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 goodness - she would be utterly stunned speechless the day he popped the question - and then she'd be so unbelievably delighted she'd latch onto him and never let him go. For multiple reasons.

She gave him a soft chuckle, still a bit shy, but after a moment's pause to consider, she nodded at him. "Well.. a little more is fine." Unless they ended up getting a little ahead of themselves - but even then she would forget about her embarrassment. Still it would give him more skin to explore too just like her.

She glanced at him for a few seconds, before her smile lightened and she loosened the fastening on the upper half of her dress enough to let it slide down more. And to avoid letting the awkward moment last in that, she leaned over him, "That's...better, right...?" skin to skin contact - her brain was exploding. Breathe, Breathe~!

Alphen would still wait for the perfect moment. Because he did not want a single blemish on this memory of a joy that Shionne never believed she had the right to have.

Seeing more of her body slowly getting exposed to his eyes and touch was doing one hell of a number on him. IT was just her shoulders and then a little below that from this angle but the view was nothing shorto f heavenly and his silence spoke volumes of it before he found his words again.

"M-Much better. Though I could still go with having you closer too."

The silence was still pretty embarrassing, but she took it as quite the compliment. Her smile just grew moreso the longer he was quiet, before she reached up a hand to absently tuck her hair behind an ear. "Closer... like this..?" She lowered herself down to lie against his body, letting herself get comfortable against his body again - though oh, how different it felt with more of her clothing loosed down. She let her head rest against his for a second - before the smile returned and she reached up to touch his cheek affectionately. "This is.." So breathtaking to be this close to him.

"Yeah...like that but only the start." Yes he would want more sooner rather than later and he was not going to be shy about that. Though such a fact was likely obvious from how closer and longingly his arms wrapped around Shionne in this moment. That smile. The things he would do to see that smile, to give her reason to make that smile. The list was endless and oh so heavily biased towards her rather than the world at large.

Shionne smiled - no doubt he was waiting for her to be more comfortable with being like this with him. She gently caressed his cheek, her smile warming as she felt his arms wrap around her, "Then I want this from the start.. your arms around me. Always like this," she nuzzled closer with a sigh, "I never want to be without this feeling again." Never wanted to be alone - and she knew that Alphen would make certain that she would never be, as long as they lived.
"I can't get enough of your smile .. of you like this."

Over his dead body he'd let her be alone. Alphen knew how much she was owed by this world and he had easily decided to be the one to repay her with all of the interest. Even if it wasn't wholly selfless since just being with her in general made him so incredibly happy as well. So he was hardly selfless.

"That's funny. I was thinking the same thing just now. So much so I was thinking if you would smile even more if I start touching you everywhere else~"

Edited Date: 2022-11-23 01:53 am (UTC)

"Oh--" Oh gosh. She blushed at that, even if it . was something she really wanted, she was finding. "Maybe you should find out~" she murmured, leaning closer. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to feel his hands against her skin - now that he could actually run his hands over her body. "I'll..be able to smile with anything you do."

"Oh? I think I'll just go and do that then~" Alphen chuckled and let his hand trail a caress along her back and shoulders as he pushed his own body up against her, the warmth of his body clearly conveying just how much he was looking forward to all of this. Though had they worn even less clothes she might have picked up on that desire and interest in much more detail.

"O-oh..!" That.. felt far too good, especially when the feel of his body - his flesh - against hers. She caught her breath softly, leaning into the warmth and strength beneath her, and while she couldn't pick up on his interest in as much detail - it probably wouldn't take long before then. She pressed herself into him in response, her smile widening as her arms slowly coiled around him. "This...your hands feel so warm.. so good.." To think she's missed out on this feeling with him because of her curse for so long..

Alphen smiled back at her before he found himself leaning up to press his lips to her cheek and neck before falling back down to admire Shionne as she seemed to almost be glowing in his eyes.

"Well I want to feel your hands too. And I think I should say it now, you can pull my clothes away whenever you feel the need for it~"

She smiled more, tilting her head against the feel of his lips, and leans into him more, her hands absently trailing along his sides towards his chest, "..whenever...?" Surely there were SOME limitations to something like that right? He was being far too casual and giving wasn't he..?

Well it was giving because he fully trusted Shionne to not just suddenly pull his shirt up while in the company of his friends. Though maybe if they were to go on another long trip she might feel him up in the tent if they end up bunking with the others.

