[PP-F4] Colder Than Ice <<Avalanche>> (Complete)

[Birdie 0]

She raised an eyebrow, an innocent half smile pulling up with it. To see his seemingly vast knowledge of history put to use in the form of a joke surprised her, and as she considered remarking with another reason why the Confederacy lost, she let it slip in favour of listening to the man's voice. She gently shook her head, "Thank you, but I'm not exactly President Lincoln during that war of yours." The girl restrained a grin, glancing up to the Arc. "Erring on the side of caution is.. sorta my thing. It's too unsafe to take risks in this world. Oh, but uhm-" She brought a hand to her neck, "-sans the barn incident of course... and the lake... and the blizzard."

Ava's head bobbed up and down in a nod, her feet carrying her faster across the vastness of snow in front of them. She wanted to reject his suggestion of turning back but her lips failed to formulate the proper words, a sigh being given instead.

"W.. walk closer?" The girl's round eyes trailed up to Arc's, "W-we'd have to be nearly touching... I-I mean, huddling a-and hugging are the most effective methods of t-transferring body heat." She continued to trudge along as her expression froze. Wait.. did I learn that in Biology class? Oh my God, you're an idiot... he thinks you're boring now. Her gaze hadn't strayed from his. ...help.

Turning away, a hot redness spread across her cheeks. "S-sorry.." The girl attempted to be as subtle as possible, shuffling closer to him ever-so-slightly with each step she took. She paused when half the distance from him had been closed, her attention was fixated straight ahead. ".. thank you, it feels.. warmer already." A light smile brushed her lips upwards, peaking up to him from the corner of her eye.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Good," he laughed, "because I never much liked Lincoln. I do like you, though." He winked again as he spoke, but his gaze remained forward. They were getting closer now to the area flagged as a "danger zone," but nothing seemed to be attacking them. Nothing except the cold, perhaps. He did glance her way when she started to talk about dangers. "No guts, no glory, Miss Ava," he told her in a gentler voice. "We wouldn't get the strength to come this far without a little danger. 'Sides- I'm here with you. Can't be all too dangerous that way, right?"

She started talking about hugging and getting closer being the best methods of heat transferrence, and he took a deep breath. Yep, she ain't wrong there. Guess I've gotta... wait, would this be considered putting the moves on her? I hope she doesn't take it that way. I just want to keep her warm.

He knew what he needed to do, so he did it.

Tobias draped an arm gently over her shoulders as she got closer, not looking down for fear that his tenacity might waver. "Yeah," he agreed. "It's better like this. Uh. Warmer, I mean. Yeah."

He did finally glance down and meet her half gaze, and saw her smile. They were entering a wide, open field now...

Edited September 28, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

"Hmm.." Ava's line of sight shifted towards Tobias as he commented about being safe by his side, the beginnings of a smile working its way into her calm expression. "Right," she repeated, at least.. we're not in danger of physical threats. Her gaze soon faltered, falling back to the path ahead.

Snowflakes manifested as crystal clear clumps atop her wavy blue hair, her neck twisting in a hasted fashion to shake off the clusters. Hmph, stupid snow! It was cute at first but- n-now-... Save for her legs, Ava's body froze. Her heartbeat quickened, the thumping ever increasing as her head slowly turned to her now-weighted shoulder. Is he..? Ava's breath was cut short, a noiseless gasp escaping her mouth. It felt warm and cold - wrong and right. "W-wh- a-.." was all that came out of her mouth, broken incoherent English from which only she could make sense of.

His emerald eyes stood out from the corners of her own, the rest of Ava's turning to face him a moment later. "Warmer is usually better, too." She was oblivious to their advancement into the field of <<Ice Elementals>>, though their relatively safe point of entry allowed them to fear no mobs for a while longer.

