eat your heart out, henry higgens | for ringlette

[fujimaru]

[ Most of the time, life at Chaldea is predictable, in its own way: when there isn't a crisis situation, there's daily missions that need to get completed like any regular set of chores, there's training simulations running 24/7, and by this point, there are regularly scheduled movie and game nights, because it turns out that a surprising number of Chaldea's population can be placated for a couple of hours by boardgames. Certainly that's not something Ritsuka would have ever expected, when she first signed onto this venture, but it's still something she's pretty grateful for.

But once in a rare while, curveball situations come up. Summers usually fall into that category, and this year is no exception. A disturbance has started in a glamorous seaside resort, the sort of thing where very possibly the world might end if left to percolate, weird occurrences, the occasional seaweed-infested skeleton rising out of the deep to claw at the ankles of all the beautiful people gathered. The usual stuff.

Some of these beautiful people include Ritsuka's Servants, and while she's kind of proud of that... she does kind of feel like she stands out like a sore thumb a bit more than usual. Especially when, one way or another, they manage to obtain invitations to a masquerade ball. Not staff passes, to sneak into the back, but actual invitations. Ritsuka is going to die.

But at least she's going to do her best to not be an embarrassment to everyone else!

So it's three days before the ball when she knocks on Marie's door. ]

Marie? Are you in? I need to ask you a favor...

Comments

[ringlette]

Do not apologize. Your feet will barely give me any pain.

[ After setting the mood with generic but still nice slow dance music, Marie finally steps in front of Ritsuka, ready to go. First, she'll give the other girl an elegant, practiced curtsy, and then offers her hand out with a warm smile on her tender features. ]

If I may have this dance with you, Master, s'il vous plaît...

[fujimaru]

I'd love to.

[ Because there it is, distilled down to the simple truth: Ritsuka is happier in this moment than she can remember in a long time. In this room, in this little pocket of space and time, she can play pretend at being a princess and not feel like she's being judged, or that the weight of the world is on her. Marie has a skill for lightening the mood, and Ritsuka loves her for it.

She curtsies back-- not as gracefully, but at least not completely awkward-- and puts her hand in Marie's. ]

Please.

[ringlette]

[ Upon having her hand taken, Marie will slowly pull Ritsuka towards her so they're well aligned, her other hand reaching the girl's waistline. She naturally takes charge of the whole thing, starting to move along with the music after making sure her partner is ready to go. ]

Do tell me if you need a break, Master. Also, do not hesitate asking me questions if you are confused.

[fujimaru]

I think I'll be fine... I'm pretty good at learning by example.

[ That's how she's lived her life in nearly everything to date, even before Chaldea.

She's also maybe the tiniest bit nervous as she adjusts her position to try and mirror Marie's. It's closer than she usually ever gets to another person, and her brain is very helpful in reminding her that Marie is, in fact, quite beautiful. She's got high cheekbones and wide eyes and soft hands and that is not appropriate so maybe just focus on learning how to dance! Ritsuka! ]

So, uh, ready when you are.

[ringlette]

[ Despite relishing in the fact her Master is leaning so close to her, their faces few inches apart and their hands holding onto each other, Marie is handling the situation quite better. There is only a slight pink dusting her cheeks, which she shrugs off with an amiable smile as she acknowledges Ritsuka's go-ahead to begin.

She guides her partner across the room, swiftly avoiding obstacles and making sure neither of them bump into them. Every change of cadence, she twirls them around and carries on peacefully like she's dancing with a fellow pro. If Ritsuka happens to make a misstep, Marie makes sure her own feet are out of the way. ]

[fujimaru]

[ The good news is that Ritsuka is not quite as clumsy as she'd made herself sound.

The bad news is that she's still clearly inexperienced with dancing at all, and in spite of her best efforts and focus, there are still definitely moments where she comes very close to stepping on Marie's feet. She doesn't apologize outright, but she does make contrite noises at every near miss.

But it does eventually settle; she does start to get the hang of it. And that's her cue to tempt fate, surely: ]

This isn't so bad...

