[When Rita leaves her cabin for the day, she'll find a box just outside the door, complete with a ribbon that someone went to great lengths to design like cat ears.
Inside the box there's a reddish-brown cat plush, broken out from the claw machine. A pair of swimming goggles is secured to the toy's head, and it's dressed in a hideously colorful Tommy Bahama print and mismatched socks. The print is identical to one of Rita's favorite shirts, and the clothes has been sewn rather than staple. Someone went to quilting class just to get help with the stitches.
[She wastes no time collecting that box and taking it inside, even spends a moment appreciating the way the ribbon was tied just so...and then she's tugging it open, because she's already showed tons of patience in the last few days, and if this is the promised gift from Natsuno-
And it is. She picks up the plush cat, glancing over the swimming goggles and little clothing set he made for it--is that proper stitching instead of staples, even?!--and finally realizing this is...her. To go with the drawings she'd made of Catsuno? Heh...how strange, that a children's doll should make her heart swell like this. And yet--she loves this sweet side of Natsuno, the one he's shown more and more, ever since that first gift he gave her. She suddenly feels the need to pair it with a second plush, if only she had a purple one...
Even that card--Meow. She wonders if he was blushing when he wrote it, or if he managed to keep a straight face--finds herself thinking about how much attention he must've been paying to crafting the outfit, and the concentration he must've had, and...remembering that expression after her promise.
A giddy rush goes through her, and she gently sets the plush on her nightstand before sending Natsuno a text:]
🐾 Your cabin?
[They're definitely not using her cabin, not with Shi Qingxuan being the third wheel pain he is. As an afterthought-]
We can kick Jade out if he's there. Old guys like him need to go for walks and stuff anyway.
[Natsuno's in the buffet when his phone buzzes. Any pretense to playing it cool, like he wasn't wondering when Rita finds the gift, is promptly forgotten. He snatches the phone up and can't help but smile when he reads her message.]
Sure. See you in 30 minutes?
[He's not going to drop everything and run! First Natsuno is going to finish his meal and then he's going to walk back to 109 like a normal person, and no one will ever know what thoughts were running behind his stoic expression.
Whether he kicked Jade out or found the coast clear, he texts Rita:]
[Two can play at the super casual not at all impatient game, but--thirty minutes?! Well...fine! She can totally wait a little longer...probably... Oh, she should take a quick shower since she did just get out of bed...
When Natsuno announces that Jade won't be bothering them, Rita heads right on over--giving a couple knocks on the door, and when Natsuno answers, he'll get-]
So...good meowning?
[She's grinning but bright-eyed with excitement at seeing him, and her hair is still a little damp from the shower--yes, she used her Research Reinvigorating Bath Supplies, not that she needed any help being awake!--and wearing an appropriately-themed outfit. Just because, of course.]
[Natsuno had seen Rita in that outfit before - it's one of her favorites, after all - but for the first time he notices things, like how the overall snags her body or the bit of exposed skin between stockings and shorts. The scent of fresh Research Reinvigorating Bath Supplies is almost dizzying in his sensitive nose, and her smile is brilliant and full of promise. Natsuno is just about ready to go weak in the knees, and when Rita opens her mouth?
It should be silly. It should ruin the mood with how ridiculous it is. Instead, it's a Meteor Storm (kitty version) to the face. Natsuno realizes quite a few things at that moment, the first being I'm into cat girls.]
[She's long since cooled off from her shower, but her cheeks freshly flush all over again at just how much he's clearly noticing that oufit today, even though she has worn it around him plenty of times--just maybe...not like this, before now. She'd almost feel self-conscious (and, okay, maybe she is just a little but like she'd ever admit it-!) if not for...how much he seems to like it. Of course she knows she looks good--but it just goes to show how good his tastes are! (And how deep she's in love with him, that she suddenly has a feeling like she'd be willing to wear something just for him, instead of only for herself...)
A walking Apurrcalypse just for Natsuno, she strolls right on in.]
Well...I was surprised--you put so much work in the details! [Her grin softens, thinking back to the staples.] And...it's perfect. Fio...
[Her fluster almost starts to trip her up a little here, but...since he heard the Catsuno nickname, it's only fair...] She came up with a name. Purrita.
[Oh no, the fresh blush makes her even more meowtiful - beautiful. Goddamn it. Quick, about something else, like how warm and fuzzy the compliment makes him feel. He's glad it turned out so nice.]
Purrita? [He chuckles.] I thought about "Ritakitty," but Purrita's much better.
