[ If her hands keep moving, she'll inevitably find some well-healed scar or another. Tseng’s lips press together as a subtle shift ripples through him under her caress, but there’s no trace of discomfort. His breath brushes her temple.
Tseng’s fingers touch the salted ends of her hair. His role has always demanded vigilance and restraint, but now he knows that the latter was never entirely honest. The way Aerith has changed over the years—grown into her womanhood—hasn’t gone unnoticed. Meanwhile, he’s seen and heard her laugh a dozen times, but never felt it so intently against his own skin. When she laughs he can’t help but still tighten his grip on her, his body reacts instinctively to the sound.
Tseng’s mind pulls back to every time he has watched her watch him. Was it just a consequence of noticing each other? He lingers where her waist curves under his hand. His thumb sweeps in a slow, deliberate arc beneath her breast. ]
I’ve always watched you. [ The dull explanation of his job. This isn’t what she means, though. Instead of stalling: ] Something changed that I wasn’t prepared for. Does that make sense?
[ He watches her through half-lidded eyes, sharp but softened in ways only she can manage. She should know... it’s harder to stop looking than she thinks. ]
no subject
Tseng’s fingers touch the salted ends of her hair. His role has always demanded vigilance and restraint, but now he knows that the latter was never entirely honest. The way Aerith has changed over the years—grown into her womanhood—hasn’t gone unnoticed. Meanwhile, he’s seen and heard her laugh a dozen times, but never felt it so intently against his own skin. When she laughs he can’t help but still tighten his grip on her, his body reacts instinctively to the sound.
Tseng’s mind pulls back to every time he has watched her watch him. Was it just a consequence of noticing each other? He lingers where her waist curves under his hand. His thumb sweeps in a slow, deliberate arc beneath her breast. ]
I’ve always watched you. [ The dull explanation of his job. This isn’t what she means, though. Instead of stalling: ] Something changed that I wasn’t prepared for. Does that make sense?
[ He watches her through half-lidded eyes, sharp but softened in ways only she can manage. She should know... it’s harder to stop looking than she thinks. ]