That What Is Truly Desired [Liltotto/Dorian]

Her low gaze slowly drifted up, following his as he spoke with his head held high. Despite having lived a far shorter life than she, he didn't speak with even a hint of naiveté when it came to looking to the positives in life. Normally such talk took the form of platitudes to her tired ears, but he always examined it in such a way that grasped her attention, like that small voice within her that desired to connect with others and have some happiness had spoken out loud, rather than the typical wordless murmur in her heart.

"Well, provoking joy in others isn't an unfamiliar thing to me, though typically it's not on purpose. I just do what I feel someone else would need... And a lot of the time, they're at least thankful," Her gaze remained level with his as her calm voice spoke, "I don't really go out of my way to please people or anything.. I've never been the sort to seek validation or anything... I just look at a situation and just think, 'Oh, I can do something here', and it works out... I don't usually do stuff for my own satisfaction. So it just turns into a whole situation where everyone around me's happy and satisfied, but i'm just.. Sitting there. Not letting myself be happy with 'em, and like I said, that sucks and I don't wanna do it anymore..."

She almost hesitated with what she'd say next, but pressed on anyway, "...So.. I'm really thankful for the effort you've put into helping me. And, i'm not afraid anymore to say.. You make me feel happy. I feel... A lot less miserable when i'm helping out in the restaurant, and stuff..."

Though, that statement was followed by a groan and a covering of her face, "..Ugh, i'm bad at talking about this shit... Sorry."

Dorian almost made a reply that he felt was fairly coherent, about the difference between making someone happy and sharing happiness with them. But he would have necessitated interrupting her, and as she continued, he realized that would have been a rather grave misstep on his end. Of course, the way that she'd worded things was something he really wasn't quite prepared for when he came out to this little trip. Was that the sort of thing he'd never heard in his life? No, of course not. He'd been something of a celebrity, living a life of glitz and glamor. Women had made far more forward and unflattering proclamations toward him.

But, then again, perhaps it was the simplicity of it that made it ring much more pleasantly in his ears.

"I like having you in the kitchen. But I like being around you in this sort of environment, as much. You're...very nice."

Her embarrassment was both contagious and somewhat endearing, and almost on instinct he simply reached out and gave her a pat on the head. In another sort of circumstance, it might have been considered condescending, but there was a more even sort of affection to it at the moment.

A reply, simple as can be, was enough to simultaneously relieve and fluster the woman on the inside, only to be followed by a pat on the head, which just brought visible warmth to her face. Lil was speechless for a moment, having stopped dead in her tracks, before letting out a reserved exhale, golden eyes as wide as can be.

She'd experienced such a gesture many times in her life, and often met it with extreme irritation. She appeared to be small and vulnerable, and people thought they could treat her however they wished, especially like a child. Hair ruffles, pinched cheeks, and all manner of related things had brought her so much frustration in her life. But as of recent she had noticed an aversion to all touches, not quite out of distaste or fear, just... Simply, it brought discomfort on some level.

She did not feel such a way with his - the complete opposite in actuality.

"Y-yeah?" She'd touch her cheek as the reply stumbled out a bit, "I.. Well.. Shit I can't beat around the bush at this point can I..?"

She'd swallow that lump in her throat, before dropping her hands to fold into each other, "..Uhhh, so, Dorian... I think, I like... Like you? Not like like you, but like, like you-like you..."

Liltotto would immediately hide her eyes behind her hand as she'd tip her head away, "..And.. Like, I dunno what to do with that.. So it's like.."

She'd suddenly shake her head in embarrassment, "...I dunnoooo..."

It wasn't so terribly difficult to prepare oneself for those sorts of words. After all, Dorian wasn't the sort to fluster easily. He'd had that wrung out of him years ago during his apprenticeship. But, admittedly, there was something about the way that she said it, the sort of vulnerability that seemed almost peculiar, that caught him a touch off guard.

"Well, I don't quite know what to do with that either. I've never really spent much of my time outside the kitchen, you know? So romance and all of that... It's a bit alien to me."

Running a hand through his hair, Dorian thought about the situation only briefly. There wasn't much to really decide on this matter, was there? He'd be lying if he said he found her unattractive, whether that be physically or in terms of her personality.

"We can figure things out together, if you'd like."

