Kas paused in his drinking, eyes flitting down to the arms around his waist before looking back up as he took another drink of his coffee. "The goal of this bet is to get you to fall for me, shortcake," he murmured simply over the lip of his cup, "I could easily use that little tidbit to my advantage, but I'm not. You're not making it difficult." He shrugged and shifted some, tipping his cup back and feeling the warm liquid roll over his tongue.
He wasn't wrong. He could take advantage of Joanna's sweet spot and constantly use that as a way to win the bet, but he chose not to because of the implications her reaction held. His choice, not her doing. He didn't get why she was apologizing, but he wasn't about to force her to pull away from him right now. If he was being honest, this was probably the first real-ish hug he's ever gotten since he was just an infant. He couldn't even really remember his parents ever hugging him after they found about his 'deformity' and cast him aside in favor of his brother. 'Stop that, Kasiya. No thinking about them or him.'
Joanna sighed softly, and nodded. "Yeah, I guess." She shrugged and slowly slipped her arms back. She didn't pull away though, relaxing into his strong build. He was oddly comforting, and she felt safe with him nearby. Strange though, considering she wouldn't have thought so before now. He was giving her more and more to trust, so why and how couldn't she? He was promising her things, she totally believed he would keep.
"Why don't you make me a short list of things you want or need from the store. I can pick it up while I'm out." She mumbled, and regretfully pulled away from him. With a soft sigh, she turned to the sink and slowly washed her plate off. A small thought came to her mind, and she knew she should probably tell him. It was silly, but it made a difference. "And if you kiss the back of my neck, it isn't as bad as the front." Her voice was kind of low, but if he didn't hear it, he didn't hear it.
He was just setting down his now non-existent coffee when she spoke, so he took a moment to think about what he'd want. He was tempted, however, to just turn around and pull her back over so he could leech off of her warmth for a little bit longer. He's been so deprived of physical attention and comfort that he had forgotten what it was like until Joanna happened. Unfortunately, he restrained himself, busying himself with grabbing some bagels to make for breakfast.
Her next words made him pause for a fraction of a second, but then he went back to toasting the food. The words were almost inaudible, but he just managed to catch them. It puzzled him, as it wasn't a necessary thing to tell him, but he wasn't about to complain. Made the experimentation just that much shorter. "Noted," he said with a bob of his head, leaning his hip against the counter and crossing his arms loosely over his chest as he watched his bagels. "I'm not super picky. Cereal, snacks. Craisins. Long as I have food."
"Sounds like a plan, but do you have any favorite foods?" She hummed, her voice was in a questioning tone. "I can seriously get anything they have at the store, or maybe stop and get lunch." Shrugging, she shut the water off and grabbed a towel to dry her hands. Once dry, she looked up at him, leaning against the sink counter top.
As for his puzzled thoughts, Joanna's own thoughts weren't ever clear, so she herself didn't know what was up with her. Everything was a mess, and she couldn't even understand what she was trying to get at. Maybe it was a love she craved, but she wasn't sure why she was looking for it with him. He wouldn't, maybe even couldn't, love her. Why should he? She was simple, bad tempered Joanna. No one really loved her.
"Craisins," he repeated with a soft smile, glancing over at her. "Can't afford to have favorites, but I usually find myself going for those first whenever I want a snack. Other than that…" he shrugged and grabbed his bagels when they were done toasting, putting them on a paper towel and leaving them there in favor of getting some butter from the fridge and a knife.
It wasn't a matter of not being able to love someone when it came to Kas, but more a rare occurrence that was built upon through slow bonding. He never got far with people, so he's never recognized whenever he's truly felt that way towards someone. But his affections—and potentially love—only ran so far. There were parts of relationships that he wasn't interested in, and perhaps that was a reason Joanna, and others, felt he wasn't capable of loving them. Either way, his own feelings towards the woman he's known forever were conflicted—now more than ever—and he decided some time away from her might shine some light upon how he felt. 'And maybe tell me what possessed me to make that bet in the first place. I could've gone with anything.'
