@tazrp from X
John had been talking, but when Merle’s hands touch his face he cuts himself off. He looks at the dwarf quizzically, trying to ignore that his heart has decided to double its usual pace. Merle smiles, John’s breath hitches.
With their foreheads touching, Merle’s hands on his face, John has never felt so close to anyone in his entire life. His eyes are wide, drinking in Merle closer than he’s ever seen him. He could count his eyelashes given the chance.
Merle pulls away and John leans forward, chasing the feeling without thinking. Merle’s attention went back to his cooking, leaving John to reel on his own.
“Merle?”
sometimes people do things without thinking them through. there wasn’t a viable reason for why merle held his face against his gently, cupping his cheeks in his palm && absorbing the structure of his face before allowing himself to separate from the consuming presence in front of him. his hand rested on the ladle, taking a small sip of the soup before giving a small. “ eh ? you need somethin’, johnny boy? ”
was this coy? been a while since he’d played dumb && it be a game. he had always been the middle of his adventuring group; he never jumped in immediately, but he’d follow in if needed. sure, perhaps he couldn’t be tact but he never was tactless with the intention to be so. he had seen john lean towards him when he pulled back, some inkling of what the implications of that were. he wondered how realistically he could convince himself the businessman behind him was actually going in for a headbutt. probably not that convincing.
“ so uh, what were you saying? about uh, that thing with the...” he spun his spoon around. “ about how the thing with that tailor went? people don’t make many suits your size around here, you’re not reaaaally cut from the same stock as us dwarves, huh? ”
