The blush on Lumi's cheeks spread, just from Etain stepping closer to her. And seeing her lower her head, in an attempt to hide her blush brought a smile to the redheads face. She was glad that Lumi's hair was up, as she could look at her face, which the blushing only added to, without obstruction. Though, now she thought about it, she would love to see Lumi with her hair down. It looked like it would have been just as long as Etain's own hair.

With a bow and a smile, Etain lead the way from the rose garden, heading towards somewhere warmer. Etain could feel the internal conflict happening within Lumi's mind. It was broadcast by the girls body language, her whole demeanour. She knew the purplenette liked being with Etain, liked the compliments, she wouldn't be blushing as much if she wasn't. But she was struggling with her own self-doubt, her low self-esteem, to truly accept them.

Feeling the sudden tightening of Lumi's hand on her arm made Etain look down, then over at the girl. 'Don't apologise, sweetie,' Etain said with a smile. 'Hold on tighter if you want to, I don't mind.' She placed the fingers of her free hand under Lumi's chin, and carefully lifted her head, until they were looking into each others eyes. 'You shouldn't keep doing that,' Etain said. 'You might give yourself a sore neck.' She smiled at Lumi, then reached round and rubbed the back of the girls neck. 'You don't want that, do you?' She frowned. 'Looks like you might already be developing a knotted muscle here,' she said. 'Probably due to the cold.' She smiled at Lumi, placed her free hand on top of the others hand. 'Come on, let's get into the warmth before we freeze out here.' Truth be told, Etain wasn't that cold, but she didn't want Lumi to get any colder than she already was.

Hold on tighter? She could? Lumi went to lower her head again out of repetition, but a few ivory digits found their way under her sharp chin, and her head was tilted up to intervene with the other's gaze. Her emerald eyes widened. At first, she was unable to look at the girl's eyes. But with nowhere to go, she kept her gaze up; connected. It was a difficult task, as she rarely made full eye contact with someone she pedestaled higher than herself, which was pretty much everyone she came across. It was all implemented from her self-labeled inferiority status to the angelic girls of Astrea. And Etain was nothing short of high superiority to her.   

Then the girl chastised her lightly. Well, it was less than a chastisement, and more of warm advice, but Lumi receipted it all the same. A hand followed the stream of the red haired girl's words and became present on the back of her neck, rubbing at a spot she deemed most likely to be sore. The purple haired girl muted a terminated little gasp of surprise at the action. Her neck did often get sore. But the repetition of lowering her head was so mechanical now, that she usually failed to perceive the ache. Under the touch of another, however, it flared to a mild discomforting ache. She really hadn't noticed it until now.

When the girl's hand became absent from her neck to rest atop her hand again, Lumi looked at her. It was getting arguably cold outside. Perhaps not that bad, as all the trips and nights spent out in the Rose Garden had erected a small immunity to the frigid weather. But with her genetics acclimated to the sweltering heat of India, the cold didn't fail to bother her a little. "Alright." She flashed a small smile, one of utmost gratitude, as she began to walk alongside the girl again. She succumbed to her thoughts for a brief moment, letting her mind drift slightly into the stormy riptide that was the emulation of her thoughts. But through all the internal turmoil, she held on a little tighter, this time a bit aware of her actions

The way Lumi tried to avoid looking in her eyes, the eventually looked into her eyes made Etain want to hug her again. She held the girls gaze for a little longer, smiling at her, before she began to rub the back of the purplette's neck. She continued to rub until she felt the knot there easy. 'Does that feel better?' she asked softly.

When the girl agreed that they should head somewhere warmer, Etain beamed at her. She stepped closer to Lumi, until their bodies were touching, then began to walk towards the nearest building, which just so happened to be the LuLim dorm. Etain opened the door, then stepped aside, motioning for Lumi to enter first. When Lumi was inside, Etain followed her, closing the door behind her. She took hold of Lumi's hand again, then lead her to the lounge. When she was sure that Lumi was comfortably seated, Etain smiled down at her. 'Now, would you like a hot chocolate or a cuppa tea?' she asked, heading towards the communal kitchen.

Lumi felt a bit more relaxed when the knot eased up a little. She hadn't really paid attention to it before. Maybe once long ago, but that had long since ceased to pervade her mind. Sometimes she became so concerned about other's well-being and happiness that she completely ignored her own for many a day. It was almost like an unconscious form of self-destruction in a way. Though she really ever noticed it. "That...feels much better. Thank you, Etain."  

She walked alongside the red haired girl next, holding onto her arm ever so slightly more tighter. She was starting to feel the chill outside, and was a bit glad that Etain was walking as close as she was. It was a little nerve-wracking, she had to admit, as it was quite new to her, but not really uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, she kind of liked the close company. Though she wouldn't openly allow herself to admit it. Was she even deserving of it? Ah, the repetitive question was beginning to tire her so.

