COMPLETE! [PP-F4] First Date in the Snow (Teselmar/Opal)

[Teselmar 0]

<Theme of Starglade>

Starglade was a spot of light in an otherwise dark world. The fourth floor was always chilly, as the theme of "winter wonderland" left little to be imagined. Evergreens dappled in white covered the landscape, and the whole floor had a stillness that mirrored the reality of the frigid season. Teselmar made his way into Starglade, which was a small jewel compared to the other settlements in the game. The lanterns on the street corners and the numerous public bonfires brought an air of cheer and mirth to the town. Players and NPCs alike were making their way through the streets, and a good number of folk had gone out of their way to find the little hamlet even though it was out of the way of the main path. The cobblestones were seemingly well worn, and dusk had just barely given way to dark as Teselmar strode by the storefronts and cozy looking houses.

He'd had an idea when Opal had agreed to go on a date with him, and now it was time to put it into action. There was an NPC store that sold just the items he'd need, and after a moment inside the warm building, he was back out in the nippy night air. Funny enough, it didn't bother him nearly as much as the heat from places like floor five did. Opal in particular seemed to hate sand, and though he would have sucked it up and taken her to a beach if she'd requested it, Teselmar was relieved that she and he seemed to enjoy the same climate.

Reaching the bench in the middle of the village's town square, he observed a few other couples sitting around and chatting, laughing about this or that. It made him glad to see that humanity was this resilient; even with the destruction and devastation caused by this game, people found a way to live and love under the most extreme of circumstances. Popping one of his new cigarettes from his inventory, he leaned back and watched the tip flare to light. A few passerby gave him some sideways looks, but nobody bothered him. This place was too amiable and welcoming for anyone to start a fight over something as trivial as smoking in public, especially when there were no hazards from smoke in the game. Teselmar waited, enjoying the sight of the flickering lights dancing across his field of vision when he blinked. 

Edited January 16, 2016 by Teselmar

[Opal 0]

Before her stood the naked figure of her body adorned with the long left sided tattoo of a flowery vine that inched every area of that side of her body. As she examined herself through a large looking glass the woman moved her hips side to side and glared a little at herself as the ruby red lips parted into an uneven smile, "I guess...?" she thought to herself, her head tilting to the side as she pressed her boobs together with both hands. Sighing heavily, she dropped her arms giving them a light bounce as she pressed a hand over her inventory and wardrobe. The woman was unsure of what to wear to her first date with Teselmar, for all she knew it could very well be their last as well. The woman gave a dry gulp, there was little she could go on. She had a ballroom outfit, a bikini, her starter clothing and the armor that she wore for the Knights of the Blood Oath. And there was the simple black slacks and black turtleneck she usually wore on her casual days off as being Vice Commander which were now growing slimmer. More time was now given to her guild as she was given duties by Commander Heathcliff, and she did not want to fail him in the slightest. It must have been difficult for him to be around since the beginning and not have people stick around in his guild as long as he has been available. But the moment she changed, she took upon the Oath would see it through to the end with Commander Heathcliff at her side.

Dancing a manicured nail over her inventory, the woman went to her default wardrobe of the black turtleneck and black slacks, but what if this was a more formal date? What if he was going to take her out to some expensive place or something for dinner. The woman's face flushed once again, her skin paling as she was unsure of what to wear. She should have attempted to ring more information out of him so she knew what to wear for this. Giving up, light danced around her naked body as was clothed in the black slacks and turtleneck to complete the attire. Giving herself a look in the mirror she placed her hands over her busty chest once more, "Mmm...twenty five and climbing. Come on girls, don't you start sagging on me now." She rounded her hands over her voluptuously curvy body and stepped out of her room. She nodded with a smile as she ducked down and went down the stairs to the lobby of the inn, smiling once more to the clerk who opened the door for her as she stepped out. Her next destination was that of Starglade.

--

Entering the quaint city, the woman's breath was exposed in the air. Chilly cold night that was decorated with the blooming of radiant stars and a crescent moon that was big and beautiful. It all seemed like an enchanted dream to her, although to memory she only had stopped by this place to add it to her map data. Taking in a deep breath, the woman ran her fingers through the long inky locks of hair before setting them aside away from the amber eyes. Recollecting her thoughts to remember the exact place she was to meet up with Teselmar. From a low lying hill in the quaint village, Opal came up it and a bench, a plume of white smoke shooting upwards from a sitting male with golden locks. Her face went red as he knew who that person was sitting there. "Ok, Vivian...you can do this...just don't [censored] it up now." The woman encouraged herself as she made way to the bench standing still and smiling, "Hey, Teselmar.".. She was completely dumbstruck as to what to say next. 

