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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Completely ludicrous even! That being said, A part of Alphen wished she had not realized what she was doing. Oh well. He could not be too greedy. He already had made such headway with her, the last thing he wanted to do was ruin it by pushing his luck.

"I'm positive." He nodded with a small smile that was so unfair and yet again not even on purpose now.

Total nonsense. Though part of her wondered...what would happen if she hadn't pulled away. He had definitely looked like he was leaning in to meet her so..

That smile was so utterly unfair, she blushed at the sight of it, giving him a small smile of her own. Putting aside the thought - she touched his hand, she touched his cheek, but she almost longed to feel him hold her--

WHOAH where did that thought come from?

"S-so, should...we tell the others when they come back...?"

He would have gladly indulged that desire as well. Alas she never spoke it out loud and now that moment was gone for a while at least.

A tiny part of him wished they didn't have to tell the others. But this matter was more important than his own minute selfish impulses.

"We probably should. Though on that matter I'll leave it to you to decide when you tell them." Since it was something so important after all, he had no doubt Shionne might need time to steel herself for that talk as well.

He might still get an opportunity when she wakes up from her nightmares~!

Shionne nodded slowly, sighing. "Then.. later. I need to ready myself," she hadn't missed that he still held her hand, and she hid a bit of a smile. Wait, would things really go back to normal now that she's told him this?

It ..somehow felt different. But not in a bad way. "Alphen... thank you." For hearing her out and making good on his word to not leave - not right away at least.

With him being by her side to the bitter end, there would be no shortage of opportunities. That being said he was quite happy with being the only one to know this much about Shionne for a while longer. Made her trust in him feel that much more precious.

"I'm happy I could be helpful. Even a little." He knew he lacked the worldly wisdom of most but what he lacked in knowledge he made up for with grit, determination and bloody stubborness.

"You've been more helpful than you realize," Shionne smiled, relaxing a little. She'd ask why he was still holding her hand, but.. she didn't want to draw his attention to it. "Still. Two more cores to go.."

"Yeah. And I doubt either of them are going to be as cooperative as Dohalim" Their recent party member was absolutely an exception among the lords so he would not take that for granted to keep happening in the future. As for the hand thing...it's not like it was necessary to let go.

Shionne absently shifted on the edge of the bed, moving closer to him unconsciously. "That's a given. I don't know much about either of them, unfortunately.." He could hold her hand all night if -- oh that would probably be awkward wouldn't it?

It might be. Though Alphen was dense enough to not let that bother him. So unless Shionne made the first step to free her hand, he was not going to see any need to unless he was to be called away but even that would take a VERY IMPORTANT reason to achieve.

"Well we'll approach it same as before. Learn about them and their kingdom and then act once we have a way in."

She did occasionally glance his way, though it was mostly to marvel that he still held her hand- and to make sure he wasn't getting any damage from said hand holding. "Okay." She sighed. He seemed just as content to stay right there with her, rather than exploring the city or going to the arena or anything too. "Haaa... it's strange, but I actually feel tired." Like that burden was a physical thing and now that she had someone to share it, she was feeling the exhaustion all at once.

Alphen smiled back at that little confession of hers and nodded. "I guess the rainy weather does make it easy to think of just going back to sleep instead of looking out at the same dull gray sky." Yet he was still not letting go of her hand. Almost as if it had turned to muscle memory that did not require any conscious thought on his part.

Shionne chuckled a little awkwardly. OF course she couldn't even think of taking a nap with him there. Especially with him holding her hand. She didn't think he even realized he was holding her hand, in fact. "It's somehow soothing," she agreed, resisting the urge to lean towards him. "I used to hate the rain." But now it was going to bring up the memory of being with him like this, and their conversation.

He almost asks why but Alphen feels like he's asked enough questions of Shionne for one day plus the mood feels so cozy right now he doesn't want to risk it. Instead he just allows himself to lean towards her as well as he peers out the window.

