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[It's a little awkward...standing here...waiting... Should he move somewhere to sit?? The living room maybe?? Would that be okay??? And Valo is whining...]

Valo... Are you really afraid...? Is it the sweater?

[Valo will just whine. IT'S A LOT OF THINGS. This makes Eustace's ears lower and he sighs as he moves over to a chair, wondering what to do. He also takes the time to look around the area, noting how neat and very Ilsa the house is. It's changed a bit since he last saw it, with more things to fill the space. He should bring over some more blueberries... Or flowers from his garden! Seeing them at the front window, he can't help but smile and kick his legs a little in joy (actions that Valo watches with great concern). She liked the last ones she gave him, didn't she? He should definitely give her more...

And just as he's contemplating if he had a large enough pot—no, should he just bring the whole wheelbarrow so she can plant some of her own!?—she returns and he barely manages to catch the shirt before it hits his face.]

Huh? This?

[He looks at it for a moment...

...

And then... Blushes a little. Ah... It has Ilsa's scent... It's rather soft and sweet... Are they at the point where they can wear each other's clothes now!? Shouldn't he be offering his own!? He'll have to remember next time because that's totally what couples do right????

Anyway, he's supposed to put this on?

QUICKLY TAKING OFF HIS SWEATER RIGHT THERE BEFORE SHE CAN STOP HIM—]

[She watches, mortified, as he blushes down at the shirt, wondering what sorts of things could be going through that broken head of his. In her effort to help both of them, has she only made it worse? Did she just plant more ideas in there that shouldn't be? Even Valo is whining, his ears fully drooped now as he stares at Ilsa in a silent cry for help.

She's trying, little guy. She really, really is...

Her eyes are too busy watching Valo that she doesn't even notice Eustace tearing off his sweater until she sees a flash of colour in her peripherals, and by the time she notices and tries to move to stop him—]

AH—! I didn't mean right here!

[It's too late.

Valo had gotten up as soon as she tried to dart over to Eustace, and her legs get caught. She trips slightly, and the only way that she can save herself is to plant both hands on the arms of the chair he's in...

....

......

Only now, she's looming over a topless, blushing Eustace..........]

[His eyes are wide and slightly trembling in shock as he stares up at Ilsa, his body leaning back against the chair, both shirt and sweater fallen to the floor. There's a tense moment of silent before that heat just rushes up his face and he swallows.]

I...Ilsa...

[WHY IS HE LIKE A BLUSHING MAIDEN— A blushing maiden that isn't afraid of being pounced on—]

[Valo whines with guilt behind her, but Ilsa is far too distracted by the way the colour creeps into Eustace's face, mirroring her own as her cheeks feel like they're on fire. And then the way he says her name...!?

Why does that make her heart thump, and at the same time, her stomach sink with dread!? Even when they were in that room after the drinks, he had never acted like this, and yet... why is it making her blush in turn, and breaking her brain in the seconds that follow!?]

Eus...tace...?

[It's about to get worse as his pulse quickens along with his breath, his chest rising and falling as he remains captured by her gaze. His heart pounds in his head as a sudden, new desire fills him upon seeing how flushed Ilsa is. Is she also caught the same way he is?

Could she...want the same things he wants?

Not hat he has a clue of what he really wants right now, but his enchanted addled mind is making him do and act in ways he never would normally.

That flushed, shy gaze seems to shift subtly. It still seems hesitant, but his eyes deepen, one filled with an unknown want that remains fixed on her. And then he's leaning up slightly, his voice a little lower as he slowly speaks, an "innocent" smile on his lips.]

Can...

[He takes one of her hands and places it on his chest, before slowly dragging it down the line of his abdomen, letting her fingers splay out to run over the well defined ridges...]

...you help me?

[...until it stops right at the edge of his pants, which had lowered to a little below the pelvic line.

What kind of help why that's anyone's guess at this point.]

[She sees that change... that flicker in his eyes. She recognizes it well—it had been one that she'd stared deep, deep into at the masquerade, even through the masks, and especially without them. For a moment, she's completely lost within it, her mind spinning as the memories come flooding back, and it's only made worse when he takes her hand and presses it firmly to his chest.

She swallows past that giant lump in her throat, and he'll feel her fingers shaking as he moves them along the plane of muscles over his stomach. She can feel each one carved so intricately, and she remembers how it felt when she had let her hands press to them, touch them, take in the feel of them...

It isn't until he stops right at the waist of his pants that she finally realizes what's going on and what she's doing... or not doing...

What is she doing!? WHAT'S HE DOING?

They said they were going to let things happen naturally, and there is nothing natural about this.