[Teselmar 0]

The pale glow of dancing lantern lights had captivated his attention. Like will-o-wisps, they floated inside his field of vision. Teselmar was taking a moment that was rare for someone as action oriented as himself: appreciating something beautiful. It was at that very moment that Opal walked up beside the bench, calling his name. He had been there ten minutes or so, lulling himself into a trance by letting his eyes wander like moths to a flame. As she appeared, it took Teselmar a moment to realize that she wasn't just another part of the beautiful imagery he had been taking in. Her outfit matched her raven tresses; she filled it out in a way that only a woman like her could. Her altered attire made him momentarily wish he'd had something different to wear, as there was no need to own more than a single outfit in this world. He was adorned in the cloth version of his usual dress shirt and vest, sleeves rolled down to insulate him from the chill. I really should look into getting some formal wear, he chided himself as he stood to his feet. Her breath and his cigarette filled the brisk air with smoke effects, as the warmth from each was clearly visible. A fleeting thought of how warm she must be to the touch crossed Teselmar's mind, but he locked it down and tucked it away. A woman like her, with the body of a goddess, had probably heard a million comments about her outer appearance; No one, let alone Teselmar, would deny that she was incredibly attractive. God as his witness though, it was her heart, her drive to help others that truly made her not just beautiful, but lovely.

"Hey, Opal." He said back with a grin. He was surprised to feel his heart beating faster, shocked that this was actually... wait, am I afraid? It had been a long time since Teselmar had felt actual fear of practically anything. Huge monsters? No problem. One hit point away from death? Just the thought sent waves of adrenaline flooding through his system. But the possibility that he might say something stupid and mess up the chance to actually connect with someone like her? That... was actually getting to him.

He cleared his throat, trying to remember what it was he had been planning to say. He'd had a plan at one point, but the mere sight of her was enough to make his thoughts scatter like smoke on the breeze. A second passed before he collected himself. "Sorry, I was planning on saying something but... wow. You're beautiful." He said it without pretense, without subtext. Just an awestruck observation. He smiled abashedly, as he realized he had been staring into her eyes. "Soooo... I thought of something that I think will be a lot of fun; something that's exciting and relaxing at the same time." He pointed with a finger across the town square. A bridge connected the square to the other streets, but under the bridge, a sizable frozen river was being skated on by perhaps thirty or so players. Laughter and cries of surprise could be heard as players fell on their backsides, or threw snow at each other. The occasional couple skated by holding hands, the light from the street lanterns illuminating the whole scene very well. "So, would you like to go ice skating with me?" Teselmar held up an item box, sending it to Opal's inventory. Were she to open it, she'd find a pair of ice skates. A vanity item, they didn't cost much, but he hoped she'd like them. He tensely waited to see if she liked the idea.

[Opal 0]

True enough, the woman's belly filled with butterflies. She was nervous, her fingers fidgeted behind her as her hot breath blew into the crisp wintry air. Her honey eyes sat on him for a moment with nothing but a red lipped smile as continued to stand. But when he started to speak, her mind calmed down a little bit. She was focusing on his voice and what he was saying to pay attention to anything else. When he had chimed in that she was beautiful, the woman's butterflies went into a frenzy in her belly, she gave a girlish giggle as her face lit up like a cherry. Her eyes widened and she placed her face in her hands, her cheeks burning from the wide smile as she attempted to not make herself look like a fool, "Hmm, thank you. I don't get too many compliments these days like that. You are looking rather dapper yourself, quite the handsome one." It was all she could say as she continued to beam a hot smile in his direction. 

The woman pressed the inky black hair from her face as the she followed the guiding point of his finger towards the makeshift ice rink. That looked really fun, actually. There were children and adults alike just having a merry time. The brief moments she saw couples holding hands made her feel a little heated from the moment, but the horrible realization was she didn't have ice skates...

WHen he asked if she'd like to go skating, she was hesitant with her answer. But when the item popped up on her screen, the woman's wide smile seemed to fill her face more, her face glowed as she nodded quickly to him. Accepting the gift, "Thank you for this! Of all the times I have been on this floor, I normally stay in Snowfrost. I have been here one other time but that was just to get the map data from it. 'Enjoying' things was not a luxury I had back then. Though I am not quite sure...how this will work out. I was not a very coordinated person back home. I didn't do a lot of skating on my free time. But I suppose it should be interesting. I like trying things at least once..." the woman sat on the bench next to him, the light scent of mint hanging in the frostborne air as she breathed it in.

"Cigarettes taste a lot better when it's cold out, huh?" she said giving a few taps of her menu to reveal the cool looking ice skates on her feet, "Mmm, sweet. I'm ready when you are." The woman stood up in front of him but she held out her hand in the process, no way was she going to walk to the ice rink and end up falling on her ass. If she was going down, she was going to take him with her. 

[Teselmar 0]

Seeing her response to his gift made his heart jump in his chest, and he almost laughed, brimming with nervous energy. As she called him handsome, he blinked. Teselmar was almost certain that despite his typical pale visage, he was turning red in the face right now. Not just from the cold either. "Heh... Thanks for thinking so." He calmed the unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty that was bubbling up inside him, and he equipped his own pair of skates. Opal's resembled figure skates, white and leather-textured, with a feminine profile. Teselmar's were more like hockey skates, aggressively lined with black and silver. He stood, taking a moment to orient himself. Remarkably, the feeling wasn't very different from the sensation of walking on skates out in the real world. He nodded at her comment about the cigarettes. "Mint and a chill in the air always go well together." he said, taking a final drag before stowing it in his inventory. He was going to probably need both hands for this. 

