Work Text:
Furina had been planning their date for months.
First, the Valentine’s Day staples: flowers and chocolate. Nevuillette never cared much for rainbow roses, so Furina specially paid for a diver to collect Romaritime Flowers and Lakelight Lilies. And since her girlfriend didn’t have much of a sweet tooth to begin with, the chocolates she ordered were specially catered to her tastes: not too sweet, with just the right amount of bitterness. Both items were hidden in their apartment so Furina could surprise Neuvillette before the next part of their date.
Next, reservations at one of Fontaine's most famous cabarets, La Alhambra. It was notoriously difficult to reserve a table in, especially for a holiday like Valentine’s Day. By some divine luck, Furina managed to book a table for them, 7 PM sharp. They would enjoy good food in the presence of amazing music and performances.
After dinner, Furina would take Neuvillette on a walk through the plaza where a string quartet would just so happen to be there, playing elegant music that echoed through the night. Neuvillette had been slowly learning to dance from Furina, eager to learn some of her girlfriend’s interests. Furina found it very endearing, so she hired a quartet to play music for them to dance to. In the plaza, they would dance and twirl around each other as they pleased, ending off a perfect night.
Sitting at her vanity, Furina recited the date plans over and over again to herself as she did her makeup. She drew on her eyeliner with a practiced stroke. She had planned their night as a total surprise for Neuvillette. This was their first Valentine’s Day together as a couple and she wanted it to be perfect.
Furina finished off her look with a swipe of lip gloss. Then, she stood back from her mirror and admired her look.
She wore a new outfit for tonight, an A-line dark blue dress that fell to her ankles, with a black petticoat underneath. The dress was decorated with black and white frills and ruffles along the hem and sleeves of the dress; she always loved pretty ruffles in her clothes. She wore black leather shoes and a blue bow in her hair, its long ribbon tails flowing past her hair and down her back.
A knock came from the door. “Come in,” she said, smoothing down her dress.
The door opened to reveal Neuvillette standing just behind it. Furina glanced up to see her reflection in the mirror, then sharply turned around to look directly at her. She wore a shimmering blue and silver off-the-shoulder dress that flowed over her figure and barely grazed the floor. She had on a simple set of earrings and a necklace that decorated her skin. She had left her hair down, but styled it so it was loosely curled and a wave fell over one eye.
Furina’s mouth moved automatically, “You’re beautiful.” Suddenly bashful, she turned back to her vanity and started tidying up, since it was always messy by the time she finished her makeup.
“Thank you,” Neuvillette replied, smoothing her hair from her face.
“So,” Furina began, dropping her eyeliner and brushes into the drawer without much thought, “are you ready to go?” If they left now, they’d be a little early to the cabaret. Although Furina was never the most punctual person, she wanted to make sure everything went smoothly tonight.
Neuvillette shifted. “No, actually.”
Furina stopped her cleaning and turned to look at her again, confused.
“I was wondering,” Neuvillette said as she walked towards her, “if you would do my makeup?”
Well that was a surprise. “Uh, of course.” To be honest, Neuvillette could have asked if she would join her in breaking into the Hotel Debord's kitchen in the middle of the night to eat cake and Furina would have answered the same way. She awkwardly gestured to Nevuillette to take a seat in front of the vanity, and she gracefully sat down holding her own makeup bag. “But why?”
Neuvillette placed her bag on the table and began to unzip it. “I thought it might be nice,” she said simply, taking the products out of her bag.
Furina’s eyes darted to the clock in her room. There'd be enough time if she worked quickly. “Alright then.” Furina grabbed one of Neuvillette’s makeup brushes and got to work.
She gently held Neuvillette’s chin and turned her face towards her. At this point in their relationship, she had watched Neuvillette getting ready dozens of times and she knew how she did her makeup, both for everyday and date night looks. She quickly applied her foundation and concealer.
“Sorry if I’m breathing too hard on you.” Furina laughed a little nervously, then put down the brush and picked up a new one along with a blush compact. She hastily flicked it open and swirled the brush around, picking up pigment.
“It’s okay.” Neuvillette’s eyes were closed and she spoke softly. “You know, there's no need to rush.”
Suddenly aware of how fast she was moving through the steps, Furina froze, brush suspended in midair. “Well, we have plans tonight, so I want to make sure we’re on time.” Furina continued with the blush, slightly flustered.
“Since when were you so conscious of the time?” Neuvillette’s voice teased and she opened her eyes to look at her girlfriend.
