[PP-F2]<<RGQ-E>> Protect this sweet flower.

[Lycan 0]

The moment and stillness of the forest punctuated Esther's point with undeniable clarity. Lycan's vision lost its focus while he recalled how asinine he acted moments ago. He felt another pang of regret and self loathing - enough so, that he pulled his hand away from Esther's touch. With a sigh, he shook his head and shot his hand through his hair.

"Well then..." He gripped his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Another point added to the douchebag-o-meter."

With another disappointed shake of his head and sullen sigh, he took a deep inhale.

"I would have never guessed such a thing. Don't worry, I'm good with secrets. Still..."

The ever familiar kiss of anger warmed his blood. The teen began to ask the question of who would force someone to do such a thing? His fist tightened and stomach churned with the thought. This world contained such beauty, despite its cruel intentions, but the idea of sick bastards among the ten thousand boiled Lycan's temper.

"Who would do something like that...?" his voice droned off, eyes on the sea of trees beyond them.

His teeth clenched.

"I hope they got what they deserved..." he hissed.

To prey on the helpless and take advantage of one's power... Nothing rubbed Lycan the wrong way like it. The youth strived for knowledge, strength, and status to better himself and prevent people from taking advantage of him. Forcing someone's child to perish at the hands of their parent...

"I don't want to think about it," he concluded, changing his tone. "I owe both you and Mari an apology."

He grabbed her hands, firmly this time. His yellowed eyes burned with a familiar zeal. This time, warmer and inviting.

"I won't make you cry like that again. I can't repay you for my actions, but I won't let something like that happen to you. You're a pacifist, I get that, so I'm going to do my best to arm you with ways to defend yourself without violence. If you need a blade, I'll be the one to spill blood. Okay?"

Lycan squeezed her hands gently before letting go as if to finalize his adolescent oath. He wouldn't let it be argued or dismissed.

"Now," he looked around to get his bearings, the faint babble of a creek in the distance finally filling the silence of the woods.

"I think we're close, keep an eye out for--"

The teen's eyes shot shot wide and he reached out to Esther. He gripped her by the shoulders and jerked her toward him as they fell to the ground together. Two scythe like appendages lashed out and scattered lilac curls to the wind. The buzz of insect wings droned heavily and a large black object flew overhead the two.

"Sh*t, stay down," Lycan commanded as he rolled to the side and slid out from under his female counterpart. The swordsman rose to his feet and loosed Harbinger from his back.

<Ancient Cicada> 25/25 HP -- 20 DMG

Lycan faced his foe, a large, flying insect covered in draping moss and vines. Amidst the green glimmered sprays of shimmering blue crystals. With large orange eyes the size of baseballs and wings like palm frawns, the decrepit monster threatened for another pass of its sharp claws.

Lycan readied, it reared and darted. A sidestep. The hum of Cardinal's assist. The sweet song of steel and percussion of battle.

Two vertical arcs _{(4 EN)} marred the insect's aged carapace and forced it to crash into the ground several feet from where Esther lay. It beat it's wings one final time, pulsed, and ruptured into a rain of fragmented data.

As the dust settled, a small glimmer caught Lycan's eye where the insect's corpse had disturbed the forest floor.

"Anothet close one," Lycan quipped, sheathing the blade to his back. He held out a hand for Esther. "You okay?"

ID# 67938: // BD: 10 // LD: 18 // MD: 1//
BD: 10 + 2 = 12 Perfect Critical
Vertical Arc (2x2): (5 DMG + 2 CRIT) 7 x 4 = 28 Total Damage
Ancient Cicada: -3/28 HP <<-28 DMG>> DECEASED

Unrelated to Mob: LD: 18 <<Material Discovered>>
Not yet harvested.

