Work Text:
"... You work on a farm, clover." Chara has a raise to their brow as they say this, but they don't look away from applying another coat of magenta to Frisk's nails.
Clover sits heavily at the table next to them, scooting their chair closer. Obnoxious screeching ensues, and they hover over Chara as she works. "Uh- yeah, so?"
"... You do realize they would... chip, right?" She switches from Frisk's left hand to their right. "Nail polish comes off easily. Even doing dishes too often will wear them off."
"Well, yeah, but- it'd be purty, wouldn't it?" They grin, taking off muddy gloves to look at their nails. "They don't gotta last long, anyways! I can appreciate a good polish even with the wear, partner!"
Chara huffs, capping the bottle. "... Alright, don't move your hands too much as they dry, Frisk." They turn to clover; "if you do want them, then promise to stay still. If they smudge before they're done, I'm not finishing them."
Clover cheers, immediately twisting in their chair to offer Chara their hands. Chara cringes. "Go wash your hands."
"Oh- right! Sorry, one second!" Clover dashes off, rushing water and frantic scrubbing ensuing. quick footsteps hurry back, and Clover launches back into their seat. "There! all nice and clean, just fer' you, princess!"
Chara sighs, but picks up their now clean hands. They're rough—far rougher than Frisks. They could tell they're well worn from their usual activities.
"... Alright. What colour would you like?" She gestures with her head to the table, adorned with a dozen or so polishes of varying quality. Clover doesn't even look before they respond with an enthusiastic;
"Surprise me!"
"... If you say so."
Chara's hand paused mid-reach, before it switched directions. They... thought they would pick the yellow polish, but, seeing as it's their choice...
They picked up a bottle with a beautiful, shimmering crimson red; shadows so deep they shifted to a purple. If they were going to make her pick, then she'd pick her favourite one.
The bottle opening with a twist, Chara angled Clovers hand to cup it in their own. Their knee pressed against hers—ratted denim against the cold skin of her knee, and it took more mental concentration than they'd ever admit to ignore it.
"... Hold still."
Chara heard them suck in a breath, and huffed a breath of amusement. "And breathe, idiot." Clover exhaled.
"... Oops."
Chara didn't deign that with a response, starting on their first coat.
Clover sat surprisingly still as she worked. Their palms were hot, and after a while they started sweating a bit, but they were sitting more still than Frisk was.
Their nails were longer than she initially expected, too. They were thick, albeit a bit chipped at the ends. The red polish sunk into the cracks, glimmering beautifully. She gently set their finished hand onto the table, a quick, "Don't move that," huffed under her breath without notice as she grabbed their other hand.
Clovers leg was bouncing against their own, but they paid it no mind as they quickly finished their second hand.
"... Alright. Don't move. Wait a few minutes, and I'll come back and finish the next coat. Frisk?" They tilted their head. "... You can run off now. Just don't hit them against anything too hard."
They nodded, and scampered off into the hallway– presumably towards their room.
Clover, when she looked back at them, was smiling with a dopey grin at their hands.
"... Do you like the colour?"
They jumped in their spot, looking back at her. "I sure do! This is such a nice colour– reminds me of yer eyes," they beam, and go back to watching the red shimmer under the light. Chara felt their face go hot.
"... Ah. Of... of course you would think that."
Clover absentmindedly nodded, before lapsing into a peaceful silence.
A few minutes passed like that; simply... sitting. Chara themself were pleased with the silence; and while Clover usually seemed more talkative, they knew they could appreciate a moment of silence just as much as her.
She shifted in her spot, tilting towards clover again. "Alright. Hold your hands out. I... wont be doing a top coat, like I did with Frisk. I hope that's alright."
Clover obliged, hands slotting into theirs with ease. "Yup! All good with me," they grinned, lopsided; "'sides, I'll just come down again when I want another coat!"
Chara squinted, twisting the bottle open again. "... And who's to say I'd do this again."
Clover paused, blinking as their nails were delicately coated with more red. Chara wasn't looking, but they could feel their pouting face.
They did their entire left hand, and started on their right before speaking up again.
"... I would. For the record."
Clover lit up. The, 'yes,' that leaked from their lips stretched on an uncomfortable amount of seconds. "I knew ya loved me."
"... Unfortunately."