"Sounds good, I'll make sure to get you some." She noted, shuffling off to go grab her phone. Dashing up the stairs, she let herself think for a moment. 'Maybe I will fall for him, but how will he know? What if I lied to him? Would he know?' She wondered, picking up her phone. And while she was up here, she changed as well. Running back out, and pulling on her jacket as she came back into the kitchen. "Sorry, back." She announced.
Once in the kitchen, she sat at the table and quickly jotted down a short list. "Do I have OJ in the fridge?" She called, contemplating on whether or not she did. But she was too lazy to get up and go check for herself. "And if so, how full is it?"
Kas looked over at her when he heard her come back down from upstairs, eyes doing a quick once-over. "Cute," he noted, then turned around and opened the fridge again to check for her. "Uhhh, you have none," he discovered, even going so far as to move things around just in case. Nothing. "Might want to add that to the list." With that done, he closed the door and went to his already buttered bagels, quickly polishing them off.
Once he was done with his breakfast, surprising himself with how hungry he was, he went back into his room to grab his shoes and pull them on, then his jacket as well. "Need anything else from me?" he asked, emerging back into the kitchen and leaning against the doorway frame, questioning black eyes on Joanna. "I'm going to be heading out if not."
Jokingly, she looked up and smirked. "A kiss would be nice, now wouldn't it?" She noted, before flitting her glance back down to the list she was typing out. She finished her typing, and closed out of the application. "Besides that, I don't need anything, you're free to go." She hummed softly, clicking her phone off. She rested her chin on her palm, and pursed her lips outwards. She looked him up and down, in a quick short glance.
She was only joking, and she felt he would only take it that way. For that's how she meant it. Right? I mean, why else would she say it? There was no other reasonable explanation. It wasn't like she totally, completely, absolutely wanted to feel his lips against hers'. Not in the slightest. If that were the case, she might as well admit she lost now.
Kasiya stared blankly at her for a second, attempting to process her words and piece together what he should and shouldn't do. But then his trouble-making side decided to pop in for a spell and whispered into his thoughts, 'Screw that.' Without further ado, he smirked and pushed off of the doorframe, starting at a steady but purposeful stroll.
He came over to Joanna and didn't stop until he was looming over her, his arms braced on either side of her as he leaned down to her level. His lips twitched up into a crooked grin; their faces were mere inches apart. "I suppose it would, and I can't leave a lady without her final request, now can I?" he purred lowly, his black eyes bright as they stared into her large green ones. He didn't get closer, but he didn't move back either. A test for them both, he supposed. A test for himself to see what exactly was going on in his own head, and a test to see if she'd actually go along with it.
Joanna was a little surprised, but she didn't let it show on her face. Keeping her expression relaxed and calm. "I don't know, can you?" She purred, wondering where he was going with this. "Though, I wouldn't call myself a lady." She mumbled a bit, starring into his dark eyes. They were a rather interesting color, not normal to her at least. As every day she saw her own green eyes in the mirror.
The thoughts of him kissing her, swirled in her mind. Maybe it was a lie, the fact she was teasing. Maybe she really did want to feel his lips, maybe she wanted him to do it. But that was just ghastly to think about, even if it was the truth. She couldn't clear her thoughts, they swirled around her in thick clouds. Not able to see past one, to another. Everything was foggy, but she couldn't care less at the moment. He may kiss her, and that was good enough for her. So yeah, in turn, she was totally lying to herself.
She didn't seem overly opposed to the idea of kissing him, either that or she was just really good at playing the game. Kasiya's eyes flicked down to her lips, then up to her eyes. He didn't know what was going through her head, but she wasn't pushing him away. That was a good enough green light for him. He tipped his head to the side slightly and pressed his lips to hers, eyes lowering halfway.
((Sorry it's so short, I'm…in an argument rn))
Her heart skipped a beat, and she without hesitation kissed back. Knowing he would, and could pull away any moment, she tried to savor every moment here. No one was waiting on them, but she had a feeling he wouldn't want to stay here for an excessively long time. She wasn't sure if she should pull away first, or let him. Though the longer they stayed here, she wouldn't complain. 'He's kissing me? Wait, this is really happening?' She wondered, her lips loosely against his.
