[PP-F3] Picking Up the Pieces

[Telrenya 0]

Telrenya weaved through the mess of players and NPCs that stood between the Black Iron Palace and the first floor's teleport gate. She would occasionally bump shoulders with someone or receive an agitated shout, but she had no capacity for manners right now. The woman had only just managed to settle on which direction she was going: back to her Artisan shop in Delilah. Both the knot in her stomach and the lump in her throat were heavy, the guilt of leaving her friends wrapping around the jumble of complex emotions in her heart and squeezing it even tighter. She asked herself why she was running away; why her legs were still carrying her as quickly as they could manage through the busy city streets. Did she think that running would change anything? Tears welled in the corners of her eyes as she came to a stop in the teleport plaza, forcing out the words that would bring her to the third floor through heavy breaths.

The door to Crystal Clear swung shut behind Telrenya's trembling frame. She pressed her back against it, panting as she stared at the dim, unused workshop standing in front of her. Her legs grew weak and unwilling to support her weight, causing her back to slide down the length of the door. Her mind and heart were scattered between thoughts and emotions, while the feeling of sickness once again made itself apparent in the pit of her stomach.

'What am I doing? What are they doing?!' She drifted between mixtures of guilt, anger, worry, and inferiority. 'James... I'm so sorry.'  Her tears finally began to spill over. 'I can't do it. I'm not strong like you.' Her chin tilted up and the back of her head pressed against the shop's door behind her. 'I can't fight... I can't even support them.'

[Jomei 0]

Jomei brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun, which seemed to shine even brighter than before as his eyes adjusted from the darkness of the palace that was built up around the Monument of Life. Once his vision had returned to normal, he stepped forward to the top of the stairs and began to frantically search the large crowds of people for Telrenya. His breathing began to heighten, anxiety taking over as his eyes went from person to person in the crowd of possibly 100 people. That was when he saw a line of players being nudged out of the way, all on the way towards the large blue ring that they would use to move between floors quickly. Once he spotted her, he quickly made his way down the stairs and ran into the crowd, shoving past players to get to Telrenya before she had a chance to warp away. "Tel!" he would yell out, trying to get her attention. The man got just within ears reach to hear her say that she was warping up to Delilah on Floor Three, where her shop was located. Jomei quickly picked himself up onto the platform and called out the floor, warping instantly to the peaceful village. 

"[censored].. I've never been to her shop yet..." Jomei thought to himself, both of his hands grabbing at the hair on the back of his head. That was when he remembered the elven woman that was speaking with Tel.. that was in front of her shop. Digging deep into his memory, Jomei remembered the path he took to get to where they had started that quest, and he took off as quickly as his body would let him in the safe zone. Players watched Jomei with concern as he sprinted down the alleys of Delilah, trying to find the building that seemed most familiar to him. Some he had never seen, while others looked somewhat familiar. He noticed he soon passed a restaurant that looked fairly busy.. one that he remembered to be adjacent to Telrenya's shop. Stopping in his tracks, the man walked up to the building with the shut door and windows. He placed one palm on the door, the other wrapped around the door knob. As he twisted the knob he tried to push the door gently, yet met resistance. He let out a sad sigh before speaking up "..Estelle.. it's me." he said softly, but enough for her to hear through the door.

[Telrenya 0]

The sudden pressure against her back as the door had tried to open sent a jolt through the woman, freezing her thoughts in place. She heard her name, called out by Jomei's soft voice on the other side of the wall. "Nick..." The name left her in a small voice, one that might not have made it to the other side of the barrier between them. The tightness in her chest returned as she slowly pushed herself up to her feet. She stood with her hands forming loose fists on either side of her, a knot in her stomach while she just couldn't bring herself to open the door behind her and face the man on the other side.

