midnightstar | Shionne and Alphen in Menancia

They've all come a long way since Calaglia, both in terms of distance and... other things. Things Shionne was forcing herself not to acknowledge. Because what would the point be to acknowledge those thoughts when she couldn't act on them - when at the end of this journey, she had no future? Ah... but that was something she hadn't - couldn't - tell the others, who she's begun thinking of as more than just 'tools'.

Particularly Alphen.

It was the hardest to think of him when she knew how much she was keeping from him. Much to her frustration, however, the group had decided to take a break for a little while since Shionne's pace had been pushing the others quite a lot - and they did just gain two new companions. Shionne was avoiding them as much as possible, deciding to go for a walk through the city almost...baffled by how accepting the Dahnans and Renans were.

It was ... nice. But it felt so alien to her, at the same time.

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Alphen was nearby though he was seemingly asleep by the time she finally woke up. Though he was also lying on his side QUITE close too. Not within reach since that would be a bit much plus he didn't want to have her worry about a stray touch triggering her curse. But he was closer than the others even with his back turned to her. As for the others. Who knew?

Seeing him sleeping with his back to her, Shionne rolled over a little more, as quietly as she could, to face him. He wasn't so close that he'd trigger her thorns, but he was close enough..she could just.. lift her hand slightly and reach out --

Pulling her hand away before her thorns were triggered, she held it close to her chest, closing her eyes, letting out a silent sigh. OH Right, the others -- she lifted her head slightly, but she didn't see anyone else in the room. She could hear Law and Rinwell talking outside the room, Kisara and Dohalim were probably out and about as well.

She sat up slowly, sitting on the edge of her bed, resting her hands in her lap as she watched her sleeping...friend..? Honestly she wasn't sure what he was to her. Without her thorns..maybe he would even be more than just a friend. That being said... maybe she should come clean. But how would she even bring up the subject? It was useless.

Alphen idly turned in his sleep but not due to a nightmare or anything like that. Which in turn meant she was getting a very good look at his sleeping face now just as she was almost reaching out to him. She could even touch his cheek right now and he wouldn't stir given the lack of pain.

She froze, hand still raised, when he turned over in his slip. Oh.. he's still close. He's still asleep. Her hand drew back hesitantly - the desire to touch him was so tempting. He WAS asleep and he couldn't feel her touch so ... he wouldn't wake up, right?

She glanced around nervously, almost as if she were about to do something awful. Glancing back at him, she slowly let her hand inch forward a little closer to his face, almost holding her breath at the crackle from her thorns triggering when she gently touched his cheek with a finger.

Alphen did not wake at the touch and if anything it almost felt like he got more relaxed as a result of that touch. Which was absurd given the faint dark light crackling where her hand touches his cheek as he still slept for the moment. So Shionne had to deal with that sudden attack from Alphen who had no idea he was staging such an attack on her poor heart.

... Ohh... that was unfair.

She should pull her hand away before he woke, but there was something enchanting about seeing his sleeping face, feeling his cheek against her hand as she let her hand wander gently over his cheek, gently stroking it upwards to carefully brush some of his hair out of his face. Probably a good thing he was sleeping, though it also meant he was missing out on quite a sweet smile.

Alphen would absolutely kick himself for missing that smile. None of hte others were there to see it either. Except a small fluffy ball of feathers up in the corner of the room that is.

Hootle! The sneaky fiend! Well it's not like he was talking, and he couldn't tell Alphen what happened. Her gaze drifted to the crackling thorns that played against his face the longer her hand touched him, and the smile paused as her hand froze, and fingers almost touching his lips. The smile changed to one more bittersweet, and she pulled her hand away from his face.

What was she even thinking.. stealing that fleeing touch was only going to make her want more. She put a hand over her face, taking a breath. She was going to end up waking him up if she kept touching him.

Alphen had missed out on one of the most honest moment anyone could hope to get out of her given their circumstances. Oh well he would just have to subconsciously set things up like that between them.

"mmmmm" he grumbled while his eyes slowly started to crack open.

Oh my, how sneaky!~ subconsciously.

Oshit, she stopped touching him just in time! She quickly pivoted away from him, looking out the window instead - suspiciously quickly? Maybe. She doesn't greet him right away though, needing a second to get her composure back, even though schooling her expression .. still needed some work. There was definitely a lonely look of longing on her face when she finally turned to face him with a practiced, impassive, "Oh, you're up.." She looked away again, "It looks like it's going to rain today." It felt the way she did.

Alphen let out a long yawn and stretched before he idly felt at his cheek that felt strangely...warmer than usual. Not sure why. Maybe Hootle had been sleeping on it before he woke up? Regardless after the yawn and stretch he showed a soft smile back to Shionne.

"Good morning, Shionne." He nodded then looked out the window at the overcast world beyond the glass pane.

"Hmmmm that's a problem. That might make us have to delay leaving." That was mostly for the other people in their party since he likely could march through the rain anyway.