[ringlette]

[ Everytime Ritsuka looks distressed by a misstep, Marie is tempted to kiss her face and tell her to relax. But she holds back, knowing the former act would make things a bit awkward and counterproductive for their purpose. Still, with their faces this up close, her Master is the cutest thing ever...

The next minutes fly by with little issue. Marie smiles in approval, glad the experience doesn't feel terrible on the girl. ]

Practice makes good, non? By the end of today, you might become a more than decent dancer!

[fujimaru]

[ She laughs a bit at that; she can't quite help it. It's a bit bashful, to be sure, but it's still more confident than before. ]

If I'm at all decent, it's because I had a good teacher. The best!

[ Is she strong enough or brave enough to try dipping Marie? Not yet, but she's working up to it. That's not how a waltz goes at all, but Ritsuka has watched enough romantic dramas and also dance competitions that the idea has taken root in her head.

So not yet, but she does shift slightly closer to Marie as they move. ]

You really are a lifesaver. I can't thank you enough.

[ringlette]

[ Marie could glow in her own light for all the praise and grateful words she's receiving from the person she cares most for. It's just some dance lesson but the fact it's making Ritsuka happy is what she exactly hoped for. This is what real accomplishments feels like. She could burst into particles right now, shoot herself out of the window and straight to the sky, become the brightest star up there, and that would be okay because she's already lived a perfect (spirit) life all thanks to her Master.

She squeezes the hand in her hold, visibly blushing.

How tempting it is to kiss this girl right now. ]

Please, chéri, that is so much. I might start burning from your kind words!

[ Instead, she says that. It might not even be far from true. ]

[fujimaru]

You can't do that! I haven't even gotten started!

[ She blurts that in a rush, and then has to consider: well, now that she's admitted it, she has to follow through, right? She's not the sort of person who likes playing coy, even when it would benefit her. And Marie has always been so many things for Ritsuka, for so long--

She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and grabbing at Marie's hand with both of her own. Do or die, that's what you're best at. Don't think about it too hard, don't worry about sounding stupid or not being cool enough, just do it. ]

Because-- you're really great, you know? You're smart, and graceful, and kind, and you're so good at making people comfortable, and you're really, really beautiful--

[ As long as she keeps talking she doesn't have to think too hard about what she's saying, right?? ]

[ringlette]

[ This girl right here is about to give Marie a heart attack and that's just from the cruel kindness she's suddenly riddling the Queen with. Where did all of that come from? How dare she attack her like this?! That's cheating! Betrayal! Is that what's going to come out of a mere innocent dancing lesson? Her second death by her Master's hands?!

Dramatics aside, Marie halts with her feet skidding over the floor, and she's glad the music is still acting as white noise because her heart is pounding and she doesn't need to hear it. Her free hand is slapped against her own face, failing to hide the darker shades of blush over her cheeks. What in the world is this? Why is Ritsuka able to make her feel in such a way? She loves the praise, it makes her happy, so so so so happy, but it also assails her with heavy embarrassment. Geez! Talk about rude!

She draws a deep breath, then shakes her head. ]

I beg of you, Master, stop! Or else... or else I'll have to take drastic measures!

[fujimaru]

It's true though! If I have to listen to it, then so do you!!

[ She's still riding on the force of sheer nerves at this point. Maybe there's a little bit of reckless pleasure in it, too: Ritsuka is much better at giving compliments than she is at accepting them. And it's rare that she gets to fluster Marie, so her instinct is to push while she still can. ]

I'm not doing it to flatter you-- if I say it, I mean it. I think you're one of the prettiest people I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen a lot of really beautiful people at this point, and if you didn't know that, then I'll need to make sure I say it even more and more! So there!

[ringlette]

That is different! I have a right to speak beautifully of others as a Queen! You little-...

[ There's no sense to be talked here. Marie is so flustered she loses the connection between the words she's saying, and that's bad, really bad, she can't silence Ritsuka in any other manner except if she slapped both hands to the girl's mouth, and who knows if it would even work—

Except... there are still those Drastic Measures she spoke of.

She wastes no time then, feeling that her Master has earned her punishment. With a rapid movement, she quickly interrupts Ritsuka mid-sentence... with a kiss, stamped straight to the lips. ]

[fujimaru]

--?!

