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 held her a little tighter as he allowed Shionne to just immerse herself in the song that was his life and his love for her with his heart as the leading instrument of it all.

"It probably would." He chuckled. Though if she actually went forward with teasing him in that way be it hair down or hair up in a ponytail, she might discover he was even more insatiable and ravenous than she realized.

It would be incredibly tempting while they were out and about. Even if she would later find out that it would probably mean he'd end up pulling her somewehre more private, or snag her when they were inside. But yes, she would definitely discover just how insatiable her beloved was when she teased him.

WIth him hugging her tighter, it was hard not to snuggle into him all cozy and warm, and she lazily pulled a blanket over the both of them, pressing a light kiss to his jaw, "Hmmm, it's so comfortable like this, don't you think..?"

Alphen had a feeling she wouldn't mind terribly getting pulled away for at the very least a steamy make out session if not going all the way. Because Alphen already knew just sitting with her by the campfire was going to always end up with them touching in one way or another since they would have the chance to do so.

"It's so comfortable I don't think I'll be able to rest at the campfire without you in my lap in the future."

Shionne impulsively reached up to gently run her fingers through his hair; it was already all tousled from their wild sesion, but she wanted to feel his hair all the same. She absently combed her fingers through it, occasionally stroking her palm along his cheek, "Hmm.. well I don't see that being a problem." She grinned, "Your lap is more comfortable than the ground or a log or ..anything, I would bet."

If Alphen could purr like a cat, well all he could do was look as close to that comfortable with her touch. Especially how he leaned into her touch with such loving and to an extent innocent longing. He was absolutely starved for any kind of touch she could offer. Not just for the intimacy of it either.

"Such high praise~ Guess I won't have to worry about you having a seat anywhere else hwne we're together then~"

Aww, she grinned at the way he leaned into her touch, heaving a sigh full of contentment. She'd never been particularly touchy before -- for obvious reasons - but there was a sense of awe in the reality that she could touch him as much as she wanted without hurting him. So her touches always lingered, roving over his body as much as she could reach, "Not high praise..just a fact," she teased, "But did you really think otherwise...? That I would want to sit anywhere else..?"

It was just as much for her sake as it was for his really. HE wanted her to touch and feel as much as possible. Though a more selfish part of him wanted to hoard all those touches to himself really. He couldn't help it. That was the one speck of selfishness he couldn't quite grow out of.

"I was hoping you wouldn't but I didn't want to take that choice away from you no matter how much I love having you like this."

That was more than fine, since he's the only one she wanted to touch so much, and so intimately. Shionne chuckled softly, "Well... I don't think I'm going to get my fill of sitting in your lap, or lying on top of you.. next to you, touching you.. so you'll have to prepare yourself for that." She murmured affectionately, absently toying with a strand of his hair by twirling it and untwirling it from her finger -- though she stopped briefly to just watch him.

The words were already a perfect combo as they painted a series of images in his mind that Alphen was an absolute fan of but then she played with his hair like that and he leaned in closer still.

"I think I can handle that challenge~ Though you should also be ready to be on the receiving end of pretty much the same too."

With him leaning in closer, she couldn't resist, and leaned into him to steal a sweet kiss - not to lure him into anything more, but just expressing her feelings properly. "Mmmh, I can handle whatever you can." Well...maybe not as MUCH as he could, but no need to split hairs on the matter right? "Alphen..?" She murmured after a thoughtful moment, ".. is it strange to still feel...giddy after everything?" Because the butterflies were rioting in her stomach and she didn't recall reading /anything/ about feeling this eager and excited. So did he feel the same?

Oh that sounded like a challenge but then he'd see if it was one when they got around to it. For now though he was feeling far more amorous than lustful so he nuzzled and kissed her back as he curled up around her like a protective shell.

"I...don't believe it's strange. And I'm fine with being strange if that's not the case." Because he'd rather be strange with Shionne than normal and without her. He could not see his life without her in it at this point.

Shionne looked relieved by that response, snuggling into his arms more comfortably, "Good.. because I feel that way when I think about each day I'll get to have with you." Considering she thought that her journey would end with her death, Alphen ..really made her dream come true. Both in stopping the end of the world, saving her life and being her lover. Just covering all those bases.

"But when I think about it that way it doesn't really *feel* strange..." hell, this sometimes didn't feel real to her. If she didn't feel his arms wrapped around her she'd think she was dreaming.

"Then you're finally catching up to me." Since he had felt those butterflies since the first time she actually sat with him at the fire instead of as far as possible from everyone else. Really it was amazing what hindsight told him when he factored in all those moments.

"That's because to us, that's always been the normal. The life that we both really wanted deep down for each other~"

She chuckled softly, "You've known for that long, haven't you?" Or at least, he had a feeling. Shionne had been slower to realize than him since she had been trying so hard to keep him - and the others - at a distance. Even those little moments when she wanted to reach out to him but pulled back before he noticed - those moments of longing to touch him, "It ..you know.. it was hard when I still had my thorns.. when I realized what you meant to me." But she reminisces with a warm smile rather than any distress.