Her cyan eyes shifted away, at first examining the length of the man's arm around her shoulder, and then to the fields of white ahead. ".. Arc-" She corrected herself with a slurry of "uh"s and "uhm"s. "-sorry, I mean.. Tobias?" Her mouth opened, no words came out. Ava's eyelids pressed together as her breath calmed, and she looked out to the vast whiteness once again. "Remember when I bumped into you, back at that tavern a couple of weeks ago... what made you want to help me?" Her eyes trailed up to his, chiming in quickly. "Other than wanting to help and protect another player, why.. why did you agree to come along?"  The girl knew he took a risk by trusting her and vice versa, but Arc was different. He'd made it seem like the risk of betrayal didn't exist, as if he had nothing to fear of a player he'd just met. Ava felt she knew the answer, but she'd been wrong many times in the past; she needed to hear it from him.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"My father told me once," Tobias answered, "and back then, I'm not sure I was old enough to understand. But I still remember the words. 'Integrity means doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." He held her loosely, not wanting to force the girl to support his weight more than absolutely necessary. "He said a lot of things, really," the young man told her. "Fight for what's right, even when everyone else is trying to get you to do wrong." His eyes watched the frigid wasteland ahead of them as he spoke, and the white wind washed over his face. "Become the kind of man other people can rely on."

His jaw had set firmly as he spoke those last words, and the woman might see some repressed emotion if she looked. "It's difficult," he admitted. "When I was young, and even once I got older, I had anger issues. Everyone in my family has them to some degree, but mine were awful. I'd punch holes in walls, or break windows. Once, I even hit a window, and when it hadn't broken, I heard my mind telling me 'it isn't broken. Hit it again.'" It was a painful admission, and one he did not often share. "I knew in that moment, that anger was wrong. It was a monster and it was a part of who I am."

His expression had turned almost sad. "I never wanted to be filled with rage. I wanted to be a kinder, gentler person with the strength to protect others. I wanted to be that person my dad wanted me to be." He looked down to the other hand, then held it out to her. His palm was upturned, fingers calloused from swordplay. The game was realistic in that way. "That rage is there, like a caged beast, but every man has a choice. Do I give in to what I am, or do I fight it with every fiber of me being to become what I want to be?"

Tobias let his hand linger there for the duration of his words. "I would gladly put myself into danger for someone if it meant getting a step closer to that goal. You were so raw in that moment, so uncertain and yet so desperate. You asked for my help. I did the only thing I could do. I gave you my help."

He glanced up and met her eyes, his expression infinitely softer, quieter. "I didn't think I'd end up seeing something so..." Beautiful. You're gorgeous, Ava. But I won't say that. I know that would make you uncomfortable. It's the truth, and I know it, but I'll keep quiet for now.  "...so... great in you." 

He looked out toward the center of the frosted plain as it grew ever nearer. "That moment when we fought the Yeti, once you'd bested in and we found your Phoenix... I was glad I'd met you, for far more than my own reasons."

[Birdie 0]

The world around Ava blurred, fading away. And odd captivation overwhelmed her, an aching desire to know more about him- a need. And in that moment, as she and Tobias walked side by side along the snowy white plains, nothing else mattered to the girl.

She was engrossed in the man's story, a wild animal springing a trap that were his words.,Her expression of curiosity twisted, becoming sadder as she was struck internally by the heartbreaking revelation. Ava couldn't look away, staring toward Tobias' eyes as he explained his family's anger issues and the demons that hid inside. When his upturned hand was held out, her breath ceased at the sight of his battle-worn palms, though the words that came along with the gesture held greater meaning.

"I-I don't know what to say..." She found her line of sight focused on nothing in particular, the world still a million miles away from the girl. "You strive to become the person you want to be, and help those in need to reach closer to that goal. That's.. that's so admirable, Tobias." Ava's voice wavered as she spoke the final part of her sentence. She briefly glanced to her shoulder, bringing a hand up and across her chest as she placed it gently atop of Arc's. "Some violent people never learn to change their ways and control their anger. Some kind people even forget how to contain it, as soon as something traumatic tears them apart inside.." She breathed, choking down a memory in order to continue on. At that moment her gaze centred around him. her smile sincere as she spoke up. "Never stop being a wonderful human, please?"

The earth shook, masked beneath the field of fluffy whiteness above it. Tremors vibrated throughout the ground, growing rapidly in intensity as something advanced towards them from beneath the snow. "W-what?" the girl cried, the confusion causing her to clutch Tobias' hand tightly. "What's going on!?"

Briefly, the rumble paused.

Spoiler

 

<<Avalanche>>
HP: 100
Damage per Attack: 40

[H: 0] Arc: ???/??? (??/??)
[H: 0] Birdie: ???/??? (??/??)