[Even when they were both suspicious, confused new arrivals. She was a quick-tempered weirdo, he's overly calm and difficult, but they worked well together. Natsuno's grown from respecting her intellect to appreciating her passion, cherishing her kind and loving her so, so much.
He takes her hands, lacing their fingers.]
Right. [He steps closer in turn so their bodies almost touch, unable and not wanting to hide his expectation.] And you always keep your promise.
[By Rita's standards, they actually did start off pretty well--his level-headed nature and his willingness to get things done were both traits she could appreciate. And the more time they spent together, the more she could learn and appreciate...and love. Determined, steadfast, calming, and playful, sweet, exciting--both sides that she loves.]
You know it. [She beams at him, and--unable to resist that face--leans in for a quick kiss. A little warm-up. When she pulls back, she grins.] Come on, sit down.
[That kiss was too quick, but he doesn't mind being teased. Being left wanting when he knows the prize is so close is... surprisingly nice.
He sits down almost immediately, looking at Rita in expectation, already feeling a giddy rush run through his body. She likes to compare him to a cat, but right now Natsuno wants to do everything she says like a good boy.]
[How can she possibly tease him any more when he's looking at her like that, and when he's spent all that time on the plush? She follows, clambering up to sit on his lap with her knees on either side, and cups his face lovingly in her hands.
She swallows. This is the moment he's--they've--been waiting for. And as if she's intoning the incantation for a magic spell-]
Good boy, Yuuki.
[She doesn't lean in to kiss him yet, only because she wants to observe his reaction. Time for scienceromance science.]
[This is the science: an intake of breath, cheeks warm against her hands, pupils dilating as he looks at her like she's the most amazing thing he's ever seen.
Good boy, Yuuki. Yes, he's a good boy, and good boys don't stay still when their beautiful genius girlfriends use that tone. Natsuno's hands trail along her thighs, stroking that tantalizing strip of bare skin between socks and shorts.]
Yeah? What else?
[What else will she call him? What else does she want? She will get all of it, just say the word.]
[Amazing. Fascinating--transfixed by his expression, her lips part absently.]
And you're... [Wonderful. Cute. Handsome, even. It takes her a moment to collect her thoughts, so caught up in his eyes and the electric tingle of his fingers on her exposed skin. She leans forward, resting her forehead against his, and sliding her hands from his cheeks to tangle through his hair.]
You're...my good boy.
[And there's no more holding back: they're so close already, and she closes that last bit of distance to kiss him.]
[He closes his eyes when their foreheads touch; somehow this feels as intimate as a kiss. Rita's hand tangling through his hair always sends tingles down his spine, and when she calls him her good boy the tingles become a delighted shudder.]
Ye - mmf -
[Oh she's already kissing him. That's alright, because Natsuno's been waiting in held breath and that's his cue to meet her eagerly, deepening the kiss. One arm goes around Rita's waist to press her close while the other runs gentle fingers on her back, her side, her leg. His eyes are shut but every other sense is tuned to Rita.]
[His shudder registers against her entire body--ah, so he liked that, too? Another one she'll keep in mind, especially when it's...intoxicating, that calling him hers draws out such a strong reaction. He's hers...and she's his, every part traced by his fingers, drawing a happy hum from deep in her throat as she settles more comfortably in his lap.
Emboldened and transfixed in equal measure, she responds to him deepening the kiss just as eagerly, tracing his lips with her tongue; one hand continues tousling his hair--petting her good boy--while the other glides down his side, fingers curling in his shirt. She wants to mentally map every little spot, find exactly what he likes and show him just how much she appreciates what a good boy he is. Just how much she loves him for being him, for being here.]
[Oh, Natsuno likes that hum, and he moans softly when she settles in his lap like this. He keeps trailing his hands over her body, like he's learning her shape. What if he's bold and slides a hand a little higher, beyond the pants leg? Will it get her to make more sounds? Knowing he makes her happy only doubles the thrill of her touch.
The tongue, though... when she teases him like this it makes want to part his lips in turn, and he can't because there are fangs tucked behind his normal teeth and oh god don't unfold them don't be a freak - ]
W-wait, Rita -
[Her hand over his side. It feels nice where it's settled, but the way...]
Not my neck.
[Rita is warm and alive, and yet he can't help but remember another pair of hands.]
