I don't want to steal your freedom
you don't have to change your mind
Her stare has layers of emotion to it, and though Harper wants to delve into them and pick them apart, the pleasant buzz of alcohol and the rising smile on her face is enough of a distraction to allow her the privacy she deserves. No matter how painfully curious he is, or how badly he wants to act on the way her eyes linger as he divests his shirt. She, of all people, deserves more respect than he - in all his broken glory - can give her right now.
Blood rushing to his proper head being on his hands at least distracts him from that vein of thought, and her giggling is pleasantly stereo with the thumping of blood in his ears. Carefully keeping himself balanced on one palm as she holds out the stone...turtle? Harper wraps his fingers around it and slowly brings one leg down in a show of flexibility to get it centered on his foot before straightening back out - still on one arm. The turtle remains perfectly balanced even as his legs go back to their split configuration, and then smoothly to a pike once more.
As he does this, he focuses on Maea upside-down as best he can, long curls falling away from his face and flushed cheeks emphasizing his grin. "You're twice as pretty, but that's the only real change," he quips, winking at her no matter how strange it must look from her vantage point. "It's disorienting if you're not used to it," he answers properly instead as he begins to shift the turtle between both feet, legs falling apart in a butterfly configuration to keep the stone decoration firmly between, returning his free hand to the floor for more security. "The head-rush is fun though!" Even if it makes this kind of acrobatics more short-lived.
Blood rushing to his proper head being on his hands at least distracts him from that vein of thought, and her giggling is pleasantly stereo with the thumping of blood in his ears. Carefully keeping himself balanced on one palm as she holds out the stone...turtle? Harper wraps his fingers around it and slowly brings one leg down in a show of flexibility to get it centered on his foot before straightening back out - still on one arm. The turtle remains perfectly balanced even as his legs go back to their split configuration, and then smoothly to a pike once more.
As he does this, he focuses on Maea upside-down as best he can, long curls falling away from his face and flushed cheeks emphasizing his grin. "You're twice as pretty, but that's the only real change," he quips, winking at her no matter how strange it must look from her vantage point. "It's disorienting if you're not used to it," he answers properly instead as he begins to shift the turtle between both feet, legs falling apart in a butterfly configuration to keep the stone decoration firmly between, returning his free hand to the floor for more security. "The head-rush is fun though!" Even if it makes this kind of acrobatics more short-lived.
I just want to make you love me
so please let me take my time
HARPER