[Esther 0]

Esther shook her head when Lycan muttered that he needed to add another point to the douchebag-o-meter. "Lycan..." She stressed his name, prolonging it. Speaking almost as though she was scolding a young child for saying something bad, her voice lilted with tones of concern. Lycan inhaled, as though he was breathing in the severity of the news he was just told. Assessing it carefully, adding that he would never guess such an atrocity to happen. "Right." Esther lowered her gaze. "It doesn't feel real. Hearing it..." She muttered quietly. "It seems too melodramatic, too obscene, too violent to happen - this isn't some prime time drama...this is life, but - seeing her...seeing her so sad and defeated. I don't know if she'll ever recover. I don't know her daughters name, or who she was - but I want to be able to make sure that her daughter gets her smiling mother back." Esther paused, realising that it sounded as though she was going to go send Mari to join her daughter. "I-I-I mean...I want to see Mari smile again."

Esthers attention was bought down, as Lycan tightened his fist beneath her hand. It shook with hidden emotions Esther couldn't even begin to understand. Anger, violent anger - seething beneath such a calm exterior. Esther squeezed his hand again, an attempt to calm those raging waters. Lycan finished by saying he owed Esther an apology. Esther leaned forward, resting her forehead on his chest. "Apologise by being my friend." She mumbled.

Lycan shifted, now wrapping his hands around her own. Her tiny hands were swallowed by the embrace of his, soaking up the warmth of his firm grip. Here, in the forests of the second floor, with the faint smell of moss and decay, and the subtle sounds of nature - Lycan made a promise, that he'd ensure she'd never have to cry like that again. Amber eyes burning with a brilliant zeal. "I..uh.." Esther was, for once in her chatty life, left speechless. She glanced away from him, feeling a heat rise on her cheeks, as he let go Esther turned her gaze back to him. 

"Hey, I wan-aaaAHHH!" 

She was forced to the ground, and she landed with a 'thud' She winced, thinking she'd hit the hard ground, but no - that wasn't the case. Esther groaned, she could feel two hands pressed into her shoulders. Forcing her body against his - they were close enough that she swore she could feel his heart thumping erratically through his chest. Esther didn't have much time to react, Lycan quickly rolled out from underneath her. "H-huh..." She couldn't her him over the loud buzzing that had interrupted their discussion.

The teen's eyes shot shot wide and he reached out to Esther. He gripped her by the shoulders and jerked her toward him as they fell to the ground together. Two scythe like appendages lashed out and scattered lilac curls to the wind. The buzz of insect wings droned heavily and a large black object flew overhead the two.

Just as quickly as it had started, it ended. Esther groaned - accepting Lycan's hand to pull herself up. "What just happened...I missed it...was there a mob?" she asked, glancing around. She swore she heard something, the buzzing of a mob, and the hum of his weapon, but the scene before her, was just as undisturbed as it was earlier.

[Lycan 0]

"Yeah, big one," Lycan commented. "Some kind of bug. We should keep alert."

Lycan dusted himself off. Finished, he looked to Esther and the leaves which clung to her attire. Without a word, he began plucking off the debris and noticed a few curls of her hair had been clean cut from her head.

"Looks like a close one," Lycan gently held the cut strands in his hand with a guilty scowl. "Should have been faster..."

He sighed.

"Well, your safe. That's all that matters." He smiled at her before the light of the sun through the canopy hit the gem glistening on the ground.

 ID# 68097 results: LD: 2

"What's that?" Lycan walked over to the disturbed earth where his prey had fallen. From the upturned leaves, he plucked a crystal about the size of his pinky. He tapped it with a finger and pulled up an appraisal window.

<<Sapphire>>

Lycan winced.

"It's not what we're looking for, but..." He held the gem up to Esther. "That's a huge sapphire. I think maybe someone dropped it or we're incredibly lucky. There's no way it could have dropped from that mob. It was far too week for something like this."

 

[Esther 0]

ID:68099 LD: 14 + 3 = 17: SUCCESS

Esther blinked. "Oh...just a bug?" She wasn't exactly afraid of bugs, or snakes - back in her country town she dealt with that sort of thing quite often. Her friends in the city would often make jokes about it, as Esther was the one called to get rid of them, and rather than kill them she'd do her best to get them outside. In one instance, there was a rather large spider which she took home and named 'Hairy Harry' and kept for a month until she found out it was venomous, and got rid of it. still, bugs in SAO were certainly more life threatening than 'Hairy Harry' "Right..." Esther said, glancing around to see if there were any more. "I'll be sure to do that."

