#█ ▓『 ✦ ⸂ •• THREAD — ⧼ o4: xamassed / kobato and himari. ⧽ 』

[causalitylinked]

    As soon as she retracts her hands, he'll immediately blink, for yet again, she had demonstrated a reaction he hadn't quite expected. ...Then again, given how delusional he was, Kobato's understanding of women often happened to be flawed at best, meaning for better or for worse, Himari was dealing with an idiot who thinks more, using his heart and his dick rather than his head.

    Seriously, almost everything he said should have been taken with a grain of salt, because while he mostly wasn't a liar, what he believes to be truth wasn't always the truth and he may sometimes exaggerate things to hide his ulterior motives. ...In other words, even if he did have complex reasons regarding why he behaved the way he did besides maybe getting into her pants, Kobato didn't exactly have the words to properly verbalize his inner psyche, to the point where he'll soon tilt his head, befuddled.

    "But how do you know I don't mean it, Hiiiimarin? Wouldn't it be easier to just let yourself fall deeply and madly in love with me? You know, the whole... 'don't think, only feel' thing my man Bruce Lee keeps saying! After all, we ain't getting any younger," he then whines. The specific quote in question, however, was 'don't think, feel', and to begin with, it was way more likely that philosophy Bruce Lee spouted had more to do with the true mastery of martial arts than romance, but knowing Kobato, it's doubtful he even realized that.

    Regardless, the moment she mentions her mother, one of his brows was quick to arch upwards. "Oh, she's still alive and kickin'? Any chance you could let me meet her sometime then, so I could ask for your hand in marriage?" Kobato shamelessly questions. Was he being serious? Honestly, nobody knew at this point. "And who says you can't still spend time with me?" Sure enough, he then proceeds to flash a knowing grin her way. "Heck, if ya want, I could even take you out on a date right now~"

She wished she had the willpower to fight his control over her hands, but she didn't have it in her heart to rebel. But she did wish that he would show her mercy and keep his eyes hidden. With them uncovered, he could witnessed just how flustered she became when his lips kissed sweet at her hand.

"S—Stop saying that. You can't mean it." It was killing her how confusing he could be. He was a relentless flirt, shameless even, but it truly felt to her that there were moments when he was sincere. She was exceedingly naïve, and she knew that, but Himari could never tell when situations called for caution and deeper thinking. He was a dear friend, after all, and it never sat right to doubt someone she card for.

But, she realized now that she was exhausted.

Her hands moved again, except this time she used them to hide her own face. It wasn't the same girlish hiding that she normally did. She slumped forward, elbows on her knees and shoulders drooping.

"And whenever I'm with you, Kobato, my heart feels so tired. . ." She had tried to understand him after all the time they had spent together, and she felt no closer to knowing his intentions. Then, into her hands and under her breath, she muttered. "And I still want to spend time with you. Maybe my mom was right, I am a glutton for punishment."

[causalitylinked]

    The moment Himari suddenly seizes his face with both her hands, Kobato would immediately freeze, for the reaction she exhibited was certainly much more different than what he was normally accustomed to; after all, on the off chance he ever said something absolutely shameless, girls would normally smack him, but instead, her fingers would go on to cover his eyes and lips, causing him to instinctively reach up to grasp her wrists.

    Considering he didn't wish to hurt her, however, his grip remains gentle as he subsequently pries off the hand that obscured his vision. Though, when it came to the other one, he'll first shift his hand around until he was holding the flat end of her palm against his lips, before giving it a kiss and pulling it away until they lingered over her knuckles.

    Afterwards, he'll then send a wink her way... completely oblivious to the fact Himari might be more so uncomfortable than embarrassed by his earlier remarks. Then again, this was the same guy who ended up hitting on Kiriko when she was crying back in Redo, so it could be argued his complete lack of discretion and consideration wasn't much of a surprise at this point. "Why? 'Cause I'm super crazy about you obviously~" Kobato finally whispers against her skin.

    "Whenever I'm with you, Himarin, my heart feels like it's on absolute faaaaiya! ♥̩"

The pitying expression on her face lasted for all of three seconds, every word that tumbled from Kobato's lips adding another notch of severe embarrassment.

She couldn't fault him for being out-spoken. He was brave and bold, speaking his mind rather than squirreling away his thoughts. It was a wonderful idea to compliment people shamelessly, but she supposed he could have gone about it a better way.

Could have gone about complimenting her in a better way too, but she hardly had it in her heart to stop him. She was too flustered, too foggy in the mind to properly put together a string of words that demanded respect and honesty.

She could, however, panic and act on that mess of feelings.

She didn't slap him. Violence wasn't in her nature, but she did reach out and cover his face with both of her trembling hands. She tried to focus on his mouth, but the horrible awkwardness of it all meant her hands had gone all over his face. His lips and eyes were covered, but she couldn't sprout an extra pair of hands to cover his ears. If she could, she would have and disguised her uneasy whimpers.