"I'm...sorry." She started in a louder, shaky voice. She bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to keep herself as together as possible, pushing the words out of her as each of them entered her mind. "I shouldn't have run off like that." Her gaze dropped to the dark oak floor in front of her feet. Her cheeks were stained, tears no longer falling from her misty eyes, but the knots of anxiety continued to twist and turn inside of her just as wildly as before. "I didn't know how to take it, and it was just so overwhelming..." Her heartbeat gradually quickened along with the pace of her words. "I know that it's the only way to get out of here, b-but I can't stop thinking about what could go wrong," as if on instinct, her foot moved forward, carrying her a few slow strides before she would turn back the other way. "I can't do anything but worry--I'm not strong enough to fight with you guys. Even if my level was higher, I-I just can't." She brought up a hand to run through her blonde hair, pushing her bangs from her forehead before they would promptly fall back into place. "But I don't have any right--I shouldn't be influencing your decisions because you're only doing what's right," The girl was far along in her hysteric rant, her pacing having quickened while she broke down inside of the dusty Artisan shop. "I just care for you so much, I can't help but wish you wouldn't have to go, a-and--" She stopped herself in front of the door that separated the two. She reached out, pulling at the handle to finally set her gaze on the ginger man. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she suddenly felt a strong pang of painful emotions while standing before the man she loved. "I'm just so sorry!" She choked out.

[Jomei 0]

The sound of small chatter and birds were the only thing Jomei would hear in the form of echoes down the narrow street. No players walked the roads around him as he stood there, waiting for an answer. There was no way that she couldn't be in here, he could feel the tension between them, and not just the door. With a shaky exhale, his eyes closed, and his forehead gently rested against the wooden barrier that stood between the couple. After calling out her name, it felt like time came to a stop waiting to hear any sort of reply. The first thing he heard was the door rattle, the pressure being placed against the door had lifted. The man, however, slowly removed his hand from the golden doorknob, to respect Telrenya if she truly wished to be left alone. 

An apology were the first words the girl spoke from the other side, a voice cloaked in fear and sadness. He could only listen to the girl's slightly muffled voice as she explained herself for running off from the Monument.. for running off from him. Despite knowing what he was doing was right, he still felt more and more guilty as the words poured out. Her sentences seemed to increase in speed as her voice seemed to become louder, and then quieter, leading Jomei to assume she was pacing in front of the door. He remained silent and only listened to the girl's explanation. Though what she did not understand was that Jomei was not searching for an apology, nor was he looking to make the girl accept that he was going to the front lines for this fight. He had much different reasons for chasing after the woman he cared this much for. The guilt inside of him twisted his stomach into knots, causing his entire body to tighten up and tears to well up in the corner of his olive eyes. 

As Tel's voice seemed to break, Jomei took his head away from the door and stared through it, listening as her footsteps became louder against the wood floor, until the oak door between them swung open. On the other side stood Telrenya, her eyes glistening from the tears that created small pools, her cheeks moist and red from crying. She let out one last apology, her voice shaking as much as she seemed to be. Jomei's mouth opened, only air escaping as he was at a loss for words. Taking in a shaky, deep breath through his nostrils, he stepped forward into the girl. He lowered his body slightly and slipped his arms under hers, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tight into his chest. He placed one hand on the back of her head, the other on her lower back. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I... I shouldn't be leaving you like this." He held the woman in his arms, speaking into her shoulder. "I should be sorry.."

[Telrenya 0]

It felt as though time had stopped. Telrenya stared back into Jomei's glistening eyes, the pained expression on his features causing her strained heart to fall. And then, as if the gears of the world slowly began to turn again, she felt Jomei's embrace envelop her. As his strained voice reached her ears, Telrenya's own hands slid across his shoulders. One hand matched the placement of his, the feeling of his unruly ginger hair beneath her palm while the other slid along his back, her fingers curling as she gripped at the deep green fabric of the cloak spilling over his shoulders. Her panic had subsided, but was just as quickly replaced with a crushing sadness. She held onto the man as tightly as she could, as if he might disappear completely should she let go.