"G..Good morning Alphen." Ignore that slight hitch in her voice she wasn't imagining anything! Nor did she glance at the way he felt his cheek. He... didn't know right? That smile didn't help matters, and she immediately looked back out the window.

"I don't see why it should delay anything. It's just water." It wasn't a problem for him, and Shionne would force herself through any kind of weather except the most extreme. Except she knew they wouldn't be willing to trudge through bad weather. At least the Lords weren't likely to go anywhere anytime soon .. she just had urgency of a different nature.

"Well that's the problem with traveling with a bigger group. We might not mind walking in the rain but the others most likely would." Alphen shook his head.

"Besides are you sure you want to get going bad enough to travel through the downpour until your clothes are pretty much glued to your body?" The curse of being dense about some things was that the filter on his mouth sometimes didn't catch these sort of statements. Because it didn't exist.

... okay he might have a point but did he have to bring that up? Shionne folded her arms and sighed, "...fine, we'll wait for the rain to pass..for now." Normally she wouldn' tcare but her clothes getting -that- wet..well they weren't particularly thick and she didn't(kinda did) want Alphen seeing something he shouldn't. At least she wasn't wearing that white dress anymore though? ".. it'll probably be better for Hootle as well." Not that flying in that rain was an issue when he could ride on the shoulders of all but one of the party members.

Though sitting around waiting for the rain to stop was not ideal... not when they were on a time limit ...and not when every day she lived through made her want to see the next, even when she knew she had to protect the world and people she cared for with her own death. "... Kisara probably prepared breakfast already, so you should go freshen up and get something to eat before it gets cold."

Later he'd suffer a delayed embarassment explosion but for now he could only tilt his head curiously before letting out a wry chuckle at the Hootle comment. She was in some extreme denial if she thought NO ONE noticed how she looked longingly at the baby owl.

"Hm? You're right but what about you?" Since no one loved food as much as Shionne. So her offering to send him off first was a little perplexing.

"I'm fine, I had something earlier." ... more like she's got a snack hidden in her dress she was going to nibble on when he was out of the room. She felt brave about touching him while he slept ~~(wow that sounds bad out of context)~~, but telling him about the real situation - no, she was still wimping out of that.

He doesn't believe her in the slightest. Or more like doesn't believe a quick snack is enough for her bottomless stomach. Still he lets out a sigh as he opts to back out THIS time.

"I can bring you some back after I am done if you like."

It's not, but she was distracted too. No doubt she would have a growling tummy by the time he came back. "That's fine," she sighed, glancing at the window as if she could will the rain the stop. But maybe the rain was giving her an opportunity... "Alphen -" she paused, trailing off. "...never mind."

Again. SHe was doing it again. Almost taking a step forward then taking it back as the potential consequences frightened her. Honestly he wondered did she really expect him to leave or something because of whatever she was keeping from him? Was he that selfish and unreliable?

ALphen shook his head with a sigh and left the room after that. Whether it was the absence or the fact that he had chosen to give her time again, the room felt a little colder without hi there.

It did feel colder. Colder and lonelier. She pulled a blanket up around her body, shivering into it slightly. It's not the first time she felt lonely, hearing the laughter and chatter of other people around her - but with this group she felt it more keenly. Especially Alphen.. she was sure he was getting tired of her distance - who wouldn't in his shoes? She was really doing herself no favors at this point - though what other alternative did she have? Trust was not something she gave easily. Especially over something so vital.

Yet even with all of that he wouldn't leave her. He couldn't even imagine not seeing her face in the morning. He was dense but he wasn't stupid. Alphen already was becoming aware how big of a part in his life Shionne had become. For a plethora of reasons she would no doubt deny.

Meal time was a slightly awkward affair but eventually it managed some semblance of normalcy. SO not long after he would be bringing a tray of a few dishes just for a certain perpetually hungry rifle user.

When he made his way back into the room with the food, Shionna was curled up under her blanket, hugging her knees with her head resting atop them, facing away from the door. She wouldn't have even glanced up to his arrival if her stomach hadn't growled at the smell of the delicious meal. "..." Well that was just embarrassing. "Oh... Alphen. Thank you." Part of her wanted to ask if he noticed her having touched him.. part of her wanted to touch him again, but she didn't dare.

There was a faint smile of pride at having predicted this development and if anything her stomach growling was more close to how he liked their interactions to go. AT least then she didn't look as if she had the weight of the world crushing her.

"No worries. It's only normal I'd make plans given how long we've traveled."

Shionne picked up the plate, staring at it for a second before she had to fight a small smile, "I guess it is a bit of a routine, isn't it?" She shifted the blanket enough so that she could enjoy her meal, trying not to look in his direction TOO much.

"It is but I don't mind it." Shionne being betrayed by her stomach whenever she tried to refuse extra food was actually one of her cute aspects as far as Alphen was concerned. Still all he wished was to have Shionne alive and well and if possible, happy as well.