thenearshore | Sleepover!

Who: Forrest, all of his teenage CR, and CR of that CR
What: Giant sleepover log
When: The night of June 21
Where: Lakshmi's temple
Warnings: Cuteness overload

[Forrest has never had a sleepover before, so he's pretty excited to host one at his temple. He sends out invitations ahead of time to everyone he can think of, letting them know to bring pajamas, snacks, and even a friend or two if they want. He's clad in a frilly pink nightgown with ribbons and bows for the occasion, and he's temporarily converted Lakshmi's audience chamber into a space where the guests can all party and sleep. It was already mostly full of pillows to begin with, so all he had to do was move some more in and set up some tables for snacks and things. One of the tables conspicuously contains all of his beauty supplies, because like hell is Forrest hosting a slumber party without makeovers. Anyone who shows even the slightest bit of interest will get their makeup, hair, or nails done. Soft music and the scent of lotus blossoms drift through the air, creating the perfect atmosphere for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves.]

((OOC: If you've got a teenager that Forrest has talked to more than once, assume he invited them. Friends of friends are totally welcome as well. Everyone can feel free to put up their own toplevels, and everybody tag everybody and mingle to your heart's content!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Forrest giggles again - both at the light touch and at Kairi's response.]

It doesn't matter to me how good you are at it. It's because I know this isn't something you usually do, but you're sharing it with me anyway. That's what makes it special to me. I let my hair down for you, and you're putting your best foot forward for me.

[His expression is soft and adoring when she looks back up at him. He really wouldn't trade the experience he's had tonight, with her, for anything - or anyone - else.]

I'm sure I'll make new friends tonight too, but I think this is what I'll remember the most when I think back on my first slumber party.

[Without really thinking about it, he briefly and affectionately curls his toes around her fingers before she pulls her hands away.]

[She turns back to face him at those words - using their phrases like that. It's exactly how she'd imagined them being used, just not back to back like that. It's suddenly hard to look him in the eyes. She focuses on his feet, but even that has a similar effect when she remembers their first embarrassed fumble of the evening with their positions reversed. She absently pushes some stray hairs behind her ear, knowing full well that with hair as short as hers, it won't last long.

She's just... really glad he took it the way she meant it. That to her, this was a significant part of friendship, recognizing each of your #1 activities might not be exactly the same... and doing them anyway. Because you care. She's once again left without proper words to respond with and her heart skips a beat at that realization. Speechless twice in one hour. That does make it a pretty memorable situation for her too.]

... I think I feel the same way.

[She smiles as she says it, because it's not a lie, but the words... they have such a truthful superficial meaning, but underneath of that is a happiness that's going to stick with her, she can tell. She tries to just slowly nod as if to reinforce what she just said and then manages to tear her eyes away, back down to the nail paint.

By the time she's got one hand back under one of his feet, he's curling them a little and the blush won't go away. She just tries to work through it, trying to be as careful as she can and yet ending up with messy lines anyway. She's just so... anxious, she thinks that's the feeling. Her one hand is shaking a little.]

Sorry, I'll try to clean... that up...

[And she visually hunts for the plastic or wooden tools that have a wedge shape at the end of a chopstick like shape she saw some of the other girls with.]

[Forrest catches her sudden quiet nervousness, and the parallels to the incident earlier in the evening don't escape him either. At first he thought that he might have managed to offend or frighten her with that little move, but watching her reaction this time with their positions reversed, he allows himself to dare to hope that it might be something more akin to affectionate embarrassment. The very thought makes his own heart skip a beat as he looks down at her, watching her push those lovely locks away from her face.

She's so beautiful, he thinks to himself as he watches her work, unable to look away and certainly unable to hide the broad smile on his face.]

Ah... oh, no, that was my fault.

[He hadn't even noticed that his toes had curled around her fingers like that, and now he's feeling sheepish all over again. But rather than awkward this time, the sensation is one of warmth as he watches her scramble to fix her mistake. Smiling down at her, he hands her the tool she's looking for.]

It's all right. I'm sure I'll love it, however it turns out.

[Because she's the one doing the painting.]

[Kairi's gaze finally sweeps over to where his hand is holding the tool and she manages to raise her head again. No wonder he'd had such trouble with this before, she thinks. The angle of looking up like that can accentuate so many things you don't notice looking at someone straight on. That's what she thinks, anyway. She's still a little pink in the cheeks as she takes in the sight of his hair falling over his shoulders and the way it looks different on him compared to a girl, the contrast with his hat, the way he's smiling...

Finally she smiles back because it's just contagious and takes the tool, careful not to get herself stabbed in the palm by it, even if it's duller than some of the tools on hand today. Because of how much care she's taking though, her fingers do lay over his for several moments as she takes it out of his hand.]

Thanks, Forrest.

[For so many things tonight.]

[Everything about tonight has been so special to Forrest, and it's all tied back to Kairi. The amazing turnout, new friendships forged, hobbies shared... and of course, stolen glances, blushing cheeks, and tender little brushes of their fingertips like the one they'd just shared. And once she's done painting his toes, they both have a concrete memento of the time they shared together in the form of cute nail art. He smiles down at them as he idly waves his feet back and forth, air drying them a bit.]

Thank you so much, Kairi. Tonight has been wonderful.

[And now, standing carefully so as not to spoil the polish, he leans in for a hug. The last tender gesture of the night, but hopefully the first of many to come. That's a hope he holds deep in his heart. Perhaps someday he'll tell her how he feels, but for now, this is more than enough.]

[Kairi stands up when he does, but she doesn't expect to get pulled into a hug. She's unsteady on her feet just because she doesn't want to step on the toes she just finished painting, but she wraps her arms around his back to steady herself and ends up just returning the hug by leaning her head against his shoulder. They're basically the same height so it works out.

She breathes out a sigh of relief at that. She'd worried something might have made contact off-limits now with how things turned out, but no... he'd been honest with her. He'd really had a good time, apparently. And Kairi values getting to hug her friends so much. She can't deny they got closer tonight, having only been peripheral in each other's lives until the few chance encounters turned into purposeful meetings to have fun together, and now all of this.]

You're welcome, Forrest. And thank you too. For a shinki... everything tonight means so much to me.

[And so does he.]

Sleepover!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Wrap~