She pressed her forehead into Jomei's chest as fresh tears fell to the hardwood floor below, leaving small stains before Cardinal would normalize the flooring's appearance moments later. Giving in to the wave of emotion, Telrenya sobbed. Her shoulders trembled and her breathing uneven as she spent a few long minutes simply holding Jomei while her tears continued to fall.

Over time, the girl began to calm. Her sniffles grew less frequent, and her grip on his clothing loosened slightly, though she was still reluctant to pull away and face the man properly. She pulled her arms closer to her, rubbing at her eyes with the backs of her hands and heels of her palms until she lifted her chin to look up at Jomei. "It's...not your fault either." She said in a quiet voice. She felt drained, as if bits and pieces of her had fallen to the floor alongside her tears. "It's..." She hesitated, stopping and searching for the right words to say before letting out a small breath of defeat. "It's just...complicated."

[Jomei 0]

Telrenya had eventually matched Jomei's embrace, wrapping her arms around Jomei, her hands slowly sliding into place along his back. Jomei felt Telrenya's shoulders shudder with each sob, holding her as tightly as he could with each tremble. His hand on the back of her head intertwined with the dirty blonde locks, gently caressing the back of her skull and neck. He wanted her to know, without words, that he would always be here for her, and that she had nothing to be sad about. However.. he understood those fears were rational in her eyes, just as they were to him. For all he knew, things could go badly, and he would end up no longer being there for her. Jomei expelled a panicked breath himself, trying to calm his own nerves and stay strong for Telrenya.

As her trembling began to subside, Jomei removed his head from Tel's shoulder, his hand gently sliding around her jawline and to her cheek, gently caressing the moist skin with his thumb. He then pushed the golden bangs that fell across her forehead out of the way, softly pressing his lips against her forehead before the locks fell back into place. Slowly, Telrenya began to separate herself from Jomei, rubbing the remaining tears from her eyes and cheeks. By the time she had finally looked at Jomei, her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her cheeks still rosy and wet. Jomei frowned and looked into the woman's deep brown eyes as she told him it was not his fault, but that it was a complicated topic. 

"No.. it is.. I.. I shouldn't be leaving you at a time like this." he shook his head, "I should not have even said anything at the Monument.. We were there for your brother and I.... I just saw all the names of my friends.. and felt it was the right thing to say.."

[Telrenya 0]

His comforting embrace, his thumb sliding along her cheek, his gentle kiss upon her forehead. Telrenya couldn't help the soft smile that formed with each of his comforting motions. Feeling as the rise and fall of her chest had steadied with her breathing, she listened intently when Jomei spoke up. The woman's eyes went wide for a moment when he expressed regret for speaking up earlier. She quickly gave a shake of her head to argue against the notion. "No, no... I'm glad you told us." She lowered her gaze and caught sight of the doorway behind the Irishman, the streets of Delilah laying on the other side of the frame. She released a steady breath before gently breaking away from the man. There were things they needed to talk about, properly.

She gently pushed the door to her shop closed, a small click sounding once it lined up with the doorframe. They were left in the dimly-lit building until Telrenya's finger tapped on a menu option and the lights above them came to life and brightened the cozy interior. The shop itself was still less than impressive, without much in the way of crafted items for sale or on display. Telrenya moved back to the ginger-haired man, gently taking his hand in hers to lead him over to a wooden bench sitting in front of an empty workspace. She took a seat, waiting for Jomei to do the same, her fingers keeping themselves curled around his hand all the while.

She took in a deep breath through her nose, holding it in for a second, and then letting it spill out in a controlled sigh. As if to signal that she had more or less composed herself--save for a slight headache and some lingering anxiety--she looked back to Jomei's olive eyes and gave his hand a light squeeze. "It's going to be soon, isn't it?" She asked in a soft voice, unable to mask the look of concern that filled her heart. She wasn't privy to frontline activities, sometimes preferring not to know what happened on the farthest unlocked floors of the game, but it was hard not to hear rumors here and there about the discovery of the next boss room after progress seemed to have been halted for so long.

