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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"I don't think you should.." Shionne suggested after a moment. "Especially if you don't know why you'd be apologizing. But in this case.. you don't really have anything to apologize for. It's just..." She paused, debating on whether or not to finish that sentence.

It's going to be so nice the day she can actually finish sentences like that around him. Even if it won't always be positive. Still he knows not to put pressure on her more than he already has. Instead he leans a little further back on the bed.

"Then I won't. Probably best to save that for when I really do mess up." Since he was most likely going to do that from time to time in his ignorance so saying he was sorry all the time would cheapen the act anyway.

It WOULD be a nice day when she could bring herself to say those kinda things. "I don't think that day will ever come," Shionne smirked faintly, shifting to watch him as he leaned back that little bit of space.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Alphen chuckled but deep down he'd rather have that for a rainy day than really mess up. Even so he was feeling content just spending the next few moments in comfortable silence, his eyes often wandering back over Shionne, admiring her from his angle.

She leaned against the wall by the window, looking outside absently -b ut she could feel him looking at her. Eventually she glanced over at him with an embarrassed laugh, "What is it?"

Was it her imagination that he was looking at her? Why did she have such odd thoughts in her head when it came to him?

Sometimes being dense was truly a double edged sword. Because he ends up answering with things he did not want known.

"I was just remembering the day we went into that ruin to get you this dress."

Shionne paused, then frowned slightly. "I remember. You stared at me then too . . although your mask wasn't broken in half then." She kind of wished she could have seen his face then though. "I know it's not exactly trendy, but I told you, I have to make do with what we had th en." She glanced away with a huff. To think he'd bring THAT up now.

"Haha believe me I wasn't thinking anything like it not being trendy." More truths slip through his fingers and up to his lips as he chuckles at the memory. A memory he's absolutely never going to forget. It was the moment he thought truly, 'what a beauty.'

Omy. Shionne tilted her head, "..well, what -were- you thinking then?" Come to think of it, he didn't answer her back then either. She couldn't even be mad about it, since they both had things they weren't able to tell each other.

"Ah! Uhm well that's uh..." Alphen stumbled his face growing redder as he looked away and scratched at his cheek. Obviously flustered but no less confusing to Shionne most likely.

Shionne smirked at him, "Haha, and that was the same reaction you had back then too." She straightened, "But i suppose... if it's not anything bad, I don't need to know right now." She glanced over to the door, "Should we check if dinner is ready yet?"

That smirk and attitude. Dammit why did he find those things about her so damn beautiful. Still it seemed she had figured out just enough to not corner him for an actual answer so Alphen let out a faint sigh of relief.

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

Shionne got to her feet, letting her hand linger against his as long as possible before drawing away, watching him for a few seconds, before turning and padding towards the door. They'd been left alone long enough that food should be prepared - there's a mix of expressions on the faces of their companions when Shionne opened the door.

Suspicion from Rinwell, clueless cheer from Law, Amusement from Dohalim and a calm smile from Kisara. Shionne however, didn't expect to see a matching squint from Hootle, putting a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Kisara glanced questioningly at Shionne, and then turned to Alphen. "I was just about to get you. We finished preparing dinner if you're hungry."

Shionne felt like she was always hungry, though that was mostly thanks to the thorns. "Sure, sounds great." She agreed, relieved for something -familiar- outside of the awkward, new and slightly inconveneint feelings that she kept having when she was with Alphen.

Alphen didn't pick up on as many of the looks though he did tilt his head a little at Hootle's expression. Usually he saw those kind of looks sent Law's way whenever he was being stupid about anything Rinwell related so he wasn't sure why he was getting it now. Then again unlike with the king of the owls he wasn't as adept at deciphering Hootle's meaning.

"So what's for dinner?" He decided to add on top of Shionne's answer as he followed everyone to the table.

"Beef Stew and steamed potatoes." Kisara smiled, watching Shionne beeline for the stew - of course by now Law and Rinwell knew better than to challenge Shionne for first serving, and Dohalim was under the impression still that someone would serve him. So he looked confused at first, as Shionne helped herself eagerly, though she found herself looking for Alphen.