Hearing her say that she hadn't been coordinated in real life, he let out a small grin. "Now that's actually hard to imagine! In my mind, you're kind of a bad@$$ in here;  I guess I forgot that we're all pretty cool in here compared to how we were before." He took off his leather gloves, deactivating the aesthetic before taking her by the hand. Feeling her fingers on his, he was a bit surprised at how small her hand was compared to his. Her grasp was warm, and he felt his blush rising again as he led her out towards the side of the frozen river bank. "One benefit of growing up in New England is that I could ice skate before I could walk." He joked, helping Opal balance as they reached the edge of the ice. "I'm actually kinda decent at ice skating, so if you think you're gonna fall, fall towards me, okay?" He'd taught the younger boys in his boarding school dormitory how to skate on the frozen lake out on the grounds... Teselmar wondered if any of those kids would remember him if they met him today. Shaking the stray thought from his head, he got ready to catch Opal if she stumbled.

[Opal 0]

"I had a good teacher," she said in mild response to being a badass. Taking the warmth of his hands, she looked down at the ground and at the stark differences between their shoes. Her rosey cheeks ignited with a blush as she looked up at him, she was happy to know he was at least a few inches taller than her. It was difficult for a woman of her size to find men not intimidated by her leggy stature. Also even more impossible to find a guy that wasn't always staring at her tits. It was a welcomed sight that made her blush even more though when his vision was trained on the amber glow of her eyes. The woman was used to such looks, but having their eyes on something other than her breasts or hips was a little...scary. As they strolled out into the ice, Opal's left hand immediately flailed outwards as she listened to short story, casually looking up at him and nodding yet still trying to concentrate on not falling flat on her face. 

"Oh! That's cool. Well you picked a really good idea then if you were to show off in front of me, huh?" the woman beamed up at him and nodded taking his advice should gravity decide to make the effort and push her down. The woman glided evenly along with Teselmar, gripping his hand tighter as the other one slightly flailed out, "I think...I am getting the hang of this." The woman shifted her weight to the next leg as she glided along next to him, she looked up to see children spinning in circles or doing fanciful tricks. The woman gave a small frown, but allowed the jealousy to pass. "Well...let's see them try and do those tricks when fighting a floor raid boss," she quipped with a small laugh. She brought her body closer to Teselmar as both hands seem to wrap around his arm both for comfort and as a pillar to keep her steady. 

It was an innocent move and she should start showing a bit more of a relaxed mindset. Who knows? Maybe he was just as nervous as she was in all of this. There was no doubt, this was not something completely uncommon for her, but to be out on a date like this after the so many horrific events that happened in her life in SAO. She felt like she deserved this, deserved this moment with him at least for a little while longer. She wondered what to say next, she was still clung to him by one arm as they glided against the opaque service, keeping her eyes out in front of her as they strolled along at an easy going pace.

"Haha, hopefully I am not boring you with how slow I am moving around. My first time practically on the ice...and skating, it's a fond memory now being created. I wasn't exactly sure if I was interested in you or not when I first met you in that cafe. You seemed like a chill sort of guy and I wasn't really sure if I wanted to let myself be interested in you. But after all the [censored] that I have been going through, I really feel like I deserve someone..." the woman's face felt hot and flushed, "Don't get me wrong, I don't want you to feel as though you have to be with me or anything...That's not what I meant out of that. Mmm, happiness. That's what I am looking for, just a little happiness..." the woman trailed off, she thought she had more to say on the matter, but it seemed that was it. Opal removed her left hand from his arm and used it to cover her face, "Ugh, I don't know what I am doing, hahaha." she gave a nervous laugh, it was all she could do at this point.  

[Teselmar 0]

As Opal's left hand shot out to ease her balance, he made his arm rigid, giving her the solid frame of his torso to support herself should she start to slip. He chuckled quietly as she commented on him choosing this particular activity just so that he could show off. In truth, Teselmar was an excellent skater, but that hadn't been his logic when he'd suggested this activity for their date. "Actually, since I used to do this kind of thing a lot as a kid, it just kinda popped into my mind when I was trying to think of something fun for us to do." They glided sedately, Opal keeping one hand wrapped in Teselmar's as he acted as her anchor. He smiled at her when she commented on the children's abilities on the ice. "I'm pretty sure you're like a superhero to them: High level, high ranking guild member, all around great fighter. Although," he teased as she frowned at the kids, "Those are some pretty good spins they're pulling off." Opal pulled him in closer, wrapping both arms around his. After a moment of adjustment to this new balance, he put his left hand on top of her right, which was holding onto his. His nervousness was beginning to melt, and he suspected that she was growing more comfortable as well. "No worries. I won't let you fall." He said softly, holding onto her as they moved at a lazy pace. He laughed as she commented on their lack of speed. "It's actually kind of nice to slow down for once, you know? So thanks for this."