"Eh?" Esther blinked, surprised as Lycan stood closer, and began to carefully pick the leave and debris from her form, brushing his hand against her bare shoulders, dusting off her waist, he paused. Lifting strands of his hair in front of them. "I'm ok though." Esther said, reaching out to clasp his hand. "You're an amazing fighter." Esther said again, in an attempt to comfort her silver haired companion. Lycan stepped back, and Esther realized she hadn't been breathing. She took a deep breath, lifting her hand to brush her hair back over her ears. "Wassat?" She asked, following his stead.

Lycan picked up a shiny object, he seemed disappointed - but why? "That's huge!" Esther commented, "And beautiful, so what if it's not what we're looking for." She gave him a laugh, and a smile. "I think we're very lucky Lye~ Can I see...." She carefully picked up the crystal from his hand, despite being delicate- she still managed to drop it, the gem rolled away a few feet

"Oh Shoots n' Ladders!" She muttered, "I'll get it!"

Esther followed the gem, and leaned down to pick it up - as she did. She noticed some of the flowers that he had mentioned earlier. Picking one up, having it being successful - She turned to Lycan. A flower in one hand, and a Sapphire in the other. "What was that about luck?"

Materials Gathered: 2

 

 

Edited September 18, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

"Naw," Lycan stated as Esther took the gem from him. "I'm not that great. SAO is a numbers game. I knew a little swordplay before this, but real skills don't mean anything unless you have the numbers to back them."

Somehow, during those few seconds, the girl dropped the gem and Lycan's palm found his face. Esther was quick to retrieve the gem and with it, one of the Night Howlers they were looking for. The teen raised his brows in surprise.

"Look at you go," he commented with a smile. "You've gotten a lot better at this since last time. Is that partially thanks to Mari?"

He took the stone back from Esther and pocketed it into his inventory. While its usage for alchemy was nonexistent, it would make a great material for an artificer. Lycan's Alpha's Maw hung around his neck, several wolf fangs crested and linked to a leather cord. For now, the trinket provided more than enough help.

"Let's move closer to the creek. It's not far."

The faint babble of water over stone gave truth to his words. As they ventured closer to the creek, now within eyesight through the tree trunks, Lycan spotted a familiar sight. He took a sharp detour and knelt beside a fallen log. Across its top, moss grew in thick pads. The youth found a hole in the decaying wood and peered inside. Much to his satisfaction, a few small fragments of Blue Beryl Mossite nested within. Much like a kid fishing his hand in the cookie jar, Lye thrust his hand inside. After a few moments of prying, he retrieved his hand with crystals in tow.

"Bingo," he grinned. Lycan turned to Esther and held up his find. "We're on a roll! You're good luck, you know that?" he shouted.

With a brushing of his pants, the teen righted and joined his friend by the creekside. 

ID# 68101 results: LD: 18

[Esther 0]

ID:68102  LD: 13 + 3 = 16 SUCCESS
 

"Lye, you're being too modest. You should just accept a compliment when someone gives you one." Esther gave him a friendly waggle of her finger, followed by a wink. "It's rude not to you know."  Lycan seemed happy with her ability to pick up the Night Howler, and asked if Mari had anything to do with it. "Mmm, to be honest not so much with Mari, but with others. Like Domarus, Arc and even you." She said, reaching out to grab Lycan's hand so she could place the Night Howler into his palm. "People like you - who have helped me grow as a person, who have helped push me forward - each in your own way. I want to better myself. I want to learn how to become an excellent scavenger, and Alchemist so I can heal people. I will be useful in my own way." Esther took a step back, giving her chest a single pound with her fist. "Just watch me."

Lycan suggested they move closer to the creek, Esther was all too happy to follow him. Grateful that the anger that he had held in the morning had all but trickled away. He was back to the Lycan Esther knew most, and the Lycan Esther enjoyed being around most thus far. "This is nice..." Esther commented. Walking alongside Lycan. "The weather is beautiful, the sun warms the skin through the trees." She turned to him and laughed. "If it weren't for the danger of dying to a strange monster every second - it'd almost be like a date right?"

