Hey Saph! *chinhands* I was wondering if you had any first date HC's for Pelna? What's his ideal first date like? 😍💜
you come into my house, when I’m some fierce kind of sad, and dump basil boy in my lap, and expect me not to write about him immediately?????
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He asked you first—and nearlytripped over himself doing so. He’d definitely have to have his eyeon you for A While before he does, and preferably would like to besome kind of close to you first. (He’s a bit of a sucker for theFriends-to-Lovers trope, you see. If “Friends” exists in Eos,he’s forever lowkey salty that Joey and Rachel didn’t gettogether in the end.)
It’s not the end of the world ifyou’re not terribly close, but definitely expect him to fumble withhis words and actions more. I wouldn’t put it past him to haveprobably rehearsed, multiple times, what and when and how he wasgoing to ask you. (He probably does this even if you are friends, but it’s a weird balance of even more comfortable and evenmore nerve-wracking. He really doesn’t want to ruin whatevergood-natured relationship he has with you.)
In fact, that’s exactly how it endsup happening. You caught him. Rehearsing. Out loud. He looked alittle mortified when he turned at the sound of you clearing yourthroat and saw you standing there, but he recovered fairly quicklywith that boyish smile of his. Or, he tried to. You didn’t have theheart to tell him that he looked nervous as all fuck. (You did havethe heart to tell him yes, with a sweet smile youhad a hard time fighting, and at least he was able to wait until youwere out of sight and earshot before he gave one of those subtlevictory punches.)
He’s pretty traditional when itcomes to first dates—dinner, coffee (or tea for him), and awalk—but it still makes your heart flutter when he picks you upright on time, leaning shyly against your doorway with a bouquet offlowers in your favorite color. But it’s like, the kind of shythat’s endearing, and he knows it’s endearing,and he’s doing it entirely to charm you.
He offers you his arm at first, to beall gentlemanly about the whole affair, but eventually theconversation you fall into is so casual that you don’t need to. Ittakes time, but the more you talk to him, the more comfortable youmake him feel, and the more he feels like he’s on a level playingfield with you, instead of putting you on some kind of pedestal. Andthe even more fortunate thing is that the silences don’t feelawkward in the slightest. They make you feel like you’ve known himfor years beyond reality, even if you’re already friends; it makesyour hand slipping down to take his feel like a smaller deal than itprobably should be. It makes it feel like home.
He will, absolutely, without a doubt,argue with you about footing the bill(s). Not necessarily because hethinks the men should treat the women to a date (and in fact, one ofthe things that endeared you to him was a salty comment he made onceabout how pervasive heteronormativity is sometimes), but just becausehe feels like it’s the polite thing to do. You honored him byagreeing to a date, so in his mind it’s only right to repay you forit. You might have to remind him that it’s not a transaction; hedoesn’t have to pay you for going out with him,but you both know it’s more complex than that.
Eventually you strike up a deal: hepays for dinner, you pay for coffee/tea and dessert. It’s not anentirely balanced agreement, but it’s one thatyou’re both happy to come to. It’s how you find out his favoritetype of cake—Victoria sponge—and that he cradles his cup of teain both hands when he drinks. There’s something quietly beautifulabout the whole thing when the cafe’s an hour out from closing andyou’re the only two customers left, talking and laughing in hushedtones in the corner.
There’s a part of Pelna thatbelieves in love at first sight, and an overwhelming majority thatbelieves that it’s supposed to punch him in the gut when he leastexpects it. It happens, as it turns out, when you smile at him,utterly genuinely, from across the table, and tell him you’rehaving a wonderful time. And that you’d like to do this again if heever has time.
He walks you home, all the way to yourdoor—it’s a matter of respect for him, and he also wants toensure that you make it home safe. There’s a lot of scuffed heelsand cleared throats as you’re fumbling with your keys, and from theway his gaze lingers to the way he jams his hands in his pockets it’spainfully obvious that he so badly wants to kiss you good night.
But he doesn’t. He, respectfully,lets you go, and says good night with his words and a little waveinstead, and stays until you close and lock your door.
It’s only after you’ve taken maybethree steps into your apartment that there’s a knock at your door,somehow nervous and insistent at the same time. When you open it,he’s standing there, eyes burning just as fiercely as they werebefore. The only word on his tongue is a breathless, “Hi,” andyou’ve barely gotten out a greeting of your own before he kissesyou, soft but full of conviction. His hands, half-callused, cradleyour face the way he cradled that cup of tea, and his lips move withpractice. Every moment of pulling away is absolutely reluctant, andhe’s still out of breath when his lips ghost against yours, likethey’re begging for another kiss and holding him back all at once.
He whispers “good night,” again,with that smile that has your knees knocking, and this time heactually lets himself go, so that you’re the one lingering in thedoorway, watching him leave. Because as much as he wanted to kissyou, he certainly won’t stay over on the first date. Even if hewanted to.
One last detail: he texts you when hegets home, so that you know he’s safe. Then he texts you again, ifonly to say, I’d like to do this again, too.
The kiss?
All of it. :)