[Jomei 0]

Once Jomei had expressed his regret for revealing his plans to fight on the front lines again at the Monument, Telrenya reassured him that she was glad she told her.. Well, as glad as she could be for someone who just heard their boyfriend was going off to fight some giant monster. He gave her a small, yet forced smile as she looked into her eyes. He still could not help but feel guilty for telling her at a time like this. "I just.. should have waited for another day.." he shook his head again, "Not while you were trying to say goodbye to your brother. I just feel like I stole the focus away from him." The shorter blonde slowly broke away from the man, watching him as she did so as it to make sure he would not vanish in front of her eyes once her hands left him. She stepped past Jomei, taking the oak door in her hand and shutting it behind them, giving the two much more privacy to talk about the situation, rather than allowing the passer-bys of Delilah to listen in or see them.

Jomei felt the softness and warmth of Telrenya's hand as her palm slid against Jomei's, her fingers clasping around his hand. He felt himself being led to another side of the now lit shop, where a small wooden bench was placed. Telrenya lowered herself onto the wooden seat, and the Irishman followed suit, sitting next to her, their fingers intertwining with each other into a more comfortable position as he sat next to her. He sat in silence, staring at the corner of the room for the longest time before he felt Telrenya's brown eyes fixed on him. Jomei turned his head to look into hers, seeing she had composed herself for the most part. She finally spoke in that soft voice that always managed to calm his nerves and cheer him up.. however, these words only made him stress more. The man looked away from Tel's gaze, before slowly nodding. "A little under a week..." he said softly, the lump in his throat preventing him from speaking clearly. "I.. I think we are ready.. and with Ruby's first aid.. I.. should be fine.." he looked back to Telrenya, letting out a heavy sigh, his shoulders dropping with his chin. As his fearful eyes looked back up to Tel, his lip quivered, "I.. I don't want to leave you but...we will end up being stuck here if no one goes to fight. And ... I want you to go back to the real world. I want you to live your life without this fear."  

[Telrenya 0]

She felt her heart drop again when he had forced out the words, telling her that the boss fight would be taking place in under a week's time. She swallowed, her thumb gently gliding over the back of his own. The fear, anxiety, and sadness all present in his olive eyes caused her tired heart to ache, but through her own tangle of emotions she looked back at the man with a gentle smile. Despite the uncertainty, the looming sense of despair that threatened to drop down on them, Telrenya knew that it would only be selfish for her higher-leveled guildmates to hide themselves away from the frontlines. It was hard to accept what she heard earlier--that Jomei had already fought in boss battles in the past. Not because she didn't think the man was capable, as the case was quite the opposite, but rather her own reluctance to imagine him in such a dangerous situation. In the same way that she didn't want to accept his presence on the frontlines now, it was almost as if she wanted to deny his presence there in the past.

She mentally scolded herself for such selfishness. Such blindness. She raised her free hand to the man's forehead, gently brushing his messy bang aside as her fingertips ran along his temple. Trailing down, she gingerly took Jomei's face in her hand, running her thumb lightly over his cheek while she looked back into his distressed olive eyes. "I want the same for you," She started softly with a warmth in her gaze. The next words caught her her throat, her cowardice and shame preventing them from leaving her so easily. "I... well, I wish I could go with you." She wondered if he would protest the sentiment. If her level was as high as his--higher, even--would she just be a liability to him?

She dwelled on the thought for a moment before focusing her mind back on the man sitting beside her. No, this wasn't the time to worry about things like that. Jomei needed her now, when the threat of a dangerous battle lurked just days ahead of them. She closed her eyes while giving a tiny shake of her head to dismiss the topic. "If you're set on going, of course I'll support you." She gave his hand another small squeeze. "It's scary, but... I'm glad that Ruby can be there with you, so you can keep each other safe."