"St—Stop!" She pushed him away, hands still glued firmly to his face. "Why are you saying that?!"

[causalitylinked]

    Once Himari does as he requested, Kobato would begin pressing the tape over the bottom and lower corners of the bandage. However, the whole entire time, his brows would knit together as he ponders over how best to answer her previous question... only, upon deciding it's best he be as honest with her as possible, his lips would eventually part, revealing what had actually happened.

    "Lookin' back, it's probs 'cause I was a major horn dog and blurted out her legs were gosh darn pretty." Honestly, given the fact Kobato had always been quite overly straightforward when it came to the fairer sex, he doesn't exactly try hard to mask his attraction towards other women to the point where he would easily get turned on by one manhandling him and would even bend over backwards for what he'd call a 'single crumb of pussy'. Why, he was so desperate, a girl could practically fling herself into his own arms and he would ravish her, no questions asked. That was how hopelessly pathetic he was.

    "But these days, I'd rather be 'tween yours." No sooner did he finish telling her this, Kobato would then lean back, observing how the bandage was firmly secured against her forehead before flashing Himari yet another coquettish grin. ...In the end, she truly was a saint for not smacking him right then and there, because if nothing else, this man was certainly emboldened enough to voice aloud his suggestive remarks without much consideration or regard for the one on the receiving end of them.

    "I betcha it's like heaven on earth~ Heck, if I died, being suffocated by your thighs wouldn't be such a bad way to go," Kobato goes on to coo, allowing his voice to take on a more sickeningly saccharine tone. "And it's why I love you, baby~ You're always so sweet on little ol' me! Though, in all honesty, you could kick me and I'd still want your booty all over my face."

Oh, he couldn't have known that it made her heart sing to hear praise. She wasn't unfamiliar with it, as she did make it a point to do her job to the best of her abilities, but how often she heard compliments didn't whittle down their value. And coming from him, those words were ten times more potent.

Gentle touch and kind words — she shouldn't have been so surprised when she found herself catching feelings for him.

She was on the verge of crooning over how adorable the story was, but the bit at the end made her wonder a great many things. Most importantly, "why did she kick you?!"

Himari couldn't imagine doing a lick of harm to him after he had gone out of his way to help her. Then again, she knew his type, and she couldn't help but to wonder if she hadn't been given the whole story. Was he truly the selfless hero he made himself out to be, or would the maid's perspective shed light on her sudden act of violence?

Two fingers held up either end of the bandage, but her brow remained wrinkled underneath it. "Just so you know, I don't plan on kicking you after this."

[causalitylinked]

    The moment Himari jolted upwards and proclaimed she was going to fetch the first aid kit herself, Kobato would blink back at her in surprise, for right from the very get go, he had intended on doing so to begin with. "Wait, Himarin, why don't cha just let me take care of it?" he'll then questions with palms raised, only to stare dumbfoundedly after her as she rushed off to grab the first aid kit.

    Well, if nothing else, there was at least no denying the fact Himari could be awfully stubborn, to the point where he imagines it would frustrate Ryuto... especially given the fact he liked to do everything himself. Fortunately, though, he wasn't his younger charge, so rather than chide her for physically exerting herself while she was injured, he'll merely give her head a comforting pat with a gentle smile. "Atta girl! But next time, don't be shy in asking for my help, okay? After all, we can't have you risk hurting your pretty little head even more than you already have," Kobato states before subsequently prying apart the first aid kit.

    Given how he wasn't a medical expert, however, he'll soon perch a hand beneath his chin while mulling over which items would be most effective in treating her red bump.

    "Huh... let's see, which o' these should I use on my darling Himarin?" Kobato would then idly muse to himself, only to snatch up an Elastoplast, a cotton swab, and a bandage roll with a triumphant, "Aha!", mere seconds later. By that point, he'll grin assuredly towards Himari. "Aight, honey, you stay still while I patch you up," he urges, and within seconds, he'll begin dabbing some of the Elastoplast cream onto the cotton swab rather enthusiastically. Needless to say, it certainly didn't seem as though Kobato lacked the eagerness to take care of Himari... even if his motives for doing so were questionable at best.

She would have rolled her eyes. Oh, they would have rolled. Yet the moment his lips touched her face, she forgot how to function. She didn't blink let alone roll her eyes, she didn't breathe, and she ceased to think.

He was a shameless flirt, but it wasn't often that he blessed her with physical affection of that kind. It was too much for her poor mind, the kiss turning it to the consistency of wet oatmeal. And when her mind became too overwhelmed, she resorted to the usual: endless giggling.

Face down in her hands, her shoulders shook with the force of her giggling.

"I think you might have." Her words were muffled but still audible. The stinging would likely come back once the heat in her face ebbed away, but she would enjoy the few moments of joy before the pain returned.

Oh!

