I carry all I need to grow inside - give me light, give me warmth
They can deal with their self-esteem issues together later, he decides. For now, he's keen on chasing that smile back onto her face, even if it means gallivanting around in the water like children for a few hours. Forgetting their worries and woes, until there's nothing but the salt on their lips and the sun on their shoulders to care about any longer. More than anything, that's his goal with this outing. To unshackle them from all that keeps them tied down and serious for a moment and simply be.
Harper gives a dramatic 'ack' of noise when she flips her hair to splash him in the face, seemingly unable to stop the grin creasing his face as he wipes the water off his cheeks with his hand. "Oh no, I'm no sneak! I declared everything I was doing out loud." Sapphire eyes bright with mirth, he playfully wags his finger at her. It would be all too easy to drop backward into the water, to let the waves pull him around. Or maybe to splash her, or instruct her on swimming since it's clear she's still a little uncertain. There's a million things Harper could do to make this the fun, friendly outing he'd wanted for Phoebe. That he'd planned for. But...standing there, both of them wet and smiling, his heart aches. He hasn't been able to stop thinking about what Sunjata had told him, has barely slept at all with the tossing and turning he has done. Admittedly he doesn't want to turn her birthday into a potential disaster by bringing up their relationship, but...but what if it turns out well instead?
Moving closer, Harper swallows hard and reaches to try and take both of her hands. Something he can focus on instead of his anxiety, which mounts all the higher as his calloused thumbs move over the ridges of her knuckles. "Phoebe, I'd like to give you one more gift, even if calling it that sounds pretentious. And...and I promise afterwards, if you'd like, we can talk about it. Because there's a lot I'd like to ask you, and say to you. Okay?" He forces his words to remain slow, despite how they wish to rabbit off into a ramble that would likely leave her more confused than anything. Not moving any closer so as to ensure she has her space and faculties about her before he asks. Forcing his gaze up to hers, the light and the sea reflecting in his cerulean gaze, he tries to impress the seriousness of what he's going to ask upon her without words. "May I kiss you?"
Harper gives a dramatic 'ack' of noise when she flips her hair to splash him in the face, seemingly unable to stop the grin creasing his face as he wipes the water off his cheeks with his hand. "Oh no, I'm no sneak! I declared everything I was doing out loud." Sapphire eyes bright with mirth, he playfully wags his finger at her. It would be all too easy to drop backward into the water, to let the waves pull him around. Or maybe to splash her, or instruct her on swimming since it's clear she's still a little uncertain. There's a million things Harper could do to make this the fun, friendly outing he'd wanted for Phoebe. That he'd planned for. But...standing there, both of them wet and smiling, his heart aches. He hasn't been able to stop thinking about what Sunjata had told him, has barely slept at all with the tossing and turning he has done. Admittedly he doesn't want to turn her birthday into a potential disaster by bringing up their relationship, but...but what if it turns out well instead?
Moving closer, Harper swallows hard and reaches to try and take both of her hands. Something he can focus on instead of his anxiety, which mounts all the higher as his calloused thumbs move over the ridges of her knuckles. "Phoebe, I'd like to give you one more gift, even if calling it that sounds pretentious. And...and I promise afterwards, if you'd like, we can talk about it. Because there's a lot I'd like to ask you, and say to you. Okay?" He forces his words to remain slow, despite how they wish to rabbit off into a ramble that would likely leave her more confused than anything. Not moving any closer so as to ensure she has her space and faculties about her before he asks. Forcing his gaze up to hers, the light and the sea reflecting in his cerulean gaze, he tries to impress the seriousness of what he's going to ask upon her without words. "May I kiss you?"
and watch me come alive