[Jomei 0]

The girl's hand traced a line around Jomei's temple, pushing his ginger locks from in front of his eye for a moment, before her hand found its place on his cheek. He found comfort in this current space in time.. sitting next to each other and looking into each other's eyes. Though the looming cloud of this boss fight over their heads would prevent this from being the perfect moment. That did not stop Jomei from breaking his frown, and smiling back at Telrenaya. She admitted to Jomei that she wished that she would be able to stay with him.. but now in the way Jomei had wished. Rather, Telrenya wanted to be by Jomei's side and fight for their freedom. His olive eyes widened slightly, imagining Telrenya by his side, and a large boss monster in front of them, its red eyes glaring at the two. Jomei shook the thought out of his mind by clamping his eyes shut for a minute. "I want you to be safe.. always. If we could both stay away from the boss raids, that would be ideal." he took in a long drawn breath through his nostrils before looking at Tel, "But.. if the day comes where I cannot force you to stay behind. Then I will protect you with every ounce of my life." 

He felt a bit of relief when she reminded him about Ruby's attendance, her healing skills would most definitely come in handy with keeping them both alive. However.. if Jomei did not think he was strong enough for the fight, what would make him think Ruby was ready, especially if she truly was lower leveled than him. Jomei looked at Telrenya for a moment before smirking and nodding his head, "We will. I'll keep her safe, don't you worry.. and hopefully I don't do anything to piss her off in the mean time.. so that she will protect me." he said with a small chuckle, trying to make light of the situation. He turned his body so his chest faced towards the blonde. Slowly releasing the grasp he had on her hand, he brought both of his arms to the girl's biceps, gently rubbing at the skin with his thumbs. "I will come back to you, Estelle. You don't have to worry about me." 

[Telrenya 0]

She felt a twinge of regret the moment his expression shifted from her comment of fighting alongside him. As if the uncertainty of her own ability wasn't already tugging at the back of her mind, it was promptly paired with the feeling that she might be a burden to him. His next words, after he seemed to take a moment to collect his thoughts, caught her off-guard. The fact that he would not push her away should she truly choose that path filled her with a warmth that spread to the growing smile on her face.

She couldn't help but echo his chuckle, thankful for the light-hearted comment as she thought again of their feisty healer. She'd never seen Ruby fight, save for the time they first met. The way she had decked one of the strange men that had tried to corner her nearly sent a shiver down Telrenya's spine. When the Irishman beside her shifted his position and brought his hands up to her arms and held her gently. Her eyes were drawn to his while her hand trailed down his jawline and dropped a short distance to rest on his shoulder. She wanted to tell him that she would worry about him whether he was fighting a boss or simply exploring a new floor. She always did worry easily. Instead of telling the man that his request was impossible, however, she raised her other arm and slipped past his shoulders. She wrapped her arms around him, meeting him halfway while she pulled Jomei into another embrace. Her face nestled against his neck, enjoying the closeness a few moments before speaking up in reply. "Thank you, Nick... You really are the bravest person I know." Despite having expressed it to the man before, her cheeks took on a subtle tinge of pink when she had spoken the words aloud.

[Jomei 0]

The arms that the man had a hold of slowly lifted and slipped past Jomei's sides before wrapping around his back and pulling his body closer to Telrenya's. She held him tightly as she had before, with a sense of never wanting to let go of him. As he felt the warmth of the girl's body against his chest, he closed his eyes and smiled, folding his own arms to hold her back. His breathing was much steadier as it was before as he exhaled through his nostrils, a smile stretching across his cheeks. After another small moment of just enjoying the company of each other, Telrenya told Jomei that he was the bravest man she had ever known. With a deep exhale through his nostrils, Jomei shook his head. "No.. I'm not." His smile had turned into somewhat of a frown, though he kept his arms wrapped around Telrenya. "I was a coward.. for a very long time before I finally decided to go out and learn how to play this game.. and after I finally made it to the front lines.. I backed down.. because I was scared after I watched my friends die... and after I escaped from those player killers... I kept myself locked in.. because I was scared." He was silent for a long moment before speaking up one last time, "And I didn't try to fight Adder... because I was terrified. But not of dying. Of you getting hurt..." He separated from Telrenya's arms and sat back on the bench, looking up at the ceiling above them. "Theres a lot of people braver than me in this game.. People who have been on the front lines from the start. People much stronger.." His eyes left the ceiling and went back to the blonde's chocolate colored eyes, "But.. they don't have someone as important to them as I do." His lip quivered, but curled into a soft smile, his cheeks turning a bit pink, as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. 