Avalanche: 100/100 HP

 

 

 

[Ashrah 0]

When the girl offered him kind, encouraging words it was all the man could do not to slump to his knees in gratitude. No one had given him encouragement or spurred him forward in his goals since he had logged in, and somewhere inside his own darkness he had started to lose sight of them. He constantly reminded himself of his father, but even the slightest touch from outside the game was blocked off by the rig on his head. Only those trapped inside with him could ever reach the ravaged reality that existed in his thoughts. Ava had called out to him without ever meaning to, and finally her words had reached him.

The ache in his gut wrenched as he desperately desired to thank her, and to say so many things. When she implored him to continue, Tobias felt his knees buckle. If not for being half supported by the woman, he might have collapsed in the snow. There were no words from his lips as he struggled to find anything to tell her how he felt. He settled for squeezing her shoulder gently, then relaxing utterly when her hand took his own.

At precisely that moment, the world trembled and Ava jolted. Tobias instinctively pulled the girl to his chest protectively as he looked around for the source of their newly inflicted insanity. 

"Found it," he murmured. The Field Boss sundered the frozen field and rose from the craggy fracture. There was a moment of absolute hopelessness as its hellish eyes centered on the two players, and the crystalline colossus rushed toward them with killing intent.

He leaned close enough to speak into her ear, certain that it would be sure to reach her that way. "I'll take point," he told her. "Get ready, Miss Ava. I'll  protect you, so don't be afraid."

The mercenary turned her loose gently and stepped past her, out into the boss' line of sight. It wouldn't do at all for them to get killed here. They needed a plan. Arc knew he could hold out for a few hits, but he wasn't sure what this boss could do and he wasn't enthusiastic about finding out.

He pulled Levantine from over his shoulder, and Arc prepared for battle. The beast rushed forward and brought its natural weapons down on him, and the youth weathered the storm of snowy slaughter with a grin. "That's right," he nodded. "I'm your enemy."

His blade glowed a golden color as he activated his Sword Skill, and the weapon tore straight through its rocky carapace. It let out a howl of terrible anguish.

 

 

Arc: (H:2) 287/315 HP 28/30 E (Straight activated/ 13 Damage *Critical*)

Birdie: (H:0) ??/?? (??/??)

Avalanche: 87/100 HP (40 damage -12 mit = 28 to Arc)

ID# 68799

BD: 9

CD: 11

LD: 8

Mob: 8

 

Edited September 28, 2016 by Arc
On my phone, forgot to link the rolls.

[Birdie 0]

There was a moment where her ear touched his chest, the thumping of Tobias' heart hitting her eardrum like a soothing drumbeat. It wouldn't last long as the <<Ice Elemental>> separated from the snow field, taking the form of an icy abomination as it set it sights to destroy both players.

She broke eye contact with the boss as Arc spoke down to her, Ava nodding her head in affirmation. She felt the corners of her lips pull up into a subtle smile, "I'll wait for your mark." There wasn't any time as the man took point, asserting aggression so that no attacks would find their way to the girl. She watched the abomination dash at an alarming speed for such a lumbering entity, advancing towards the man with a slurry of attacks.

Ava's eyes pulled away, she couldn't watch him brave the assault. Biding her time, she tore her weapon from its scabbard and flicked her head back to the fight, watching Tobias' weapon rip clean through the enemy's icy shellr. "Good hit!" She praised, dashing past him as she switched. My turn-

The thin blade cast a neon blue glow as she ground to a halt next to the beast, penetrating its tough exterior with a series of six high velocity jabs towards its mid section. She spun on the balls of her feet and jumped out of range of another attack, landing herself next to Tobias with her blade held towards the boss in an offensive stance.

ID# 68800 | BD: 7 Hit 7x6=42 damage

Arc: (H:2) 287/315 HP 28/30 E

Birdie: (H:1) 200/200 HP 14/20 E

Avalanche: 45/100 HP 

Edited September 28, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

He took a moment to center himself, grounded in the heat of battle by knowledge that his efforts were helping someone else. The burning ache to destroy his adversary paled in comparison to the need to place himself between certain death and another living, breathing being. For the first time, Tobias actively harnessed that inner power and channeled it. 

He did so in the form of the Extra Skill, <<Concentration>>. Flooded with intensified direction and acute awareness, his body moved with enhanced alacrity and he surged forward to rip the chitanous layer of icy armor away from his prey.

A growl loosed from his lips as the mercenary hopped from the snow, over a wild swipe of the beast's arm. Ava ripped into the creature with expert, extravagant blows out ahead of him, and Tobias found himself impressed. "Nice moves!" he cheered as she leaped backward, away from harm. 