[His boldness is one of his best points--he's not shameless about it, but he doesn't dance around things either, just like when he came right out and confessed his feelings. Likewise, his touch exploring above the hem of her shorts is welcome; this is research, after all, and they're going to be as thorough as they want, so he gets another pleased hum, right into the kiss.
--And then pulls back as soon as he tells her wait, though she has to blink a moment to focus. But--realization quickly dawns, and her fingers release his hair to cup his cheek again, apologetically. Right--vampires in stories usually go for the neck, don't they? She can't believe she didn't think about that earlier.]
Sorry, I--I won't do that again. [The last thing she wants to do is remind him of unpleasant memories, or do anything that would make him uncomfortable.] And...that goes for anything else, too. Anything you don't like, I'll avoid. I mean, this is supposed to be about what you do like.
[For a moment all he does is lean quietly into the touch, just until his heart stops beating in panic. The hand on his cheek is warm, the cabin is well-lit. He doesn't need to think about a dark room, dead hands and ice cold tears.]
I like when you sit here and grab my hair. I like touching you and hearing you hum. [His hand teases above the hem of her shorts again before tugging the sock, fingers curling over newly exposed skin.] But there's a lot I don't know yet, so.
[As impatient as she can usually be, there's none of that here: she waits as long as he needs, brushing her thumb over his cheekbone until he's ready. And when he is, she commits the things he does like to memory, even as a pink flush comes to her cheeks at I like touching you and hearing you and warm fingers brush over her thigh.]
...Yeah. Research is all about figuring out what works and what doesn't. [She nods, still focusing on his face. And, oh--since he liked it, she'll go back to brushing fingers through his hair again.] So, we'll...keep sharing results.
And...what a coincidence, since...I like your touches. [She says it both because it's very true, and because they are "sharing data", after all. They're important observations!]
[He relaxes further when she goes back to tousling his hair. Books and movies tell you everything is perfect right from the first kiss, that you magically know what to do and what the other person likes, but it's just silly wishful thinking. Rita may be leaning to hard into scientific jargon, but... she's right. "Sharing results" is the way to go.]
I'm glad. [Now pink tinges his own cheeks.] Anything - you like in particular?
[Her heart swells as she notices more of the tension leave him. She's still sorry for causing him panic--maybe she's read a book or two in her lifetime that includes romance, but...books aren't people. Books aren't them, specifically. She doesn't want to know what some fictional characters like; she wants to know what Natsuno likes, and the only way to know that is to both try and discuss.]
Hm...well... [Sure, she likes everything he's done so far, but she takes a moment. She'd like to try giving him a more thorough answer, the way he's done for her.] I liked it when you kissed the side of my face before. And where you were touching my thigh--maybe it's just...getting to feel you without something else in the way?
[Her flush deepens, but she'll stand by what she said! Also...] Actually, more than anything, I like seeing you react to something you like.
[Natsuno's eyes light up. He's already perfectly content to shower Rita with attention and know she's enjoying it, and hearing her affirm she takes pleasure in his joy makes hit heart swell. They're locked in a feedback loop of young love, and they aren't coming down from this high any time soon.]
I like you.
[And like the good boy he is, Natsuno starts kissing the side of her face, lips trailing her jawline all the way to her ear to suck the earlobe gently. One hand still strokes her thigh while the other slides under Rita's shirt to run circles on her lower back. It is nice to feel her without something else in the way.]
[As if the joy in his eyes didn't already flood her chest with warmth, she shivers with delight, burying her nose in his hair and curling her fingers against his scalp. She loves him, and the way he goes all-in, and his warm touches...
Both to reciprocate and as an additional apology, for earlier, she intones almost right in his ear:] And I like you...my good boy. Natsuno.
[She's fine calling him by any name he wants. Still, Natsuno has a nice ring to it, and she wants to try it on her tongue, see what he thinks.]
When Tohru-chan used his first name, it was annoying until it became endearing (in an annoying, best-friend-teasing kind of way). When Clarke uses his first name, it's a token of friendship (as well as the fact he failed to nip it in the bud, but telling her to knock it off when she just revived from her first death seemed tasteless).
When Rita says his name, though... it's Intimate in a way he never felt before. When Rita says his name, it doesn't sound girly or old-fashioned but special, like she can make it lovely just by being her.
His smile is audible against her ear.]
...I just found out another thing. I like when you say my name.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mid-january, before sunslime
Inside the box there's a reddish-brown cat plush, broken out from the claw machine. A pair of swimming goggles is secured to the toy's head, and it's dressed in a hideously colorful Tommy Bahama print and mismatched socks. The print is identical to one of Rita's favorite shirts, and the clothes has been sewn rather than staple. Someone went to quilting class just to get help with the stitches.
