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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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.

He absolutely was playing that card and would continue to do so. Because it was enjoyable and maybe just maybe he'd trick Shionne into deciding to teach him then.

"I don't. The only thing I know is that everything I do, is because I want to and because it feels right. I don't think of the intricacies behind the surface of each move~" That was a dangerous kind of lie to use. A half lie since there was absolutely truth mixed in.

"I-is that so?" BECAUSE HE WAS SO CLOSE, and it was one thing when they were just being cuddly, but now she was even more aware of just how close and cuddly they'd gotten and aagh. She suspected he wouldn't let her get any space either... though to be completely honest there was a part of her that wasnted to stay right where she was and just relax and be cozy. If she could just bear with the embarrassment of feeling him nuzzled against her neck like that. "Is... that why you're so close?" Okay she was equally guilty of being close, but let's not point that out ...

The fact that he just acted on instinct and feelings.. she could certainly believe that part. It tracked with everything else he's done thus far, but... SURELY some of that must give him an idea of the intricacies...even a LITTLE...?

"It is. Because being here with you like this...is where I belong. And where you belong too of course." Alphen chuckled softly before hammering in that nail a little harder.

"It's not like knowing more is going to change any of my feelings for you."

Oh. Oh that was pure evil. Shionne's breath caught in her throat for a moment, before she fidgeted a little to pull back enough to see his face, "Alphen..." Saying something like that is ALSO why it's Risky! Because this time it was her turn to lean in and sneak a kiss, though one for much longer. If she didn't need air she wouldn't let go of him at all, but she's breathless when she forces herself to break the kiss. Probably one of their longest, "That's... that's why it's risky.." Saying something so ... so sweet and loving and ... well, making her want to kiss him like -that- and then some...

Probably not the most horrible thing, actually..

"So...it's risky because you would kiss me more? I don't really see the risk there." Alphen tilted his head curiously before his lips curled as he suddenly claimed another kiss in retaliation.

"Because I want to kiss you all the time anyway."

"It.s..." Ack, retaliation kisses! That's cheating! Probably! She let out another faint noise that was half moan and half sigh, "It's... it's stopping that's.. the hard part..." Slips out before she can catch herself. God how was he such a good kisser when neither of them had never been in a relationship before? He was a natural? That was ..even more dangerous to add to his natural charm.

"I'm still not hearing anything bad." ALphen replied simply as he nuzzled his nose against her cheek for good measure. She was not making much sense with her worries. Why would they need to hesitate when they both knew how much they needed and loved each other to the point of even considering outright marriage sooner than later.

She had to admit she couldn't - and didn't want to - think of any kind of argument that would help get any distance here. "Well...M..maybe it's not ...bad.." No it definitely wasn't -bad- per se. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't imagine being with him much more intimately than just a few touches and kisses here and there. There was a faint sigh that followed the nuzzling, as she uttered a helpless little, "That...feels so good.." It's worse than an addiction~!

Hearing those words was all Alphen needed to keep going and maybe slowly get a little bolder as the nuzzling slowly transitioned into light kisses along her neck, testing the waters if that was going too far too quickly though he certainly did not think it was too soon. Not after everything they'd been through.

She wasn't sure..at what point those faint sighs turned into soft moans, but when she became aware of the noise -- and realized it was coming from /her/ -- she couldn't help but feel flustered about it. Not enough to stop really though, "Al..alphen.." That.. was definitely a different way to say his name, her hands starting to wander a bit more..idly. And in a sense, a bit more daring to her touches without even thinking about it - thinking is their enemy. Logic was their enemy and Shionne was having a hard time handling that and the pleasant feeling of those kisses and his closeness.

That was absolutely a new sound to hear from her lips but Alphen instantly concluded that he liked it. A lot. So much so he wanted to hear more. So his kisses went a little lower along her neck while the rest of his body smoothly tucked in against hers while his hands played over her back and sides before caressing over one leg as he almost prompted her to hook a leg around him in return.