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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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.

It was absolutely normal and to make sure she didn't have a sudden moment of hesitation when the impulse ebbed away into realization, his arms locked around her back to make sure she couldn't break the kiss until he allowed it. Because he knew her too well to not expect that fight or flight impulse to follow her moment of boldness.

At the same time his own tongue rolled out to meet hers and he hummed into the kiss to voice his own delight with how things were going.

Ah, the fiend, he knew her too well! Because once he started to reciprocate, as expected she balked for a second in surprise- then realized he had her 'trapped' in place. There was only a second of flustered protest, in fact, though it was hard to stay embarrassed and flustered when she heard such pleased noises from Alphen. And .. it just made her want to hear more - to make him happier.

So she hummed back against his mouth, committing herself to the more passionate kiss and wondering ..just how much more intense it could get. If she leaned in a bit more, relaxed into his arms and focused her attention on wrestling her tongue against his or exploring his mouth as well. Not unlike the stories she'd read, even as her hands started to thread into his hair, her kiss growing hungrier the longer it went on.

Given how much she was in his mind and heart, it was little wonder he had learned so much about her even things she herself likely didn't realize. Given his priority was to give her all of the love she was owed and then some, he saw no unfairness in breaking the rules from time to time.

The two slowly lost themselves to passion and his own clothes were starting to get looser and more disheveled as he kept pressing into her body, feeling her so keenly with every fiber of his being as his tongue kept the deadlock with hers, not letting her break free yet.

His clothing wasn't the only thing starting to get looser and more disheveled. Her body pressing against his in turn, the noises she was starting to make were definitely getting more..erotic in the sound of those throaty moans. Though unable to break free, she wasn't indicating she needed to yet either - in that the hand not currently sinking into his hair was unconsciously pawing at his clothing, needing to feel closer to him, her nails biting into him slightly without even thinking about it.

That got a surprised but pleased growl to rumble out of him, Alphen pushing a little deeper with his tongue while he savored her taste and warmth to the fullest extent while arching into her touch inviting more greed and hunger and passion from his beloved. More more more more seemed to be the silent message he was broadcasting in waves at her.

She was getting more and more lost in the passion between them, and didn't care one whit. She let out a low moan, pressing her body against his as she seemed to pick up on that silent urging from her beloved, needing just as much from him. When he arched into her, she slid her free arm under him, nails digging sharper into his skin, nipping lightly at his lips.

Every touch and sweep of her lips and tongue against his was making him so hungry. How could he not when this was the kind of touching that they both craved so badly, with such overwhelming intensity. Eventually the top of her dress had slipped almost past her elbows with the frenzy of caresses and pulling.

"Shionnne~" He purrs her name between kisses before renewing his lip lock with even greater passion on his side.

She gasped for breath at that brief break. There's an answering moan, even as their desire grew more and more intense - not just 'more, more' but 'need, want' added to the mix. Her soft breath exhaling in a low moan of his name, her hands pawing over his body with a growing eagerness, starting to move lower. Her need for him was driving her insane - and she knew if she uttered that desire to him, not only would he be 100% on board, but he'd tell her to claim him..right? To do what she wanted, because he wanted the same thing?

It why she wrenched away from his lips with a gasp of breath, before fixing those bright blue eyes on his face, flushed a deep pink but with an expression of hunger and passion, "Alphen.."

That look she gave him...was the most breathtakingly beautiful sight he had ever seen. So much so he gently reached up to rub his thumb against her cheek as he held it softly in the palm of his hand. "I should have said this a long time ago but doesn't mean I can't say it now and going forward. You are...the most beautiful woman I could ever have dreamed of."

She leaned her cheek against his palm with a soft smile, "You already have my heart, Alphen.." She teased gently, "But i want to give you more.." She pressed her lips against his palm, slowly moving her hand down to undo the fastening on the skirt half of her dress, "My most precious person~" She leaned in again, "I want to give you my body too."

Alphen...did not think she'd just come out and say it. There was no interpreting those words any other way than what they actually meant and if her hand had been on his chest she would have been able to easily feel it thumping even wilder in his chest.

"I..." Oh that was not a refusal of what she was offering. He was just struggling to come up with an answer that would be on par with what she was offering up. His eyes followed her hand and more of that exquisite body was revealed to his gaze as it grew hotter and hungrier to boot.