Once she had her generous helping, she moved to a spot safely away from everyone else, though she was giving Alphen subtle glances. Or not so subtle. Kisara certainly noticed, and seemed bemused, "Is everything all right? You were in there for some time, the both of you."

Honestly seeing her so happy to eat put a faint smile on Alphen's face. At first it had been strained due to the sheer volume she could pack away per mealtime but now it was just something he had grown accustomed to and if she ate any less it would be cause for concern if anything.

He looked up at Kisara and shook his head.

"Everything is fine. We just talked about some things." He was not going to say what those things were since they were private affairs for Shionne and they had already decided she would be the one to tell them when the time was right for her.

He filled up his own plate of food before heading over to sit next to Shionne as if that was always his place.

Kisara nodded, moving to take her seat, careful to make sure there was a spot for Alphen closest to Shionne. "Then since the rain is stopping, we'll be on our way soon?"

Shionne nodded to Kisara, "Yes, there's no point in staying here any longer than we have to." Seeing Alphen move to sit over near her though, she scooted away a bit, whispering to him, "Don't sit so close..!" Surely that was just because of the thorns though. Or that and him being close just wrecked havoc on her.

"Sounds good. I think everyone's had a good chance to rest thanks to the weather so we should be good to go even harder than before." Unknowing that they were going to get absolutely demolished by a certain Lord.

"Oh? I thought you wanted me to with all the looks you were giving me." Alphen raised an eyebrow as he whispered back. After all why else would she give him those kind of looks.

They should enjoy the joking and fun times now, because they had some very grey skies in their future. Figuratively and literally. "We do have a lot of ground to make up." And Shionne hadn't slept much the last few days, from worrying.

She blushed fiercely at Alphen's response, leaning towards him, "I haven't given you any looks..!" She whispered back.

Honestly if she wanted people to not get the 'wrong' idea, she probably shouldn't be leaning so intimately close, whispering to him like this...

"I easily counted three times you were looking my way when I was talking to Kisara." Three times during such a short conversation no less. Very telling indeed. Still he had been keeping count of that...oh gods he had been keeping count.

As for how things looked to the outside...Alphen saw no issue in the slightest. He was closer to Shionne now. Was that something to be ashamed of? Certainly not in his book.

"W.. Why were you keeping count? A-anyway, you're mistaken... besides that's way more than how many times I looked at you. And I didn't look at you anyway -" Wait, did she or didn't she? Now she's getting confused by her own flustered defense. "I was looking at... at Hootle!" Who was in a totally different direction and nowhere near Alphen, but... surely he wouldn't call her out on that... right?

She did realize EVERYONE could see her getting flustered like that right? As for Alphen he could have easily called her out but seeing her react like that actually...amused him to an extent so he just chuckled in response without agreeing to her words.

It actually dawned on her after she pointed at Hootle and saw everyone either looking -at- her or subtly trying not to look like they were watching them in clear amusement. "What are you all looking at?" She huffed.

Kisara grinned, "Nothing. It's just nice to see you two getting along now."

This statement somehow made Shionne feel even more embarrassed, so without responding, she decided to grab seconds of the stew and eat as much as she could - because obviously speaking was just going to get her in trouble.

.. though she didn't mind him being close to her despite her claims otherwise.

Alphen's smile at Shionne was far softer than before seeing her decide to hide behind food like that. The problem with not seeing the problem of people figuring out his feelings was that he didn't try to hide his emotions in any way so the delight he felt at being able to be close to Shionne like this was unmistakable even as he too resumed eating.

Eventually Shionne's vigorous devouring of her stew settled down into something more sedate as she neared what might be the eventual equivalent of fullness. She was trying very hard also not to look in Alphen's direction, and in that, it was even more obvious when she had no problem looking at him before. "Your cooking is excellent as always Kisara."

Kisara looked momentarily surprised, and then smiled, "Thank you Shionne. Would you like another helping?"

Shionne shook her head, "No, I think that I'm fine." Mostly because she was feeling a little anxious; now that she's sorted out things with Alphen and she was semi-full, she was starting to get a little worried about their traveling tomorrow. Nevermind that turning down a third helping got a stare of disbelief from Law, who ate only SLIGHTLY more than Shionne did, and Rinwell, who was used to Shionne being a black hole of digestion.