Lycan took a sharp turn; bee lining for a fallen log. Esther quickened her pace to catch up to him, he had shoved his hands unceremoniously into a tree trunk, only to pull out some luminescent crystals. Esther gave a few short claps. "Congratulations Lye! That's amazing." Lycan told Esther she was good luck, She appreciated the sentiment but shook her head, "Mmm - no." She approached Lycan, peering into another log next to him. She imitated his actions, and, as luck would have it, she had managed to pull out the same Material. The crystals shimmered in her hands.

"We're good luck." She corrected.


Materials Gathered: 4

 

 

Edited September 18, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

"Hmm... I guess." Lycan never liked to brag. Bragging invited challenge and in his current state, people better than him were plentiful. "I just like to keep my ego in check. I'm just a guy in a game. I'm not a hero or a warrior. I'm me."

He gave a nervous smile at Esther before his face fell flat.

"But thank you. I appreciate the compliment." His tone didn't mean it. Compared to those in the field... Compared to Oikawa, Calrex, Baldur, Teayre, Macradon... Lycan was weak and he wouldn't tell himself otherwise. At least not now - not until he could cross blades with them on equal terms.

He took a deep breath.

"Tch, you've already done a lot for the people in town. Those kids, what were their names again? They rely on you very much."

'Date?' he heard her say next. His mind lapsed.

Was that what this was? A date? Moments ago, he forced Esther into a blithering mess of tears and anxiety. Lycan shook his head.

'Man, if this was a date, I wouldn't get a second call for sure...'

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," he nervously replied, all things considered.

 ID# 68125 results: LD: 1

Sitting up from their place by the log, Lycan gestured over toward the creek. The waters trickled over large, round stones. Small pools circulated at nooks and within, water skeeters and small fry busied about the water. The outstretched roots of trees were made barren from the water's perpetual movement, exposing fragile tendrils as they drank. Green moss and watercress framed the creek's bank where the soft song of small toads and frogs could be heard. Among it, Lycan spotted a glimmer. His eyes narrowed and the closer he got, he realized the sun's light deceived him.

"Well," Lycan continued as he walked along side Esther. "I wouldn't say we're all that lucky. Remember the alleyway with Addel?"

They hadn't talked about that event since it happened. Lycan tried to chuckle to lighten the memory of it, but it left his lips flatly and forced. Addel's poison, Lycan's frantic actions, Esther's heaving chest and flushed face in his arms... 

[Esther 0]

ID:68146   LD:4 + 3 = 7 FAIL!

Lycan mentioned the kids, and Esther smiled warmly. "Brittany, Jamie, Ryan, and Evelyn - well, just the first three right now." It still stung, not knowing where Evelyn had gone, but Esther took solice in the face that she was somewhere safe and sound. "Right, I suppose I do a lot of work with them, but I was told I should be...could be doing more - besides," She looked up at him. "I'm having fun."

Esther  followed him to the creekside, but went one step further. With a few swipes of her HUD she took off her boots, and carefully dipped her slender feet into the shallows of the running water. She figured it'd be easier to find things further in. The woman leaned down, and started to try and fish around for the last material they needed.

Lycan mentioned Addel, and Esther paused in her search. Straightening her back. she wiped her hands on her white shawl. A slightly troubled look upon her features. "Yes, Kinda..." She said quietly. It wasn't something she was proud of, when Esther looked back on it, just accepting something like that from a stranger was a very stupid and naive thing to do, but she didn't realise that the game could hold such devious things. "I mean...I remember feeling very hot and bothered, I don't even know what potion I made, I don't have one in my inventory... then things got kinda hazy after that. I've been meaning to ask you - actually...." Esther trailed off, staring at Lycan, he didn't seem all too happy at the mention of the incident. Esther was almost worried to ask, she placed a flat palm against her chest. Her heart was racing, she was scared- of how he'd react, would he get angry at her? The woman took a few deep  breaths to calm herself. 

"Did you kiss me that night?"

Edited September 19, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

'Brittany, Jamie, Ryan, and Evelyn,' Lycan repeated in an attempt to memorize them. 'Evelyn...'

