She smiled up at him almost shyly. Her cheek was warm under his fingertips, her blush causing heat to flare up under her skin. "Hm. Even if you take cold showers? Could I still love you then?"
She laughed lightly and took his hand between her two warm ones. "Hm. Perhaps," she said quietly. "I don't really feel like breaking up with you a third time. I'm rather fond of you, unfortunately."
"That's good. I would be terribly sad if you broke up with me again," he said, watching their hands. "Not sure what I'd do."
"Especially if it was over a matter as trivial as showers," she agreed. Her fingers slid across his knuckles, and she wrapped her hands around his, needing two of hers to fully encompass one of his. "We'd probably get back together within the minute." She glanced up at him quickly with a teasing smile. "You just like me too much, I suppose."
He brought her hands to his lips, and lightly kissed the top of them. "You're right. I do like you a considerable amount, but is that wrong of me?"
She didn't say anything at first. Instead, she reclaimed her hands and, in one smooth movement, rested her forearms on his shoulder with her hands crossing at the wrist behind his neck. She was quiet as she tugged lightly on his hair, her expression thoughtful. "No," she said eventually. "No, it's lovely. It is a privilege, Francis Craw..." She trailed off as she straightened his tie, and then cleared her throat. "It is a privilege to be loved by you."
(marry her Francis MARRY HER) He looked at her, his expression surprised. He gently kissed her cheek, though the action was slow. "Do you really think so?" he asked, mostly whispering in her ear. From her perspective, she would only be able to see his face from the corner of her eye, and if she looked, she would find him looking quite conflicted.
(be warned that Poppy is a little scared of serious commitment, even though she really loves Francis.) "Of course I do," she replied quietly. She turned her head to kiss his jaw but paused when she saw his expression. "Hey... you alright?"
(He is a little bit too but he really wants to and he knows he does but hes impatient too) He smiled slightly, and laughed at himself, putting a hand on his head. "Yeah. I'm sorry... It's just unusual. I've never heard anyone tell that to me before."
Her body relaxed slightly, but she raised an eyebrow. "Take my word for it," she said smoothly. She paused, and then looked back up at him with a slight smile. "Being loved by you makes me think on almost a daily basis, 'Wow, I must have done something right.'"
His heart beat quickened, and he put his head on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her. "C'mon. There's no way you think that on a daily basis.."
"I do," she insisted quietly in his ear, her hands rubbing small circles on his back. "And after that is generally when I tell you that I love you."
He sighed heavily, relaxing under her touch. But he pulled away. His eyes were on the floor, then flickered up to hers. "This is stupid of me to ask... But why? Why do you love me so much? I just don't understand. There's no reason why you should love me as much as you do."
She bit her lip as she thought, her expression hard to read. "Well," she began, stretching out the word. "I love your sense of humor. I love your kindness." She stepped forward, perhaps a little tentatively, and lightly kissed his left cheek. "I love your perspectives and insights." She kissed his other cheek. "I love your thoughtfulness." She kissed his forehead. "I love your stoicism." She kissed his chin. "I love your compassion." Her lips found his, and she kissed him deeply, her fingers lightly brushing his face, and when she pulled away, she raised an eyebrow. "Do you need more?" (Aw.)
He took a deep breathe when she pulled away, totally enamored. "Ha... Uhm.. No, I think that's okay. That's good. That's... I love you." (i can't ohhmygod)
She laughed easily, the smile spreading across her face almost instantaneously. "I love you too," she replied with a small smirk. "Although I think I just established that."
"No, you don't understand," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I really really love you. I think you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I've.. I've never met anyone else like you."
She didn't say anything for a moment, only watched him as if she were trying to determine whether he was lying or not. "Really?" she asked him quietly, her fingers pushing a lock of his hair back behind his ear.
(3000!) He nodded quickly, his eyes wide. "I mean it. I really do. It may not seem like it, but I'm being completely honest." Spoiler me