They kept holding each other as they glided across the artificially solid river. Opal opened up to him about how she felt, about what she was looking for in her life. Teselmar slowed them both to a standstill, maintaining both of their balances as he looked her in her dazzling amber eyes. "I'm glad we met, that day in the cafe. You had my attention from the moment you looked me in the eye, you were so... different from any woman I've ever met. Certainly different from most of the women in this game." He glanced around, taking in the view of countless blue, pink, and purple haired girls walking or skating around. After a while, they all kind of looked the same. Not so with the woman that he was holding right now. He smiled sincerely, bringing his face a bit closer to hers so that he didn't have to shout over the skaters making noise all around them. "I know, from what you've mentioned, that you've had some truly horrifying things happen to you in here. Whatever happened, I'm glad that you're not letting it steal your future happiness. You're right," he said, a gust of wind blowing his goldenrod hair away from his face, "You do deserve to find happiness here. And don't worry," he laughed quietly, "You're not making me do anything. I'm exactly where I want to be: here, with you. I don't know what I'm doing either, so you're not alone." He spoke honestly and simply as he breathed the words into her ear, "You really do make me happy."

[Opal 0]

She smiled, it seemed like she was doing that alot now these last few days. She normally woke up alone, and yet she still woke up alone but having the fond memories of the people she met. Slowly, life was returning to normal for the woman. She danced around the idea of the two actually being a couple in the future, but she wasn't sure how that would pan out with her being a Vice Commander. That is something that put her off with Grave earlier, she wasn't sure if guildmates should be partnered up in a relationship like that, it could cause all kinds of drama. But even then...then there was Lawfer, another really great and sweet guy, just gone in the winds now. Should he ever return, Opal had no idea what she would end up doing. But now, Teselmar...another great guy she was probably falling for, there was so many great men out there. One after another, the ones she opened her heart up to had other plans, those who gave too much to her too soon was another. There was never a balance of too good and too bad. 

She thought too much on the subject, instead of demoralizing herself she should be having fun now, in this moment. Resting a head on his shoulder for a moment as they continued a slow pace across the frozen lake Opal had finally spoken up, "I'm really glad I make you happy. There is just a lot of odd things that surround relationships in this game. A lot of drama...I guess. Every time my shell starts to break I find a reason to glue it back together. I've never had a real boyfriend before...and I don't have daddy issues, if that's what you are thinking." She gave him a small pinch to his side just in case she thought he was going to say something on that subject, "But issues in general...I probably do have. I slept around...a lot when I was in college. Probably waking up in some guy's dorm room more often than I shouldn't. Yes, I was a tad bit on the slutty side, but I was just a girl looking for her way to fill a void that she didn't know how to fill. But now, being a bit more mature and looking at things differently. I feel as though...a real relationship could work out. I know what I want out of a relationship now, and I attempted to pursue that before with another but I was too late and the other kinda just...dropped off the face of Aincrad. I don't mean to unload all this on you..." the woman felt a little bad talking so much, it was a lot more than she normally said to people, but felt the need he should know what sort of woman he was dealing with and what kind of woman he would deal with in the future. Opal was good at hiding her feelings and being a tease if she needed to be, but there was a genuine want and desire to be with Teselmar now. His great physique, his adoring smile, those eyes that seem to ignite fires in her heart that spread the warmth all over her body.

And he was generally a good judge of character, a bit of that bad boy look to him and a little cocky but not enough to send her away. There was balance in him that she found attractive and a balance is something she really wanted in her life as well. Perhaps he could be the one to give her back her center. 

[Teselmar 0]

He enjoyed the feeling of having her close to him, just being next to her was a great feeling. He knew what some of her objections to their relationship might be: If he joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, Opal would end up as his commanding officer. If she brought it up as a problem, and decided that there was no way for them to be together and still have him in the guild, then he'd simply not join. He could handle dating someone in a position of authority, personally. As long as there was a clear line between the professional and the personal, he didn't see a problem. I'll leave that up to her, I suppose. He didn't want to move too fast, but he also didn't want her to think he wasn't interested in her.  She rested her head on his shoulder, and he leaned in so that his cheek rested on the top of her head. Her hair warmed his skin as he held her close, keeping the woman on her feet. 

She spoke, and he listened before replying. "Hey, I never made any assumptions..." He said with a grin as she pinched his side. Teselmar let her speak about how she had slept around in college, trying to fill an empty place in her heart. He nodded, letting her fill in the blanks in his knowledge of her past. "Hey, hey... Who we were out there isn't necessarily who we are any more, right?" He told her, raising an eyebrow. "Opal... I've never been able to have someone in my life who didn't leave. I don't have any siblings. My parents want nothing to do with me, and any woman in my life eventually leaves. I guess someone who chases danger as much as I did isn't very good 'permanent relationship' material. I guess I used thrill seeking the same way you used sex; a way to fill a hole in my life. Err, not like that." He said, blushing at the accidental double entendre.

Sighing, he continued. "But you? I think I could see something stronger with you, more lasting. You're not afraid of taking risks, and we're not going to scare each other off by being who we are." As she explained that the other men in her life who she'd met in this game had left her or been unavailable, he looked her in the eye. "I'm not claiming to be anything besides what I am. I'm not the perfect guy; I can be snide, blunt, and really hard-headed. But I can promise you one thing: I won't disappear. As long as I'm still alive, I'll be right here next to you, if that's what you want." He smiled gently, and brushed a stray hair from in front of her eye. "You're not unloading too much on me. We wanted to get to know each other better, right?" He started to skate forward, letting her continue to hold him close as they slowly glided across the frozen stream.

