Work Text:
Learning to smile isn’t easy. At first it looks forced. Hours need to be spent on just studying your own face. More hours spent on watching others' reactions to your smile.
Natural smiles make others react with a similar emotion. That’s not what he needed.
The more you do something, the easier it becomes. Holding muscles into place for a long period of time is tiring. Until it becomes a simple memory.
Smiling when it’s appropriate is important too. It can’t be during serious moments. Unless you make a light hearted comment to ease the mood. It can’t be during sad moments. Unless you are consoling someone. It can’t be during heated moments. Unless it is to cool tempers.
When you do smile, it can’t be too big and it can’t be too small. Lips need to be turned up at just the right angle. Don’t show teeth. That convoys the wrong emotion and message to others. They’ll think it’s out of excitement or eagerness.
Over the years, it becomes easier. Each year more people come into your life. They don't stay long but it’s an opportunity to learn. Learn about what people want. What people like.
In no time the smile becomes effortless. Everyone accepts that look on your face. They think nothing of it. They stay the appropriate length away from you. Close enough to create a bond but far enough to keep them from learning.
Everything works out. That smile has kept you moving along. Everyone buys that smile.
That is, until someone doesn’t.
“When you smile or laugh, it's not sincere. I can tell.”
Looks like someone saw through that easy smile.