Once permission is granted, hands tenderly envelop his, paper towel-covered digits seeking out and applying pressure to the wound.
Tifa’s much too focussed to notice him staring– Remains unaware of the way he studies her features. “Looks that way,” is her response, eyes never straying from the task at hand. It’s a deep cut, but not so deep it’d call for anything beyond the bounds of her capabilities. Good thing, too- With that level of heedlessness, the slip-up could have easily yielded more devastating results. And for that, he’d do well to thank his lucky stars for seeing him through, fingers intact.
⎡❝ Y’know.. This is kind of like a date. ❞⎦
Previously occupied hands cease movement, refusing to cooperate any further, despite how much she wills them to resume. She’s caught off guard by a daring proposition, and an undisturbed stillness permeates their surroundings, in turn. No more than a few awkward seconds pass by, before the girl finally musters the nerve to meet his watchful gaze. “A-… A date?” A striking countenance is suffused with bewilderment, blatant confusion surfacing through both expression and tone. What gave him that idea? Lips part– Yet words remain only on the verge of escape and nothing more.
Perhaps what intrigues most of all, is the assured grin he beams at her. The same smile that has made its rapid and bold return over and over again through the thick and thin– Through the bad, the good, the somewhat embarrassing… There’s seemingly no end to his optimism. Certainly a welcomed trait.
While there is plenty left to grasp, she cannot convince herself still to look upon the man with an ounce of suspicion. And so her face visibly softens in time. Her eyes shy away from his and drop back to their forgotten hands, fingers pinching together in a deliberate effort to busy herself.
Another prolonged hush follows. A date… Would that be so bad? Contrary to popular belief, Tifa’s not been on many of those– If at all. Never found the time, nor the right company for that matter. The plucky lady generally had no qualms about turning away uninvited advances - and it’s been done before… But he’s different, and in all honesty, as unexpected as it was- Prompto’s approach was… In a word, endearing.
“Maybe…” Soft-spoken thoughts formed into words.
THE SILENCE IS AWFUL. Is he sweating? Probably. He’s waiting for that hot wave of SHAME to come in at full force. Right with her of course NOT. It’d been a dumb question. To ask her out, after completely embarrassing himself in front of her pretty eyes. He again, returns to the conclusion that he’s WAY out of her league. Someone as pretty as her has GOT to have someone tied to her already. He’d be shocked otherwise. Such a beautiful personality to match every other thing he’s already come to adore about her. There’d just be no way.
❝ Yeah.. A date.. But it’s alright if y’don’t want to--- ❞ He wouldn’t blame her. She’s been so quiet. Is she thinking of how to say no? Normally, when he approaches girls with the idea of a date, they laugh in his face, or just say no IMMEDIATELY. ( Or even, completely ignore the request! ) It’s surprising, that he still has some sort of ego.
HE JUST LOOKS DOWN, watching her fiddle with his hands. He’s glad the bleeding is done. But now, she’s covered in it. He feels bad. This is not the mess she signed up for, and if she REALLY says yes to his date, that’d be an even bigger mess. ( Simply because he’s never been on one before! ) Quickly, in his mind he’s decided, once his hands are bandaged, he’ll clean her hands. It’s a weird thought. He’s sure she can do it herself. But he wants to take care of her too. It’s only fair. ( Also, he really just wants to keep holding her hand. )
BUT HE HEARS A simple word, MAYBE------- DID SHE SAY THAT? Did she say maybe? It’s said a second time and his heart skips a BEAT! His grin is at full force! He’s speechless, though. That’s a result he wasn’t, obviously expecting. ❝ Maybe huh? ❞ His hand, that was now bandaged and had some kind of feeling, wraps around her’s, and he looks up to her with this REAL genuine smile. ❝ I promise i’ll make it great! You’ll give me a chance? ❞ That hand leads hers to the warm water under the sink. ❝ Now.. Let me get this off of you, okay? If i’m gonna take you on a date.. I gotta show you I can be SOME kind of gentleman. ❞