 

 

[Opal 0]

But could he really promise that? The more important question was, did he have to promise? Opal sighed softly, they were once more wandering around the frozen lake, their skates just gliding along the smooth surface while other minded their own business. The feather like touch upon her was like a hot flash of heat thrown into her face when he moved wisps of ebony from her eyes, the heat lingered around her until she felt it burn in her chest and spreading that warmth to all the nerves in her body, "You don't need to make promises like that, Teselmar. I should be living in the moment again instead of worrying if you'll disappear or not in the future. It would not be fair to either of us to make a promise like that when the future is so unpredictable," the woman snugged his arm tighter, once more returning her head to his shoulder as they rounded the corner of the makeshift rink.

Opal's honey eyes continued to look straight at an angle, "If you want to stay by my side though, I'll have no objections with that. However, I am Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and there will be times when I need to separate myself from being a woman and from being the Vice Commander. I would like it if both you and Ishida joined. But I wouldn't pressure you into doing something like that. And if we were to be intimate..." the woman's face flushed for a moment, "Well...You wouldn't be given any special advantages in the guild. You will be a member and I will be the Vice Commander. But at least, I can help you get stronger and...you'll help me become stronger as well." 

She had intended for both Tes and Ishida to join the KoB, an invitation was already extended to both players. And she found that both of them had what it took to be part of the guild. The only problem now was how to work that with her relationship with Teselmar. She had said she would need to separate herself as a woman and as Vice Commander for the guild, no special treatment would be given and if he had done something that did not act with accordance with the Guild, he would have to be punished. Would there be too much drama for something like that? The woman snaked her fingers through her hair dark locks of hair and swept them away as she propped her head up, "Vivian." she said to him, "You can call me Vivian when we are out like this. I haven't told many people my real name...even now it seems a little odd saying it after calling myself Opal for so long."  

[Teselmar 0]

He felt like he was likely to trip over his own tongue, feeling foolish at speaking so plainly. She seemed to take it well though, not pushing him away or ending the notion there. The pair skated onwards, languidly passing over the ice as the stars began to peek out of the night sky above. "It is a bit silly to plan too far ahead in a place like this, isn't it? Nobody can know what tomorrow brings." He said, blushing in embarrassment at having said something about staying with her. The truth was, he just wasn't the kind of guy who went through women like playthings. If he was interested in someone, he stayed with them, until they gave notice that plans were changing. They rounded the corner, and she grasped him tighter, placing her head once again upon his shoulder. It was a unique feeling, something both physical and more; a feeling that left him full of longing for more. 

She spoke about her role in the Knights of the Blood Oath, and he nodded in agreement. "I don't expect any special treatment from you inside of the guild. I'm planning on joining, to grow stronger and be able to help others. No need to worry, I can follow orders- when they come from the vice commander in an official capacity, of course." He grinned, teasing her in a flirtatious way. Her mention of intimacy elicited no sound from him, but he could swear that steam would start pouring out of his ears, his face felt so red. Now there was a thought. "I can separate the woman from the work."

They continued to hold each other as the moon and celestial lights further illuminated the scene, flooding the small town with a lovely glow. Then, she spoke again: "Vivian. You can call me Vivian, when we're out like this..." Teselmar took a deep breath of cool air, drinking in the moment. Vivian... There was an unspoken rule about real-life names in SAO: You don't ask for other people's, and they don't ask for yours. It was considered extremely personal, and it helped to separate them from the people they used to be; people who maybe couldn't have survived a place like this. The fact that Opal- Vivian, was trusting him with this information meant that she was sharing something with him that denoted a deep trust. In kind, Teselmar put his lips near her ear again, and lowly spoke a name that hadn't passed his lips since the start of the game. "Martin. My... name is Martin." He stopped once more, as he saw her by the light of the moon, looking like a winter night's dream. All he could do in that moment was smile. "Nice to meet you, Vivian."

[Opal 0]

His hot breath was on her ear as he spoke into it the name of the man behind the character, Martin. She would have never guessed his name to be so...normal. It was a good name though; strong. Her red lips curved into a smile when they had stopped. The crescent moon above them bathed the two in a white light that seemed to only shine upon them, giving this moment that extra special accent it deserved, "It is a pleasure, Martin." The woman looked into his eyes, she could not peel herself away from the gaze that lured her into him. It felt like an eternity had passed for the mere seconds that she was looking into him. Her hand arm still hooked into his, but they were facing one another. Her body grew hot, her lips twitched as she smiled...was she going to kiss him? Her body had craved it, but her mind was yelling frantically, like an alarm going off. She hesitated, still looking into the colored pools of his eyes. She swallowed and finally drew her eyes away, "Ahh...So...Umm..." the woman nervously attempted to collect her thoughts as she looked around, "Did you have something else planned out after this? Not that I am bored or anything..." 

