[Multiple Floors-PP] Numb

[Mari 1]

She lifted her head, just enough to peer out at Alkor - his tone of voice held varied emotions in it, and his usually rigid mouth was quirked up into the slightest of grins. Ahh...that smile. Mari burried her face again. Seeing the slightest of smiles grace his face made her heart ache. It skipped a few beats and created an irrevocably warm feeling to burst through her chest. Sure...it'd be easier to have fallen for anyone else. Someone who understood himself, someone who wouldn't freak out at the slightest brush of fingertips against his. But Mari had yet to meet anyone to make her feel that way.

To make her feel like everything was going to be fine, with nothing more than a faint facial expression.  Mari kept her face burried there till she felt the heat in her face leave. When she rasied it to look back up at ALkor however, it was clear there was still a strong blush across her face. Mari looked up at him with wide blue eyes. It was hard not to get lost in his golden gaze. The pinkette was about to say something to him...but found her words lost.

....

Crap...how long had she been staring at him?

"Oh Uh..." She turned her gaze away, as hard as it was to do. "You're right... but I can't let him win that easily... yanno - we have a tally, and right now its tied. If I let him win I don't think he'd let me live it down. But I'll reply to him later. Right now... I just want to say - Thank you."

Mari turned her attention back to him. "Thank you Alkor - Thom...for being, well, you."

[Alkor 0]

He glanced at her after she thanked him, confused. Alkor could understand being glad he was alive, but simply being himself? He'd never met anyone who was quite so enthusiastic about him simply existing. It almost seemed ridiculous.

But he wouldn't say that to her. Someone who had suffered and struggled for the past several years on his account deserved better than to be relegated to a short chuckle, especially when he could never be sure exactly what he felt about it. There had only been one person in all the world that made him not have to question himself.

Now, he often wondered if she was still hanging on by a thread.

Amari was alive. That was good. It was one less thing to keep him up at night. Their relationship? Another question, but better asked on a different day. He was very glad to be able to call her a close friend. He wasn't sure she would be quite so content with that.

So he put a pin in it for later.

"I haven't done anything quite so special as all that," he said after a long silence. "You've survived this long all on your own. I think it's no exaggeration to say you've got yourself to thank."

He spared a glance back toward the town, far below. "I've got a lot of catching up to do, Miss Strongest in all of Aincrad," he folded his arms and looked her over. She hardly looked the part of a monstrous Player Killer.

Looks could be deceiving, he supposed.

"And you've got some work of your own to do," he added.

@Mari

[Mari 1]

"Alkor..." Mari mused as she pursed her lips. "Do you have hips that don't lie? Because boy, you are Thiccc."

The man rose a questioning eyebrow at her odd statement. Mari covered her mouth and stiffled a giggle. "I mean...you really have. You don't think you've done anything special - but to me you have." Mari finally stood, and gave herself a shake to remove a small flurry of snow that had clung to her white dress. "I think its no exaggeration that I can thank you. For simply being you. Don't question it. I know it's hard but just..." Mari turned and breached the gap between them again.

Alkor stiffened, but in his defence he didn't step way from her. Instead of placing a hand on his cheek Mari reached out and pressed it against his chest - allowing it to linger enough for the warmth to seep in. "Because you bring me that warmth. Without trying." Mari stepped away and took a step behind him. Nudging him toward the town.

"Go. I am sure you have many things to do. I'll make a promise... that next time we meet, I'll be a little more myself. And will be able to join you in town for a warm drink. Then perhaps we can discuss who actually is the strongest in Aincrad, because it is certainly not me anymore."

It was...bittersweet, to have him leave again so soon - but Mari couldn't lie - she did feel warmth, one that she only gained from knowing he was alive. He was well. And even if he never reciprocated the feelings she had for him,  that was enough.

"Goodbye. Take care."


@Alkor

[Mari 1]

REWARDS

Mari - 2SP
Alkor 2SP

Col - Mari 200 Col
Alkor - 200 Col