There's also a card, saying only "Meow."]
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And it is. She picks up the plush cat, glancing over the swimming goggles and little clothing set he made for it--is that proper stitching instead of staples, even?!--and finally realizing this is...her. To go with the drawings she'd made of Catsuno? Heh...how strange, that a children's doll should make her heart swell like this. And yet--she loves this sweet side of Natsuno, the one he's shown more and more, ever since that first gift he gave her. She suddenly feels the need to pair it with a second plush, if only she had a purple one...
Even that card--Meow. She wonders if he was blushing when he wrote it, or if he managed to keep a straight face--finds herself thinking about how much attention he must've been paying to crafting the outfit, and the concentration he must've had, and...remembering that expression after her promise.
A giddy rush goes through her, and she gently sets the plush on her nightstand before sending Natsuno a text:]
🐾 Your cabin?
[They're definitely not using her cabin, not with Shi Qingxuan being the third wheel pain he is. As an afterthought-]
We can kick Jade out if he's there. Old guys like him need to go for walks and stuff anyway.
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Sure. See you in 30 minutes?
[He's not going to drop everything and run! First Natsuno is going to finish his meal and then he's going to walk back to 109 like a normal person, and no one will ever know what thoughts were running behind his stoic expression.
Whether he kicked Jade out or found the coast clear, he texts Rita:]
He's out.
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[Two can play at the super casual not at all impatient game, but--thirty minutes?! Well...fine! She can totally wait a little longer...probably... Oh, she should take a quick shower since she did just get out of bed...
When Natsuno announces that Jade won't be bothering them, Rita heads right on over--giving a couple knocks on the door, and when Natsuno answers, he'll get-]
So...good meowning?
[She's grinning but bright-eyed with excitement at seeing him, and her hair is still a little damp from the shower--yes, she used her Research Reinvigorating Bath Supplies, not that she needed any help being awake!--and wearing an appropriately-themed outfit. Just because, of course.]
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It should be silly. It should ruin the mood with how ridiculous it is. Instead, it's a Meteor Storm (kitty version) to the face. Natsuno realizes quite a few things at that moment, the first being I'm into cat girls.]
Morning.
[He steps aside to let her in.]
How was the surprise?
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A walking Apurrcalypse just for Natsuno, she strolls right on in.]
Well...I was surprised--you put so much work in the details! [Her grin softens, thinking back to the staples.] And...it's perfect. Fio...
[Her fluster almost starts to trip her up a little here, but...since he heard the Catsuno nickname, it's only fair...] She came up with a name. Purrita.
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Purrita? [He chuckles.] I thought about "Ritakitty," but Purrita's much better.
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Hm...Purrita and Catsuno. Not a bad team, huh?
[She steps closer and reaches for his hands. Natsuno...sweet, dedicated, thoughtful...]
So...since you fulfilled your end, it's my turn now, right? It was a promise and all.
[And there's that eager gleam in her eyes as she recalls that expression. Ah, she wants to see him make that face again...]
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[Even when they were both suspicious, confused new arrivals. She was a quick-tempered weirdo, he's overly calm and difficult, but they worked well together. Natsuno's grown from respecting her intellect to appreciating her passion, cherishing her kind and loving her so, so much.
He takes her hands, lacing their fingers.]
Right. [He steps closer in turn so their bodies almost touch, unable and not wanting to hide his expectation.] And you always keep your promise.
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You know it. [She beams at him, and--unable to resist that face--leans in for a quick kiss. A little warm-up. When she pulls back, she grins.] Come on, sit down.
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He sits down almost immediately, looking at Rita in expectation, already feeling a giddy rush run through his body. She likes to compare him to a cat, but right now Natsuno wants to do everything she says like a good boy.]
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She swallows. This is the moment he's--they've--been waiting for. And as if she's intoning the incantation for a magic spell-]
Good boy, Yuuki.
[She doesn't lean in to kiss him yet, only because she wants to observe his reaction. Time for
scienceromancescience.]no subject
Good boy, Yuuki. Yes, he's a good boy, and good boys don't stay still when their beautiful genius girlfriends use that tone. Natsuno's hands trail along her thighs, stroking that tantalizing strip of bare skin between socks and shorts.]
Yeah? What else?
[What else will she call him? What else does she want? She will get all of it, just say the word.]
