Prompt: N/A
Rating: K
Genre: ...Not sure, in all honesty. Romance? Hurt/Comfort? Up to interpretation.
Word count: 515
Jeremie had never been the touchy-feely sort.
Helplessly, he can only watch as Aelita draws her arm away from him with a half-suppressed sigh, her eyes downcast and her hand returning to its place in her lap with its partner. The temptation to speak up tugs at him, but he knows that it isn't appropriate- Odd was still rambling on the chair of the rec room, after all, and Aelita had tried to lace her fingers with his with little warning.
Besides, it isn't as if he knows what to say. A million words rush frantically through his mind, but as soon as he tries to piece them together, they slip through his fingers like grains of sand. Instead, he pries his eyes away from her, doing his best to disregard the warming of his cheeks and to focus on Odd's story.
Be it with the unexpected kiss, the occasional too close of quarters, or even the gentle, light touches she'd deliver him, he always froze up. The others teased him frequently about it, although that was mostly in regards to her- when he stiffens at the brotherly hugs Ulrich and Odd would haphazardly pull him in or at Yumi's infrequent teasing, however, the treatment is shared.
Now, though, Aelita disinterestedly nods along to Odd, shoulders hunched and face pinched. When the other boy finally seems to find a more captive audience in the form of Ulrich trapped in a game of foosball, however, he moves away, leaving Jeremie and Aelita in their tense silence.
Pensively, he searches her expression. Their relationship status had only been made official recently- and with that came a wide variety of gray areas he dare not wander just yet. Even so, her evident disenchantment as she runs a hand through her pink hair and turns her eyes impassively to the football game on the television is enough to make him question every action he's taken thus far.
Uncertainly, he lifts his hand from the couch cushion, his fingers curling in the air. He lets it hover for a moment, and then he sets it on hers, turning her hand to weave his fingers into hers.
She starts with surprise, glancing down incredulously at her hand and his before looking back to him.
Mouth suddenly dry, he swallows hard and mutters, "I'm trying, you know."
Aelita absorbs that for a moment; she drops her eyes once more. Tentatively, she curls her fingers into his hand more firmly. A pleased smile finds her as she returns her gaze to him. "I know."
"I-I'm just not used to-"
"I know. It's okay." Gingerly, she leans against his shoulder. Perhaps he goes rigid, for she doesn't apply much weight. "One step at a time, right?"
"Right..."
Already, the warmth of her hand and of her in general inundates him. A wave of embarrassment twists his stomach. This isn't supposed to be difficult; it's basic human interaction, for goodness's sake.
But for now, this is enough. And after a short time, he's comfortable enough to lean a little into her as well.