She couldn't help but cover her cheeks, feeling the warmth on them and attempting to hide it. This happening, and her blushing even being visible, proved only to be more embarrassing than less.

Why am I getting so flustered?! She'd mentally slap herself, I've been through war, loneliness, catastrophe, and retail service. This is just an admittance to a crush, why the fuck am I getting all choked up over it?

Rubbing her face, she'd let out an exasperated sigh, squeezing her eyes shut. She just felt, absolutely silly in this moment, shaken up by something as simple as attraction. Was it because it was the first time she actually heeded those emotions? Dorian certainly was not the first man she saw something in, but she had made the decision to kill off those feelings, it wouldn't work out she told herself, but now...

"I've lived a long time without ever trying this," She'd finally speak out loud, opening her eyes slowly with the man's own admittance to being a stranger to this experience, "So it's new to me, too..."

Gingerly, she'd hold a hand out, not really thinking much to what he'd decide to do with it, but she supposed it was for a handshake or some other thing to signify agreement, "I'd like that... A lot."

Dorian could not help but feel an almost primal, unspeakable instinct as Liltotto extended her hand to him. Perhaps it was the resurgence of a memory from years ago, when he himself had held out a hand as he simply asked for help. Or, maybe, it was simply the fact that Dorian was French through and through. But regardless, as Liltotto held out her hand, it was simply his natural reaction to take it in his, and kiss the back of it.

If nothing else, he did it so smoothly and effortlessly that there was no nervous hesitation behind it that might have made it a far more awkward action.

"As would I."

Really, he was quite pleased with himself that his time in the kitchen, and on the streets, had given him a profound ability to keep a cool exterior regardless of his inner thoughts. It made it quite easy for him to maintain his pleasant, cheerful disposition even as he was internally baffled at his decisions within the last few seconds.

Her eyes were wide with a mix of shock and happiness as he tenderly held and kissed her hand, but her little joy high was coming down as she'd merely respond to it with the release of a breath she didn't notice she held, and her features relaxing into a small smile, before transitioning into a more neutral expression as something occurred to her. If they were intent on doing this kind of thing, she had to be transparent on one or two things,

"..Alright, if we're for real about this, I have to be clear," She felt a weight grow in her, that small worry that she was risking it, but she felt it was important he knew, "..For one, probably not the strangest occurrence in this day and age, but.. I'm several hundred years old. Probably wasn't hard to guess or whatever, but I feel it's better for me to personally make that clear," She'd pause for a moment, looking down, "..And, secondly, also probably wasn't too hard to guess.. I'm not human. I'm not.. Anything, least not anything recognizable. I just wanted to be clear on those things, if we're really gonna try to figure this out. I... Wouldn't want you to feel any way if you didn't know and found out later."

Well, Dorian had sort of expected that sort of thing from Liltotto, and he wasn't too terribly bothered by either one as it left her mouth. Admittedly, it was the sort of thing that did give him a brief moment of pause, but it wasn't the sort of thing that bothered him. He took it in stride, as he did all things, and he figured that he probably ought to even things out, try and take a bit of the pressure off her.

"I ought to be clear myself, then. I do smoke now and again, though I've tried for a long while to cut down on it."

Of course, he knew that probably wasn't on the same level at all. But he didn't want to make her feel like she ought to be carrying all that too heavily. He didn't mind.

"You seem perfectly human to me, for what it's worth. And like I said, I think I've always had a bit of a preference for older women."

She remained dead silent, her arms at her sides, swallowing as Dorian would give his response.

Though she didn't immediately look back up at him, her body language visibly seemed less tense by his first response, and with his second... She'd let out a small snort, her shoulders gently bouncing before she broke into a quiet fit of laughter that didn't quite leave her lips, as she'd raise her head to look the man in the face, her amber eyes seeming a little shinier than before, be it with spirit or almost tears, a tiny smile on her face as she'd wipe one of her eyes,

"..We can figure out the smoking thing," She'd speak while stifling another laugh, gently shaking her head, "..Older women. What a response... I guess that's what hooked me - you always know what to say to budge a smile out of this sad bitch."

With a light sigh, she'd hold her stomach, "But uh, could we get something to eat? I didn't bring anything and... I dunno if it's the hunger or the mix of feelings i'm having right now, but i'm pretty woozy..."