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"Sif?"
You jolt, the little pendant jumping from your hand and landing with a soft 'dink' against the scuffed floor.
"Oh! Sorry, didn't mean to startle. I thought... uh, here, let me get that!"
As you snap from your surprise, you stoop instinctively to pick it back up. Isabeau's already in motion, however, and you pause while awkwardly half-hovered over your (friend? more than? p...partner??) Isabeau, kneeling and confused at the sudden shadow. He looks up and smiles, placing the pendant in your faltering palm.
"Heh, hi. Ding ding, amiright?"
You can't help but snort, face scrunching in line with your grip as you give the bell a shake.
Ding ding!
"Yeah! Hey, could that be put on a necklace? And, would you want it to be?"
"Mhm." After a moment's hesitation you offer him a hand up, for which you are rewarded with his beaming smile. "And... yes."
"Okay! I think I have a spare cord here somewhere, hang on,"
Isabeau starts digging through his bag , hemming and humming various noises as he searches for something. What had he called it again? Not chain, but close to it, and... ah.
"Cord?"
"Hm?" Isa glances back at you, hands still rummaging. "What's up?"
"What does..." you trail off, frowning. You should know this. You do know this! Obviously it's something to put a pendant on, is like a chain but isn't, and—
"Are they... not called that where you're from?" Isabeau asks gently. He holds up what looks to be a shoelace, beckoning you over as he states "Ahem. Cord: the string component of a beaded necklace or bracelet. Versatile and adjustable!"
You tilt your head, and trot forward. Upon closer inspection, it does appear to be just a necklace-length section of string, lightless in shade and waxed to keep from fraying. Huh.
"What if when it's metal?"
Isa's brows knit together cutely. "What? Oh, you mean like a chain? That's like, small links of metal, or...I guess actually you could make a chain out of wood, or — oh! Yes! Daisy chains are a thing too! So I guess it's kinda more of describing the pattern than material,"
Interesting. You had no idea the world of necklace nomenclature was so complex.
"But now I'm curious! What would you call this?"
He holds the necklace cord to the light. You glance up from your thoughts, mouth opening to say the first thing that comes to mind.
"...huh?" Isa tilts his head.
You frown. "Torquis. It... thing that goes around your neck, for decoration."
Isa's eyes sparkle. "One more time?"
You give him a weird look.
"Aww c'mon, pleeeease? Dunno what language that is, but it sounds so pretty when you say it."
You almost want to reach for your travelling hat to hide under the brim, face hot in embarrassment. But, Isa thinks you sound pretty.... you huff, despite your small smile.
"Torquis."
Isabeau claps. "Torkie!"
You snort a laugh, shaking your head.
"Uh... tourrk-ee?"
"Torquis."
"Torque?"
"Closer!" you giggle, hopping on your shared bed with a muffled 'dink-a-ding'. Oh, right, the pendant. You poke at it in your hand, squinting at the proffered quote en quote "cord". "Sure it'll fit?"
"Course! Why wouldn't it?"
"Well I uh, it just, in the House I.... I, um, nevermind,"
As you stumble through your words he approaches and threads the pendant for you, holding it up to your clavicle. You think he's let you off the hook until you see an eyebrow raise, and he meets your eye as he lets his hands rest softly on your shoulders. You swallow, finding it difficult to focus.
Maybe you can just stay quiet, relish in the sensation of his fingers dancing across your skin.
"In the House you...?" he prompts gently, rubbing his thumb softly along the back of your neck. You shiver, eye closing. You'd rather pay attention to how safe you feel with him this close.
"In the House I-I , found this chain, and it was always too big. Every. Blinding. Time. Um, for the pendant, I mean. It's... I shouldn't've let it bother me so much, then... I-I shouldn't let it still — !"
You breathe in, and out. Isa waits for you.
"I always, picked it up. Just in case. Maybe it ... nh, it became a, a habit, after, however long. Felt wrong not to."
"I assume it's a similar case with this?" he plucks the string of your new accessory, making it dingding against your chest.
You nod, swallowing. You tried not to, once; left every stray piece of frozen knick-knack, not bothering to pick up anything beyond keys and essentials. After all, you would just loop again into the same empty pockets, and when had most of those items truly helped you? That's what you told your jittering nerves, anyhow.