[Telrenya 0]

She felt the shake of his head beside hers, and listened to his disagreement. His words pulled the corners of her mouth into a small frown of its own. She listened with a slowly growing sadness, and her brows knit with a look of concern while her cheek rested beside the man's neck. When she felt him break their embrace, her arms slid back to her and her hands drifted into her lap. With Jomei's back pressed against the edge of the desk behind them, Telrenya look towards the dark wooden floor, pulling her right leg up and placing the heel of her foot against the corner of the bench. Her hands laced loosely together around the other side of her ankle, and she leaned forward so that her cheek rested against her knee.

The woman watched Jomei carefully as he spoke, unsure of what to say. She didn't think of bravery as the absence of fear. Rather, it was Jomei's inherent kindness that she felt lended to her vision of him. She recalled their date in Snowfrost, when he didn't hesitate for a second to help the child who had been robbed of his items. Before she could organize her thoughts and try to put them into words, she felt his gaze on her. She looked back, meeting his olive eyes and her cheeks took on a matching shade of pink after his words registered in her mind. Getting a hold of herself, Telrenya smiled back at him. Her fingers parted and drifted towards the small chain around her wrist and the clover-shaped charm that hung from it. She took Erin's Favor between her fingers, gently running her thumb over the smooth emerald surface.

She pulled her gaze away, her eyes half-closing as she collected her thoughts. She gave a small shake of her head as she started, "Mm, I don't think of it that way." She turned the charm over in her fingers while her gaze drifted slightly. "Well, I know that we haven't known each other for...a long time." She seemed almost disappointed to admit it. "But... Ever since we met, you've always been so helpful and kind." She could feel the heat on her cheeks persisting. "I mean, not just to me. Ruby, and Spencer... Strangers, even." Her embarrassment grew, as she felt unsure if she was making the right points, or just starting to go off on a tangent. "W-what I mean is... I don't think it's cowardly to be scared. Maybe that sounds kind of stupid..." She let out a tiny, nervous chuckle. "but, to me, it's, well--" Her arms tightened around her leg in a small squeeze as she stumbled over her words. "It's really impressive that you're willing to go. To fight for us." She finally brought herself to pull her shy gaze back up to meet Jomei's eyes, only hoping that her words would help to bring his troubled mind some peace.

[Jomei 0]

Jomei's eyes had fixated on Telrenya's wrist, where his old trinket was chained to her wrist. The girl felt the emerald surface between her fingers, a soft smile on her face as she did so. Olive orbs would eventually drift up to meet her face as she began to speak about how she disagreed with Jomei's idea of cowardice. She related his bravery to his kindness to jump in and help others without a second thought. How he had helped all them.. both Ruby and Spencer aside from herself, the kid in Snowfrost who was robbed, and even more strangers than that. His eyes move from Tel's for a moment, thinking on what she had said so far. Helping others and putting their needs before his own was a virtue that he lived by, ever since he was in their position years ago. Back when he was new and needed the help.. That was what he always believed fueled his need to help others in the present. However as Tel went on, he realized that it was not, in fact, a debt he needed to repay for all the kindness and help he was given. No, it was just genuinely who he was, and that was where his bravery stemmed from. His mouth hung open as the realization came to him, the words Telrenya spoke building up inside of him, making him feel better about himself after all of these years of hating every aspect of the life he had been through. 

