Arven felt like a pervert to be staring for so long, even if the object of his focus were fingers that were small yet slightly callous. He saw them twitch. He saw them curl. He wondered what it’s like to have those hands grasped by his own. He wondered how it felt to have his palm brush against hers. Though head faced forward, green eyes sneaked a peek at her hands, at fingers that tap tap at a log which tugged a cord of innocent desire in his heart—
“Arven?”
Shock seeped in, then panic slurred out at the possibility that he was busted. “A-Ah—yes?” Quickly he looked at her, thick bangs covering one of his eye and the shameful heat that kissed his cheeks.
Luckily, Teratai didn’t seem to realize what he was looking at when she curiously asked, “Is everything okay?”
He was thankful. Truly.
“Yep!” In a blink, he stood up—then staggered slightly at the head rush that shook him. “Just thinking what to eat next!” Short laughter burst out, masking the sheer embarrassment that now spiralled his brain and heart.
While Arven was washing away the shame that took over him, Teratai was still lost in the sea of her interest.
His chest looked big.
Teratai felt like a degenerate to be staring for so long, even if the object of her focus was layered with a school uniform and thick vest. She saw him take a deep breath. She saw him turn his waist left and right. She wondered what it’s like to have her arms wrapped around his waist. She wondered how it felt to lie her head against his chest. Though head tipped upwards in his direction, black eyes dripped to the sight of his glorious chest, of the quite frantic movement of his breathing which squeezed a puddle of ache in her stomach—
“Teratai?”
Her sudden responses of a shout and body shooting up straight made him slide a step backwards. “I said—” Another breath was taken, “—do you...want to come with me and find some ingredients for lunch today?”
Shit! “Yes!”
Silence became her next reply. A blink once. Twice.
“Ah.” After the third blink, her mouth then lay agape. “Yes. Sure!” Knowing full well her face would match the colour of her hair, Teratai spun around and snatched her backpack. “Let’s go. The heat is getting to me.” One hand sliding the bag onto her shoulder, Teratai fanned her suddenly hot face with her left hand.
Arven wanted to ask whether she was ill—truly, he did not think of anything else. But seeing that his heart was still racing and his face felt just as warm (because of the sun, of course), he decided not to question further.
Still, the sight of her blushed face and awkward laugh still did numbers on his frantic heart. And to see her hand again...
Her hand was callous still, but Arven wanted nothing more than to hold it, to cup it, to kiss—
“Perfect!” Gripping the straps of his backpack, Arven released one of his grip to show a thumbs-up. “Let’s go find some good deals, little buddy!”
Truly, Teratai needed Anastasia to whack her head as she was so easily entranced by a single flex of a muscle behind two layers of clothing.
“Yup!” She returned his gesture with her own. “Let’s go...big guy!”
Ah, she really wanted her Tinkaton to whack her to the sky instead to hear such a lively laugh.
i commissioned 3 artists dawn lingchen luminaharun and ainlavendra (in that order) to draw my girl teratai as the new paldean champion and needless to say AAAAAAAAAAAA
