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“You taste different.”
“Hm?”
Fresh from a kiss, far from their first or second one. There’s a smudge of Mir’s black lipstick on Taash’s lower lip that they’re licking tentatively like crumbs at the edge of their mouth.
“Your lips taste funny.” Taash licks their lips again, as if to make sure. “I don’t like it.”
“This dye is from walnut bark, like eyeliner.” Mir supplements. They’ve been experimenting with making their vitaar and makeup, much like every other person exploring their looks in a forest. “My old one’s from dark indigo flowers around Arlathan.”
“Ugh. I hate it.” The aftertaste is so obvious in the crinking of Taash’s eyes as they try to get it out of their mouth. “It smells weird too!”
All Mir can do is laugh. “Is it that terrible?”
“The old one looks good on you already.” It’s funny to watch Taash flinch everytime they lick their lips while looking at Mir and remember what’s on there, but the black smudges do slowly fade. There is a better way to clean off makeup, but this is more fun to watch. “I had no complaints on the last one. Why change it?”
“You eat with your eyes too.” An honest answer. Sure, identity is nice, but there’s a joy in looking good for someone. “You have very particular tastes.”
“I–” Taash attempts to sputter out a response before giving up, looking away in… embarrassment? There isn’t much else to hide when they’re this close and they’re sure Taash can smell sweat more than walnut bark at this distance. They aren't taking that as an insult, but they have surprisingly nothing to say to that. Did Mir say something wrong?
Apparently not, because the taste didn’t really matter in the end as Taash goes in again to sample – as if Mir cared or minded the slight brimstone in their breath or their own lipstick between their teeth.
Different, enough to stop and think and enjoy, but good tastes.