"In my case it's hard to hate something I only started knowing and experiencing about after finally becoming free."

"..that explains a lot." Why he never hated her, and was willing to put up with even her worst attitude. Watching his reflection in the window (she thinks she's being subtle but..) she shifts just..a tiny bit so it looks like her body was leaning directly against his. Though she pretended that wasn't her goal at all. She does give a small sigh, one of odd contentment. Maybe one day it wouldn't just look like she was leaning against him.

That wasn't the only reason he really put up with her at first. What the other reason was he couldn't rightly tell. It just felt oddly right. Maybe it related to his sealed memories leaking out just ever so slightly.

He doesn't stop her and not even the faint crackling seems to bother him until it finally starts subsiding as the two of them grow cozier and cozier with each other.

"..." She paused - what was this atmosphere? It was certainly something she's never experienced before, because it made the temptation to get closer to him -very- hard to resist. In fact she kept shooting him glances, as if she might ask him if she could touch him. Well that wasn't fair, she was touching him now, but what she'd had in mind ... "Alphen..?"

"Yes?" He answered, a little slower than normal since he was actually feeling so incredibly relaxed in the moment. Just something about being with Shionne brought such familiarity and comfort he was instinctively drawn to her. Some things just went beyond mere memory it seemed.

"..." Ah. She was about to ask if he'd tell her if she hurt him with how they were sitting, and with him holding her, but it dawned on her that he probably -wouldn't- tell her. And he couldn't feel the pain anyway. "Let me see your hand." The one holding hers. She didn't think the thorns were doing too much damage to him, but she had even more reason to keep him safe now.

"huh? Uh sure. here.' He said raising his hand for her to examine. it was a peculiar request but not one he needed to overthink. Because Even before they had gotten close, Shionne still had his overall wellbeing in mind as the only one able to use the flaming sword if anything. But even he knew it wasn't just because of that anymore.

She took his hand in hers on that note, inspecting it verrrrry carefully. Moreso than necessary really, her fingers trailing over his skin, feeling the tips of his fingers down to the lower part of his palm. No damage. Good. Maybe lighter touches don't do as much damage. Not that she should use that as an argument to touch him or anything! "... it's fine. Good." She loosened her grip on his hand.

Honestly it was quite touching if a little amusing to see her examine his hand so thoroughly. So much so that there was a faint smile tugging at his lips at the end of it all.

"You wouldn't hurt me. You're the one who always patches me up after all."

She eyes him at that, "I've always hurt someone," she pointed out. "I would be hurting you right now if not for that.." She reached up to touch her fingers to the edge of the mask. To think she would be grateful for such a thing - she didn't think she would be able to keep going if she hurt the one person she cared about most.

He would be shaking his head if she wasn't touching the edge of his mask. Instead he just lets out a slight sigh.

"That was not your fault though. You're not the kind of person to WANT to hurt someone. I might not know you for too long but I can definitely say with certainty you're not someone that wants to bring people pain. Well those that don't deserve it I mean."

He's always been so sure of these things. Once she started working with him and they started getting along, she started slipping up. Like right now, she had slipped up and revealed so much to him. Part of her knew why - it was just from wanting to be close to him, her want to be closer to him even if she was afraid of doing damage with her thorns -- he might not feel the pain but he'd still regret it in the end wouldn't he?

She knows the answer even as she found herself wondering it. She didn't think he'd regret anything with her. Unless it was being unable to help her. She gave a small laugh, leaning against him without even thinking about it. "I don't understand... I don't have a single argument.." Not one he couldn't counter.

"I guess that means...I win?" He wasn't trying to rub it in her face or anything he just had never really won a debate with anyone before meeting her so he was not sure. Regardless his uncertain tone would hopefully convey that fact though feeling her leaning into him put the faintest of smiles on his lips. He felt the urge to reach up and pat the side of her head and pull her even closer...where did that thought even come from?!