 The Lulim dormitory was soon reached, and she was almost reluctant to enter at first ahead of the girl. A very gentlemanly soul, Etain was. She eventually executed a low bow of utmost gratitude and waltzed inside, only to find herself being lead to the lounge and seated. Lumi shifted in her seat. Now this she wasn't used to at all. And the question that ensued next... Had she not harbored a naturally calm disposition, she would have all but jumped out of it to assist her. She wasn't used to sitting while others occupied themselves with a task alone, so she rose from her seat with a request.

"Please allow me to assist you, Etain." It was more of a plead rather than a quiet request. She was so accustomed to doing things for others she felt like an incredible burden if she were to just sit there and not lend a hand. Brushing a thin thread of hair that had slipped from its tight coil back behind her head, she cast her gaze to the floor in embarrassment, a rosy heat flaring across her caramel cheeks. "I-If that is alright, of course." She added softly.

'You really should be careful with knots in the neck,' the redhead warned Lumi. 'It can lead to headaches, migraines or even trapped nerves and you don't want any of those, trust me.' She smiled at Lumi. 'You're more than welcome sweetie. I'm just glad it feels better now.'

Etain could tell that Lumi was nervous about walking with her still, but was starting to enjoy it as well. Which made her glad. She hoped that Lumi would get out of the self-deprecating mindset she seemed to have, but, then again, Etain wasn't really one to talk about that. Etain pushed those thoughts from her mind and focused on Lumi.

A smile spread across Etain's lips as she received a bow from the purplenette. She could tell Lumi wasn't used to being treated like this, like, well, like the lady she was. But Etain was going to do her best to make her feel special. Because, in Etain's mind, she was. But then again, every cute girl was special in Etain's mind. 'It's okay, sweetie,' she said to Lumi's question of helping. 'I've got this.' A slight frown creased her brow. 'But if you want to do something, how about you grab some biscuits from the cupboard for us to nibble on?' She nodded to a cupboard as she poured some milk in a source pan, turned the hob on.

She then got two mugs out and spooned chocolate powder into them. She waited for the milk to begin steaming, before she poured the milk, slowly, into each mug, stirring as she poured. Soon the two hot chocolates were ready, so she picked them up and took them over to the seats in the lounge. She put one steaming chocolate in front of Lumi, then placed the other in front of her own seat, before she sat. She turned to Lumi and smiled at her. 'So,' she began. 'Tell us a little about yourself. If you want to,' she added.

Her request to assist the other girl was turned down for the most part, but she was glad when she offered an alternative. As long as she could do something, she would feel better than if she was sitting idle. Approaching the cupboard, she sifted through it, pausing to adjust her glasses once they slipped down the bridge of her nose. She soon retrieved the biscuits and next scavenged for a flat plat. Once she acquired one, she arranged the biscuits into a neat, organized pyramid atop of it. She walked carefully back out into the lounge and set the plate down before two chairs. A smile graced her face when Etain returned with the hot chocolate. She thanked her with a quick bow. The hot chocolate seemed awfully hot, so she decided she would wait a few moments before reaching for it as not to burn herself.

Then Etain turned to her. Tell her about herself? Lumi had not really done such a thing before. She wasn't even sure where, nor how, to start. Should she even start? Someone like her wasn't that important anyways, so why would someone desire to know about her? She wasn't that significant of a presence at all. Yet Etain seemed to think very much otherwise. It was all so confusing and new to the purple haired girl.

"Me? Why, Etain, I don't think you would be very interested in hearing about someone insignificant." She started meekly.  Her insecurities had resurfaced though she had tried her best to veil them. It was all habit and insecure nature. The habit and nature of the meek girl from India with no immediate family to call her own anymore.  

Watching as Lumi sorted the biscuits out, Etain smiled, which grew as Lumi made a cute little pyramid on the plate. She chuckled as she watched Lumi walked carefully back to the seating area, her head tilted at an angle, an eyebrow arched as she admired the view. She shook her head and straightened, turning back to the hot chocolate. You shouldn't be thinking things like that! she berated herself. You're in a relationship! She focused on preparing the hot chocolate, then when it was ready served it up.

Watching Lumi's reaction to her question made Etain smile. She found the other girl so cute when she became flustered. Watching Lumi's face, Etain could see the conflicting emotions and thoughts rushing across the others face. It was rather interesting to watch.

'Yes, you,' Etain said, a playful smile on her lips. 'And if I wasn't interested, I wouldn't have asked, would I?' Her voice was light and soft, to show she wasn't upset by Lumi's actions. She stood, walked over to where Lumi was, and sat on the arm of the chair, her arm draped lightly around the back of the chair, her hand resting on Lumi's arm. 'You're not insignificant, Lumi,' she said. 'Far from it. You're special and unique.' She smiled warmly down at Lumi. 'So, come on,' she continued. 'Let's hear a little about you.'

