[ She's engaged, he notices. Which is good. If she hadn't been, he definitely would have lost interest fast. People who are interested are far more interesting. And it isn't that he has much experience, limited to a couple quick engagements for the sake of experience, really. So rather than drawing on what he has limited knowledge of, he draws on his desire to experience things. He doesn't need to know exactly what to do, he just needs to know what he wants. It's how he's always worked.
Right now, he wants to see how she reacts to touch, what she'll allow of him, what he can press, what he can test.
She seems to be doing the same, and he appreciates that she wants to explore. They're alike like that, aren't they? There's a soft, pleased sound that escapes when her hand moves over his chest. He clearly enjoys the additional contact, and even the brief increase in Manna between the two of them isn't needed to notice.
He does notice she's enjoyed those touches, light and intentional. So, he'll give her more, tracing his thumb over her jawline. His hand, positioned under her jacket, doesn't move much but his fingers wonder. They explore what's within reach right now, what he can feel through the thin fabric of her shirt.
He considers what parts of her he wants to explore next while his hand keeps busy. ]
[It's like — it's like a massage, sort of, but more possessive. That's the best way she can think of to describe it, how he's keeping his hands fairly stationary but still going out of his way to make the way he's touching her emphatic. There's plenty to catalogue and consider, but in the moment and for later — liking this, not caring for that, having no preference whatsoever about something else that on its face she might've thought she'd have a stronger opinion about. The holding is nice. The fact that the way he touches her seems to be more for her benefit than for his — that, she approves of.
And it gives her ideas. Lends guidance, about what she might try herself. She finds she likes his deft, long-fingered hands, so having them on her is exciting. She ought to figure out what he likes about her in return, and do more of it.
His face, she decides eventually. He's proud and confident and keeps himself clean-shaven, without razor burn or blemishes that might suggest a lack of care for his skin. Doubtful he ever lets anyone touch his face. She wouldn't, outside of a moment like this. Such a thing would be far, far too intimate.
So, carefully, she brings her fingers up and runs just the very tips of them around the shell of his ear, down to where the lobe comes close to his jaw, and strokes them down at a languid pace toward his chin. It's not quite to the point of holding his cheek in her hand, but the suggestion of it is there, and she keeps her touches so light as to be barely suggestions — tempting him, taunting him, waiting to gauge how he'll react.]
[ She's right to make the assumptions that she does about him. He doesn't usually get his face touched by people. At least not like this where it's almost soft and affectionate. Almost, but he knows what this arrangement is. And even though this arrangement is about effectively generating Manna, there's no reason they can't thoroughly enjoy themselves. He aims to find things he likes to do with her, even if only because it makes future meetings (which he already anticipates) easier.
And he tilts his head, just a little, into the touch. It's a shift of approval for her. His way to let her know he likes it.
Finally, his hand he had settled under her jacket drifts, shifts away briefly. He places it loosely on her hip, still moved under her jacket. He doesn't grip her tight, but his fingers curl just slightly. Just as she had implied, he is implying holding her there, here. If she doesn't swat him away (he assumes she'd be honest if she disliked anything he was doing, it is of no benefit to either of them if she dislikes something and it hurts the Synchrony), he'll finally move his other hand to her other hip, settling in simply there, too.
But he'll finally pull from the kiss, take a moment. He doesn't say anything, just considers her for a moment. Taking in her facial expression, memorizing it, storing it if he should need it for future work. ]
[Her heart is beating faster, when they pull away. That's a physiological reaction, it's just to be expected. Her pupils are a little dilated; that's not something she had control over, either. The flush in her cheeks, the wet of her lips, the thick dark fringe of her eyelashes framing her irises — none of that is anything she could be expected to do anything about. It simply is what it is.
But that last bit of an exchange between them has made her curious, she discovers. Pleasant as it is to be kissed (and to experience the Synchrony that comes of it, because she can feel that simmering, too), there's something more intriguing that strikes her now. She wants to make Rohan Kishibe react. Wants to act, and see him respond.
She can see the way he's watching her, taking stock of her. It occurs to her, all of a sudden, that they're a little more alike than she'd thought.]
