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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Oh she didn't mind at ALL that he kept her close and often pulled her closer. She knew he had to be as touch starved as she was - she snuggled closer to him, letting out a peaceful sigh as she wrapped both arms around him more tightly. It was definitely 'strange' to feel him when he wasn't wearing armor, but she could /easily/ get used to it. "You won't tell will you?" She eyed him with a playful half smile of her own. One might even accuse her of being coy~. Gasp!

It also meant she could feel his toned and trained body much more than before. Something that was for Shionne to enjoy all to herself though she was also a pretty lousy liar especially to Alphen who had learned Shionese fairly early on.

"If you continue to feel guilty about it, I might." He teased back with a huff before his lips curved up into a smile.

Oh and that was certainly a treat for her - especially considering she couldn't resist running her hands along his sides and back whenever he tucked her in close like this. "Hmm... so you don't feel even a tiny bit guilty leaving most everything to them?" They were very capable at what they did though so maybe that was why. Although she definitely didn't want to add to thier burden -- "If I don't have to feel guilty about it I imagine I have more time to focus on you."

"Why would I? I think we can trust them to actually come to us if they really need help with something they can't handle. We've traveled for long enough that I am sure they wouldn't go out of their way to avoid getting in touch if it's something that's harder than normal." It was simple logic and it spoke volumes of the trust he had for his companions.

That and he just really wanted to spend every waking minute with Shionne.

Shionne chuckled softly, "You have a very good point." they were all very capable - more than capable of handling the chaos that might be involved. And in truth, she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible too, so she quite hoped that no one would come knocking for help. At least not until they were settled in whatever new home they were planning on going to. "I'm too comfortable to feel guilty right now anyway." And it still made her feel giddy being with him, imagining their days going forward.

"OH really? I couldn't tell at all~" ALphen grinned before he turned to press a soft kiss to her cheek without warning since that still flustered her quite a bit now they he could just up and ambush her like that at any time or place since he could most certainly get away with it.

"Yo-" About to huff at him teasing her, she let out a surprised squeak at that ambush kiss, before she blushed, a smile brightening her face even as she tried to huff at him, "A..Alphen what.. what was that for?" You'd think she would be used to this by now, -- not that they've had /that/ many days to be affectionate with each other. Heck Shionne was only finally capable of not flinching away out of habit when she brushed against him and was even able to be the one to take initiative with touches and those little kisses now.

But she still loved his little surprises. Her head nuzzles close to him, "Haha, do I need to get closer then for you to tell?"

"For you being you." ALphen explained so matter of factly before pushing to nuzzle against her cheek and neck some more since she was so damn irresistible he just could not help himself.

"I think the answer to such a question is going to be yes for a very long time, don't you?" Alphen smirked and went in for an upfront kiss this time. He'd shown to have quite the preference for that act after the first time he'd done it with Shionne.

She laughed at that matter of fact response, "It'd better be," she countered, nuzzling closer herself, "Because I won't be able to keep myself from staying away from you anymore." She was about to add more to that, though caught him leaning in for another kiss, which she more than welcomed, leaning into him to return the kiss as her arms wrapped around him tightly. The way her body simply relaxed against his - she was blissfully happy she could do even this with him.

"That's good then since I don't want you to either~" Alphen chuckled into the kiss, his body instinctively pressing into her embrace as he held her so close and dear. He had potentially underestimated how touch starved he'd been since regaining his sense of pain. Though with her being so keen to be held and touched, that was not exactly a weakness anyway.

"Being with you like this only makes me want more of your time you know~'

Not a weakness for either of t hem, though it'll make them doing anything difficult if it didn't involve each other. Fortunately they had quite a bit of time earned for recuperation, and even more once they found a permanent place to stay in this new world of theirs. But she was as touch starved as he, her hands running over his body lightly, intent on clinging to him in the kiss until they - or she - needed a breath. So in response to that statement, she chuckled a little herself before nuzzling his neck, "Hmm, I don't see that as being a bad thing.."

He was in no hurry to settle down since just traveling this new fused world was more than enough to keep him satisfied. Especially with Shionne as his...lover. That word felt so new yet so right. IT perfectly described why he wanted her to be with him for this seemingly indefinite journey they were going to embark on.

"Good. Because we would have a lot of problems if you did~"

Lover - it had felt like an impossible dream. A dream that he made true for them both. She muffled another giggle at that, "The only problem I can imagine having.. is wondering just what we're going to do with all of the free time we're going to have now." Well they probably could figure out an idea or two. Especially as ..lovers. The thought of that still made her feel warmer, and she let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes as she leaned into him, just delighting in the feel of his arms around her. They were never, EVER going to let go of each other again.