"That's right," Lycan replied. "Evelyn, wasn't she missing? I never had the chance to ask you what happened."

His words of Addel hit her and Lycan saw her mood change. He stopped along the bank as she dried her hands on her shawl. When her timid words recalled the potions she made, Lycan recalled the item which remained in his inventory. As she spoke, he opened his menus and produced the oddly named vial in his hands.

"This?" he asked, holding it out to her. "You weren't very coherent at the time. The name of the potion says it all. I kept it after I left you at the inn. If you'd like it back..."

And then she asked if they kissed. Lycan's mind fluttered back to that very moment. Ester laid in a corner, the soft light of the starry sky giving form to her barely clad form. The shimmer of silk over her chest and thighs as her breaths escaped soft lips. He remembered the flush of heat on her cheeks and her unresponsiveness. Her body in his arms as he had to make a choice.

"No..." Lycan replied with eyes too guilty to look into hers. "I made an antidote, but you were unconscious. I had to -- I used my own mouth to make you drink it..."

'Her life wasn't in danger... It could have been... Did I take advantage of her?' His mind raced.

"I'm sorry," he added. "I didn't even know if the antidote was going to work. I had to do... something."

He turned his gaze back to her.

"Are you mad?"

[Esther 0]

 

Lycan told her no. "No?" Esther asked, lifting her hand to press her finger to her lips. "So...I dreamt it? It felt pretty real..." Lycan turned his eyes away from her, and Esther began to worry. His answer didn't sound right, no...he did kiss her, so why did he lie? "Lycan...please tell me the truth...." Esther took a step closer to the silver haired youth, and he further explained himself. Esther's eyes widened in realisation, and as he spoke - the memory became less fuzzy, as though someone were fine tuning the antennae to her memory. "A-ah.."

'Are you mad?'

As that question left Lycan's lips Esther couldn't help but laugh, she burst into a small fit of laughter. She shook her head, "N-no... No I'm...ahaha..." She pressed a palm to her eyes. "I'm...I'm crying..ahaha oh gosh. I'm so -ahaha- relieved. I thought you were mad at me." She wiped away her tears, quickly broaching the gap between them, stumbling into him. She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders, rubbing her face into his chest. "I'm so sorry ahhaha I'm just...I'm so relieved." Esthers small frame shivered, a mixture of laughter and relief wracked her body. Esther stood there, against Lycan for a few moments before she took a few final deep breaths, finally stepping away from him.

"If I gave the potion to you, you should keep it." She grinned, pushing the potion he held back toward him. "I'm a little worried about what it is though - it''s nothing bad is it? I -" She paused, more memories begining to clear in her mind. "A-ah..." Her cheeks reddened as she instinctively placed her hand over her chest, as if checking her clothes were still intact. "Oh I remember being really hot and bothered, I think I slipped into my sleepwear? Oh Lycan..." Esther turned her eyes back toward him.

"I've been causing you so much trouble, haven't I?"

[Lycan 0]

'No... you didn't dream it...' he replied in his mind. 'And it is the truth. If I wanted a kiss... not like that...'

Lycan's face tinted red at the thought. As he continued to explain, her face changed from concern to unexplained laughter. She pressed herself into him, her face against his chest. Lycan's arms shot out wide, unsure what to do with the girl latched to his body, laughing. He felt her shiver and his arms fell around her. Her laughing stopped, and she sat there in his arms for a moment. Lycan felt a smile creep across his lips, both at the embrace and his relief. She wasn't upset afterall.

"I don't know," he replied while looking at the potion in his hand. "I'll do an appraisal on it."

Lycan tapped the pink vial with his finger and touched the small magnifying glass icon. His eyes scanned the text under the description. "U-Uh..." The teen's face lit up and he looked to Esther who looked just as red as he.

"Uhm... It uh... It tastes like your..." He couldn't finish the sentence without sounding awkward. So, with his finger, he pointed to his own lips. Hoping she'd get the connotation, he held the vial out with an open palm in case she changed her mind.

She then continued to recall the night, exacerbating the situation. He nodded.

"You did," he replied. "You weren't awake for long. Enough to make... this."

'Trouble?'