(It's fine! I gtg to bed anyways eheh. I hope things don't get too intense.)
((Am back! It didn't last long, as I've gone through basically the same thing multiple times before, so after my dad was a dork and talking about it a few times, I got over it. We thriving. Have some soft Kasiya for the wait))
Kasiya thought about pulling away after a second, but when Joanna kissed him back and didn't seem to be in any hurry to move away, his brain shut down. He didn't pull away. He didn't push her away. His chest stirred with so many confusing and conflicting emotions that he just shut it all down and let himself indulge in the moment. The only thing he felt was a childish joy at some form of affection. That was the most confusing of all, but he couldn't bring himself to push that away.
He liked this. He liked this a lot. He didn't know why or how this happened, but it did and he was willing to roll with it. If anything, he was glad it was Joanna. At least he knew who she was on some level, had a bond with her, almost. She was always seeking attention, which he gave her without question, but would also return that favor by unknowingly giving him the attention and affection he's missed all his life. Her care and compassion, even when he was being a prick most of the time, made him feel special and noticed.
Reluctantly, he pulled back, though his eyes remained slightly hooded as he flicked them up to meet hers. "You are…" he whispered, his almost adorable confusion clear on his face, "…something different, but a different I'd rather keep than lose."
((Glad to hear things got better! And my goodness, this is a rare occasion. January 31, 9:27 pm. The day Kasiya was the most flipping cute thing there ever was.))
Joanna listened to his soft words, smiling some at hearing them. Her own eyes were closed, but just barely, same as her lips that were slightly parted. Something was spinning in her head, as she tried to come up with a reasonable response to his statement. "Different doesn't begin to describe me." She let her lips tug into a slight smirk, and her eyes glanced up to his. "But it's nice to hear I have someone around when no one else is." Her voice was clear, and delicate, as if she spoke any louder she would break the tender moment.
She lifted her her hand, and held under his chin tenderly. Her thumb running over his bottom lip. "You're a special person yourself though," She began, trying not to loose this oddly calming feeling. "You're one of the only people I hate, but would still consider a friend in a way. A frienemey." Her laugh was light, yet joyful none the less.
Her thoughts were still spinning, but she was trying not to let them consume her. If she thought about this too hard, she'd probably regret it. So she tried not to think about it too hard.
((We must mark it on the calendar, lmao))
He laughed softly at her last comment, even if her other words spun through his head in a tangled web his mind was starting to weave titled 'Joanna'. "I won't deny that I'm an ass sometimes," he whispered, careful to not disturb her thumb too much as he spoke. He wasn't opposed to the touch, surprisingly. It was soothing, actually, just a simple brush of her thumb able to make him break down his walls some and let her in. And as much as his head was telling him not to fall for that feeling, he didn't listen—that was his greatest talent, after all.
"Trust me, shortcake," he murmured seriously, eyes flicking down to avoid her gaze for a split second, "I'm not going anywhere." His eyes lifted back up to her face as the corner of his lips twitched up into a small smirk. "I'm not that easy to get rid of." Though he was joking, he was also being truthful. He didn't want to leave, at least permanently. He could never really stay away from Joanna no matter how hard he tried to cut everyone out of his life. He was always coming back to mess with her, to get a reaction out of her, to get some attention as he gave some. She was like a magnet, and he honestly didn't mind at this point, long as he had someone constant that legitimately cared about him in her own way.
((We must, and then I'll get this random thing today next year, and I'll be like… what the heck?))
A snicker escaped her own lips, and she sat up as tall as she could. "I would've gotten rid of you a long time ago if I could have." She joked, feeling the more intimate feeling beginning to fade. But they were still close. "Though, if I had, we wouldn't be here." She shrugged, standing up and pecking his lips quickly. Trying to be quick, and sly about it, she turned and left the kitchen trying not to laugh.