"I thought I would have to say it first..."

In fairness, she didn't even realize those words came out of her mouth. But she had to be brave and bold sometimes and she went with her instincts. But ohcrap she stole his thunder. There's a moment of dismay realizing that he might have wanted to say it first, "Y.. you still can..." she murmured. She was still curious about how he would phrase it -- though maybe he was more embarrassed, "If you want to.." The look in his eyes though...yeah, he's not embarrassed in the -least-.

Oh none of that. He doens't want to see her regretting those words. So he lightly turns her face so that she can only look him in the eyes.

"I want to. I want to more than anything in the world right now. Even though all I have in terms of experience is...my instinct about what to do next." After all before he got kidnapped by an alien race he was just a knight like any other. No real time for romance though he heard things from his less focused peers.

"The one thing I know for sure is that...there is no one I would ever want to give myself to completely than you."

She caught her breath when he tilted her face up to look at him, the blush filling her face from top to bottom. "...I... all I know is what I've read from romance novels.." she ..was a little embarrassed admitting that she read them when she was younger. "...but we can learn together.." And it was, as least to Shionne, too hot for clothing right now. She felt so unbelievably overheated, and there was an unspoken craving for more of his touches. "You're the only one I would want to give myself to too."

"That's still way more than I know." He chuckled not in a self deprecating manner but just light hearted while he leaned up close to run his lips over hers for a brief loving moment.

"I do like the sound of learning together. That..has been how we've grown so much since we met." So why not keep a good thing going if it worked so well?

"Just...don't hesitate to point out if I'm doing anything you don't like." Just wanted to have that covered though he'd be watching keenly on his side of things to make sure that nothing but happiness love and pleasure was lavished upon Shionne.

Shionne smiled sheepishly at his response, but was momentarily distracted from responding by that sweet brush of his lips. "That... is a good point." She leaned more over him, nodding slowly, "Okay but.. you have to do the same thing." She was.. hm. They were both still half dressed now weren't they, "So.." Wait, "The way you were kissing me before.. and everything.. that... was all instinct?" Because hot -damn- she was.. it was.. intense if so.

He blinks back at her with almost hootle like bewilderment. After all he wasn't even trying to hide it.

"Yes that was all just doing what I felt was right. What I wanted to do with you." He nodded simply before putting his other hand up against her other cheek and pulling her into another tender kiss filled with more love than lust but that was just to make it clear no matter how far they went, this was the true core of his heart for her.

As he stared at her he could see her face get more and more rosy with that explanation, until she was 200% blush, "I..." Well then. It took a moment to respond to the kiss, with as stunned as she was, but he would also be able to feel that warm smile curve her lips upwards. Sighing softly against his lips isntead, she leaned into him against the bed, returning that gentle kiss full of love in turn. Their affections felt like an eternal loop - and that wasn't a bad thing, she thought.

He just admires her throughout the kiss as his hands actually move to to tug more of her dress off while making sure to pause to let her do the same to his since it was only natural for them to be fair like that. Of course if she ever decided only one of them should lose their clothes the most that would be a thrill in of itself.

Ah, but which of them would keep their clothes? She shifted slightly when she felt him tugging more of her dress off, her own hands tugging at his pants a good bit less hesitantly than before. She could still feel that need and hunger, though tempered a little more by the passion of their love and that tenderness; altough there was a good chance they were going to lose control again. She barely had time to be embarrassed about her dress being tugged off with focusing on him, in fact, "I love you, Alphen," she half-whispered the words between those light kisses, sighing softly.

The moment she says those words his touches get much bolder, his rough calloused hand from all of the labor and sword fighting now wrapping around a breast as he groans under her own touches and kisses.

"I didn't realize how fast and how deeply I fell for you. But it's so obvious in hindsight. So let me show you too. Just how badly I fell for you~"

She uttered a surprised, soft squeak before settling down again at the feel of his hand groping her breast; the blush returned, but so did that brilliant smile of hers as she caressed his cheek through his words, "...then show me, Alphen.." she murmured softly, nuzzling his neck as her fingers and hands sought parts of his body to make him feel even better than before - exploring what would get a reaction out of him.