Cloud

[residentflorist]

code

Lilium
Derived from Latin lilia, which may have come from a corrupted
pronunciation of a word from an extinct Eastern Mediterranean language
Humility, devotion, restored innocence after death

"Lovers used to give these when they were reunited."

Comments

[residentflorist]

I dunno...this was a really good pick. The color's stunning on you. [he has an arm around her waist, but one of her hands brushes over the corset.] And this fits you really nicely. And the skirt falls in the right way.

[residentmerc]

[ the emotion is mostly exasperation with a little bit of ///, especially when she brushes over the corset ]

Funny. [ he does think she is making fun of him here ]

[residentflorist]

[she's still letting her fingers trace over the pattern and more toward cloud's side, and she doesn't say anything immediately because she's very focused on this for the time being.

the emotion is definitely intrigued...and a little...]

And who said it was supposed to be funny, huh?

[residentmerc]

[ watching her hand with a frown. not dislike, just. hm? ]

... What else would it be?

[residentflorist]

Serious, what else? [she's not really touching him more since they're still walking, but that emotion is definitely still there. a little more prominent now that they're alone and aerith's thinking about things.]

[residentmerc]

[ serious about what, exactly? is cloud's first thought, especially combined with that emotion. he is still mostly squinty emotions here ]

So you... like this? [ he uses his free arm to gesture at the whole. dress. situation. because there was a lot of making fun of him the first time (even if she was also into it not that he fuckin knows) ]

[residentflorist]

[the mystery emotion is probably a little easier to recognize as something like "want" now, faint and a little curious, tied into thoughtful intrigue.]

You wear it well, what can I say? [she can make fun of him and still be into it at the same time, and she'd thought maybe the first time was just a fluke but no, she's standing here trying to cope with the fact "huh, i might actually be into this."]

[residentmerc]

Yeah, sure, but...

[ it's mostly bafflement. mostly. but he recognizes that faint want and it's his turn to be a little intrigued and maybe. just a little amused. ]

Like this?

[ repeating it because he's not fully sure how he actually feels about that? it's aerith, so he's not weirded out by it, he just... also did not expect it. ]

[residentflorist]

[well the more he questions it and starts to think it's funny the more indignant she feels? like. that doesn't blow over the rest of her feelings, that's just added. so she pouts, but she doesn't verbally answer. stop!!!]

[residentmerc]

[ kisses the pout. she is not the only one weak to pouts ]

I don't get it. [ he'll say it outright afterwards, but: ] I guess it's better than if you only thought it was funny.

[residentflorist]

[kissing is fine given her emotions immediately perk up in interest. fucking horrid. put the emotionsharing away, actually.]

It's not...I mean. [she pauses like she's trying to figure out how to explain it but all she's coming up with is the way she's captivated by the beauty and also weirdly attracted to him like this. the way it accentuates the curve of his waist? the way the sleeves showcase his shoulders? the way the cut of the dress outlines his pecs better? very confusing.] It's still a little funny. You're you. But...

[guilty as charged.]

[residentmerc]

[ the emotionsharing is why this even works he'd only be embarrassed otherwise. as it is he's all curious about it instead. ]

But. [ he doesn't entirely get it still! but. ] This is... a thing for you.

[ intriguing. a little funny. like when she was drunk and really into biting and his arms. ]

[residentflorist]

[joke's on him she's still probably really into biting and his arms but at least she can control herself, damn.]

...it's something. [which is sort of close to admitting it's a thing that she's recognizing as a turn-on, and also a thing she's recognizing is kind of a weird turn-on because it's not like she'd feel this way about zack in a dress? but there's something about cloud specifically.

are they at the apartment yet. can she just distract him with that maybe.]

It's not like it's entirely my fault, you know.

[residentmerc]

[ what if he does not want her to control herself, damn. also maybe zack would be cute in a dress. but probably not.

they are almost at the apartment... they're at the building... ]

So, what, it's mine?

[ it's not like he is pretty on purpose wow ]

[residentflorist]

[she has lost patience, kinda, so she's wildly gesturing with a hand.]

Have you looked at yourself? Of course it's yours! [how dare you be pretty you stupid jrpg bitch!!! this is not entirely actually serious, but there is a little frustration there? mostly tension because she's been very polite all evening and kept her emotions in check and now they're away from people and she is stuck with this!!!]

[residentmerc]

[ ?????? HELP ]

You're the one who dressed me up like this?