" I know. Those thorns are the main reason I didn't grab you by the hand more often. Not because it hurt me but because of the face you made whenever we touched and how fussy you got over me being hurt by it even though it really didn't hurt." He wasn't accusing her with those words. Just putting his own perspective of those moments on the table.

"It only got worse though after I brought you back." Because now he could still feel pain but the longing to touch her had grown even more intense.

"I still .. find it hard to believe we don't have to worry about that anymore. I've lived with them for so long." She moved her hand from his cheek to gently grasp his hand. "Even though you couldn't feel the pain, .. your body still experienced it." She half pouted, "I can't believe you just called it being fussy." She'd been worried sick over hurting him, and it only got worse when she found her feelings for him. At that latter, she closed her eyes, "And I was so scared I would hurt you again."

"It's all real." He swore to her softly as his fingers tangled together lovingly and he pressed a kiss to her fingers again as he just lingered in this blissful moment despite the slightly heavy memories down in the past.

"it did but it's not like it actually was damaging me." As far as he knew anyway. Still he gave an apologetic smile and pecked her cheek before continuing.

"I'm not belittling your concern for me even back then. It was just a little frustrating when all I wanted was to be as close to you as I could be."

"I know. I saw the look in your eyes both times." WHen he first recoiled in pain as well as when he saved her from the curse itself when reunited.

She squeezed his hand with a smile. She'd had her doubts about it not doing damage to him, but he knew his body better than her. Instead there's a soft chuckle at the peck on her cheek, "I know," she murmured softly. She didn't think he was belittling her worry. And she definitely knew he was frustrated - as frustrated as she was, wanting to touch the person they loved.

Her smile faltered briefly at the reminder of when she actually did hurt him back when Vohlran kidnapped her, and she heaved a sigh, burying her face against him. She didn't want to hink about that - even though she was the one who brought it up. "Yeah... now though, I don't have to worry about hurting you." She snugged her arms around him more securely, "Unless you want me to?" By which of course she means through bites, scratches and hairtugs.

But he was free now. Even more importantly Shionne herself was free of that shadow that had dominated her life for so very long. So they would have ample time to catch up on all the cuddling and more passionate things they had yearned to do all this time.

"!!!" Oh. Oh that was a very suspicious flinch and pause there before he seemed to avoid her eyes. Because....yes...that had felt surprisingly good to have her so enraptured in the moment she actually tugged on his hair and dragged lines down his back.

Oh. He did want her to, didn't he? But she didn't like the way he looked away - there was nothing to be ashamed of, right? Not with her, surely. So she leaned up to reassure him with soft kisses along his cheek until he turned his attention back to her, at which point those tender kisses landed against his lips, lingering each time, as her hand gently traced down the lines she made on his back, "It's okay," she smiled softly, "If it feels good.. then let me do it more for you." She wanted him to feel the way he made her feel after all.

It wasn't exactly shame that made him look away. Shyness and maybe a hint of awkwardness given saying out loud that he liked it when she lightly hurt him had certain...connotations. Of course she smoothed that right over with her words and actions and he looked back into her eyes again as he leaned in close.

"If it's the bites or the scratches and hair pulling. Those are are the best..."

He was so cute, she couldn't help but stare at him adoringly. When he admitted what he liked, she nuzzled his neck gently, "Alright," she would have ended up doing it anyway, "Then I'll be sure to remember that, so I can keep making my future husband happy." WIth him leaning in close, she stole another light kiss, her fingers trailing lightly up and down his back.

That was another reason. SHe seemed just fine doing all of those things before he just admitted to liking it. Still having her nuzzle and purr like that against him was doing a real number on his desires and mind as he lightly tilted her back while kissing her much more passionately than she had done.

"And you? What part do you like me to do the most~?" Since she had gotten that much out of him he was going to even the board a little.

Well, she was just trying to be cuddly, not intentionally riling him up -- but she wasn't against that outcome, "Most?" Hrm. She closed her eyes with a soft hum as he shifted her, her arms lazily wrapping around him. Running her tongue over her lips absently from the kiss, she smiled, "I love the way you touch me," vague, yes. But she loved everything about him touching her too. "And the feel of you kissing me, my neck and..elsewhere." Shoulders, chest, face - it was almost the equivalent of scratching him for her, the way it got such reactions.

Gods she made even the most basic motion and act so beautiful and entrancing. Alphen would have no problem at all if she were even to slip into slumber while holding onto him like this. Her answer on the other hand was way more vague than his own. A dangerous fact indeed.

"Hmmmm when you put it like that it just makes me want to explore and touch you in more and more new places right now~"