“Firstly, it’s ‘Hot Nerd’ for you,” Arvil winked at her. “Secondly, choose your character first, Hot Nerd’s fiancée.”
For himself, Arvil chose Baby Luigi, taking a seat on a beanbag and pulling Daisy on the other.
“You should choose Daisy,” he grinned. “Sisters for the win.”
“Okay, for one, you cannot call me ‘Hot Nerd’s Fiancée’. At least call me ‘Gorgeous Writer’,” Daisy joked, shaking her head as she was pulled over. She sat down and shifted to get comfortable. “Second of all, I’m Peach. Always.”
“But I called you ‘Hot Nerd’s Fiancée,’ not ‘Girlfriend,’” Arvil chuckled, bumping their shoulders together. “Well, Peach is quite pretty, but I suppose she doesn’t match your beauty. Maybe I’ll add you in one of my games. Smart, intellectual and breathtakingly gorgeous. How about that?”
“Oh, stop. We’re already engaged, you don’t have to try to win me over with flirting, you know,” Daisy half-joked as she shot him a look. “Now, c’mon. Let’s play, ‘Hot Nerd.’”
“Now that’s where you’re wrong. I’ll always need to try to keep you with me so you don’t regret saying yes,” he shot her a warm look, a smile on his lips as if the words he was saying were true. “You’re on, ‘Gorgeous Writer.’ I won’t go easy on you, though.”
“Please don’t. I think I should be able to handle a game of Mario Kart,” Daisy said, shooting him a look. “Even if I’m playing against a super nerd.”
"You missed the hot part," Arvil winked before he turned his attention to the screen and hit 'enter.' "Three… two… one… go!"
Daisy sank back in the beanbag chair as the round finished. “Okay, you actually did really well… But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since you do run a gaming company.”
Arvil shot her a victorious smirk. "You would have got me if you fired that shell fast enough," he said, trying to make her feel better. "But yeah, I'm amazing, aren't I?"
“I know I would have. Fortunately for you, I was shrunk before I could. I really hate the random lightning things. Unless I have it. Then it’s great,” Daisy declared with a shrug.
"Well, you are talking to the gaming master, the Hot Nerd," Arvil pointed to himself. "So that point adds to your loss."
“Hey, I think it should subtract points. After all, this is literally your job. I don’t think I’ve played this game in years,” Daisy chuckled, hitting him in the arm with her controller. “So it was really an unfair match.”
"Hey! No physical abuse," Arvil laughed, rubbing his arm. "You're just a sore loser, aren't you? I frankly recall you saying you could handle it. It was a fair game."
Daisy crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him. “I forgot who I was playing against. I forgot you weren’t just a super nerd, but that you’re the king of the super nerds.”
Arvil set aside his controller, momentarily forgetting his place, and snatched Daisy's wrist, pulling her towards him until their foreheads were nearly touching. "You know, I think I really like it when you call me a nerd. And when you stick your tongue out at me…" the wicked grin on his features widened. "I really want to make you regret that action."
And then he froze, realizing what he was doing, and to whom he was doing this to. He'd just gotten her comfortable. He had destroyed that comfort.
Daisy swore under her breath, utterly surprised by his actions. Her eyes widened as she stared up into his, her breathing heavy.
What was he doing? Why has he pulled her so close? He… was a player. Right. This would be how he would react with any girl who provoked him, and she had simply done the wrong thing.
“Then I’ll be sure not to do it in the future,” she whispered, cursing her voice for shaking a little as she spoke.
She slipped her hand from his grip and took a step back. Once she was a little further away from him, she turned around and run a hand through her hair a few times.
Arvil cursed, running a hand through his hair. He'd screwed up. In front of all these people, he'd screwed up. That look she gave him before she spoke… it sent his mind spiraling. And then her voice had turned cold, and though it shook, it was enough to let him know that he had done the wrong thing.
"Daisy–" he shook his head, walking over to her again, but making sure to keep some distance. Then he spoke in a quiet voice for her to hear. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I overstepped my boundaries. I'm sorry."
Daisy slowly shook her head, which was spinning and twisting and whirling. He had surprised her. A lot. But that wasn’t the full reason she had reacted the way she had. She had wanted him to kiss her in that moment, and it scared her. She couldn’t want that. They barely knew each other.
But, gosh, he was attractive…
“I think— I think I should go home. Thank you for showing me around, Arvil. I enjoyed the time,” she said quietly. And it was true. She really had enjoyed the time, up until just a moment ago. Now, though, she needed to go home and sort through her thoughts and emotions. There was too much going on in her head for her to think straight right now.
Arvil clenched his fists, heaving a sigh. She was upset. She had clearly told him about her boundaries and he forgot about them. She was having a good time–at least, he hoped she was–, and he ruined it. Ruined it all because she stuck her tongue out at him and he really, really wanted to taste it. To taste her, the one woman who didn't throw herself at his feet.
"At least let me walk you to the front door," Arvil murmured. "Let me do that much."
Daisy closed her eyes and room a few deep breaths. “Okay. Fine,” she breathed, opening her eyes again. “Just— Please don’t touch me right now…”
I’m not sure if I could handle it.
"I won't," Arvil promised. "I won't touch you again. I'm sorry."
You, sir, are a stupid idiot.
Daisy nodded once and bent down to pick her purse up from the ground. When she straightened, she wrapped her arms around herself. “Let’s go, then.”
Arvil nodded, looking back to find eyes on them, glaring at them and being satisfied when they turned away. He followed after Daisy, walking beside her but keeping his distance. He was going to apologize in a better way. Words weren't going to fix what he'd caused.
Daisy basically ignored the man behind her as she made her way through the building again and down to the main floor. When they stepped off the elevator, she finally turned to look at him.
“I’ll see you later. Maybe I’ll being you lunch again sometime,” she murmured, her expression blank, revealing none of her inner turmoil.
Arvil merely nodded, trying to search her face for any signs but finding nothing. She had completely erased everything, but he knew his actions had bothered her immensely.
“Goodnight, Daisy,” Arvil said, though it was still afternoon. He was sure she wouldn’t want to see him after today. “I’ll see you later.”