[ how is this his fault!!! walking towards aerith's room ]

[residentflorist]

Yeah because you look good! And you said you would anyway as one of your jobs! There wasn't a better occasion for it.

[very "how was i supposed to know the consequences of my actions" of her as they walk to her apartment. also how? she was not this strong affected by this the first time it happened, although looking back at her previous behavior it. hm. hm? hm.]

[residentmerc]

I don't know why a public dance was the better occasion for it.

[ walking into the apartment, closing the door behind them, genuinely pretty amused by now. also flattered at the look good now that he knows it's. not just jokes. that there is some weight to it? ]

Your fault for picking something I'd look good in. Plenty of dresses would make me look bad.

[ throwing it back at her. as a joke. ]

[residentflorist]

Well I wasn't going to make you wear a dress just for me if I'm paying you for it. [just pointblank. they're into the apartment and the door's closed, and it means aerith's forced to really face all of this.

what this means for cloud is there really is zero chance of missing the emotions she's busy trying to ignore and avoid, even if she's looking away and already moving to start removing some of her jewelry. it's a flustered, warm and fuzzy sort of feeling, and it's one of those things she's aware started small and is escalating at a slow and steady pace the longer she's around the thing that started this.]

Besides, if I made you look bad, that'd make me look bad, too. Everybody knows I picked it out. [this is also a joke, but given the very faint blush she also means she would never bother making cloud look bad period.]

[residentmerc]

You're paying me with a date.

[ pointing it out first. it's not like she's paying real money, here. he's got his head tilted a little as he watches her take off her accessories, his own feeling of intrigue growing the more he feels her flustered warm feelings intensify. interesting. huuuuh. there's a little bit of fondness too when her blush tattles on her that she wouldn't try to make him look bad. ]

Sure. That still makes this your fault. [ it doesn't stop him from being terrible. he also could start removing his own accessories right now, but he's still looking at aerith's reaction with intrigue and kind of vaguely wondering if... he should keep things on?

huh. ]

[residentflorist]

Yeah. We can do that later this week or even next? [desperately trying to keep this casual. they had talked about this earlier, about how they could have a full discussion of the things they both wanted in the more physical aspect of their relationship, but she's not even sure if this is the right time either given they're both in really pretty dresses and dressed to the nines and it's a slightly unusual situation.

again, sorry to say that now that they're alone she is doing a really shit job at hiding the turned on emotions in her brain. it's fine? it's fine. she's taking off a bracelet that belonged to aventurine earlier and she's removing the headpiece in her hair, but she only gets that far before she realizes cloud's looking at her.]

...what?

[residentmerc]

Mm. Whenever.

[ slow blinking at her. like a cat. he's not going to ask out loud if she wants him to keep it on because that feels like a lot. he is trying to figure out if she even wants to do anything about that want, honestly. so he offers this instead: ]

It doesn't weird me out.

[ whatever the hell this is. it's definitely a little weird, but he's not bothered by it as he might have thought he would be if told about this scenario in general. ]

[residentflorist]

[be less of a cat. also this does and does not help because she's really slowly processing what she actually wants because she's obviously very interested? to the point she actually is starting to have a hard time ignoring the fact this is doing it for her, the slow but persistent little warm at her core and the equally slow but persistent pulse.

there's a lot to unpack here, but cloud says it doesn't weird him out and she can't really deny she's not relieved to hear this. she takes a breath, biting on her lower lip and still not quite looking at him as she shifts her weight from one foot to another.]

It's...not that big of a thing. [the other thing is, actually, is that she probably would not be this affected if they haven't been aborting exploring further for a few weeks by this point.] But, uh, good to know!

[she's just going to stand there like an idiot because she kinda...wants to keep cloud in the dress? but she can acknowledge that is weird even if it doesn't weird him out. god what is wrong with her.]

[residentmerc]

[ there is admittedly probably some of that aborting exploring further things involved in his interest too. she's standing there awkwardly and looking away and he's not sure how to push the subject more. if he even should? she did say it was not that big of a thing. ]

... [ again, asking if she wants him to keep the dress on is-- too much, and a little embarrassing, so he does the opposite instead; ] Do you want me to take it off?

[ aaerith might be looking away but he's not, staring a little intently. sorry his emotions are mainly interested and intrigued. and. well also a little shy he can't get over that but. ]

[residentflorist]

Not really. [there's only, like, the smallest shred of regret and embarrassment in actually admitting that.] Maybe I'm trying to decide what to do with this new information.

[the..information that her boyfriend in a pretty dress makes her horny? yeah, that information.]