It took at least three loops to wash off the feeling of wrongness. Going off-book, ignoring your assigned blocking... it made each loop harder to differentiate.
You don't want to try to count them. You know it probably wouldn't be good for you. Isa nods his understanding, still soothingly stroking the nape of your neck, petting along the whispy base hairs like you're some sort of treasured pet. The thought makes you feel gooey inside; you're positive your whole face is flushed.
"Kinda like how M'dame sets up her reading spot?"
You blink. Huh?
"Y'know... she sits in this specific way, leans to one side, then tucks her robe over her ankles? And, like, if Bonnie or someone makes her get up to do something she'll sigh, do the thing, come back, 'n do her little old lady reading ritual again. It's cute! Er, don't tell her I said that."
He really does pay attention to everyone so thoughtfully, you think as you tilt your head exaggeratedly and wink your dead eye. Hopefully he gets the memo.
"Aw crab not the eyepatch wink of doom!"
Chuckling, you bite back your trepedation and bonk your foreheads together, eye closing. If he moves away you'll feel it, but you don't ... you've already got one Isabeau rejection expression seared into your brain. You'd rather not collect another.
Except he doesn't pull away. Isa's hands falter, then redouble their efforts in securing the necklace cord's complicated-feeling knots. He finishes, tugging here and there to make minute adjustments — you really couldn't care less about the necklace right now. Your breath hitches in a silly little squeak when his arms drape over your shoulders and he falls even closer, chest pressing yours.
"Y'okay Sif?"
You nod frantically.
"Hehe, okay." a beat. "C-can I— "
"Yes."
Isabeau tuts, lips pouty. "You don't even know what I'm asking!"
You reach to slide your hand under Isa's chin, half-lidded gaze unmistakable. "Isa." you say steadily. "My answer is yes."
He lurches forward, your lips nearly almost brush and... still, he hesitates. You bunch your free hand in the bedsheets and grit your teeth, flares of fear and frustration and embarrassment running through you.
"So just so we're clear, the question was kissing. Was? Is? I-I wanted to make sure you—"
"I swear on the stars if you want to kiss me and I want you to kiss me then you should blinding well kiss me before somebody walks in to interrupt or So Help Me Is— ah,"
He's kissed your cheek, smirking wickedly. You feel dizzy. Isa lands another peck on your nose, making your face scrunch and him giggle.
"Practice!" he says, pulling you into his lap.
When had he — ?! You suddenly don't care as much about order of events as you make contact with strong thighs, thick and sturdy and your new favorite chair forever.
"M-mhm?" you try to look unbothered, failing miserably as you're sure he can see the lovehearts in your eye. "Yuhmm, good plan. Let's, lots of practice, you missed, but, aw stars,"
The joke you were trying to make tangles in your brain, tripping your words. You feel ridiculous, flustered into speechlessness by the softest lips in the world kissing your face.
"Oh uhuh for sure, we can definitely lots of practice!"
You cringe in on yourself, groaning.
"Awww hehe sorry for teasing, I thought it was cute."
"Hrngmnph."
"You are!" he kisses your forehead. "The cutest!"
"Hnrgrgnhggrrhrph!" you grumble again, biting your lip.
You can hear and feel him breathing but he falls silent, and you crack your eye open to see him staring openly at your mouth. Stars alive. You find your own gaze wandering...
"Sif,"
Your eye snaps up, pleading.
"I-I'm gonna kiss you, 'kay sweetheart?"
That sends an envoy of elephants thumping away in your chest. You can barely move, let alone breathe. Please.
He kisses you, soft and simple, and you melt into it with a satisfied sigh. Finally, finally! And you didn't even fuck it up that bad!
It takes him pulling back for you to notice your own strangled whimper, and you barely even register your tears until Isa lends his sleeve to carefully pat you dry, face full of worry. Before he can apologize you shake your head, giving a wobbly thumbs-up.
"I'm, i-it's happy cry," you manage to croak, curling against his broad warm chest. "Sorry, I-I — yeep!"
