a bitch in heat.) out the attention and validation from others. As long as they weren’t Funny Valentine, it seemed to him that she felt (in kira’s opinion, too, it wasn’t too far off from the truth.) inadequate, almost, when left unattended and under the perceiving gaze of others.
It makes him want to kick her… but just a soft, playful kick.
Wouldn’t want to harm any precious vitals of hers, now would he?
“Oh, now you’re flattering me, I see,” he teased with a smile continuing to play at his lips. “Honestly, I just don’t know how he’s the “catch” when you’re standing right here– with such a modest opinion of yourself, too… I do hope that he’s cherishing you as much as I – or any man for that matter – would were our places swapped.”
He doesn’t regard Maggie the person (the physical, living, and breathing embodiment of a fully developed adult that stood before him. he could care less for all of that– teeth that can bite, eyes that can cry, noses that can dribble out snot… no, no. it’s all so messy and not worth the fuss.) with the current look he’s chosen to engage with as he speaks. Instead, he’s directing this fondness towards her hand.
Ceasing any further interaction betwixt his own hands (come now, don’t be so handsy, yoshikage kira… a woman like this would never open her legs up on the first date all on her own; she needs to be asked first.) and hers, he soon went back to a more… “innocent” treatment regarding the girl woman’s hand. Holding it in direct reference to a near courtship, he actually held it with just one hand. His unoccupied hand drifted away from both of their visions and moved to fold the arm behind his back, instead.
If Maggie wished, she could look at this as a sort of, mm, insurance. He wouldn’t dare move any further. … However, he’s sure that the two of them had very different ideas of the word “further”.
And, honestly, he wants to do nothing but to test that theory.
“Dicing, hm…~? Aw, poor thing,” he murmured in a near coo. “You know, Maggie… I’ve done my fair share of cooking,” explained Kira in a calm and soothing voice, using his thumb to begin rubbing slow circles into her skin once more in the meanwhile. “I’d be more than happy to share a few tips in case you’d like to avoid this–” there came one, particularly firm rub that ran right over a cut, “–in the future. It can happen even to the best of us, after all. We think we’re as prepared as can be but then, oops, we nick ourselves again. It’s always a pain… but that is, only if you’d like me to.”
He pauses then with a brief glimpse tossed her way to, pure and simple, inform her that he was still engaging with her and no one else. His gaze was quick, however. Because, already, he’s back to focusing on her hand.
“Perhaps, even… and this is entirely up to you, of course,” he began slowly and thoughtfully, like he was carefully planning out each and every word from thereon, “but I’d be honored to try some of your authentic cooking some day.”
Without warning, he’s lifted her hand. Only then did he decide to raise his gaze and grow bold enough to lock eyes with her. Soon, he’s bringing her hand up to his lips (they purse slightly. he bows a little, just enough to mimic the scenes from all those generic “chick flicks” he despised.) in order to press a chaste but obvious kiss to her knuckle (he’s precise, though. his lips connect directly with a cut.) that lasts only a second. Perhaps, it could even be just a fraction of a second.
“That is… if you’ll have me.”
He smiled as he brought her hand down, eventually allowing for her to take it back into her custody if she so desired. All that Kira would do, during this, would be to proceed like everything was normal– like nothing had happened in the first place.
“Maybe you could even have Valentine involved, too. It’d be a swell bonding activity for you two… you know, as a couple.”
Was she flattering him? Oh… Maggie just meant to be polite. His words made her tense up her thoughts now wondering if maybe she did something wrong by flattering him - it was just a polite gesture ; nothing more. Yet, this attention from someone who wasn’t Valentine was so unusual… Maybe she enjoyed this attention from someone else.
No - impossible. She loved Funny Valentine with her entire being; which is why she should pull away her hands, but she felt frozen despite the occasional shaking of her hands due to her nervousness. It was so much easier to avoid looking at Kira, although she wanted to keep her focus in his general direction waiting for the right moment to politely pull her hands away.
There’s an attempt at a giggle, but instead it sounds like a small, pathetic whimper holding back the words she’ll never say.
“W-well, I…” she’s trying to protest but would it be rude of her to? “A-ah, y-you’re very kind…”
That’s about all Maggie can say before feeling lightheaded… Was he really complimenting her? Did Kira really mean this? No… he was just being polite too. That’s it.
Her attention turns downwards again - oh no. Did her face feel warm? Was she blushing? She was just nervous - it wasn’t Kira’s flattery… or was it? Maggie felt a bit confused, as her heart was beginning to beat faster now. It was just because she was nervous! It had to be! The idea that Kira’s flattery could be actually working on her was such a sinful thought. She closed her eyes for a moment taking a deep breath hoping these intrusive thoughts would leave her.
She flinches a bit when Kira speaks again, opening her eyes once more to look at him - it would’ve been rude of her to do otherwise. She nods now recalling the times in the kitchen when she would try to dice vegetables only to end up with small cuts on her hands. How clumsy… but, she wasn’t this way now! Maggie considers herself to be quite good in the kitchen these days!
The mention of cooking makes Maggie relax just a little bit, now she’s looking in Kira’s direction with great interest. “O-oh!” she can ignore the fact that Kira is still holding her hands for just a moment… “W-would you really? I think that would be wonderful!” she then remembers he’s still holding her hands especially when she feels the firm rub over one of her cuts. “… U-um… Y-yes, I think sharing a few tips would be good…”
Now she’s looking behind Kira as if hoping that someone, anyone might come in to interrupt their conversation. At this point her palms are beginning to perspire from the contact.
“H-huh? Y-you’d want to try my cooking? Really?” Well, Maggie couldn’t resist. “I-if you’d really like to try it then, I’d love to make you something special.”
She doesn’t expect what happens next - the kiss to her knuckle causes Maggie to tense up once more. While the gesture is very kind and gentleman like, she feels a bit offended… What would Valentine think? But… She must continue to show her manners. Even if she’s thinking otherwise, she gives Kira a smile, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. This attention… She’s so unused to this from anyone else but Valentine. She shouldn’t be thinking these things… She wants to kick herself for blushing.
“A-ah, w-well… Of course…”
Maggie feels as though she can breathe again once Kira lowers her hand once more. She slowly pulls back her hand now resting both of them in the pockets of her apron just in case Kira tried to reach for her hands yet again.
At the mention of Valentine, Maggie is able to make eye contact with Kira once more.
“O-oh, yes! That does sound like a good idea, b-but…” she shakes her head. “I d-don’t know. I don’t think he would. We-we’re not like most couples…”
She’s looking down again, it seems like it’s something Maggie wants to talk about but feels like she can’t. Oh, why did she say anything at all? She’s hoping that they can move on from the subject entirely.
