[Isabeau's hand clenches tight around theirs, almost painfully so, but Siffrin can't bring themself to care in the face of his joyous expression. Even without that, they'd have put up with any amount of pain for contact like this. Isabeau could probably break every bone in their hand and they'd still consider themself lucky.
That's probably not the healthiest mindset, but Siffrin has never claimed to be the picture of mental health.
And then Isa goes and presses a kiss to their forehead, and Siffrin's throat suddenly feels tight, their eye stinging. Stars, they could cry. Except that would be mortifying, and probably upset Isabeau, so they press their lips together tightly in an effort to resist doing so. Siffrin squeezes Isabeau's hand back tightly, half an unconscious reaction and half an instinctual need to physically convey this swell of emotion somehow.]
Y-yeah. It's okay.
[It's more than okay. It's the best thing he's ever heard, honestly. He wants to hear it again and again, every day, for the rest of his life. His heart feels so full it aches under the strain of it, close to bursting.]
You're not pressuring me, I promise. But...I love you, too.
[They really, really do. They wish there was something they could do for Isabeau in return to help him believe it. It's not like they have many other options. They're not great at speaking up in general, let alone with the eloquence to convey their sincerity. They're still so awkward about touch. And it's not like they can offer much in the way of gifts. The only love language they can really manage is quality time, and that feels like a cheap cop-out. It's not like their company could truly be worth that much. Acts of service would at least feel better. But even in the midst of their quest to help everyone, Isabeau hadn't really asked for anything.]
no subject
That's probably not the healthiest mindset, but Siffrin has never claimed to be the picture of mental health.
And then Isa goes and presses a kiss to their forehead, and Siffrin's throat suddenly feels tight, their eye stinging. Stars, they could cry. Except that would be mortifying, and probably upset Isabeau, so they press their lips together tightly in an effort to resist doing so. Siffrin squeezes Isabeau's hand back tightly, half an unconscious reaction and half an instinctual need to physically convey this swell of emotion somehow.]
Y-yeah. It's okay.
[It's more than okay. It's the best thing he's ever heard, honestly. He wants to hear it again and again, every day, for the rest of his life. His heart feels so full it aches under the strain of it, close to bursting.]
You're not pressuring me, I promise. But...I love you, too.
[They really, really do. They wish there was something they could do for Isabeau in return to help him believe it. It's not like they have many other options. They're not great at speaking up in general, let alone with the eloquence to convey their sincerity. They're still so awkward about touch. And it's not like they can offer much in the way of gifts. The only love language they can really manage is quality time, and that feels like a cheap cop-out. It's not like their company could truly be worth that much. Acts of service would at least feel better. But even in the midst of their quest to help everyone, Isabeau hadn't really asked for anything.]