When Etain smiled and spoke softly, Lumi couldn't help but blush in embarrassment at her words. "I suppose." She murmured submissively. The red haired girl did have a point. Movement caught the corner of her eye, and she turned her head to look at the girl, her glasses flashing in the light. The faint rose colored suffusion painting her tan cheeks only augmented in a brighter rush of color when she seated herself on the arm of the chair. Then a hand reached out to rest on her arm. All the blushing up to this point had made her a little dizzy. Perhaps even tired. But it was not entirely unpleasant.

Special and unique? Was she? Of course, she protested it with every fiber of her being. She smiled slightly at the compliment and averted her emerald eyes for a second to recompose herself. Once she was certain that the rosy heat had drained to a comfortable degree, she shifted it back to the girl's smiling face. She would be incredibly embarrassed to say it aloud, but she thought Etain had a rather dashing smile. Radiant, too. There appeared to be no way to avoid speaking about herself. She wasn't too sure where to begin, as she had never done it before, so she tried to throw caution to the wind and awkwardly went for it. The worst a rose could do is prick, right?    

"W-Well... I was born in India." She started quietly. Was she even doing this right? She already felt like she was boring the girl, but tried her best to carry on. "Mumbai, to be exact. My mother is Japanese, and my father is Indian. Um... They named me "Lumisade" because I was born in the winter, though it is kind of silly, really, as it is neither a Japanese nor Hindi word, but rather a Finnish word. Ah, for "snowfall". "Lumi" means "snow" by itself... I...um, had a little sister, Alani, for a short while...and a friend named Ria who came from one of the families sharing the same apartment as us. The children at school weren't very nice... That's how I met Ria one day... Then there was this fire and---" Her voice trailed off.

A fire had killed her family just two years ago. Something or perhaps someone had started the small spark that had soon engulfed the shared apartment. She wasn't even sure if the other three families had survived.... Nor Ria, for that matter. Sometimes she felt the flames in her dreams. Burning and scorching her flesh. The imaginary dream world burn would often remain longer after she had woken up. It haunted her, yes, but she never showed it when in public eye. Because to her, her problems or issues weren't all that important. All that mattered were the needs and desires of others and tending to them. It was only among the flowery heads of roses that she found any source of selfless solace or comfort.

"I came to live with my aunt and cousin, Tsumi, in Japan who later enrolled me in St. Lulim's girl's school." She finished. Her gaze averted awkwardly from the other girl's. Maybe she shouldn't have told her all that... Lumi felt self-conscious about saying as much as she had. After all, in her mind, it really wasn't her place to, as she referred to it as, bore radiant others with herself. Because she was insignificant - an open, free-to-use marionette - in her own eyes.   

'You suppose?' Etain echoed, an eyebrow arched. 'You suppose?' The redhead sighed melodramatically, an exaggerated shake of her head. 'Sweetie, I never say things I don't mean. Well, almost never,' she corrected. 'But in this case, I certainly meant it.' She watched at Lumi's blushing cheeks turned a bright shade, as she looked away for a moment, and Etain knew that it was so she could try to control the blushing of her cheeks.

When Lumi turned back, Etain could see that the girl was unsure about what she'd asked her to talk about, so she gave her shoulder a bit of a reassuring squeeze, and her most charming smile. As Lumi began, Etain shifted on the arm, to get comfortable, and focused on what the other was saying.

A smile played on Etain's lips as she listened to the start of Lumi's story. It wasn't a mocking smile, nor a playful one, but an interested smile. Truth be told, Etain was just enjoying listening to the other girl speaking. But she was genuinely interested in Lumi. 'I didn't think it was Japanese,' she said when Lumi explained where her name came from. A frown creased her brow slightly at the choice of wording when Lumi mentioned her younger sister. Her suspicions were confirmed a moment later when Lumi mentioned a fire.

Instantly Etain had her arms around the girl, holding her tight. She didn't know the details, but she could understand enough to know what had happened. A fire had taken the lives of her family, and maybe even her friend Ria. Etain didn't know how Lumi would react to the hug, nor if she even wanted it. But she felt sure that Lumi needed it. 'Oh, sweetie,' she said, loosening the hug slightly. 'I'm so sorry.' She hugged her again for a few moments more, before she released her again. 'I'm sorry I made you relive that,' she said. 'I... I shouldn't have pried.' She glanced away, not wanting Lumi to see the hurt in her eyes.

She'd done it again. She'd pressured someone into doing something, and it had hurt them. She always did that! She always hurt people! Maybe it was best if she just up and left, never to be seen again. That way she'd never hurt anyone again. She took a deep breath, held it, then released it as she pushed those thoughts away. Buried them deep down, where they would stay hidden, festering until she couldn't stand the pain, the burning. Until nothing she did could ease the building pressure, except one thing. The one thing she never wanted to do, yet knew could help ease the pressure. Her right hand rose, subconsciously, to her left upper arm, squeezed her shoulder. When she felt she was under control again, she turned back to face Lumi, her smile back in place.

'Sorry,' she said again. 'You don't have to say any more if you don't want to.' She looked at the table, with their hot chocolates and biscuits sat. 'Let's have our chocolates and talk about something more cheery, yes?'