She attempted to recover what she said, she was not at all bored. In fact, she felt at peace and relaxed with him just skating around like a couple of normal people on a date. These were things that were on the strange side for her. This is not what usually happened on her 'dates,' more like 'let's get super drunk, find a guy and go hog wild throughout the night,' yeah...it was different being with someone she was actually developing some feelings for. She cleared her throat, twisting ebony from her face to behind her ear as she continued to drink the warmth of his body, "Yup. You have me so flustered right now...I honestly am speechless." The woman mused giving off a small giggle attempting to hide the heat from her cheeks. The smile that she wore was causing her cheeks to burn, she had smiled or laughed like this in a long, long time. These familiar feelings of what being a human was like. Or more, what it was like to be a woman again. The separation of herself...she never thought the old Opal would ever return, not after she declared that part of her had died long ago. 

In attempt to save face, the woman spoke up, putting her foot forward to once again start them around another lap of the frozen lake, "So...Teselmar, where did you come up with that name? I have a feeling it's linked to some Greek Deity or something I should know about."   

[Teselmar 0]

The moonlight draped over them like a white veil, making the moment into something significant and special. Teselmar saw her hesitate on the brink of a kiss, and it honestly took him by surprise. He had doubted that a guy like himself was even all that attractive to a woman like her, but the signs were there that she was feeling a little hot under the collar. The knowledge made him relax even more, laughing subtly as he exhaled. While he would certainly enjoy kissing her cherry red lips, he knew that there were more important things in life than just the physical. That sort of thing could come later, if she liked.

He rubbed the back of his head at her comment. "Honestly? I've been winging it since I asked you out on the fifth floor. But," He said as he led her off to the side of the rink, "I know a nice little spot that we can take a short hike to, if you're game." He pointed up towards the hills in the outskirts of the town; one in particular seemed to barely rise above the others, providing an excellent view of the village, as well as a clear look at the vast expanse of sky overhead. Dematerializing his skates, he thought about what else she'd said, and dropped his jaw in mock amazement. "Speechless? I'm the one who's batting out of his league here!" He laughed, enjoying the continued warmth of her hand in his. He tapped his forehead with his free hand trying to answer her other question. "Erm, I know this is going to sound boring, but... well, if you want to know the truth, I used one of those generic 'fantasy name generator' apps before I put on the helmet. Teselmar's what popped out, and Teselmar's what I've been calling myself ever since. I kinda like the thought of a word that has no meaning, except for the one that I give it. So, why Opal?" He asked, sincerely curious.

[Opal 0]

Once more Teselmar had his hand out with a pointed finger. The woman guided her eyes to where he was pointing and her thin brows lifted, "I'm game," she said with another one of her smiles. She watched as he went back to his shoes and she had done the same. Falling an inch back down to her normal height now that the skates no longer gave her that brief moment of being taller. Since they were being guided out of the ice and into the soft snow, Opal found that holding his arm was no longer necessary, instead as they were talking and making the hike up to the destined spot, her fingers slowly started to weave through his and clasping into a small palmy embrace. He didn't seem to mind it as her fingers finally locked over his sturdy knuckles. 

She gave a small laugh when he mentioned his name came from a fantasy generator and nodded, "It is quite original, I give you that much. I suppose with a name like that, you can give yourself whatever meaning you want from it. As for my username, Opal..." the woman shook her head with a small smile on her face, the long black sleeve of her turtleneck folding over most of her palm as she slid her fingers through her hair once more moving the ebony curtain from the amber gaze as they slowly trekked up the snowy hill. 

"Ok so...I use to delve into Wicca and the like when I was a teenager, which is why I kinda have that Witch Costume back at my shop. Anyways, the Opal stone has a ton of different meanings that are all very positive, and there are so many variations of Opals and I kinda picked it up knowing that much about the stone. Because there are so many kinds of Opals out there, I figured it made a good name for the mix with my sort of wild child like personality. I can be all kinds of Opals with this name...So that's kinda where I got my name from." Opal's hand was tightening and loosening around Teselmars as she spoke, both out of nervous fidgeting and attempting to gesture with her hands as she spoke of her name meaning. But when they had trekked to the spot of the hill, the woman could only stop and marvel at the beautiful scene that seem to expand over the small village. 

The singing light lanterns giving off soft light, the sound of people off in the distance just having a wonderful evening out, and this moment looking up at the beautiful celestial sky, the stars twinkling overhead and that vibrant moon...It was a picture perfect moment. And one that reminded her of Jomei, however, this time...she was with Teselmar and thinking of another man now would not give the attention this man to her right deserved. The woman than reached up and placed a red kiss on his cheek, "Thank you, Martin." She would use his real name when addressing him for at least while they were out like this; more personal than using name handles anyways. She wanted to personalize this moment and set it in stone.  

[Teselmar 0]

Their fingers intertwined as they walked, and he found himself unable to stop smiling. Trapped in a digital prison, constantly in danger of having his life ended, and not as strong as he should be, that was true. But right here, right now, none of that mattered. Something that usually didn't happen to guys like him was happening now, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to take his time and enjoy it. She didn't seem to mind his hand's callouses; out in the real world, he had held a gun so often that repetitive practice with the weapon had toughened his skin. The System seemed to copy even that, but she laced her slender fingers with his anyway. Her hand was immaculately manicured, reflecting the level of care she put into the rest of her appearance as well. They started towards the outskirts of the village, enjoying each others' company, and he listened attentively as she spoke.

