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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"..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?!

"Haah.." Shionne wasn't taking it the wrong way, this time. There was just something so soothing about being close to him. Why had she never done this before...? Even if she wasn't -that- close, just risking being close enough for physical contact by leaning her head against his shoulder was daring enough. ".. you win." She agreed - though there was almost an unspoken 'This time'.

He....did not expect her to admit it like that. But with such a surprising twist, he opted to stay quiet after that, instead slowly settling in with Shionne for the immediate future. Which would likely be quite the sight for anyone that might come looking for them all over again.

Someone must have been looking out for them, because the two actually get almost..ten minutes of quiet to themselves, with Shionne sitting contentedly next to him with the barest contact she would allow. A soft sigh slipped from her lips as she let herself relax just the tiniest bit, trying not to look like she was smiling too much.

Though inevitably they weren't going to have as much time to themselves as they would have preferred, as after those ten minutes, the sound of a door banging open in the front room startled her - but before Shionne could jerk away, the door to their room banged open in turn, with Rinwell leading the charge, looking annoyed.

"If you like her so much you can stay there and flirt with her - Hmph. Stupid Law." Rinwell huffed over her shoulder - though she stopped short with wide eyes when she saw Shionne and Alphen.

Law, hurrying in after Rinwell with a fresh slap mark on his face and utter confusion in his eyes, almost stumbled into Rinwell in his haste to follow, "I wasn't flirting with her- I was being ---uh.."

Awkward silence. And then Rinwell quickly pivoted and started to push Law out, "Uh! S-sorry! W-we didn't see anything--!"

"Huh? What do you mean, that-" Law started, only for Rinwell to shove her hand over his mouth, blushing. That was as intimate as she's ever seen Shionne and they just stepped in it!

"...." For some unexplained reason, Alphen was feeling quite...frustrated right now with the two youngest of their group. The mood had been so cozy and calm before they came bumbling in. Yet he didn't want to make the first move to acknowledge it either so instead he tried to pretend he had not noticed as if he'd dozed off at the perfect moment.

If they had only waited two more minutes. Shionne might have actually fallen asleep leaning against Alphen like that. She shot a look towards Alphen, almost guilty as if she had done something wrong - which was absurd - but he looked like he'd fallen asleep?

She quickly slipped her hand away from his, blushing, "..Sorry." For imposing? Sorry for waking him? - ah, if he had fallen asleep it'd be Rinwell who woke him. "Rinwell, Law - it's fine, nothing was going on. You don't have to leave."

Rinwell paused in her attempt to push Law out the door, without success - if anything he looked amused at her attempts and just planted his feet to make her try harder. "Ah.. Are you sure?" Rinwell eyed Shionne, then glanced at Alphen.

If she had not pulled her hand away he could have kept a straight face and pretended to still be dozing off. Instead the moment he felt that contact leave him, his brows furrowed and his eyes cracked open. The annoyance and frustration in his heart spiked at that moment too. It had been so comfortable of a moment. A moment where Shionne was not pushing him away like she often tried to.

He just let out a sigh in the end.

"It's...fine" it was not fine.

Rinwell eyed Shionne - it was hard to tell what the sniper was thinking, but as for Alphen .... she felt like while he SAID it was fine, there was an unconscious feeling that she should not stay all the same. "Law, Move!"

Law, still amused by Rinwell's attempts to push him out, finally stepped to a side - right as RInwell was shoving forward, which caused her to yelp in surprise and fall forward into the next room - and at Dohalim and Kisara's feet.

"Ah, Rinwell, are you all right?" Kisara's voice was heard from the other room, answered by a menacing growl from Rinwell.

Law, who had been about to help Rinwell up, immediately had a 'what did *I* do look on his face, glancing first to Dohalim for help. The troll in their party however, merely pointed to the door, helpfully. Implying that Law should get while the getting was good. He poked his head into the room next, where Shionne was already distancing herself from Alphen - grudgingly - and Alphen was sitting. "It'll be Rinwell's turn to cook tonight - any requests?"

Shionne glanced over her shoulder towards Alphen, then back to Dohalim. "Anything with meat is fine. Let the others know not too get too comfortable, we'll probably be moving out tomorrow." She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself.

Law could look forward to an excessively enthusiastic sparring session the first chance they got. Alphen made a note on his list of grudges he had started writing in his mind. He hated the distance Shionne had put between them again, though at least it wasn't as bad as before. He was still closer than when this day started so he could soothe himself with that thought.

"You know me. As long as it's got spice I'll eat anything." He answered as well. At least his demeanor towards Dohalim and Kisara seemed a little softer and less knife behind his back.

Dohalim nodded, glancing between Alphen and Shionne suspiciously for a moment - then enlightenment flickered on his face, followed by a smile that would probably have worried Shionne if she saw it. "Allright then, I'll let them know." Both about the food order and the plan to move on. "I'll just leave you two ~alone~." As Law had already hightailed it out, with Rinwell immediateyl going on the hunt to murder their tank, he closed the door with an amused hum, turning to give the not-lovebirds some space again.

Shionne, catching only the cheeky humming, gave Alphen a confused, if awkward glance. "..what was that about?"

Alphen tilted his head curiously as well not realizing someone had pieced things together when it came to him and Shionne. Not that it really mattered to him. It wasn't like wanting to be closer to Shionne was something to feel shame over.

"Beats me. I doubt it's anything we need to worry about though. It's Dohalim. Aside from us and Kisara he's the most reliable of the group."

"That's true..." Shionne nodded, though she was wondering if she should say something about.. earlier. Was it cruel to give him false hope? Letting him have those little moments when they weren't even sure if Shionne would survive at the end? "Alphen --" she hesitated.

She didn't want to take back what they had shared. She didn't want to apologize either. "...never mind." Sometimes it was probably best not to say anything at all, right?

This time Alphen knew not to push. Her tone said it all. She was still going to do silly like apologize or ask if he had any regrets. Now that he knew what this was all brought about by he was going to be a lot more perceptive about those tiny details.

"Still it's nice. Being able to just sit in a room like this together."

Oh wonderful, that's all she needed, a more perceptive Alphen to call her out on her silly quirks! ... well she'll just have to appreciate that too. "Hm?" She glanced over towards him again, considered, and gave him a small smile, "It has been a while since it was just... us." And granted the rest of the party was in the next room cooking, but still - it was quiet enough to seem like it was just the two of them.