"Sorry! Sorry, better?" he quickly loosens his hold. "Or, eh, should I...?
Nononononono come back come back come back—
Buff arms (gently) squeeze you back into your body, and you fall into the even up-down rhythm of Isabeau's diaphram.
"I gotcha, bud — buh, buddy, uh, b-baby? Baby cow..."
You snrk despite yourself, small frame shaking with the ridiculousness of it all. Somehow you managed to un-fuck your fuck-up? A giggle eeks out of you, followed by another, and another. Your laughter is infectious, garnering a chuckle from Isa that echoes through his chest into your head — you could listen to it for hours.
"Eheheh there's my favorite Siffrin sound! Hey, y'need anything? I could get you some water or—"
"Again."
Isa's brow crinkles in confusion. "Eh?"
"Not, drink... I mean, do it again. Kiss."
You resist the urge to dive under the duvet at voicing your want. Isa's mouth makes an 'O', then smiles.
"You can have all the kisses you want, Siffarooni baby!"
Ho wow that just about has your brain leaking out your ears — you're surprised there isn't any smoke from the fire in your bloodpumper. Isabeau chuckles and kisses you softly, lingering close and then pressing a third, fourth, fifth kiss to your madly tingling lips.
Your whole body tingles, really, anywhere he's touching sends licks of heat to your heart in heavy, heady waves. You can't tell if the room is spinning or you are, either way there's no chance in Hell you're letting it curb your enjoyment! Just breathe, Siffrin. Don't make him watch you faint!
A moment later he pulls away enough to see you, smiling until he catches your panting, brow creasing in concern.
"Siff?"
"I-I-I, I'm, hah, m'fine!" you squeak.
"Mhm, mhm, sooooo convincing." Isabeau rests a hand flat on your chest, nuzzling your head. "Breathe with me?"
His chest breathes in, and out. In, and out. You close your eye, placing your hand over his as you follow and breathe, in and out. In, and out again. You're feeling a bit less overwhelmed now.
"Okay, now," a hesitant hand slides through your unruly hair, carefully carding between bright strands. "Tell me what's up?"
You whine, trying to burrow into the cape you are not currently wearing. Stupid embarrassing feelings, making words harder than ever thought possible. You mutter something into his skin, unintelligable.
"Huh?"
"S'not much to tell, m'just... energy, happy." great sentence. Stellar job, Sif.
"Oh?" Isa's head tilts, internal gears turning. "OH! O-oh, aww, Sif!! I think I get it... you got so happy from being kissed that you started hyperventilating! That's absolutely adorable."
"N-no it's not! I— ack!!"
PTTHHHHHBBBPHHT! Isabeau feigns a kiss, swerving at the last moment to blow a raspberry on your cheek. You giggle, smacking him playfully.
"Isaaaa!"
"Not beating the adorableness allegations!" he grins, booping your nose. "You're the cutest, and that's a fact."
"Who's the cutest?" Bonnie pokes their head in, blocking their eyes with a spatula.
"Siffarooni!" Isa says. "Hey uh what's with the— "
"Dile said 'f I went in here I'd see gross adult things, but I wanted to tell ya dinner's ready. So!" they lower their slatted spatula, pointing it at the pair. "Get ship shape! Food's done!"
Their big boots tromph off down the hallway, leaving the boys to giggle between themselves as they shuffle around and help put each other back to rights.
Pausing, you hum thoughtfully.
"Yeah?" Isabeau prompts.
You smirk, backing Isa against the doorframe. Taking your index and middle fingers, you slooooowly walk them up Isa's broad chest, chuckling at his mounting fluster.
"Wh-what? Whatcha thinking, cutest one?"
"Practice more later?" you end by booping his nose, stepping away to trot down the hall. "We could be more... thorough , if you want, hm?"
You laugh to yourself, not even waiting for your partner's sputter before speeding towards the kitchen. Isa takes off behind you, oho maybe you'll let him catch you this time! Maybe.
Bonnie will probably scold you both for horsing around, or perhaps Odile, but it's worth it. Your new necklace thumps against your chest with each step, a clear steady melody of ding ding ding ding! as you race to the rest of your family.
Isn't it nice to wear something that goes 'ding ding'?