"Opals are considered water stones in pagan crystal tradition, right?" He had a passing knowledge of many philosophies and religions, having rubbed elbows with many peoples of many cultures in his stint as a contractor. Personally, he was a semi-practicing Catholic, but his personal view on the nature of God was something he was still working through. He continued, "Water is always changing, fluid and adaptable. Sounds about right." He stopped as they arrived on the top of the hill, taking in the sight. The town was covered in pure white snow, which reflected the lights from above and below in a gorgeous spectacle. Her fingers fluttered in his hand, and he gave her a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Opal was the jewel in the middle of a cavalcade of beauty, and he was struck by how much he cared about her. This virtual world would be a much emptier place without her. His gaze took in the moon and stars up above, and his momentary distraction allowed her to place a crimson kiss on his cheek. 'Thank you, Martin.' She'd used his name, his true name. Somehow, hearing it on her lips was... incredibly sexy. He turned to her, and being half a head taller than the statuesque woman, brushed her raven tresses from her forehead and kissed it. He gently wrapped his arm around her, holding her in a warm embrace. "Thanks for giving a guy like me a chance... Vivian."

[Opal 0]

When she spoke about her pagan side, Teselmar seemed to catch on quick about the unique traits Opals had to them. She gave her head a shake and nod letting him know he was correct in his statement. It was nice to see that he didn't judge her based on her old practices. She found it to be interesting but she was not big into any formal religions these days. It all felt weird and suffocating to her. She enjoyed life but she was slowly becoming a morale person compared to her older and wicked ways. Though hints of her naughty side trickled out on occasion, more or less when she was behind closed doors.

The flurry of thoughts were swiftly swept away as snow slowly started to fall from the sky, her otherwise inky black hair becoming speckled with white flakes. But it was at this moment that Teselmar had turned to her. Looking down into her amber eyes, she felt warm like this with only a very select set of people. But when his eyes sought hers, her heart begun to pound within her chest, his fingers over hers, she felt safe with him. Despite their levels, the idea of being safe was different than being in any physical harm. It was just a safe feeling that overcame her and slowly, she could feel the ice melt away from the chains as they slowly started to erode away from her heart. A brush of his lips on her forehead, her eyes and body sank into him as she closed the dark lids and buried her face into his chest to hide the expressive and embarrassed smile when he called her out by her real name. She was elated, happy, joyous...the woman couldn't contain the bursting of light that seemed to envelope her hardened soul. 

"You know how to treat a woman right, knowing very little me or my past, you seem to be very attuned to the emotions of the situation. There will be a time when I am ready to reveal my...history to you a bit more, and I am sure I will be able to tell you without having judgmental eyes on me. Who would have guessed...a stranger in the cafe, not knowing who I was or what guild I was in, there with an unlit cigarette asking for a light...would turn into this moment?" Her words were soft as she came out of hiding from his shirt, as her arm hooked over his back as his was was around hers. 

"A dream come true..." she did it, she took the lunge. She released both his hand and his back. Both hands moving to his face as her finger sprawled out over each side of his face. Her lips dangerously closing towards his mouth before there was a connection. She had taken the next step as it felt right, it was there first date of course, but she felt this moment needed this, something she wanted. The kiss was lasting, her mouth moving around with his, her tongue had gently brushed against his as they made out for what felt like an eternity. Her full crimson lips finally moving away as her body slowly descended as she had stood on her toes coming back down to her original height, "Haha...sorry. I normally make the first move anyways when it comes to first kisses. I haven't done that...in a long time...Hopefully to your liking?" her eyes shying away from him, but the woman knew...she nailed that kiss, it would be something he'd never forget from her.  

[Teselmar 0]

As he brushed his lips across her forehead, he could feel her drawing closer to him. She was pressed up against him; her whole self closing in on him as she hid her face in his shirt. His arm was holding her, providing a frame around her back, and she spoke her words into his chest. He responded gently, running his other hand through her sable hair. "When you want to talk about your history, I'm willing to listen. For now, let's focus on the future...Vivian." He might not have the level yet to be able to protect her from the dangers of this world, but sometimes people needed a different sort of refuge. A sanctuary of the heart was just as important as any fortress. His own years of loneliness, caused by his reckless abandon, were all beginning to lose their sting. Wrapped up in her, he was able to forget about the past. "A chance meeting and an unlit cigarette... must have been fate, eh?" Martin's smile was reflected in the waxing moonlight. "I wouldn't have had it any other way." Then, under the stars, she leaned up and kissed him.