It was his turn to do something impressive. As the boss reeled from a massive loss, Tobias mounted an offense to push it further off balance. He dove for its throat, plunged his blade hilt deep, and held fast for dear life.

"Alright!" he screamed as the Ice Elemental reared backward and brought him along for the ride. Arc dangled from the creature's neck like a dog collar, weighing it down as he struggled to rip his blade downward. He was in no position to activate a Sword Skill, but he didn't need to.

As long as he had its attention, Ava could finish it off.

 

 

Arc: (H: 3) 287/315 HP (28/30)

Birdie: (H: 1) 200/200 HP (14/20)

Avalanche: 39/100 HP

ID# 68803 results:

 Battle: 4(+1)=5(+1)=6 <<Concentration>> used.

 Craft: 12

 Loot: 11

 MOB: 2 <<Savvy proc>> +1 BD next round

 

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

"Tobias!" She cried as the man struck the beast in the neck, his blade lodging deep into the body of the their enemy. Ava's eyes were wide with fear, brought into a cold sweet as the man clung to his blade's hilt for dear life. In the position he was in, one quick move from the <<Ice Elemental>> could score a lethal blow-

Ava's body ran on auto-pilot as she advanced towards to the battle, her eyes desperately searching for a way to dislodge the man. The grip on her weapon loosened as she realised she'd approached too fast to pull off a successful attack, and would only put herself in more danger by coming any closer. "A-are you okay?!" She shouted out to him, narrowing her gaze as it switched to the assailant. Think think..!

It wasn't the best plan but she had to try. Ava moved within the boss' range of attack and dashed to the side of a downward swing, landing herself mere feet away from the Ice Elemental's front side. Its frozen fists both rose the side as it swung horizontally, trying to squish the puny player standing before it. Birdie leaped and struck the abomination with the hilt of her weapon, aiming to force the enemy to recoil and give Arc enough time to free his blade.

