Private Finished Going Past Friendship

Madeline's joke did get a small, brief smile out of Jazz, before she hugged her knees a little bit tighter. She looked back over to her for just a second when she said she might talk to Shir, and was immediately conflicted on how to feel. Naturally, a large part of her was hopeful about how that conversation might go, but another was bogged down by guilt, thinking she was stressing Maddie out.

"I...I mean, only if that's something you want to do. I'm scared that I'm making you feel some kind of obligation or something, and...I just don't want you to hurt, even a little. No matter what." The bear girl's voice was even softer than it usually was, more unsure. She was overwhelmed, and confused, and she knew that Maddie was too.

After that, Jazz was quiet for a little bit, not knowing what to add. However, she was at least finally able to look at her again. Speaking a tiny bit more confidently, she offered a faint, but genuine smile. "...Maybe a weird time to add this, but, um...you do look really pretty today. I mean, you always do, but. Y'know."

Jazz practically felt her heart leap into her throat when Maddie slid over and pulled her into a hug. Being this close to her felt wonderful, that much she couldn't deny. She was warm, and smelled nice, and...oh. Abruptly, Jazz became painfully aware of just how close their faces were. The prolonged, deep eye contact made her swallow nervously, but this time she didn't look away.

Jazz knew she wanted this, more than anything else in that moment. She wanted to see what kissing her would feel like, sure that it would exceed her already high expectations, but even so, she was scared for a multitude of reasons.

Inching forward just the tiniest bit, their noses briefly touching, Jazz squeezed her hand tightly around the blanket on the couch if only to have something to hold onto. "...I...M-Maddie...are you...sure?"

Jazz exhaled a little shakily once Maddie broke off the hug, feeling a twinge of disappointment, but also relief that they had probably done the right thing. It would have felt nice in the moment, sure, but Jazz knew that she would have felt like utter garbage about it afterwards.

"Yeah...um, that's for the best, I think. Sorry for, like...I mean...almost, y'know." Coughing a little into her arm, and still blushing pretty furiously, she then nodded at Maddie's question. "Definitely. I'm not going to make you do anything you're uncomfortable with if I can ever help it. I promise." The bear girl gently rested a hand on Maddie's shoulder for a moment before pulling it away with a light smile.

"I can't lie, though. I'm kind of pretty excited to hear what he might have to say about all this, if you do end up talking to him. I mean, if both him and Deacon are comfortable, that would be pretty amazing, but...yeah. Let's just focus on the here and now. No matter what, I'm going to keep caring about you just as much as I always have, and I'll never stop being your friend."