"I don't think we'll have a problem with that. Not if we put our minds to it~" Alphen spoke so confidently despite not really thinking about that problem since it would work itself out as long as he had Shionne and the others. Though the crucial element was definitely Shionne.

"So...how does it feel for you? Being with me now after all of it is over?"

She shook her head with a smile, "I don't know how you can be so confident about everything.." This was completely unknown territory for her! And him! As for the question.. "To be honest I feel like I'm dreaming." She murmured after a moment'considering. "I never ..ever thought that I would be able to have this - but if I am dreaming I never want to wake up. So I can be with you forever."

He leaned in closer and gently put his hand against her head to pull her gently against his shoulder or even leaning against his head as his other hand never left her hand, instead just loving that intimate moment of contact between each other.

"It's all real and I'll enjoy proving it to you every day."

Shionne felt herself catch her breath just at their intimate closeness, her smile warming by a hundred fold, "Alphen.." she uttered his name with as much affectionate and love she could feel in that moment - and every moment with him, her body relaxed into his as she leaned her head against his, "Does... does it feel the same for you?..being with me..after everything I put you through...?"

And he put up with A LOT. She remembered how horrible she was to him at first- albeit it didn't last long. Still, she felt awful about the times she pushed him away, even if there was good reason for it. In her opinion.

"Put me through? Not sure what you mean if I'm honest." Alphen tried to think of the times she might have wronged him and even going all that way back to the start, he felt he had been more frustrating to her than she to him. Especially after the first half of their first day together.

He shook his head with a smile and turns his lips to her ear for a sneak surprise kiss since she was being so utterly impossible to resist around her.

Well, sure he was frustrating, she had to admit, but only in a good way. But he was the one that started to crush her walls and melt her heart. "It can't have been easy to deal with me - I was always trying to -" ACK surprise kiss! She let out a startled little squeak, before stifling a laugh, "You..!"

"You know what my answer is going to be to that self deprecating nature of yours." Alphen pointed out with a smirk before he reached around to pull her closer to his body since clearly they were not close enough already.

"The past is already past and it has already done its job of bringing you into my life."

Shionne was positive they couldn't get closer than they already were, but she was certainly willing to find out if she was wrong. Her expression softened into a warmer smile as she wrapped her arms around him to nuzzle close to him, chuckling a soft, "Oh~.. then are you saying you'd sneak a kiss when I say things like that..?" she teased, leaning against his body as much as possible. "That could get..dangerous." Or Risky.

Teasing aside, she couldn't help but cuddle closer to him, immensely grateful that she /was/ in fact in his life now. Permanently.

"I haven't heard you complain about that yet now Have I?" Alphen grinned but then went for a kiss on the cheek and neck as he just held her flush, marveling in how every curve of her body matched perfectly against his own.

"Oh? Risky how~?" He had a hunch but he would rather fluster Shionne a bit in the process.

It was evil, she couldn't help but let out a soft little sigh of pleasure that escapes - despite her attempt to stifle it. "Mmf." She cleared her throat slightly, trying not to think too hard on how close he was - and how good it felt to be in his arms. Was it warmer in there or was it just her? "R-risky -- I think.. you know exactly how.." Not wanting him to stop, for one thing. And one thing might lead to another! Heck, she won't be able to keep from making that... sound again.

Oh but he had every intent to make it warmer and not let her stop from sounding like that. He smirked softly against her neck before burying himself more firmly against her smooth neck as he replied.

"How could I possibly know. There's still parts of my memory I still haven't quite recalled. And everything after losing them was my days as a slave~" Could he sound any more disingenous while phrasing it in a convincing way? His memories. IT was true that they had played a part in why he'd stuck with Shionne so stubbornly. That sense of familiarity and comfort. But he had never seen her as a replacement for the ancestor that set him free. Shionne was Shionne and she was the woman he'd come to love wholeheartedly.

... WAS HE REALLY PLAYING THE AMNESIA CARD, THE DEVIOUS MONSTER. She made a vague huffing noise, feeling him so close against her neck, desperately trying to stifle that soft whimper that almost slipped out.

She might have genuinely... worried he might just see her as her ancestor, but that was a concern pushed far back with her doubts. It was very clear that he was with her and not her ancestor. "This.... this has nothing to do with that, though.." She stammered, her fingers absently drifting into his hair, and stroking through it unconsciously. "Do... do you really have no idea...?" He's ...well he's never been in a relationship either, maybe he was telling the truth? Or he was bigfibbing.