[ On some level, she'd sort of suspected (hoped? maybe hoped is the better word) that this might have been the Drastic Measures Marie alluded to.

But that doesn't make her any less surprised when it happens. Her not-quite tirade cuts off in a startled squeak, her eyes wide, her mouth open. Her hands, still clutching Marie's, start to go slack, then grip tighter.

Ritsuka.exe has crashed, please reboot. ]

[ringlette]

[ Good. That's exactly what Marie wanted to achieve by this, even with her hands bound by the other's. She manages to set them free just so she can lace their fingers together, pressing herself against Ritsuka more firmly, establishing the dominance she can easily show through actions.

The kiss itself is half sweet, half intense, only lips being glued together for now, but anything can change and take either one or the other route depending on how her Master reacts - whatever option she's going to select.

Marie, in all honesty, places all her hopes for a specific one. ]

[fujimaru]

[ There's a few long seconds where Ritsuka hesitates. It's a little funny -- she very rarely thinks twice about charging blindly into danger, or even in going along with things that she knows are suspicious. She's never hesitated in stepping up when there's been need (even if she's complained and grumbled a little in the process).

But for nice things? For the things that Ritsuka likes and wants, not as the Master of Chaldea but just as a (slightly tired) girl? That's a lot more difficult. It isn't that she thinks she doesn't deserve nice things or anything like that, just-- being intensely aware of her own inexperience, and her own small self.

She wants this, though. She likes this. And after those few seconds of hesitation, she lifts her hands to settle them lightly on Marie's back, so that it's no longer just a kiss, but a full-fledged embrace. ]

[ringlette]

[ Looking back, she maybe could have been less pushy about it, but fact of the matter is that she did it for a good reason - her own heart was melting... melting! ... under all that praise - and it's just a lip contact imbued with love, nothing more, even though she's kind of worried her Master is going to get mad and push her away. Boundaries are like that after all.

Seconds pass and nothing happens... no, actually something does happen, and it's all about Ritsuka's arms sneaking around Marie and push her closer. It immediately fills the Queen with relief, and she leans in, accepting the embrace so happily while her own hands are free to get up in her Master's face and cup her cheeks, unwilling to stop the kiss.

She has to break away after a bit, for air, but then dips in once again, still hesitating with the idea of deepening it, keeping it sweet and locked away from tongues for now. ]

[fujimaru]

[ Once could have (probably) been written off as a mistake or a joke -- something that had gone a bit too far to shut her up. Ritsuka has done stupider things by far.

Twice, though, has to be on purpose. Twice initiated by the other person and not Ritsuka's own desire means she's allowed to treat this as something she's allowed to have. When Marie kisses her again, Ritsuka lets herself tighten her grip, pulling their bodies even closer together. This is okay. She's allowed.

And having that permission makes her a little bolder, enough that she parts her lips. It's an invitation, and maybe the tiniest bit of a challenge, nipping gently at Marie's lower lip. ]

[ringlette]

[ Marie's now aware that once she took a dip in this risky action, there was no way she would have wanted to get out of it. She knows what's going on. A temptress she would be at times, teasing and then withdrawing like it meant nothing more than a little game. Things have reversed a bit here, with Ritsuka catching her bottom lip, parting her own with a clear invitation to come in, and not for the first time Marie is at the mercy of temptation.

Besides, with how she's meeting clear consent here, there would be no disastrous consequences for what they're about to do. The ball will start much later. They have so much time on their hands.

She slips a hand to the back of Ritsuka's head, keeping in her place while her tongue slips in, quick and hungry, taking what's being offered to her. ]

[fujimaru]

[ This isn't really at all what Ritsuka expected, nor is it something she would have pushed for. She's so bad at that; it's one thing to put herself out there in battle or for the sake of friendship -- something like this still always feels weirdly presumptuous. Who would expect the people who grace Chaldea's halls to ever give Ritsuka a serious second glance?

But even if she's bad at making the first move, even if she is sometimes dense, she's not stupid. She can recognize a cue when it's presented to her.

