Her voice echoed around them, cutting into the soft hotel music, clear and steady. Amber knew her voice didn't have the usual mezzo-soprano pitch that most girls would have. It was lower and could easily pass off for a boy's. It was precisely because of this that a jolt of fear shot through her system after her 'solo debut'. She was afraid that he might be disgusted by the sound of her 'manly' voice. Her self-degrading thoughts were broken by a pleasant hum of approval and a reply.
"Hmm. Maybe," His voice lilted and if she squinted hard enough she could see that his eyes had curved into little rainbows from his amusement. "You'll just have to find out yourself." The last sentence spilt from his lips in a low seductive purr.
It dipped into a sweet voice that did things to her body, naughty things. It felt as if her nerves were alight, her nipples hardening into sensitive tips and her inner muscles fluttering emptily with her need.
She swallowed thickly. The soft ambient music of the hotel was now dulled into a low hum at the back of her mind as she scrutinised the man before her, intoxicated by his scent and his presence. It was as if the world around her had disappeared and he was all that she could see.
Or maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her because he was standing too close to her. So close that he was practically within her personal space and yet she didn't feel an ounce of discomfort. Rather, her body welcomed him. It yearned for his touch. And her heart was sent pounding under her skin, quickening from the heated burn of his concealed gaze.
Amber blinked, her mind finally registering his words. She coughed into her palm, feeling her cheeks warming into a bright pink. What did he say? Her mind replayed his words. Oh, that. She flicked her tongue out to wet drying lips and subconsciously bit into the soft flesh. Was he flirting with her? The realisation sent a rush of panic through her system.
"UWU." She gasped out, unable to form proper words with her suddenly useless tongue.
In her state of stupor, her immediate reaction was to reply in internet slang. The famed emoticon had escaped her lips in its verbal, unusual form. It would have been terribly awkward if he didn't recognise the reference and she braced herself in preparation for his confusion.
She watched as he froze at the sound, his shoulders going stiff. And then he was letting out a throaty laugh. He attempted to stifle it down out of respect for her, but the sound squeaked in his throat in breathy huffed out chuckles. He seemed to give up eventually, throwing his head back to laugh.
It was bright and sunny.
Bursts of deep laughter came straight from his diaphragm. It was a contagious sort of laughter that shook his entire frame. His happiness consumed him, and it spread outwards like a typhoon, infecting all in its wake.
"Did you just give me an emoticon?" He managed to say in between laughter. "You're so damn cute!"
His laughter was infectious, and Amber couldn't help but let the bubbles of laughter escape her lips. He inhaled deeply and when he opened his mouth again, his voice was loud, bright and cheery.
Familiar.
"Let me buy you another cup of milk as an apology" He bounced on the balls of his feet as he grew more and more excited. The strands of hair that peeked out from his hat were jumping along with him. "Chocolate? Strawberry again? Banana maybe? That's my favourite." He paused after that, looking at her expectantly waiting for her answer.
"Okay," Amber couldn't help but reply with a shy nod.
She could see hints of his smile from the crinkle of his eyes and the stretch of his mask. He chuckled and bolted towards the convenience store, turning back every three steps to see if she was trailing him. She followed him, re-entering the blinding store again and watched as he grabbed two bottles of banana milk from the fridge.
"One for me and one for you," He said sweetly, turning to look at her only to stiffen. His body froze, muscles clamping up for a second too long to be considered normal. If this were a cartoon, this would be the animator's cue to draw him as a rock statue. Grey and marbled.
Amber blinked, her lips curving downwards. What was wrong? She inspected him, searching his features for the answer to his reaction. Her eyes attempted to decipher exactly what he was looking at, and she squinted at his glasses trying to make out his pupils. It was really too bad because the bright lights of the store reflected against his orange shades, which made it even harder to interpret his facial expressions. Did he forget his wallet?
She reached into her pocket, intending to pull out her wallet only to feel soft fabric wrap around her shoulders. She glanced up, her breath hitching as he stepped up to her. He was close. So close that she was made aware, yet again, of exactly how tall he was and how good he smelled.
He placed his jacket on her shoulders, gently pulling it close to cover her body. His scent enveloped her, tangerines and cedar, and she resisted the urge to bury her nose into the soft fabric.
"You look cold..."
His voice was odd. While it was gentle and filled with that same teasing warmth, Amber noted the strain within them. It left her mouth oddly dry and sent her stomach into a hyperdrive of fluttering oversensitivity.
He was breathless. She licked her lips. The pitch in his voice was just off. And if she were to indulge in her sick fantasies, it sounded as if he were talking and getting blown by a girl at the same time.
He spun on his heels sharply, heading to the cashier to pay for their drinks and she followed him curiously. Her lips were pursed into a thin line as she inspected him. She frowned, her eyes noting the tenseness in his shoulders, the dance of muscles in his neck and his clenched jaw.
Amber followed him out of the store, watching as he fiddled with a tiny straw, piercing it into the drink.
"Here," he turned around to face her, the tension in his body vanishing almost immediately. "Drink up!"
His voice had lost that strain and was now replaced with his familiar sunny, happy tone. Amber took the bottle from him to sip slowly at the drink as they walked towards the main lobby in slow, languid strides. Maybe, he was just sleepy? She dismissed the confusing thoughts, choosing to snuggle into the warmth of his jacket, inhaling his scent. Damn. Could she buy his natural scent from him? She could make a profit selling Eau de Orange Man.
"Thanks," she told him after a few sips. "I love strawberries, but one can't go wrong with banana flavour."
"They're both really sweet flavours," he mused, turning his head to look at her. "Like you."
What the fuck? She inhaled sharply and in the process, she sucked a little too hard on the tiny straw. The milk leaked from her lips and she quickly caught it with her tongue..
Amber winced as the memory of the voice of her Asian mother thundered within her mind. Are there holes in your lips? Do I need to sew them closed for you? Can't you eat your food properly? Close your mouth when you eat! Be polite!
My mouth is a hole, damn it. She mentally grumbled back. Oh shit. Did he see her do that? Amber glanced at the guy. He was staring at her, holding his drink idly in his palms. Was he looking at her? She peeked at his glasses. It was impossible to tell. She blushed, feeling embarrassed.
She cleared her throat and laughed. "Thanks." She didn't really know how to reply to his compliment. You're just as sweet? You smell amazing? She licked her lips again, deciding to avoid the subject. "When it comes to bananas, I like the real fruit much more than the artificial flavouring. I eat it all the time for breakfast."
Fuck, she was rambling. Her cheeks reddened. Why would he want to know about her eating habits when it came to bananas? She should have just kept her stupid mouth shut!
"What kind?"
She stared at him.
"Pardon?"
"How do you eat it?" He asked, his voice soft and strangely low. "Blended? On toast with bread? Or do you eat it as it is?" He appeared out of it. His voice was far away within his head and his hum dragged out a bit too long to just be a thought filler.
"Just as it is. Peeled." She replied quickly, feeling a little confused. "I like it dipped in chocolate too. Kind of like the ones at Japanese festivals? The ones with rainbow sprinkles." Amber prattled on. "It's like a popsicle!"
They should stop talking about bananas.
"P-Popsicle?"