Sputtering, Ilsa snaps her hand away from him and steps back, almost tripping on Valo again as she goes, but he moves away just in time that she doesn't fall completely, and as she rights herself, she screams at him, her face and neck now red as tomatoes.]

WITH WHAT?

[There's a flash of disappointment as he sits up, almost pouting.]

Oh... I must have misunderstood.

[But she's so angry now...did he really misread the signals? ~~yes extremely~~]

I remembered you liked touching my body last time...

[Excuse—]

That... It was... The drinks were...

[Oh no, she's breaking, and Valo whines at her with concern.]

I did, but— [NO WAIT.] That's not why you're here, is it!?

No? I was chasing after Valo, remember? Though I did think about coming over for a visit.

[What a warm, refreshing smile which seems to glow from the sun casting through the window near him.

While still shirtless.]

[Can he not???

Ilsa scrambles to the floor to pick up his shirt, and she's just going to slip it over her head himself while he's giving her that big dumb smile with as much force as it takes.]

Well, I see now why he ran away from you. Maybe you should take a walk. Cool your head off.

...Like this?

[He stares at the shirt that...

...

Definitely doesn't fit him well.

It barely even goes over his belly button.]

[Yes, she sees that, but it's better than nothing.]

No, not like that...!

[More flushing, because she instantly realizes that she doesn't want anyone to see... that... as her eyes linger on his exposed waist.]

With the sweater on. And... your pants...

[Instinctively, Ilsa reaches out to tug them up herself, but as soon as her hands reach his hips, she snaps back.]

Lift them up a little.

[WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO HER]

[...Ah...

Quietly he'll stand and fix his pants that had slipped down from all the movement from being in the chair before he pulls the sweater over his head, his ears comically popping out as it goes through.

And then he stands there looking at her as if seeking her approval.]

[She tries not to watch him as he stands and lifts his arms up to slip the sweater over, but... Ilsa might have peeked just a little bit before turning her back to him to give him some... um, privacy.

Only when he's finished does she face him again, and ??? There's a moment of silent confusion before she realizes...

...

Ah, he's waiting for her approval???

Her eyes move up and down and then back up again, calculating and observing, before she simply shakes her head with a sigh.]

It will have to do. It's better than what you had before.

[Valo disapproves.]

...But the only difference is having a shirt underneath...?

[Which didn't show anything.

HE'S CONFUSED.]

I'm aware.

[She says it so matter-of-factly, and no, her eyes did not just move to his waist again to be sure.]

That's more than enough, given what you tried to do.

[She doesn't want him taking off his sweater in front of anyone hello???]

[HE'S STILL CONFUSED but he'll just do whatever she wants.]

Did you still want me to go back home and change...?

[She just stares at him for a few seconds...

...]

Do you have anything else to wear?

[Why does she not trust Eustace to dress himself right now???]

I have my usual clothes.

[Now Valo will agree for once. In fact he had tried desperately to make him change!! But he wouldn't!!]

If I let you go, will you go home and change into them?

...

I will let you take Valo back when you do.

[When he can show her that he is NORMAL AGAIN.]

[Eh!?!]

You're holding onto Valo!?

[Instant ear droop as he looks over at his beloved dog—who whines and hides behind the couch.

SORRY DADDY BUT YOU'RE BEING TOO WEEEEIIIIRRRRD.]

...He's really scared of me, huh...

[.....

.......

Are his eyes glistening!? He's not going to cry is it—]

[Are his eyes glistening!? Primals, is he going to cry!? Ilsa winces and almost chokes on the air in her lungs—]

I said I'll return him to you once you've cleared your head. ... I think he's worried about you.

[If that will make him feel any better??? She isn't sure... Should she reach out and pat him on the arm? ... No. No, she doesn't want to catch whatever this is.]

I... I see...

[He looks SO SAD at Valo, and even Valo feels a little bad as he sticks his head out to whine at Eustace. PLEASE GO BACK TO NORMAL DAD.

Taking a shaky breath and running the back of his head over his eyes (DID HE HAVE TEARS OR NOT???) he gives a resolute nod.]

Then I'll go change and come back.

[It almost sounds like his usual self... If he still didn't look as if his world was collapsing right before his eyes.]

[Should she help him to the door? Should she give him a wide berth? She doesn't know what to do besides stand there awkwardly and watch as the man she respects so, so much has turned into... well, the complete opposite of what she knows.

He really must have eaten something and doesn't remember...

At any rate—]

Come right back when you're finished. Don't go anywhere else, do you understand?

Understood.

[Again, ALMOST sounds like himself but completely ruined by his expression. But he does seem to be determined?? In any case, he quickly heads out the door to head home and change.

Only to not come back.]

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