She wished she could have seen his face, but she assumed he was only smirking. He was already starting to win the bet, so she knew she had to be careful and catch herself. Hurrying up the stairs to her room, she grabbed a pair of shoes, and slid them on. She was back down stairs in a matter of seconds, grabbing her keys, wallet, and heading back to the kitchen to grab her phone.
((who tf is Kasiya? But as we're approaching the time, are we going to do the 'meet Redore, the secret twin,' thing as Jo is shopping?))
He blinked as she pecked his lips and slipped away, his mind frazzled and slowly piecing itself together again. The moment melted away, but he didn't mind much. He was getting too confused and too invested in his thoughts, and it was better if he distanced himself from her and the situation.
Kas stood up straight and ran his fingers over his lips and snakebites, tongue flicking out briefly. He hadn't expected his first kiss being with Joanna, or when they were just doing it for the bet, yet here they were. He shook his head and dropped his hand, fixing his jacket and tugging at his hair. 'I'm going to find a barber. Time to switch things up a bit.' His eyes lifted towards Joanna when she entered the kitchen. "I'm heading out now," he announced, walking over to her after checking his jacket pockets for his wallet and phone, "I'll see you later."
((We could! We'll see what happens from there, hehehe~))
Joanna grabbed her phone, and smiled at him. "Alright, I'll see you later. I have work at seven, and get back at around ten." She informed, slipping her phone into her back pocket. "I'm heading to the store, and should get back around three. I leave here at six thirty for work. So if you want back in, either text me or meet me here anytime after three." She hummed, looking back to him with a smile.
And with that, she turned back around running off to who knows where. She assumed she would get back before three, but she wasn't going to take her chances. She liked to have a specific time, and have more than she needed. So she could breath some, without having to worry. That was just Joanna, she took too much, but gave back what she didn't use.
Kasiya nodded as she spoke, mentally saving those times in his head. He followed after her as she left so he could leave as well, though he was focused on his phone as he turned towards the elevator with a frown. Redore. As much as he wanted to ignore the text, he was more afraid of its contents than he was prideful. So he looked at the text as he pressed the button for the ground floor, then settled against the wall as the doors closed.
'Clever little brother' was all Redore sent. Kas furrowed his brows in confusion but left his brother on read as he tucked his phone into his back pocket. What was his brother up to? That text made no sense, but it was clear Redore had something up his sleeve. He always had something up his sleeve, and it was unsettling. Redore was smart, and he knew how to manipulate things to get his way. Kas looked down at his bandaged hand contemplatively, mind reeling with possibilities—and none all that pleasant.
Joanna was quickly descending down the stairs. Every two flights took her less than a minute, as it was easier to go down then go up. She could feel her heart starting to pound in her chest, and tried to block out the noise of her shoes on the steps. Mostly so she could think over the whole situation upstairs. 'You need to pull yourself together Joanna. You're going to fall for him in not time if you aren't careful.' He thoughts hissed at her.
Knowing she was right, she told herself she was going to be more careful. Not to let him romance her into love. It was stupid to let him, he wasn't going to fall for her. No matter what she did, she was never good at having others fall for her. When she had dated he co-worker Jonathan, she found out he only wanted her money. There were plenty of people like him, maybe even including Kasiya, that would only care for a part of her. Not just her for her, but the other things that built on her.
She came to the bottom of the steps, pushing the door open and walking out into the lobby and out the door to her car. "Today is going to be a good day." She told herself, not knowing this would be far from the truth.
((should we just timeskip to Joanna and Redore meeting?))
((We can! It works for me, but I’ll need a little bit to get my response up, as it would make the most sense if I posted first right?))
((yeah, and that's no problem! Take your time))
((Ahah, sorry it took so long…))
Joanna pulled up to the store with her music playing. She shut off her bluetooth, and got out of the car once it wasn't running anymore. Heading inside, she put earbuds in and continued the music as she came into the store. Since she was alone, she liked to not have to talk to people she didn't really need to. An Imagine Dragons song was playing softly.
Nodding her head to the beat, she grabbed a basket and made her way to the back of the store to start her shopping. In attempt to clear her thoughts, she hummed along as she grabbed her few items.