"You do tend to get into, uh, interesting situations..." Lycan added, trying not to make her feel bad for the situation. She didn't know any better. Like she said, she's just Esther. Just Phoebe.

[Esther 0]

Esther waited as Lycan did an appraisal on her potion, what was it? An antidote? A potion? Esther bit her lower lip, waiting for the answer. Lycan's face grew red, and it made Esther all the more curious. Why would he have such a reaction? Was it embarrassing? "Tastes like what?" Esther asked, trying to pry for more information. Lycan finally pointed to his lips. Esther gave him a dumbfounded look, and there were seconds of silence as the gears slowly, slowly slowly turned in her head. "What? Tastes like wh-OOooooooooh!"

"Well?" 

Esther asked with a cough, glancing away. "D-Does it? I mean...I'd kinda hope my first potion was a success, but I mean - its not like I could drink it myself." It wasn't as though she could give it to someone else either, Esther doubted that any of her previous romantic flings were currently roaming Aincrad- and if they were, they weren't exactly standing right here, right now.  Lycan, be it a kiss or forcing a potion onto her to aid her, was the only one she knew - who was able to make such a comparison. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to." Esther mumbled.

She forced a laugh to break the awkward silence, "Maybe I could make a potion that'd stop me from getting into so much trouble eh?" She gave her head a light shake, "I've sure had some strange ones." She mused, recalling the Truth Serum, The Starry Eyed Illusion, and less favourably, the Murderous Intent.

[Lycan 0]

Lycan looked to the potion and back to Esther.

'She wants me to try it?! To see if its correct?!'

That night, he could hardly taste anything but the bitterness of his own potion. How would he know how to compare? Wait, was he actually considering...?

Lycan swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled the potion closer to his face. The soft swirl of pink liquid within compared to the soft hues of her own lips. Lycan felt his chest pound.

"Well, um... I-I don't know," he stammered. He shook his head and forced a breath out to steel himself. "I just remember the taste of my own potion."

'Oh sh--, man. Do it. Man up. For science!' Lycan's inner thoughts egged on. 'No! That's silly. Am I really...'

"I can tell you, but..."

He paused, mustering the courage through his own stupidity and hormone induced panic.

"I'd uh... _{Need a kiss...}" his voice started strong, but withered into oblivion.

Just as he mumbled the suggestion, Esther replied with her run in with odd potions. She wasn't serious about the comparison and Lycan felt the chill of rejection rush down his spine. He left fielded that one. Hard.

"Yeah!" he laughed nervously, hiding the potion behind his back. "Maybe we can look into making one! haha!"

'You effing moron...'

"So, um, yeah!" Lycan cleared his throat. "Safeguard potions, right!"

ID# 68209 results: LD: 5

Lycan turned his back to the girl to hide is utter embarrassment. He distracted himself by trying to looked for any nearby signs of Night Howlers or Blue Beryl Mossite, but his mind was far too preoccupied at an honest effort.

[Esther 0]

Lycan mentioned he only recalled the taste of his own potion. "Oh." Esther had to admit, she was a little disappointed- she really wanted to know if what she made worked, she had yet to set up her shop - and it would be good to get some insight into how to improve her craft. She couldn't do that if she had no ground to stand on. She was back to square one. Lycan didn't seem like the type who'd be up for a quick peck in order for her to test her theory, and Esther - as naive, trusting and foolish as she was - wasn't going to ask. Especially not someone who was so furious with her before. 

Then, Lycan suggested it. "A Kiss?" Is that all? Why is he flustered? Esther thought to herself. She swore that's what he heard, she stepped closer to Lycan, but he quickly shoved the potion out of her sight, then turned away from her. "Lye..." He made his own joke about creating a potion to keep Esther out of trouble, he laughed awkwardly, drowning out her voice. "Lycan..." He turned to look for materials, muttering about the safeguard potion. "Oh for goodness-" Esther sighed, rolling her eyes. If he just wanted something as simple as a kiss - what was the harm? Esther didn't see something like a kiss as intimate as what another might. Esther tugged hard on Lycan's sleeve, forcing him to spin around. She had to stand on her tip-toes, and even then she was almost too short, she had to tilt her head up and with her other hand pull him down so his lips could finally meet hers.