Once she had finished speaking, Jomei's eyes moved back to hers, staring into the beautiful, deep brown eyes that he loved for a moment. All in one motion, the man leaned forward, placing one of his hands on Tel's shoulder. His head moved past the knee that her face was leaning on, pressing his lips into hers. After holding the kiss for a couple of seconds, he retreated with a smile on his face, "Estelle... you don't know how much I've been needing to hear that." he chuckled, "Since the start.. I thought I was doing this just because it was right.. because I needed to repay some debt to Skylar.. and Lowe.. and all them that helped me when I was level one.. But that wasn't it." 

He looked her in the eyes with a bright smile, "You really are just an incredible person.. no wonder I'm so in lo-" Jomei cut himself short. His eyes going a bit wider and his cheeks going red, his bashful eyes not able to look straight into hers.

[Telrenya 0]

Telrenya found herself searching Jomei's face once she had finished speaking. He seemed to be lost in thought, and for a moment she wondered if her words had reached him. Finally his eyes shifted to lock with hers, and his change in expression caught her off-guard. What surprised her moreso were his next actions. Telrenya blinked as Jomei's lips suddenly pressed against hers, overwhelmed by the fluttering feeling that grew wildly in her chest. When he had pulled away, the woman stared back at him with pink cheeks before the bright smile on his face became contagious and her own smile of adoration spread to her features.

He explained his realization, accepting her words as a truth and telling her about the burden of his self-imposed obligation. When he cut himself off, Telrenya's own eyes widened just after his. She watched as a blush overtook his pale, freckled skin, and he quickly averted his gaze in a flustered panic. Even her incredible naiveté couldn't confuse the words that the Irishman was about to spill out. The color of her cheeks deepened as realization set in. Her lips pursed in embarrassment, shying her own gaze away from the ginger's face as well. A few painfully long seconds passed with only silence between them before Telrenya forced the sound from her throat. "I-I, uhm--" Her heart raced while she stumbled over her words. "You're...you're just as incredible, to--to me. And I'm really..." She still fumbled with the sentences. Drawing in a sharp breath through her nose, her fingers curled themselves into her palms. As the heat in her cheeks intensified, the woman wrenched her eyes shut and urged the words to form on her lips. "I'm really in love with you!"

[Jomei 0]

"I'm really in love with you!"

The words echoed in Jomei's ears as his cheeks turned even redder than before. His heart, that was already racing, beat even faster. The pain and guilt he had in his gut was replaced with a fluttering feeling. Slowly, he turned his head to look towards the woman, her eyes clamped shut, and her face even redder than the hair on his head. His mouth opened to speak, yet nothing but air escaped his lips, not entirely sure where to start. "Y-You do...?" he managed to get past the knot in his throat that kept him from speaking to the woman. His teeth gently bit at his bottom lip, trying to hide his excitement from hearing Telrenya's confession to him. Though he could not keep it in, and the corner of his mouth hooked into a smirk. With the girl's eyes still closed, he reached his hand outwards, gently placing the palm of his hand on her warm cheek, grinning at the woman. "I-" he chuckled and shook his head, now his happiness being the barrier that stopped his words from coming out. Finally, he managed to speak the words he had been wanting to "I am in love with you too." 

[Telrenya 0]

The feeling of Jomei's hand upon her cheek caused the woman to open her eyes, pulling her back to the present with his gentle touch. Her gaze drifted the short distance to meet his again, and the expression on his face made her heart feel like it was going to burst. She stared back into his olive eyes, captivated by the man's loving gaze.

"I am in love with you too."

His confession brought a warmth to her heart that spread throughout her body. Her shoulders raised half an inch, and she felt herself holding her breath before it escaped her in the form of a chuckle. A wide grin to rival Jomei's stretched across her face, and her hand raised to place itself gently over the one still caressing her cheek. Although their feelings for each other were made clear, Telrenya still found herself working up the courage to lean her body in closer to his. The hand resting over his slid down and moved to slip over his shoulder, her other arm following suit as her wrists crossed over each other behind his neck. Pulling herself in close, Telrenya closed her eyes as her lips met his. She held their kiss for several long moments, lost in the bliss that began to radiate from her core.