She fumbles for just a moment, trying to figure out where to put her hands. At this point, there's probably nothing that's strictly off-limits, but she also wants to enjoy this. She wants to take in this moment to its fullest, yielding to Marie's exploration and allowing that freedom without being entirely passive.

In the end, what Ritsuka does is let her hands move up, trying to find and undo the fastenings for Marie's hair. It's always so pretty, and she wants to be able to feel it through her fingers. That feels like a good start. ]

[ringlette]

[ Touching her hair seems to be a luxury considering her history and rank, but it actually is not. Marie would allow people that much freedom if they wanted to, it was no issue to her unless they tugged too much and hurt her in the process. Fact stands that no one really reached for her hair in a long time, and Ritsuka being prompted to, just now, get her hands up and try to undo ribbons tying it up, gives her a rather interesting whiplash.

She ends up snorting a little and smile in the kiss as she can tell her Master is taking a bit long to find what will get her hair loose. After a bit, Marie helps out, placing her hand on top of those ones attacking her and leading them to the right direction.

Silver blonde strands feel extremely silky to the touch when they finally cascade loosely onto her shoulders, running down her back and stopping just below her lower hips. Marie hardly shows herself with her hair untied to others. Although she's not self-conscious about it, seeing this deliberate permission as Ritsuka having gained the right to see her in this state sounds lovely to the Queen.

The kiss ends briefly after, and with a happy sigh, she leans back a little to allow the other girl full view of her now undone hair, which is adorning her warm smile. ]

Please, do not hesitate touching me however you like.

[fujimaru]

That's a lot of freedom to give me.

[ But even as she says that, she's reaching to run her fingers through Marie's hair, slow and careful, trying to avoid any potential snags. She kind of doubts there will be any (Servants and their perfect everything, jeeze), but being gentle like this makes her feel better, too. ]

...I meant what I said, too. You're really beautiful.

[ Marie is in that tier that Ritsuka knows she'll never reach: delicate, graceful, elegant, classically beautiful, a flower in bloom, even before the the advantages of being a Servant. And maybe there's a tiny part of her that envies that, but the greater part, the part she listens to, is only admiring. Once her fingers slip free of Marie's hair, she settles them on her shoulders instead, stroking gently down her arms. Anything bolder than that, she needs to work up to. ]

It's amazing. You're amazing.

[ringlette]

[ It might please Ritsuka to know that Marie's hair is devoid of any snags and, indeed, perfect in any way, especially because she takes care of it every single day. They're going to feel like silk through the fingers, and she closes her eyes in unrestrained bliss. She actually likes having her hair played with, but because of her high ranked status and a pair of overly protective men - a certain musician and executioner - there was pretty much no one who even tried having a go at it.

A little frown settles in as Master resumes her praise, but Marie surrenders to the knowledge that those words won't stop flowing even if she were to kiss the girl multiple times. Actually, she wants to kiss her again now.

Refraining that urge for now, she reopens her eyes, relishing in the affection over her arms. In return, Marie cups Ritsuka's cheeks once again, thumb stroking down the soft cheeks. ]

You are beautiful, too. I say that truly, from the bottom of my heart.

[fujimaru]

...

[ A little laugh bursts out of her, small and shy, and Ritsuka ducks her head. A moment later, she leans into Marie's body, letting her forehead rest against her shoulder. It's not quite a hug, but it has the same sort of needy closeness to it.

And then a beat later, Ritsuka completes the gesture, lifting her arms to wrap them loosely around Marie's waist. ]

I don't think I'd believe it from most people... but when you say it, I kind of do?

[ "Beautiful" still seems like a standard she can't really reach, but it's nice to hear. And it's nice to feel it, if only for a short time. ]

[ringlette]

[ Ritsuka moves in, laughing radiantly, and Marie consequently adjusts her hands so they're tenderly embracing the other's neck instead. Her nose brushes the side of her Master's hair with unbound affection. ]

You should believe it, no matter who says it, because it is true.

[ She kisses Ritsuka's temple, drawn in closer in the embrace because of the arms around her waist that make her feel secure and loved. ]

I love you so much, Master...