Just a Kiss

The height difference was too great, Esther began to stumble, and fall backward - whatever brief moment that was shared, was ruined by Esthers...well, Esther-ness. As she started to fall backward, her grip on Lycan tightened, and if he weren't prepared - she may just pull him down with her.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

It happened so fast. Before Lycan had a chance to understand what was happening, her lips were pressed into his. His eyes shot wide, chest beat, and he didn't give a thought to his balance. When Esther began to topple, he fell in tow. It was a split second decision, but the teen threw his arm behind Esther's head to protect her. The contents of which all but abandoned as he acted.

Ker-Splash! Shatter~!

Cold water lapped at his face and soaked his clothes. The babble of the shallow creek ran over his arm and through Esther's hair. He loomed over her, his cheeks reddened and eyes still wide with shock. His body pressed against hers, a contrasting warmth to the cold creek. It took a moment for reality to slap the sense back into him. That's when he realized how close they were and how inappropriate it may have looked.

Lycan scrambled.

He lifted her upright and scampered to shore. Then just sat there quietly, unsure what to say.

'Thank you? No, that's not right. Sorry? Yeah, that's better.'

"Sorry," he stammered. "I lost my balance. You, okay?" As he asked, his empty hand rubbed at the back of his head.

'Empty...?'

"Oh sh--!" he blurted. His eyes darted about until their attention was caught by the listing glimmer of defragmented data. His stomach dropped. He quickly pulled up his menus and checked his inventory.

'Gone...'

His shoulders slumped and head hung low.

"That's two things of yours today..." he grumbled. Fortunately, the warmth of the kiss overpowered the abysmal sense of defeat from destroying Esther's first potion. Now they would never know...

[Esther 0]

The tingling warmth of his lips pressed against her own was short lived, the two tumbled, and Esther drew in a sharp breath, biting down on Lycan's lower lip, almost too hard - from the shock of the water. She drew away quickly, gasping from the cold. "Holeee...." 

He loomed over her, water dripping from silver bangs onto her cheeks. Her hair splayed out around her head like some sort of purple halo, ebbing gently to and fro from the water. Lycan's amber eyes were wide in shock, his cheeks a deep rosy hue, a stark contrast from his usual pale appearance. His chest was pressed tightly against hers, it was almost a struggle to breathe. One arm was looped around her back, his hands tangled in the back of her hair, the other to her side. Esther was about to suggest that he move, but he was quicker than she.

Lycan quickly pulled her out of the creek before collapsing onto the shore, pulling her down next to him. "Eheh..." Esther laughed awkwardly. "Don't apologise, I'm pretty sure I pulled you down with me. You were a little too tall for me, shoulda waited till you were sitting like that, eh?" She asked, pointing to him. She was attempting to break the awkwardness that had risen between the two. Once again, Esther had made a mess of things. It was only meant to be a quick peck on the cheek, nothing more. Next minute, the two were wet, bodies pressed tight against each other. Even for Esther - who wasn't one to shy away from physical contact, such a scenario was...heated .

"Two?"

Esther blinked, her eyes widened when it clicked. "oh..OH!.....o-oh..." she glanced down, "Dang...I guess I caused you all that trouble again for nothing then, huh? My bad Lye. I'll try to make sure that won't happen again then, I'd hate to cause you more drama, right?"

[Lycan 0]

"You see that, Jenny?" a distant shadow whispered to another. "Lookit how close he's gotten with the little thing - practically doin' it in the woods!"

"It's sad really," replied the other. "To make such a fuss over a simple kiss. Must be a real prude. The girl looks like it's far from her first rodeo."

"Tch, I wouldn't mind a ride..."

The faint sound of a punch making contact with a shoulder.

"You'll get your turn." A slight pause. "I have an idea. Let's go."

-----------

"I didn't know you were going to do that," Lycan replied. "I mean... after this morning. It was dumb to ask..."

Lycan still felt the heat in his cheeks and the dwindling throb of his heart.

"It's not your fault," Lycan added. "I just -- Yeah, don't worry about it."

