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 gave him pause for a moment.

"I never really thought about that. Hell before this journey even started I thought I'd live out my life and die with the helmet on." Alphen admitted with a wry chuckle. But then his tone softened again.

"If it did happen though...I guess I'd just have to adapt to that kind of living all over again. Though it wouldn't stop me from finding a way to get rid of your curse. Though I guess in my mind I might have always expected those two things to kind of happen at the same time?"

"Maybe they will." Shionne mused absently, closing her eyes for a second. Maybe she just wanted to feel what it was like to let him support her fully .. or maybe she wanted to pretend for just a second, what it might be like without her curse.

.. the crackling made that illusion difficult to imagine though - for her at least. Actually she's been touching him for a while now, she should take care of the damage her thorns were doing. "But.. you know it's possible that you could get your mask off before then, somehow.." She'd been kind of.. out of it for obvious reasons, but it seems like there had been some kind of reaction back then.. hmm.

He could understand why the topic would be so important. So rather than promise it won't happen or that he would just endure the pain and damage her opted for a middle ground she could absolutely believe in.

"That still wouldn't stop me from wanting to be close to you."

She flinched at that, going silent for a few seconds, "... that would be impossible." She breathed after a moment. "I shouldn't even let you this close now.. the only reason I-" actually who reached out to who here? She couldn't remember if he came to her or if she moved towards him. She shifted her grip on his hand to start using a healing spell, not meeting his eyes, "You can't feel pain now, but once your mask is off.. you'll feel everything again. All of the pain that my thorns cause just from being close to someone.."

"I don't care. I'm just even more convinced that seeing you force yourself to stay away would likely hurt even more." While his mind was of that stance, his body would still come to instinctively recoil from her not too far in the future from now. But that was not the present and he was going to make the most of their time together like this to reassure Shionne.

And him saying things like that when she was ..mostly convinced she wouldn't be able to be with him just was another hit after the last. "Why can't you understand-"

No, it wasn't that he -couldn't- understand, he just fundamentally rejected the idea that she would die, or be alone forever, or that they--

She mentally shook her head, ending her healing spell, leaving one hand against his, the other half raising to touch the cheek still exposed by the mask, "Why do you have to ... say things like that..?" So sweet, and yet the agony of not having what you want hurt too.

"Because I don't want to lie." Alphen insisted again and leaned into her touch before he grabbed her hand with his other one and held it there in place as he gazed back at her with an unwavering gaze.

"To you or to myself."

She couldn't win against him. He saw through every deception, every lie, every guard she put up to keep him and the others at a distance, and refused to take any of them at face value until her defenses started melting away.

She can't even look away from the steady gaze he was giving her, and she felt an odd lump in her throat, her fingers almost daring to brush against his skin, almost leaning closer, "..then.. what DO you want?" She asked - so softly she almost didn't realize she even let those words slip out.

"That's a....tough question. There's a lot of things but if I were to narrow it down to the simplest yet extensive answer, I want to be with you. I want to see more of this world with you and figure out what my place is in it. Not that I have a problem with my current place traveling with you." Alphen answered in the end, probably making Shionne kick herself for ever asking such a question.

... yes, she's definitely kicking herself right now. "Ah..." Did he just... "You... y-you..." He said it didn't he? Wait he couldn't possibly.. did he? Why would he say that just so BLUNTLY? ... duh, because she asked him, she's got no one but herself to blame for that one. She can't even retreat since he had hold of her hand, but her face was probably the reddest it's ever been. "That.." That was something she wanted too. To be with him, and see more of the world with him. How can one man's gaze feel like it was holding her in place? But it was him saying that he wanted to be with her that was driving her crazy the most. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd ever hear those words from anyone.

That was...quite the reaction. Alphen just tilted his head curiously as she stammered and repeated the same word while her face grew redder. He did not fully grasp the meaning of his words but he knew more than anything how true they were in his heart. Which just made them even more of a full broadside salvo to the fort that was Shionne's defenses she had put up. The masonry was cracking and crumbling more than ever and the lord of Castle Shionne was completely at a loss as to what to do to salvage the situation.

The lord was currently desperately trying to patch every crumbling bit of masonry she could before the defenses completely failed - but no thanks to Alphen, that masonry was crumbling faster than she could patch it back up. "A-Alphen.." What do, what say? If he was just saying words she could easily call him out that he didn't actually mean what he said - but she could -tell- he meant what he said. But did he have to watch her so intently like that, while she struggled for words? "I.." She should shut it down - there's no way he .. she didn't want to give him false hope. Especially when there was a part of her that still felt like they would fail. A tiny insignificantly small part of her.

But she knew that was just her being scared. He'd already revitalized her desire to live, and now he was awakening that desire to love and be with him too. How cruel, Alphen! After a moment of struggling to speak, she exhaled a short huff of a laugh. Honestly no matter what she did, she was helpless when it came to him. "I was...so sure I would always be alone.. until the day I died." Her hand tightened on his, "..and then you come along..and say all of that.." Check it out, a real time collapse of Castle Shionne! Ooo, aaa, take pictures and sell 'em to your friends!