It was one of those kisses that only happened in movies, too good to exist for more than a moment. The self control that marked his mannerisms snapped, and he let her put her arm around him as their lips crashed together hungrily. They were both people of action, more comfortable with things moving forward than going slowly, so it didn't bother either of them that this was happening now, all at once. His head tilted as he moved his hands, one coming up her back to run his fingers through her hair, and the other settling on her curvacious hip as he pulled her closer to him. He needed her in this moment, feeling her body heat so close to his. Her ample form was pressed up against his own chest, and he was vaguely aware that she was on tip toe. Their tongues tentatively met; she tasted like cherries and cinnamon, like an Indian summer day. This kiss would be something the man would remember on his death bed, and he hoped it was good for her too. Separating, he smiled weakly as she spoke. "Yes, I definitely liked that. Definitely to my liking." He leaned forward and down again, chastely pecking her lips in a teasing manner before stopping an inch from her face again. "I hope this is to your liking too." Bending a bit to angle better, he kissed her on the lips again briefly, before moving to her cheek, and finally her jawline. Planting a trail of kisses along the way, he wrapped his lips around the side of her neck, nuzzling her and holding her closely. He sighed in contentment, the noise a breathy murmur against her throat. He detached himself with a small grin. "Sorry, might have gotten carried away there." He hoped that she didn't hate his ministrations. 

[Opal 0]

Amber eyes widened by what happened next. A cute sound rolled from her mouth as his lips were pressed to her, her eyes rolling back slightly as she melted in his arms and drinking in the hot nature of affection. The woman allowed the walls to crumble, a man of action that he was and she fell deeper and deeper into the intoxicated state she was feeling. Her hands roamed the back of his shirt as the woman's head tilted back as his lips caressed her flesh. Hot puffs of air escaped her lips as she opened them to allow the lingering sighs echo freely. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt, balling the material in her hand as he kept his grip on her.  Opal was dazed and dizzy, she was coming close to just losing control over herself. However, the longer he went on, the longer there was an irritation of an itch. In the back of her mind, mixed between pleasure there was pain. Flashes and echoes of memory seemed to want to come back as she attempted to keep them at Hell's door. 

Luckily he had stopped and the woman was able to get her bearings around her. The snow had stopped falling from the sky, but her body warmth was overpowering the cold air outside. Martin had apologized if he got carried away, it was just good when he stopped when he did, "No, no..that was..." the woman's face was all kinds of blushing, so many hues of red crossed her face that she didn't know what to say. With her thumb, the woman brushed it against her lips, "Quite...nice...But uhmm...I know I initiated the first kiss and I was not expecting what you just did, it really caught me off guard...More than it should have...." The woman released the balled up fist that clenched his shirt and smoothed the wrinkles out of it while she patted it down. 

"You are a fantastic guy. Someone I can really...be with. But I might need some time to take things a little slow. Not that you did anything wrong!" she quickly responded back, quite the contrary, he was doing all the right things. But those distant memories, those hollow moments of past tribulations, they continued to haunt her even now. It was a difficult process to cope with. But she found herself getting better at moving on with those nightmares still seemingly fresh.

She cleared her throat and eased away from him gently, but her hand found his once more as her head also found his shoulder, "One day...You will get to have me at my best, but until then, I'll need a little patience from you..." She hoped she didn't lead him on with that kiss, it was just a difficult road to walk after something so horribly traumatizing, even the slightest touch or kiss could send an array of feelings both good and the bad. 

[Teselmar 0]

He saw her blush as he stopped, and he frowned in concern as she spoke. Had he done something wrong? Was he hurting her? Teselmar started to understand a bit more as she went on, speaking about her limitations. He inwardly cursed himself for being so stupid. "I'm sorry, Vivian. For going too fast." He was pleasantly surprised when her hand took his again, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, just letting her dictate their level of physical contact. Speaking low and softly, he told her, "You don't have to be okay right now. It's okay that you're not okay. I... I care about you, whether you're at your best or not. Wherever this game takes us," he looked up to the sky, "I hope that you'll be able to count on me." 

He thought about how the woman had seen most of the men in her life vanish and leave her behind. He had no intention of leaving her side, but he understood that the dark and unforgiving nature of this world had taken a toll on her. Teselmar would be patient, lending an ear or a shoulder when she needed it, and a blade whenever he could as well. Vivian was filling the hole in his life where he'd craved affection, and hopefully her icy walls would eventually thaw out under his careful touch. 

[Opal 0]

The woman tightened her grip on the man's hand as she smiled longingly towards the horizon. Puffy white clouds were illuminated by the rays of the white moon that was snuggled up with the stars around. Opal leaned on Teselmar's arm so more, a faint yawn expelling from her mouth as she clasped one hand over her mouth. "Oh my...Sorry, haha. But you are a really sweet guy, I enjoyed getting to know you a lot better these last few hours. And honestly, I wouldn't mind if this night lasted forever. Wishful thinking, but since you are offering...I will learn to lean on you as a pillar when I need it. At the same time, I also need to stand on my own feet. You have seen some sides of me by now, I can be very independant, but I also enjoy having someone to depend on..." the woman had looked up to him with a brief smile before her eyes closed and she snuggled back up to his arm and shoulder. 

She wondered how this evening would end for the two of them? Would they just go their separate ways until next time they met up like this, or maybe...She didn't know what to do. She breathed in heavily and sighed a bit, a free hand striking the ebony curtain from her eyes as the snow once more seemed to fall from the sky like an interval, "This has been one of my favorite nights so far in Aincrad, Martin. I couldn't have asked for a better night to come out of this." Opal slid turned back around to face him, and pressed her body towards him once more embracing him in a tight hug. Her small arms wrapping around his body until she felt his warmth once more linger over her body.