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 shakes his head and takes hold of her hand bringing it up to his lips as he spoke softly.

"It's fine. I spoke thoughtlessly. Especially about something that is already far left in the past." Though there was something else he was grateful to her for. And that is the fact that she didn't give up in the face of the curse and had descendants that ultimately culminated in Shionne. But he's learned his lesson and does not voice that, instead showing his appreciation in reverent caressing of Shionne's body as he curls up against her more firmly.

"There is no one else I could have fallen in love with other than you."

She let out a dreamy little sigh, her body melting with how relaxed his touches made her feel. She smiled, shifting to face him again so she could curl up more comfortably in his arms, "I feel the same way," she admitted softly, "You are the only one I could ever fall for..even when I tried not to." She added with a chuckle.

"And you did try very hard so you don't need to feel like you didn't give it your all~" Just her true desire to be with someone had sabotaged her efforts. Not that it was something to be ashamed about. IT was one of her many cutes sides after all.

She grinned, wrapping her arms around him with a tired sigh, keen on getting what snuggles she could get in now while she was awake. "Mmh, I had no idea you would be so hard not to fall in love with." Not just hard, but impossible..!

"Yet you're the only one to fall in love with me~" Alphen pointed out with a hint of smugness that was impossible to really hide even for dense lovable dolt like him. But he was her lovable weapon obsessed dork.

"I still find that hard to believe... but I suppose it helped that your face hidden before you met me." Heaven knew when she first caught a glimpse of his face.. oh she knew the danger with getting close to him even more intensely.

"Hmmmm well even if it did get other people's attention, mine was always on you so would it really matter?" Alphen retaining that simple way of thinking was so utterly unfair and unbeatable.

She really can't argue that point - though she does seem to think a few minutes to see if there /was/ any angle she could poke at that defense. "I... it doesn't matter, if you're only looking at me," she pulled him closer, "But I still feel... jealous if someone else looks at you." A little sheepishly guilty to admit that. She trusted him with every part of her being, loved him unconditionally and knew he was 100% loyal to her, but she couldn't help that tiny bit of jealousy being annoyed that someone else might be interested in him too.

She smiled, "But I know it's silly to think that way. I belong to you, and you belong to me.." she leaned in closer and nipped his neck. ...actually it dawned on her that she's probably left marks on him that explicitely marked him as hers - and vice versa.

He doesn't mind the jealousy as long as it doesn't really upset Shionne. Her getting huffy and clingy possessive is hardly a bad thing in his honest opinion. SO alphen reached out a hand and gently cupped her cheek as he leaned up to run his lips over hers.

"Always yours. Forever and ever and ever. And you are always mine"

Shionne purred into the kiss affectionately. It was actually a good thing Kisara never had shown any interest in Alphen beyond sisterly, and Rinwell was more interested in Law, it seemed. So she really didn't have much in the way of competition -- except with the ghost of their past. But Alphen did a wonderful job of reminding her that she was the only one for him. When she broke from the kiss to get a soft breath, she smiled softly, "I'll never forget the day I met you." She nuzzled close, seeming to intend to get that power nap she had mentioned - though she clearly wanted to feel him holding her the entire time, so hopefully he wasn't hoping to go anywhere anytime soon.

"Oh? You mean the part where you jumped onto the train or after we got the train running? " Because really the moment he fell for her the hardest has to be when she got her wardress from that abandoned outpost. Before that he'd been interested in someone so different from what he knew of the world, but that dress had made him think something was BEAUTIFUL for the first time in his life.

"Hmmm... when we got it running." She had been a little occupied when she jumped onto the train - but her fingers gently traced the back of his head, "I remember wondering why you wore that mask when the others didn't.. And I couldn't get that thought out of my head." She couldn't stop thinking about why he was the way he was.

"Really? I guess the mask was kinda hard to ignore. Though it does feel nice to know I had your attention from that early on." Alphen grinned back at his beloved before darting his lips up to hers for another sudden but quick peck since he wasw never going to tire of doing that and so much more with Shionne.

Shionne blushed at that, before giving a surprised noise at the sneaky kiss. She chuckle softly, ".. yes, and even after that you've never lost it." She smirked, before nuzzling close to rest her head against his shoulder, reaching around and wrapping an arm him tighter. "Hnn. It's almost funny..there were so many times I wanted to reach out to you, and I couldn't. Now I can wrap my arms around you all I want, and I don't want to let go. Ever."

"Then don't let go. Because either way I'm going to be holding you tight and close anyway." So that was all the warning she was going to get. Because this was the perfect life he could only dream of as a slave in the mines.

"I don't want to ever be anywhere else than with you."

Shionne's smile warmed to the level of a supernova - the idea of him holding her tight and close really was a dream come true to her. She was fine with that warning - in fact, she leaned in closer to press her body against his, wrapping her arms around him tightly in turn. "You won't be. I won't let you." she added, teasingly, nuzzling his neck and sneaking in light kisses. Because he can't stop her, mwahaha!

He would easily see himself basking in that smile's warmth all day long if his mind wasn't filled with so many desires to be with Shionne and just enjoy each other to the fullest and not just in the intimate way though a good chunk of those thoughts and ideas were of an intimate nature. Especially feeling the soft curves of her body matching so perfectly against his toned one.

"Then I will make sure to make it so you never ever regret that decision~"

It was truly amazing to feel someone's body and think that it just fit so naturally to hers; Shionne did entertain the thought that he was meant to be with her, for a moment. But she didn't voice it. She probably wasn't helping with keeping any intimate thoughts at bay either, with as affectionate as she was being. "Mm, I could never. Ever. You're the best thing to ever happen in my life." even outside of the curse.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to get complacent or lazy in showing how much of a catch I am~" Or how much of a treasure she is to him. Even if there was no doubt in either of their minds or heart at this point. It was just another quest to always strive for now that they'd find their own place in this world.

She laughed, "You're starting to use Kisara's fishing language now," she teased, drawing back from the little nuzzles and kisses to return her attention to his face, humming softly. "I think.. t he next time I get jealous.. instead of getting angry, I'll just have to make sure you can't think of any other women, any way possible." Smother him in love and attention, yessir!

As if he ever thought of other women the way he thought of Shionne. Still that promise made him more than a little curious how that would look and feel. NOt that he was going to show interest in another woman to trigger that deliberately. No his feelings for her were too pure for that kind of deceit.

"Something else to be pleasantly surprised by~"

True, she didn't think it would ever come up - or if it did it was because Shionne misunderstood Alphen's innocent interactions. She chuckled softly, squeezing her arms around him, "Alphen, tell me something..what was it like when you could feel for the first time..?" Probably about the same for her, but she was curious.

"...this might sound cheesy but...it felt like Something that had been missing was finally back. Like what I imagined being back home would be like. Unless you mean the first time I felt pain. That was...not pleasant but I had more concerning things to worry about at the time." To put it mildly. That hurt look on Shionne's face would likely be the thing of his nightmares for the rest of his life providing he did get any more nightmares.

She would chase away that memory if she could. There's a definite blush on her cheeks again at that, and she reached up to absently pet her hand along the back of his head, gently, "No, not then. I was just .. I mean before that." She didn't want to remind him of the time he had instinctively let go when she hurt him though. "..so now that you can feel me.. is it everything you thought it would be...?" She's only half serious though, from the coy smile on her lips.

Best way to do that is just to be happy together with him. Both intimately and just being together doing small things. playful things. Casual things. Just being together really.

"It's better than I ever imagined. The softness, the warmth. All of you. To be able to touch like this without you or me flinching away. It's the most beautiful slice of heaven I could have ever asked for."