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 grinned slightly, "You were right," she admitted, "..I was just..thinking about things I would rather not remember." Blushing a bit more, she tightened her hand on his arm, "And.. it's still a bit surprising to me that I can have you do this on nights I don't sleep well. And every night - I can just curl up close in your arms, and be with you any way I want."

Alphen smiled adoringly into her cheek just nuzzling closer when she held him tighter. He would always be her anchor. Her sanctuary. Because he felt like that was the best role in the world. That being with her was the main source of joy in his life even over fancy weapons.

"Every night and every day. If you need me I will be there. I swear it." He smiled softly and pressed his lips to her neck again.

She let out a soft sigh, smiling at the feel of him nuzzling against her cheek. She let her fingers lightly brush along his cheek with an affectionate smile. "I need you.."

...

!!!

OHGOD did she actually just whisper that? He didn't hear it right..? He must not -- but he certinaly heard that soft noise that slipped out after that feel of his lips against her neck. Ggh, why did that make her so -weak-?

Oh. Ohhh that was quite the statement to just let slip like that but Alphen's heart still did a slight metaphorical loop. Alphen closed his eyes and leaned in closer still...

"I'm here. I'm always here, Shionne. Every day. Every night." he murmured softly tracing a kiss down her neck with each one as his hold on her body grew more....intimate. He had no intention of stopping this small burn if she didn't speak up against it.

Ah dangit it, he heard. Of course, there was nothing wrong with him hearing right? They weren't dancing around the subject of their love for each other anymore. Still - "Hnnn, A-alphen.." ... She hesitated a moment, because .. he was always there for her, it was true. And he always made her feel warm and loved, either from words, touches or.. or what he was doing right now as she was struggling to come up with anything else to say than his name, "Al..alphen... that.. you...." hurrglblerr goes her brain. She needed him closer.

How could he not though. As far as Alphen was concerned, Shionne needed him. Needed his touch. He needed her happiness and love. He closed his eyes and pulled her closer still. Until he could shield her from all of that dark memory that had plagued her past.

"Tell me what you need, Shionne~"

Irrefutable truth, that. When he pulled her closer, she brushed her hand against his cheek, admiring everything about him. Leaning into his embrace for several seconds, before the words slipped out before she could stop them. Though it's questionable if she would. ".. you. need you...so much it scares me." She paused, then shook her head, "No, not...scares." She would never be afraid of him. It was an entirely different feeling that made her heart race so.

"..excites... to be able to spend every night with you in your arms, and every day by your side. To be with you the way I've wanted for months.. it's exciting." Exhilarating. She can't help but look forward to what the next day will bring with him. "I want to feel you again.. and I want you to be with me." She could only be warm and loved when he held her, and she could only feel whole when she had him in turn.

Every word filled his heart with joy and love in kind. Even though she didn't really give him any direct way to go forward. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. So he just slowly leaned into it. Into her. Because as far as he was concerned nothing was more important than Shionne. Now and always.

So after she was done with her slight rambling as she expanded on the answer more and more, Alphen claimed her lips with another kiss as he rested more of his body on top of hers. Not enough to press down on her too uncomfortably but she would undoubtedly feel every hard chiseled feature of his body against hers. That same body she had been yearning for so badly.

"I...love you SHionne. ANd every word you just said makes me love you even more." He purrs in that unfair voice so close to her ear.

Expecting her to give a straight answer is silly! He should know better -- okay when she's a little more relaxed in the relationship she'll probably be able to be more straightforward. She was just in the midst of the bubble of happy. She smiled as he leaned into it - her. She knew for certain she wanted to be in his arms and feel his body, after that .. she would let instinct go from there.

She'd have said more, but he cut her off with that kiss. Did he not want her to praise him and say how much she loved being with him anymore? Awww. But the trade off of feeling him leaning against her with just enough weight to not squish her or be uncomfortable had her draw her arms around him so he couldn't lean away as she pressed her body up against his slightly to return the kiss.

She never thought she'd appreciate his body as much as she did right now - she'd always appreciated his looks and his strength, but this was a whole other level, "I love you too, Alphen." Although She couldn't quite keep that slightly giddy smile from her face though, hearing that her words made him even happier. And that purr was DEFINITELY unfair from the way she pulled him more firmly against her body, "..would it be...inappropriate... to say that I need you even more than before..?" In general and.. in right now.

It is silly and he knows it. Won't stop him from wishing for it. But right now what they had right now was just enough to tide him over. Only barely though. Alphen nuzzled closer still and just melted against her ever so slowly. Why? Why did it feel so unbelievably to have Shionne so close? Maybe it was a consequence of having her taken from him once before.

Perhaps his own lingering scar from that chain of events but he did not let that dominate him. He would make sure she was never out of his reach again.

"I don't think that's inappropriate at all. I don't know much about relationships but I am pretty sure that's a normal thing to do and want between lovers."

She cupped his face between her hands, smiling up at him. "Good." She brushed her thumbs along his cheeks, ".. then tonight I want to be with you..and fall asleep in your arms." She doesn't have to specifically say what she means by 'be with him' right? Surely he wasn't that dense after all this -- well just in case, she was going to lean up to steal a kiss. Ambush!

No he wasn't that dense and maybe by accident he ground his lower half more firmly against her rear while he rocked against her body, slowly letting his hands smooth over her front until they caressed over her breasts while he pulled her up against his chest.