“I don't want to miss our reservation. I just…want to make sure our date goes right tonight.” She wasn't used to this; usually Neuvillette was the one getting them to places on time and reminding Furina of how much time she had left before they needed to go. She hesitated before quietly adding, “This is our first Valentine’s Day together. I want it to be perfect.” Furina glanced at the clock again. They really needed to leave soon. A little miffed, Furina skipped over the contour and highlighter and went straight to eye makeup. She picked up an eyeshadow palette and selected a blue that matched Neuvillette’s dress, planning to swipe it all over her eyelids with haste.
“Furina.” Neuvillette’s hand gently grasped her wrist, stilling her. “Darling, it’s okay. I’m sure your plans for tonight are great and they will be perfect. But you can slow down a little.”
“I just really want you to enjoy this date,” Furina’s words tumbled out of her, made honest by her girlfriend’s gentleness. “I wanted to do all the things normal couples do on Valentine’s Day.”
Neuvillette looked surprised. “That’s what this is about? It’s kind that you thought of flowers and chocolate–sorry to ruin your surprise but you're not very good at hiding things in the apartment,” she added, seeing Furina blush, “but you don’t have to do anything grand for me. A date isn’t perfect because of whatever reservation you booked or gifts you have ready. They’ll be perfect to me because I’m with you.”
Neuvillette smiled and took hold of Furina’s hand still holding the brush. “I wanted you to do my makeup because I know you know me so well. You always pay attention to all the little things about me. And I know we’ll enjoy whatever you have planned tonight. I just wanted one quiet moment with you beforehand.”
Standing before her girlfriend, Furina felt a little foolish. She was so focused on the big, grand things she had planned for their date, she hadn’t seen the intimate moment Neuvillette was asking to share with her. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, letting go of tension she hadn’t even registered. “Okay,” she said, putting on a small smile. Neuvillette smiled back, then relaxed her face so Furina could finish her makeup.
She went back for her highlighter, placing it softly on her cheekbones and cupid’s bow. She still skipped the contour, since Neuvillette had perfect cheekbones anyway. She allowed herself one look at the clock, just to ease her nerves. It was going to be okay. They had time. And time to themselves, with just the two of them, was precious.
She applied a little bit of eyebrow gel onto Neuvillette's light eyebrows. Then, picking up the eyeshadow palette again, she applied a shade of blue so light it was almost white to the inner corner of her eyelids. It sparkled as she tapped the pigment in. She applied a blue shade that matched Neuvillette's dress to the center of her eyelids, then finished with a dark blue at the outer parts of her eyes. She drew on her eyeliner gently, and flicked it upwards at the ends of her eyes. Deciding she needed a little more sparkle, Furina reached into the drawer, took out a sheet of small rhinestones, and stuck onto the endpoints of the eyeliner. Cute, she decided. As she had been working, another smile had been growing on Neuvillette’s face.
“Why are you smiling?” Furina asked, taking notice.
Neuvillette opened her eyes, the shades of blue pairing well with the violet shades of her eyes. “You make me smile, Furina.”
Furina grinned. “I’m just lucky to have you.”
She took Neuvillette’s lipstick–the one Neuvillette declared as her signature color ever since she received it from Furina on her birthday–and swiped it on. She grabbed the setting powder and brushed it onto the oily spots of her face, setting her makeup. She looked at her whole face, checking for any spots that needed touching up, and appreciated the beauty the makeup enhanced.
“All done!” Furina stood back, admiring her work.
Neuvillette opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, touching up her hair around her face. “Thank you, and good job darling.” She smiled. “But one last thing,” she said, turning to Furina. “Test my lipstick?”
Furina smiled at their inside joke. “Of course.” Furina closed the distance between them. Then cupping Neuvillette’s face, she leaned down and kissed her. She took her time, savoring the kiss and breathing in the scent of makeup powder and perfume. Neuvillette’s arms came up around her waist and pulled her body closer to hers. Hundreds upon hundreds of kisses together, and the warmth Furina felt from them was never not intoxicating. It almost made her forget they still had a date to go on.
All too quickly, they pulled away. Furina inspected Neuvillette’s lipstick. “Still perfect.”
Neuvillette giggled. “I can’t say the same for you.” Furina looked at herself in the mirror and swiped at the bit of lipstick left behind in the corner of her mouth. “It’s fine,” she said, deciding to leave it. It completed her look. “Are we ready now?”
Neuvillette stood up. “Yes,” she said, taking Furina’s arm.
“Then let’s go.” Their date had only just begun, but Furina decided it was already perfect.