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And you're... [Wonderful. Cute. Handsome, even. It takes her a moment to collect her thoughts, so caught up in his eyes and the electric tingle of his fingers on her exposed skin. She leans forward, resting her forehead against his, and sliding her hands from his cheeks to tangle through his hair.]
You're...my good boy.
[And there's no more holding back: they're so close already, and she closes that last bit of distance to kiss him.]
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Ye - mmf -
[Oh she's already kissing him. That's alright, because Natsuno's been waiting in held breath and that's his cue to meet her eagerly, deepening the kiss. One arm goes around Rita's waist to press her close while the other runs gentle fingers on her back, her side, her leg. His eyes are shut but every other sense is tuned to Rita.]
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Emboldened and transfixed in equal measure, she responds to him deepening the kiss just as eagerly, tracing his lips with her tongue; one hand continues tousling his hair--petting her good boy--while the other glides down his side, fingers curling in his shirt. She wants to mentally map every little spot, find exactly what he likes and show him just how much she appreciates what a good boy he is. Just how much she loves him for being him, for being here.]
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The tongue, though... when she teases him like this it makes want to part his lips in turn, and he can't because there are fangs tucked behind his normal teeth and oh god don't unfold them don't be a freak - ]
W-wait, Rita -
[Her hand over his side. It feels nice where it's settled, but the way...]
Not my neck.
[Rita is warm and alive, and yet he can't help but remember another pair of hands.]
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--And then pulls back as soon as he tells her wait, though she has to blink a moment to focus. But--realization quickly dawns, and her fingers release his hair to cup his cheek again, apologetically. Right--vampires in stories usually go for the neck, don't they? She can't believe she didn't think about that earlier.]
Sorry, I--I won't do that again. [The last thing she wants to do is remind him of unpleasant memories, or do anything that would make him uncomfortable.] And...that goes for anything else, too. Anything you don't like, I'll avoid. I mean, this is supposed to be about what you do like.
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[For a moment all he does is lean quietly into the touch, just until his heart stops beating in panic. The hand on his cheek is warm, the cabin is well-lit. He doesn't need to think about a dark room, dead hands and ice cold tears.]
I like when you sit here and grab my hair. I like touching you and hearing you hum. [His hand teases above the hem of her shorts again before tugging the sock, fingers curling over newly exposed skin.] But there's a lot I don't know yet, so.
[It's research, right? They're learning together.]
Don't stop trying to find out.
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...Yeah. Research is all about figuring out what works and what doesn't. [She nods, still focusing on his face. And, oh--since he liked it, she'll go back to brushing fingers through his hair again.] So, we'll...keep sharing results.
And...what a coincidence, since...I like your touches. [She says it both because it's very true, and because they are "sharing data", after all. They're important observations!]
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I'm glad. [Now pink tinges his own cheeks.] Anything - you like in particular?
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Hm...well... [Sure, she likes everything he's done so far, but she takes a moment. She'd like to try giving him a more thorough answer, the way he's done for her.] I liked it when you kissed the side of my face before. And where you were touching my thigh--maybe it's just...getting to feel you without something else in the way?
[Her flush deepens, but she'll stand by what she said! Also...] Actually, more than anything, I like seeing you react to something you like.
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I like you.
[And like the good boy he is, Natsuno starts kissing the side of her face, lips trailing her jawline all the way to her ear to suck the earlobe gently. One hand still strokes her thigh while the other slides under Rita's shirt to run circles on her lower back. It is nice to feel her without something else in the way.]
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[As if the joy in his eyes didn't already flood her chest with warmth, she shivers with delight, burying her nose in his hair and curling her fingers against his scalp. She loves him, and the way he goes all-in, and his warm touches...
Both to reciprocate and as an additional apology, for earlier, she intones almost right in his ear:] And I like you...my good boy. Natsuno.
[She's fine calling him by any name he wants. Still, Natsuno has a nice ring to it, and she wants to try it on her tongue, see what he thinks.]
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When Tohru-chan used his first name, it was annoying until it became endearing (in an annoying, best-friend-teasing kind of way). When Clarke uses his first name, it's a token of friendship (as well as the fact he failed to nip it in the bud, but telling her to knock it off when she just revived from her first death seemed tasteless).
When Rita says his name, though... it's Intimate in a way he never felt before. When Rita says his name, it doesn't sound girly or old-fashioned but special, like she can make it lovely just by being her.
His smile is audible against her ear.]
...I just found out another thing. I like when you say my name.
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