[Jomei 0]

As Jomei finally spoke the words he had been longing to share with Telrenya, he could see the happiness ignite in her eyes as they shone as bright as the smile forming on her cheeks. His voice and touch seemed to make her go breathless for a moment, a gasp of air passing through her lips in the form of a small chuckle, which only made her smile wider than before. Her warm, soft hand reached up to rest atop his own for a moment, before following his extended arm to his shoulder. Her free hand soon reached up as well, her wrists just passing behind Jomei's head. In the same moment, the woman's body leaned forward, closing the distance between the lover's faces. Her chocolate eyes closed as her lips gently pressed into Jomei, the Irishman closing his own eyes and sliding his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck. The two held their kiss in a moment of time that felt like it could last forever, just as he wished it could have. Slowly, the two's lips parted from each other. Leaning his head forward, Jomei gently placed his forehead against Telrenya's, his eyes still shut, but his smile returning to his face. 

[Telrenya 0]

Oh, how she wished this time would never end. Through all the turmoil that this world seemed to bring its in habitants, Telrenya felt in this moment that as long as she could stay by Jomei's side, her heart could be at peace. With his forehead resting against hers, the woman's eyes slowly opened, rising to view the contagious smile that warmed her heart.

Time continued to pass, and Telrenya slowly pulled away from the Irishman's face. Her hands slid gently across his shoulders and lowered themselves, finding his free hand and gingerly taking hold of it. Her cheeks still wore a light shade of pink, but her intense shyness from minutes ago seemed to have subsided. She smiled up at Jomei, but soon averted her gaze while another bashful chuckle escaped her. She thought for a moment, taking in the rather bare Artisan's shop. "I'll have to go apologize to Ruby and Spencer, for running off like that. Oh, and...Jevi." She hesitated for a moment while she recalled the brunette's name. A small sigh escaped her lips, but her expression still held the same warmth and elation as moments ago.

""O-oh, I guess... She spoke up again with another shy chuckle. "This is your first time in my shop, right? I haven't put much work into my Artisan skill yet..." Her bottom lip stiffened in embarrassment, recalling her promise to Jomei to one day make him something in exchange for his gift of Erin's Favor.

[Jomei 0]

The heat from Telrenya's forehead faded as she pulled away slowly, creating a small distance between her and the man once again. Jomei opened his eyes as he felt Telrenya's hand slowly move from his shoulder down to his own free hand. The look on Telrenya's face made him feel warm inside, for it was not like her usual smile. It was less shy, brighter and happier. The two shared bashful chuckles as they looked into each other's eyes, before Telrenya realized it would probably be best for her to return to the others and apologize for running off on them. Jomei shook his head, "I'm sure they don't blame you for running off after that... it was all a lot to take in. Though, I'm sure they'd appreciate knowing that you're okay." he said looking to her with a smile.  It had then occurred to to the girl that this had been Jomei's first time visiting her shop, and that she had not put too much time into working here. Jomei rubbed the nape of his neck with his own hand, "A feel a bit to blame for that, always keeping you busy." he gave her a friendly wink. He looked around the empty shop himself with a content smile, "But its very cozy.. You definitely did a very nice job with the decorating. I should have asked you to decorate my house when I first set it up." he said with a laugh. "Oh.. speaking of which.." Jomei said, a bit of pink in his cheeks.  "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone for the boss raid.. whether its a few hours.. a few days.. but.. While I'm gone." Jomei reached into his pocket and pulled out a small iron key, placing it in Telrenya's hand. "I wouldn't want you having to pay for an inn, so you are more than welcome to stay at my house while I'm gone." he smirked, "And..well." his cheeks reddened, "I have my own copy as well.. so feel free to.. you know.. hold onto it."