his head tilts slightly beneath her hand, unconsciously chasing the contact once more before he catches himself and stills.
a faint grimace crosses his features when he realizes.
“ i’m not rushing anything. “ he’s adamant. though his words lack any real bite.
⠀
the second her fingers find his hair, whatever restraint he had been clinging to slips through his grasp with embarrassing ease.
his eyes flutter shut for half a second before opening again, gaze narrowing just slightly.
“ rush .ᐣ “
⠀
⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀when he doesn't move, a sliver of satisfaction glistens behind those chocolate hues. a soft, barely there, smirk tugs at the corner of her lips as her hand moves back ——— resting at her side for the moment. ⤸
⠀
he exhales, slower this time, like he’s letting the tension drain out rather than pushing against it. he doesn’t pull away, but his reaction isn’t immediate surrender either. it’s hesitation.
his gaze drops, just briefly, tracking her hand before returning to her face.
⠀
⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀her gaze doesn't falter, fixed on him as if almost impossible to look away. it was entertaining to watch his growing irritation, while an amused smile settled on her lips. the smoke doesn't bother her in the way ⤸
⠀
the steadiness he’d been holding starts to fray at the edges, not dramatically, just enough to show he’s no longer fully in control of the pacing between them.
“ i know. “ he speaks at last.
the tension in his shoulders loosens first, then his jaw follows.
⠀
⠀⠀
a low chuckle escaped him, one brow lifting.
“ aye, sure. totally normal. “
his eyes lingered on her for a moment, amused.
“ you’re a god awful liar, y’know .ᐣ that innocent act is startin’ to crack. “
⠀⠀
she chuckled a little, her smile widening into something brighter, more playful.
“who, me?”
her lashes flutter, her countenance feigning innocence.
“I’m looking at you totally normal.”
⠀⠀
he leans forward just enough and exhales the smoke straight back at her.
“ do ye enjoy bein' a pain in the arse, or does it just come naturally to ye .ᐣ “
⠀⠀
⠀⠀
he turns the near dead cigarette between his fingers, looking at it like it’s an insult he’s not sure whether to laugh at or toss away.
“ so i get the leftovers and the smoke in me face. very generous of ye. “
eyes lift back to hers, irritation now clearer.
⠀⠀
⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the corner of her mouth twitches up in clear amusement. she might be enjoying it a bit too much, letting him rumble and demand as if it has ever worked on her. brown hues fall to his hand briefly, before they meet his ⤸
⠀⠀
“ you’ve a funny way of keeping company, lassie. ”
with a quiet scoff, he brings the cigarette to his lips and takes one final drag, drawing the last of it to the filter out of pure spite. then, holding her gaze the entire time, +
⠀⠀
⠀⠀
ㅤhis jaw tightened for the briefest moment, caught off guard by how quickly she’d seen through him.
ㅤ “ aye .ᐣ maybe i am. hard not to be when a girl like you’s lookin’ at me that way. “
ㅤhe admitted, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
⠀⠀
the idea alone made a bolt of electricity shoot up her spine, her gaze falling to where his hand cradled hers. her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, impossible to ignore.
“yeah?” eyes lifted once more, a playful little smirk forming on her visage, petite shoulders +