She can’t help the little giggle that escapes her at his yawn, holding him firmly. no, especially with that look, there was no way she was about to leave him. She gives him a small, sassy look, “we don’t have enough supplies for a fort, I’m happy to take the position of pillow for the night,” normally she might laugh a little more as she shifts to look at him better, but now her expression was soft and sweet as she looked down at the other… was he blushing? Well, now that she noticed, her own cheeks began to warm along with the smile of affection.
His final sentiment is what seemed to shoot flutters throughout her chest in full force. She knows that he’s joking, knows that Elliott understands her compulsion, her need to help others… But sometimes, helping one person was enough, “I wanna stay,” she assured him, “I wanna stay right here, Ell…”
She barely clocks that shes moved their faces closer, but she has. She didn’t fully realize that her outer hand had wandered to cradle his cheek, because her entire mind was suddenly focused on how the flutter deep down in her stomach was skyrocketing, and how soft his lips look so close to her, and how their distance could be closed so easily…
So she does. Cassie pressed a soft, gentle kiss to Elliott’s lips, the corners of her mouth turning up at the same time. Her eyes are closed and for just a moment, that’s all there is. Well, that and the sound of her heart beating in her ears, surely cracking through her chest at this point.
Until she realizes she definitely did not ask Elliott if he was okay with kissing and they were friends for so long, this had to be weird for him, right? Who was she to just decide this? She breaks the kiss, immediately moving to create space that’s she’s positive Elliott needs after this bomb, “God, Elliott, I’m so sorry that.. that wasn’t cool of me I’m so sorry, do you want me to go? That’s a stupid question I’ll just go.”
the soft touch of cassie’s lips on his own make him inhale sharply through his nose. this is---it’s new and warm and he finds himself frozen with the suddenness of it. there’s a good second where all the whirring cogs in his brain fall silent and he doesn’t know how to---can’t---reciprocate; can’t think, can only let himself be kissed. with a shock, he realizes he wants this, is so glad this is happening because he likes this, likes cassie, and---the thought sends a shock through him and it makes him want this more, but by the time he has half a mind to lean into the kiss, cassie is already pulling away. she speaks and elliott’s brain feels like it’s rebooting. he only catches onto her last words, that she’s leaving---
“no,” he mutters, hand landing on her arm and holding her there. “please, don’t---don’t leave because of that. i, i’m,” he licks his lips, furrows his brow. “i liked that. it’s, i, yeah. i liked it.” there’s a part of him that recognizes that he’s not making sense at all, but how can he make sense when he’s been overwhelmed with all these good feelings all at once?
he takes a deep break. starts over with, “i liked that. please don’t leave. it was... good, cass,” despite his nervousness, he finds cassie’s eyes, meets them. his voice is emphatic as he says, “i’m glad you did that. don’t apologize for it. can,” he licks his lips, “can we do that again?”
