Tiffany was curled up with her massive stuffed Totoro doll, she was smiling, she was so happy, she was muttering nonsense about not believing how much she’d enjoyed the picnic that day. What she was enjoying most was a mental loop of Yuri telling her she was gorgeous and beautiful, no amazingly beautiful.

Tiffany might be known for her outgoing and friendly nature, but sometimes she was known for sending mixed signals, unwittingly leading people on because she refused to treat them any less than she thought they deserved. She was afraid that it worked both ways that someone used to being her friend wouldn’t know when she wanted more, without her being direct about it. With Yuri she didn’t want to be direct about it, there was something thrilling about the idea being wooed by Yuri that she really liked.

Tiffany knowing only so much about Yuri, still understood that it was going to be difficult for Yuri to make the moves that Tiffany wanted her to make, but today was a definite start. Tiffany was ready for the little dance that was courting, and that night she prayed Yuri was ready too.

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Yuri at the time of ’s slip up wanted to crawl into a cave near the coast and live forever off of crabs and whatever washed up because she was sure she was tanking this whole thing with Tiffany. The minute Tiffany countered back, Yuri knew she’d be alright just saying it. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to tell a girl she’s beautiful, she rationalized. In fact, she’d decided, it was better to tell a girl she was beautiful when you meant it.

The afternoon had ended splendidly, the two relaxed in the sun getting better acquainted, laughing and sharing stories from their lives. They managed to the conversation going until the sky started glowing yellow and dim, letting the pair know the night would soon be falling. Yuri helped Tiffany pack everything back together and helped her carry it back to her place, she’d left her at the base of the lift and went on to her building.

That night, Yuri’s self doubt was at an all time low and she went to bed dreaming that every day could be as happy as this and that maybe this feeling was all because of Tiffany, her amazingly beautiful neighbor.

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