"Yes~ Because you haven't gotten to do the things you really want nearly enough until now~"

If they were going on another long trip with their friends, she would insist on getting separate tents - or just a tent for herself and she'd sneak him into it. Ahem. Although if she did that, she'd have to resist certain things too. Still him confirming that she could do as she liked -- and to be fair she would certainly keep that to private moments when she could -- she slid her arms around him more, "What about you..?" He might have been able to touch people but he couldn't really feel things either. That said.. should she make the same offer?

"What about me?" Was she meaning it all literally? Because Alphen was absolutely on board with that. Maybe even being a little risky with touches when no one was looking and see her flustered and blushy about it.

"Tell me with your own words~"

Aah but why can't she borrow _his_? He said it so well! Still he's set the challenge of her using her own words, so she humms quietly, thinking. He said she could do as she liked with his clothing so .. "I mean... you also weren't able to..feel like normal. So... while we're in private, if you want to ..." She blushed a little at the thought. Ah, but would he interpret 'private' as a private room or just while no one was watching? "If you.. I want you to be able to hold me any way you want too.."

It might be a bad phrasing, but she'll worry about any loopholes later.

Private was definitely differently defined for him. But Alphen did have one desire that he had kept to himself for so long, well before the world changing revelations.

"What about you sitting in my lap when we sit at the campfire at night?" Yes that was one of his deepest seated wishes really.

She blinked at the suggestion, before giving him a smile even more warm than before, leaning in to press her lips against his for a kiss, "...I would love that.." Being that close to him, with his arms around her. "And here as well..?" Just when they were relaxing at the inn, or when they finally settled down somewhere and got a house.

Oh, "Also... when I'm cooking." Not in his lap obviously, but now she was getting distracted trying to think of the many places she wanted to feel him that close to her.

His joy at that answer is palpable and his heart races a little quicker as she just keeps adding on ideas for when he would be allowed to hold her close. So much so he nods vigorously.

"I did say any time and any place you want me to." That was the key component. He always wanted to hold her. IT was a matter of her wanting it too.

She smiled at the eager nodding, "And.. even if I say all the time and everywhere?" Was there ever a place or a time she didn't want to feel his arms around her? "Especially in bed, I -" she paused - ohgod the way that she phrased that. On the one hand... it was true, but on the other, when they actually -did- ... that.. her heart might explode from joy. For the time being her face was going to impersonate an apple.

They were going to be so hard to be around after this day. But Alphen would not trade what they were setting up for anything in the world.

So he nodded with certainty despite his own very noticeable blush.

"Yes of course~ I'll say it again, Shionne. I want to be with you. ANy time and any place. I never want to leave your side."

Oh most certainly - even the ones who suspected that Alphen and Shionne were going to be impossible, they had no idea just how bad it was going to be after today. Seeing how on board he was with the idea, as well as her own slip up, she tried to fight back the blush at his words.

"You really wouldn't take back those words.." She mused, mostly in awe at the realization and not just confirming it for herself. He really, genuinely, sincerely meant them - that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, no matter what.

"You really are.. the most amazing person." She nuzzled close to him, "I can't help myself with you.. because I want to be as close to you as possible." She trailed her hands along his body as if familiarizing herself with what she could touch.

"I wouldn't even if you still had the curse. So imagine how much more firm that determination is now." ALphen answeerd proudly as he leaned up close to plant another soft peck against her lips while his body entrusted itself to her wandering hands that wanted to map him out completely.

She chuckled softly, "You've proven everything you've ever said - I shouldn't even need to question those things anymore." But it's habit. So she'll make it up to him, returning the light kiss tenderly, though she let her tongue gently probe at his lips at the same time while her fingers explored his body to her delight. Everything he said just made her so happy, she couldn't help but express that.

Given she may have read some more grown up novels for comfort in her later years she likely had and advantage regarding the direction things were going. As soon as she was brave enough to even consider the possibility of things playing out like that. Because Alphen was completely acting on instinct for his actions and his own heart for the words.

So when she tested his lips with her tongue, it was instinct that made him part them almost inviting her in to deepen the kiss to rock both their worlds.

Many a time all she had was books - romance novels were a guilty pleasure. She loved the way things played out in them, but had never thought that she could be the heroine to catch the eye of a dashing hero, who would sweep her off her feet and make her fall for him so completely. That said, books could only teach so much.

When he parted his lips for her, she impulsively took that opportunity to deepen the kiss, drawing in a soft sigh of pleasure, unwilling to draw back right away. If anything she was feeling more greedy than before - if that was normal, she could hardly say, but she wasn't questioning it right now. or period.