Yet the bombardment didn't stop even as the walls were crumbling down. Alphen was in it for good. Voicing those natural thoughts had seemingly opened something of a levy in his mind and heart. So it all came roaring out to swallow up everything in its path.

He leaned in closer, his hand fully wrapped around hers until he could rest his head gently against hers ignoring the crackle of the curse.

"Guess that's just more proof that nothing is set in stone. Be it in this world or in life."

Talk about no MERCY! The castle was destroyed, with no sign of any repairs even close to capable to being done, tiny little chibi Shionne with chisel and hammer just starting at what was left. Kicking aside a chunk of rock before dropping her tools with a sigh and waving the white flag.

Shionne flinched slightly out of instinct. The crackle of the curse still danced around them, but there was that craving again too. The warmth of her blush was quickly making her forget about the chill in the air. Her fingers curled over his in turn, leaning towards him like she was under a spell - his spell, technically.

She let out a soft noise, almost a whimper - fighting between what she wanted and what she didn't dare ..even though it was so..SO tempting. Tempting enough that she was leaning towards him, close enough that anyone watching would probably get the idea that they were being more intimate than they were. "M..maybe.." she said after a moment, "..maybe you're...right." Her senses were screaming at her that if she got just a tiny bit closer she could indulge a certain unspoken wish -- but that was too much. Wasn't it?

Meanwhile their friends were taking an awful long time fishing weren't they? Dohalim could probably be thanked for that. He may troll them mercilessly, but he was probably also the first one to ship the two. Well, second after Zephyr.

That might have actually managed to surprise him if she'd acted on those desires. Instead he just felt the warmth inside of him grow more than ever before. IT was not the kind of overwhelming blaze he often felt wielding the blade of fire that could easily devour him if he took too long or slacked off on his concentration. Or if he didn't have Shionne there to ground him.

Still he smiles at her soft words and almost cuddles up close while smiling back at her. In a way it was fortunate for another reason that his helmet had not come completely off yet. Because what little could be seen so far was more than enough to make people realize...he was most likely quite the handsome one from the start.

Oh it was taking everything for her to hold herself back. If his mask had broken off completely, she wouldn't have been able to hold herself back as well. What she could see of his face.. she could definitely see he was attractive. And that was part of the problem!

Since her curse was still zapping him, she triggered a slow regen spell on him, unwilling -- or unable -- to let go of him, as she leaned in close enough that she could almost snuggle against him, "I want... the same as you." She murmured softly, her lips close to his ear, hoping that hiding her face he wouldn't get her too flustered. "..I want to be with you."

That made his heart thump so loudly it might have been heard even under his chestplate. She actually said it. The way she spoke those soft words in his ear like that, trying to hide her own burning face. He'd seen it plenty of times to be able to imagine it even if she tried to hide it.

"I...didn't think I'd actually hear that so soon." He chuckled at a loss for words but his tone betrayed that happiness in his heart just fine.

... oh god did she say it too soon? He didn't sound upset about it - but she still made a vague flustered noise. "Y-you said it first..!" She only said it because he did, so it was fair! All the same, she was staying right where she was, telling herself it was only to monitor the curse's effect and keep the regen going on him so he wouldn't get hurt because she had a moment of weakness.

That was...an absurdly cute reaction and his shoulder shake with a barely audible chuckle. Shionne's nature was really showing now. The kind of girl she would have been if not for that damn curse.

A side of her that Alphen was absolutely in favor of. He smiled softly and leaned in closer.

"Then I guess I'll have to say even more next time~"

Oh dear god why is he CLOSER, "A.. Alphen you... you really shouldn't get so close.." Him being so incredibly irresistable plus being closer was making it hard for her to ignore that little voice screaming in her head to take another figurative step closer. No, wait, what did he mean by that last comment!?? "Wait..what?"

"Why not?" Because he's quickly discovering how much he feeels joy when he makes Shionne squirm while also being so close to her that there's barely any distance between them.

"I mean if me being so honest is what makes you answer back why wouldn't I?"

"Because.... B-Because .. uh..." TO be completely honest she actually liked him being this close. She didn't know.. how long she had craved his closeness in particular, but tasting it once - figuratively - was making her not want to lose it. But he was so danged CLOSE it was almost like he was tempting her on purpose. But he wouldn't do that... would he? "Because it's.... it's a problem.." Her castle might have crumbled, but it was still risky!

"Oh? What kind of problem?" No he was not moving away or giving her more space. Why would he when he was finally right where he wanted to be. Close and welcome into Shionne's personal space. No matter the stammering and blushing.

Surely he wasn't this clueless - he was just teasing her right? "Y.. you can't... really not know.." she all but accused him of teasing her so cruelly! But it was hard to be angry at that smile - no, not just that, but at him in general. She tilted her head to study him a little shyly, "We're.. this close..."

"How is that a problem? We're not hurting anyone." Clueless might not be the right term for it. Since he knew he was getting closer to Shionne. He just felt it was so natural and comfortable he could not imagine that being wrong or unfitting in any way.