To Fly You Must Fall

The younger woman seems overtaken by compliment and come-on alike, but Hotaru doesn't pressure or tease any further despite wanting to see that red color suffuse her cheeks and drip down her neck. She is young and unaccustomed to such things. No point in scaring her off when she'd rather help bolster the girl's self-confidence instead. Though scared is certainly not the word she would use as a sound distracts Maea, pulling her attention away. Hotaru is withdrawing her own hand when Maea does the same, an understanding smile quirking her lips at the edges. She knows that look. Knows the intensity of a connection like that, whether it's reciprocated or not. It's not something she intends to intrude on. Hotaru may be a lawless, selfish creature, but she is a heartbroken romantic at the center of it all. Best not taint such a young soul with mimicries of her own experiences.

"I understand," she comforts, far more accustomed to rejection than some would think. "But the offer is always there," she teases with a playful wink, if only to lighten the atmosphere. Nimble fingers gather her sketchbook, drinking down the last of her cider before leveling a warm look at her companion. "I'll get to work on your outfits, why don't you go and find that person occupying your thoughts?" Maybe she would hesitate to say such a thing if she knew who Maea was so interested in, or maybe not. In the end, she'd rather they both be happy.

be gentle my little thunderstorm
the world is just not ready

_{Table Code by Sky!}

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies It was the first time in her life Maea turned anyone down, and Hotaru's reaction made it feel like it wasn't the end of the world. Warm, kind and understanding, the woman backed off with a smile and a wink, and it wasn't hard at all to smile back. "I'll... keep it in mind," she replied, embarrassed and grateful and... perhaps a bit flattered too, that someone as beautiful as this woman would even look twice at her. "Thank you, for... well, everything. Talk to you later!" The way she stood wasn't quite hasty, but there was an eagerness to the motion just the same. Maybe she should go see who was at the bar after all... perhaps he had just ducked out of sight for a moment. And it could hardly hurt, to stroll by, just once. She lived here, after all... Ah, the mind of a girl caught in her first real spring. ----- - FIN