Visions of you (open)

[Trixie]

She hesitated, her hand faltering. "I was..." She cleared her throat, dropping her hand to her lap. "Well, Nate, I was hittin' on ya."

[Nate]

"You... you were?" Nate asked quietly as his eyes slowly opened. Was he really that far disconnected from the opposite sex that he couldn't tell when a girl was flirting anymore?

Embarrassed, his face turned bright red. "Sorry," he apologized, reaching for her hand. "If anyone should be embarrassed about this, it's me."

[Trixie]

She lifted a shoulder, looking away. "No need. No shame in not bein' interested."

[Nate]

"Did I say I wasn't interested?" He asked, lightly placing his hand on his shoulder. "If I wasn't interested, I'd tell you."

He sighed and looked down at the floor, his hand slowly sliding off of her shoulder. "Do you know how long it's been since I've even talked to another girl? To say that I'm out of practice is a bit of an understatement."

[Trixie]

She chewed the inside of her lip, regarding him. "So...practice makes perfect, don't it?"

[Nate]

"You could say that," he answered with a nod. "I mean, I've gotta start putting myself back together soon, right?"

Even though it had been nearly two years, Nate still wasn't sure that letting go and moving on was the right thing. Part of him wanted to because he knew that was what was best, but there was a larger, more stubborn, part that still wasn't quite ready to let go of April Reynolds.

[Trixie]

She nodded, looking up at him. "I ain't gonna push, Nate. You're cute, and sweet, and if I'm bein' honest, I'd like to kiss ya...but I ain't gonna push."

[Nate]

She's not coming back, Nate. Don't push this girl away just because you're afraid to let go, Nate scolded himself. as much as he hated to admit it, he knew that his more logical side had a point.

"You're not pushing me," he promised as he inched closer to her. Slowly, he slid his hand up the side of her face and ran his thumb over her cheekbone. This right here was the second hardest thing he ever had to do. He leaned in and lightly kissed her cheek. "You're a sweet girl."

[Trixie]

She smiled a little, putting a hand just above his knee. "I ain't that sweet, Nate. Ain't so innocent, either."

[Nate]

He simply shrugged. Why did she seem to bat down his attempts at a compliment? To Hell if he knew... "Just calling it like I see it," he explained casually. "Not to say my observations won't change eventually. Right now, though, you're sweet."

[Trixie]

She smiled at him and gave his knee a squeeze. "Well, thanks, Nate. I appreciate that."

[Nate]

"No need to thank me," he said with a shake of his head. "I didn't really do anything to deserve your thanks."

[Trixie]

If Trixie had known what the word 'self-deprecating' was, that's what she would have told him to stop being. Instead, she leaned up and kissed his cheek, right at the corner of his mouth. "Well, thanks, all the same."

[Nate]

"Well, umm, you're welcome then, miss Trixie," he said sheepishly, a half-smirk on his face.

He paused, his smirk widening again. "Or are you going to give me a million reasons why I shouldn't call you 'miss'?"

[Trixie]

She giggled. "Nah, I don't mind that so much." She tilted her face up at him, smiling brightly.