Her head snapped up, the suddenness of it making her head rush. "Shoot, I forgot. I'm sorry. Hold on." She jumped up faster than she should have, but she hated the idea of being a burden on him. Even if he protested, she would insist that she fetch the kit.

On her way out of the room, she muttered and muttered insults under her breath — not towards him, but herself. Even as she fished out the first aid kit, she clicked her tongue at herself and huffed. "Should have gotten it sooner..."

Seconds later, she was across from him again, excessively prepared kit opened in front of him. She was the type, always stating that one never knew when they would need creams, needles and thread, bandages, wipes and cotton swabs.

"Uhm, I'm sure there's something in there you can use."

[causalitylinked]

    "Nah, baby, you still look as cute as ever! And don't worry... 's nothing a little smooch can't fix!" Kobato assures her. ...And as if seemingly attempting to prove his point, he'll give her shoulders a brief squeeze before leaning over to plant a swift, gentle peck over the scrape in question. Of course, rather than make Himari feel better, he had merely done so to satiate his own self indulgent urge to kiss her, but upon leaning back, Kobato would continue shamelessly sporting that same coquettish grin anyways... completely undeterred by the fact she might smack him.

    "There~ I'll taken away all your pain, Himarin!" came his subsequent, fool-hardy proclamation. Needless to say, it was rather obvious Kobato had been smooth talking her this whole entire time, yet given how incorrigible he had always been, it's already what one would come to expect from someone like him. "But even though true love's kiss is the greatest remedy of all, it's still looking a little bit red there, so I guess I gotta keep giving you some good, old fashioned TLC." Sure enough, he then proceeds to glance to and fro with his brows pensively furrowing. "...Which reminds me - you have a first aid lyin' around somewhere?"

⟬ @causalitylinked / s.c ⟭

"Is it bad?"

The scrape on her forehead was the cause of a silly mistake. She assumed that if she stretched and reached up high enough, she could grab exactly what she needed with no regrets. Unfortunately, she overestimated just how secure her grasp was. When the book smacked her, she didn't dare cry, but she did huff and stew in her embarrassment while Kobato looked her over.

[causalitylinked]

    "Good girl~ I've gotchu all covered!" Kobato obnoxiously croons in response to her compliance before proceeding to rub the cotton swab along her forehead. Of course, he does so gently, implementing such delicate care, it somehow manages to contrast greatly with the eagerness he showed earlier. Honestly, if nothing else, Kobato seemed to be taking this a lot more seriously than he initially lets on, which at least implies he cares about not hurting her too much.

    "Nah, I only did this sorta thing once..." he eventually admits, shaking his head. "And that was with some maid from twerpling's hoity toity mansion who hurt her knee, but even then, she ended up guiding me through it, step by step. Wasn't all that bad, though, 'cause having a chick telling me what to do was honestly very hot; in fact, it made up for the fact she kicked me in the nose later." Upon concluding his rather... questionable anecdote, Kobato would soon set aside the cotton swab and begin tearing off a piece of the bandage roll.

    Then once he finishes doing so, he'll go on to carefully apply it against the fresh dressing before casting a quick glance at the adhesive tape lurking within the first aid kit. "Yo, Himarin - can ya hold onto the ends of the bandage for me real quick?" came his subsequent query. "I wanna go grab the tape, so I can seal it for ya, lickity split."

    The moment Himari jolted upwards and proclaimed she was going to fetch the first aid kit herself, Kobato would blink back at her in surprise, for right from the very get go, he had intended on doing so to begin with. "Wait, Himarin, why don't cha just let me take care of it?" he'll then questions with palms raised, only to stare dumbfoundedly after her as she rushed off to grab the first aid kit.

    Well, if nothing else, there was at least no denying the fact Himari could be awfully stubborn, to the point where he imagines it would frustrate Ryuto... especially given the fact he liked to do everything himself. Fortunately, though, he wasn't his younger charge, so rather than chide her for physically exerting herself while she was injured, he'll merely give her head a comforting pat with a gentle smile. "Atta girl! But next time, don't be shy in asking for my help, okay? After all, we can't have you risk hurting your pretty little head even more than you already have," Kobato states before subsequently prying apart the first aid kit.

    Given how he wasn't a medical expert, however, he'll soon perch a hand beneath his chin while mulling over which items would be most effective in treating her red bump.

    "Huh... let's see, which o' these should I use on my darling Himarin?" Kobato would then idly muse to himself, only to snatch up an Elastoplast, a cotton swab, and a bandage roll with a triumphant, "Aha!", mere seconds later. By that point, he'll grin assuredly towards Himari. "Aight, honey, you stay still while I patch you up," he urges, and within seconds, he'll begin dabbing some of the Elastoplast cream onto the cotton swab rather enthusiastically. Needless to say, it certainly didn't seem as though Kobato lacked the eagerness to take care of Himari... even if his motives for doing so were questionable at best.