The teen rose to his feet, clothes dripping wet. He shook his hair free of what water he could and began to ring out his coat. Meanwhile, his mind hinged on the kiss. How long were they stuck in SAO? How long was it since he kissed a girl? Robin, senior year of high school? He couldn't even remember her face... Lycan looked up to Esther. She wasn't his ideal type, but... he was beginning to feel something. What exactly, he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Here, let me help you up," Lycan held his hand out. "We should probably hurry up and find the last ingredient so we can get back and warm up. I'll buy coffee and we can find a hearth to snuggle up to."

He bit his lip at the word, realizing it tingled more than it should. Did she bite him?

"I mean sit next to!"

[Esther 0]

"You didn't know? But Lye... You're the one who asked. Did I assume wrong?" Esther glanced away, suddenly realising she had invaded his personal space again, "Oh jeez. I probably should have double checked. I think by now we know how touchy feelsy I get. I keep forgetting that other people don't like that." She mumbled, Esther kept telling herself to take a back seat, to chill out when it came to others- because situations like this arose from it. If she just learnt to keep to herself. The ordeal with Addel wouldn't have happened, not would they both be sitting here, dripping wet.

"Huh?" 

Esthers thoughts were disturbed as a hand was stuck in front of her, she glanced up, Lycan had already stood- Esther accepted his hand, using it to pull herself up. 

"To be honest, a good friend, a warm fire, and a hot drink sounds amazing."

[Lycan 0]

"No... I did," he replied quietly. "I didn't think you'd just do it." 

Lycan pulled her to her feet. Then he heard the trigger word.

'Friend,' he mentally repeated.

"Right..."

'Friend, that's all this is. Nothing more. She's just a friend. Stop pretending it'll be something else.' Lycan nodded to himself, a little flat in the features.

"Yeah, that sounds good," he smiled to Esther genuinely. A practiced response dating back to a time before SAO and a time before college.

"Let's see if I can wind this up."

With a nod, Lycan directed his attention to the surrounding area - this time, with more clarity.

 ID# 68233 results: // LD: 5 //

His amber eyes washed over the creek, the banks, and the underbrush that framed them in. He couldn't pick up any familiar hues of purple. Thanks to the thick brush, he couldn't notice any fallen logs or potential growing spots for the crystals.

"Tch, nothing here. Let's start walking back. Maybe we'll find something on the way." Lycan began to move back towards Urbus, carefully stepping through the brush. The gentle breeze that felt so refreshing before, now threatened to chill him to the bone. Beside that, Lycan wanted a few moments to himself. Today already tested his span of emotions and a reprieve to reflect was overdue.

[Esther 0]

ID:68236 LD: 15 + 3 = 18 SuCCESS

"You didn't?" Esther asked, if he didn't think she'd go ahead with it, why be so bold as to ask? Was he embarrassed?  Why did Lycan sound so...dejected, and disappointed? "mmm, I suppose it is something that most people wouldn't just go ahead and do." Esther shrugged, offering Lycan a smile as she approached him. Reaching out to brush his wet fringe out of his face. "But it was just a peck - it wasn't like some sort of full on make-out session. Sides, who can say no when an attractive man asks such a thing?" She teased. Esther wasn't sure if he had heard her, Lycan turned back to search for materials. Esther shivered, the breeze picking up. Lycan suggested that they wrap it up, and she couldn't agree more.

Lycan sighed, and turned away from her, heading back toward town. As he stepped over a bush Esther noticed a glimmer, she approached - reached down and picked up what looked like a small, glimmering crystal shard. "Is this....what we needed?" She asked quietly. Esther looked up, to see Lycan had already made quite the distance between them. 

"H-hey...wait up!"

Esther kicked up off the ground, and started after him. "Lye...LYE.. Hey!" Esther caught up, and grabbed hold of his shoulder, giving him a stern look. "What's wrong with you?" She breathed, holding up the crystal with her other hand. "Didn't you hear me? Is this what you were looking for?" Esther didn't wait for him to take the crystal, she instead grabbed his hand and shoved it into his palm. "Here." 

Materials 5/5

Edited September 21, 2016 by Esther