You put up such a hard front.
[She runs her fingers along the same path again, around his ear, down his chin. This time she goes further, and brushes them down the column of his neck, tracing circles around his pulse.]
Do you hold everyone at arm's length, just to see who's brave enough to reach out and touch you anyway?
[ Her fingers get closer to his gem, the more that they move, and he considers that she's teasing him a little. They've just met, but he also sees that they're pretty similar in some ways. The way she watches him, reads him, takes him in. And maybe that's what makes this easier - a mutual understanding without much effort. He likes it when things are a little more straightforward when interacting with people sometimes. Because he can spend some time putting the story together rather than solving a puzzle first to get to the story.
With her question, though, he steps in closer. He's going to close that distance between the two of them just a little. ]
I think taking risks makes people a little more exciting.
[ That much is certainly true. People who aren't willing to challenge themselves, push forward, and seek out new and interesting things? They aren't really worth his time. ]
no subject
Right now, he wants to see how she reacts to touch, what she'll allow of him, what he can press, what he can test.
She seems to be doing the same, and he appreciates that she wants to explore. They're alike like that, aren't they? There's a soft, pleased sound that escapes when her hand moves over his chest. He clearly enjoys the additional contact, and even the brief increase in Manna between the two of them isn't needed to notice.
He does notice she's enjoyed those touches, light and intentional. So, he'll give her more, tracing his thumb over her jawline. His hand, positioned under her jacket, doesn't move much but his fingers wonder. They explore what's within reach right now, what he can feel through the thin fabric of her shirt.
He considers what parts of her he wants to explore next while his hand keeps busy. ]
no subject
And it gives her ideas. Lends guidance, about what she might try herself. She finds she likes his deft, long-fingered hands, so having them on her is exciting. She ought to figure out what he likes about her in return, and do more of it.
His face, she decides eventually. He's proud and confident and keeps himself clean-shaven, without razor burn or blemishes that might suggest a lack of care for his skin. Doubtful he ever lets anyone touch his face. She wouldn't, outside of a moment like this. Such a thing would be far, far too intimate.
So, carefully, she brings her fingers up and runs just the very tips of them around the shell of his ear, down to where the lobe comes close to his jaw, and strokes them down at a languid pace toward his chin. It's not quite to the point of holding his cheek in her hand, but the suggestion of it is there, and she keeps her touches so light as to be barely suggestions — tempting him, taunting him, waiting to gauge how he'll react.]
no subject
And he tilts his head, just a little, into the touch. It's a shift of approval for her. His way to let her know he likes it.
Finally, his hand he had settled under her jacket drifts, shifts away briefly. He places it loosely on her hip, still moved under her jacket. He doesn't grip her tight, but his fingers curl just slightly. Just as she had implied, he is implying holding her there, here. If she doesn't swat him away (he assumes she'd be honest if she disliked anything he was doing, it is of no benefit to either of them if she dislikes something and it hurts the Synchrony), he'll finally move his other hand to her other hip, settling in simply there, too.
But he'll finally pull from the kiss, take a moment. He doesn't say anything, just considers her for a moment. Taking in her facial expression, memorizing it, storing it if he should need it for future work. ]
no subject
But that last bit of an exchange between them has made her curious, she discovers. Pleasant as it is to be kissed (and to experience the Synchrony that comes of it, because she can feel that simmering, too), there's something more intriguing that strikes her now. She wants to make Rohan Kishibe react. Wants to act, and see him respond.
She can see the way he's watching her, taking stock of her. It occurs to her, all of a sudden, that they're a little more alike than she'd thought.]
You put up such a hard front.
[She runs her fingers along the same path again, around his ear, down his chin. This time she goes further, and brushes them down the column of his neck, tracing circles around his pulse.]
Do you hold everyone at arm's length, just to see who's brave enough to reach out and touch you anyway?
no subject
With her question, though, he steps in closer. He's going to close that distance between the two of them just a little. ]
I think taking risks makes people a little more exciting.
[ That much is certainly true. People who aren't willing to challenge themselves, push forward, and seek out new and interesting things? They aren't really worth his time. ]