"I could not think of something else I'd rather do~"

An entirely different noise slipped out in the midst of the kiss when she felt that accidental grinding, and she exhaled a soft breath when she tilted her head away slightly to catch her breath. Just feeling his hands move from simply holding her to caressing her brought out a soft purr as she shifted her weight to press her body against his more, her hips rolling slightly towards the feel of his body rocking against her, instinctively. "...you know.. I feel the same way." She admitted, giving him a sweet smile as she tilted her head towards his again. Of course with their current position she couldn't turn -fully- towards him, but she wasn't complaining - as long as she could still feel him and his arms around her.

"I mmm was hoping you'd say that. Though I aaah was also hoping you wouldn't stop at just words." Alphen groaned since having her press into him as well was not going to make it any easier for him to take his time with Shionne. Not when she was so unbelievably tempting. Though that smile she threw his way made him feel as if his heart was going to leap right out of his chest with joy. That was the most beautiful smile he'd seen yet.

"Show me. Or guide me where you want me."

Show him? Guide him? He wants her to CHOOSE? But.. but ...!! Okay he's not experienced in this any more than she is, but she DID at least have 'reference material' she's read, so to speak. ... hopefully he could handle that slight buffering where she struggled to make a decision. "Ahah..that's.. probably the hardest thing you could ask me." she joked lightly.

WELL. You only live once, right? And they have years and years and years ahead of them, so after some awkward consideration, she moved to guide him behind her so they could be on their sides on the bed - still she was more concerned with his comfort than his. "Then..how about like this..?" Although he might miss out on seeing her expression and he'd only hear her reactions, ohno. But wanting him to take her at least partly behind was ..definitely new for her. But she didn't want him be uncomfortable either, giving a sheepish glance at him.

She ought to take her hair out of its ponytail though, if he agreed with this naughty little suggestion of hers, so while she let him ponder ~~(starting the timer now!)~~, she reached up to untie the ribbon and let her hair down.

Well this was unexpected but not unwelcome and ALphen immediately snuggled in place behind Shionne only taking a moment to blink as she finally undid the ponytail at the back of her head...and struck him speechless since this position brought him in perfect nuzzling distance against her hair which he immediately indulged in as soon as his mind rebooted.

"This is perfect." he said and wrapped his arms tighter around Shionne his hands moving to slide atop her chest in a gentle but firm squeeze as he pressed his nose deeper against her hair.

Shionne smiled as she felt him immediately settle in behind her, in the process of pulling her hair out of the way - only to let out a surprised squeal at the nuzzling, "Haa-" she didn't expect that! But she laughed softly, pressing herself as close to him as she could, letting a soft little sigh out when he started to get closer, "Nnh, I think... I could get used to feeling you like this too." Eventually settling in and sleeping with him behind her like this = of course sleep was the last thing on their mind right now. But she wanted to get it out before she wasn't capable of speech.

"As long as getting used to it won't make you hate it or not want me this close." Because now that he's sampled such a wonderful heaven, he really didn't want to sleep any other way. He needed Shionne close and since he knew she loved his touch too, it was even more so the case.

"And if I were to put my hands on the rest of you~?" He purred his one hand ghosting across her chest while the other settled on her stomach, pulling her close against him.

"Wh-" Shionne looked over her shoulder as much as she could, giving him an alarmed stare, "I could never!" Not even once -- though it was a little embarassing how vehemently she rejected that idea, but before she could actually react in an embarrassed sense when his hands started moving again. She let out another soft gasp, shifting slightly to rock back against his chest, "It...just makes me want to feel more of your touches." Where his hands traced over her skin it felt like he was leaving her skin on fire.

Oh dear he chose his words poorly. He closed his eyes and pecked Shionne on the lips to reassure her he did not believe she would actually get bored of him. At the same time his hands started their meticulous work of caressing and squeezing while he pressed his front against her from behind.

All of his touches and kisses simply evoked one single word. Mine.

With each touch and squeeze, she uttered soft moans that only grew in intensity when he squeezed more firmly. That possessiveness was being conveyed very well from the way Shionne kept leaning against him, rocking her hips and fidgeting restlessly. "Ngh..Alphen.." It was almost funny, she'd read about the sort of thing in books, but actually experiencing it was another thing entirely. "s-so.. .good.." She all but purred.

Alphen feels himself getting bolder with each encouraging cry and he lightly brushes her hair aside from her neck so that he can trace a sudden lick along the back of her neck as he rolls his hips harder against her. He knows where this is going and his body is a little more eager to get to that part than he might have expected.

"It's so good but I want...I want more of you."

She let out a soft squeal again, though slightly louder as she arched her back slightly at the sudden lick, groaning softly, "All.. all of me-" she stammered softly, pressing her body back into him again, and resting her hand over his to give it a light squeeze, "I want you to have all of me." Thee was a definite craving in her words, her body rubbing against his from her squirming.

And more he would give. Alphen shifted his hold and soon enough she would feel something side between her thighs as he started rocking his body back and forth against her back while his breathing deepened, taking a more feral aspect to it as he lets the desire and love consume his every thought other than SHionne.

"Then I'll claim all of you. Every last wonderful and precious inch~"

She shifted slightly as she felt that 'something' slide between her thighs - certainly it didn't take much to guess what that something was, especially with those words that, somehow, made her feel like she was burning and melting at the same time. "Oh..Aallphen.." What else can one say to that, honestly - it was what she dreamed of wanting with him, and he was the only one who could fulfill those dreams.