She didn't have time to look at Tobias as she found herself the target of another attack, its attention temporarily shifting to her as she overstepped its boundaries. In an effort to dash backwards the girl lost her footing in the snow, tripping over backwards as the beast reared its frozen arms. "N-no-!" was all that left her mouth; broken words spoken as she cowered and braced for impact.

~~~

ID# 68806 | BD: 1 Critical failure

Arc: (H:3) 287/315 HP 28/30 E

Birdie: (H:1) 200/200 HP 14/20 E

Avalanche: 39/100 HP

@Arc

Edited September 29, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Wh-what-" he heard her outcry coupled with vehement footfalls in the snow, and Tobias instantly knew the woman's advance was not intended as an attack. His gaze ripped away from the beast and his entire form jerked to search for the woman before she could get too close. His mouth moved to warn her away, but it was far too late for that. Ava was already in full tilt, her efforts to save his life valiant, noble, but decidedly dangerous. Oh my god.

His heart skipped a beat when the woman narrowly escaped the first of the boss' monumentally damaging blows. Her movements flowed like water downstream, seamless and natural. He found himself entranced by the movements, terrified for her life all the while. Her beauty was something he never expected- a noble grace tempered with kindness that touched his heart. 

Gone was the timid girl from the first day they met, almost afraid to ask for help. In her place, this duelist with fiery blue eyes and an indomitable will stood at odds with a mismatched opponent. Never once did she falter.

Well... until she did. "Ava!" His jade eyes widened, dilated, and trembled. Arc continued to pull at his weapon, still deeply ingrained in the creature's hide; as he watched in horror and time moved at a crawl, the girl stumbled backward and landed in the snow. She had managed what she intended, though. The creature was interested in her far more than Arc for that brief instant. It sought to turn her to dust.

With a massive effort, Tobias freed his blade. His body shook violently from the motion, and his feet acted of their own accord. He vaulted off the creature with a system assisted jump, his agility skill on rare display. Tobias moved without a need for thought, the innate compulsion to defend this woman paramount.

The blow intended for Ava exploded in a jetstream of opaque frost. Droves of snow ripped around in all directions, a wild dance of winter both wonderful and wicked. It never found the woman.

Tobias stood, quaking beneath the force of the attack. His sword bore the entire weight of the boss and more, but he gave up no ground. He turned his head a fraction of an inch, and his soft expression fell upon her. "You almost scared the life out of me again, Miss Ava," he informed her affectionately. "Warn me before you do things like that." 

His head slowly returned to the beast before them. "It's not just about protecting people," he said as he regarded the creature with a vigilant gaze. "And not just because I said I'd protect you."

With a mighty effort, the mercenary shunted away the Ice Elemental's mighty arm.

"I'm not letting any more of my friends die." Arc moved at a blinding speed, so quick the creature didn't have time to react. His body peeled forward and the two handed sword tore clean through its victim. A steady stream of data roiled skyward from the inflicted wound. "Especially not you," he whispered.

The boss forgot the woman immediately as it twisted in tantrum. Its fists rained down and sought Arc, but he moved quicker than it could act. The black haired boy wove between a flurry of furious strikes, even as the ground creaked beneath Avalanche's rage.

 

 

Arc: (H:4) 287/315 HP (27/30 E)

Birdie: (H:1) 200/200 HP (14/20 E)

Avalanche: 17/100 HP

 

 ID# 68808 results:

 Battle: 8 Straight activated- 12 damage

 Craft: 10

 Loot: 16

 MOB: 2 <<Savvy proc>> +1 BD next attack.

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

Bitter fear froze her lips, choking down the retort she'd wished to give in light of his initial comment. You scared me to death, Toby.. No longer under threat, the girl felt her heart skip a beat as she visualised what could have become of her; a mangled mess decorated in red and death. She swiped those thoughts away as her top half rose from the snow, soon followed by the rest of her body as she stood up from her tumble.

Birdie only had the man to thank for remaining unscathed. Her lips twinged as she realised a great irony; even after she attempted to save his well-being, she'd still ended up in a position that left her wide open to danger, helpless had it not been for Tobias' efforts. The protection he provided meant she hadn't anything to fear from this monster, its attacks deflecting off Tobias' blade whilst the man acted as the armour to her fragile being.

Another successful assault onto the Ice Elemental - if Arc kept this up, the beast would perish under by his blade before could land another attack. "I-I know," she replied hastily, raising her blade forwards as she took a defensive stance. She thought she head the echoes of his voice speak once more, though the noise was a blur amongst the passing snow and the creature's wailing. Reeling her blade, she prepared to strike.

Disappearing and reappearing beside the beast, her blade carried forcefully through as it penetrated the icy beast, striking it thrice before the boss' HP bar drained into colourlessness. The once imposing enemy burst into a stream of digital fragments, fading away into the wind as its injured cries ceased to plague the players' ears.

"I know you wont let anyone die, Tobias-" she spun on her heels and faced the man, her expression littered with concern as her line of sight met his emerald gaze. "-but you don't need to act so boldly to achieve that. What you did there, you.. y-you could of..." Words stopped conjuring from her vocal cords, the girl's eyes pressing shut as the image of what could've happened to Arc infected her mind. 

The girl's legs failed beneath her, collapsing to the floor beside Tobias. Ava's knees hit the ground with a thud, her breathing turning less steady with each passing second. "I-If the boss had hit you hard enough... I don't think I could forgive myself.." A single tear fell to the floor, merging with the snow beneath it.

ID# 68813 | BD: 6 Hit 6x3=18 damage

Arc: (H:4) 287/315 HP (27/30 E)

Birdie: (H:2) 200/200 HP (10/20 E) <<Accel Stub>> activated

Avalanche: 0/100 HP {Deceased}

@Arc

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

He watched the creature transform into droplets of data that rained downward indiscernable from the snow. All the while, that girl who he'd protected had become so strong that she now fought alongside him. And it was her strength that won them the day. 

He listened to her concern with pangs of sadness in his chest. Do I... really worry her so? Her words struck him, though not unkindly. She told him that he didn't need to act boldly, that something could have gone wrong or worse. He watched her eyes with a gaze that told her he was listening, that her words were being heard. 

Then suddenly, she collapsed. Arc watched her fall with a heavy heart, one that broke when she said that she wouldn't forgive herself if he died on her account. A warm tear spilled from her, and he dropped to a single knee in front of her. 

Tobias reached up with both hands, and he placed them on either of her cheeks. He held her gaze level with his own, no amount of fear or timidity in his mannerism. For the first time, there was no need for any of that. This was something that demanded maturity of him.

His thumb wiped away the streak of saltwater from her face as his expression softened, and he held her there for what felt like ages. He just wanted to look in those eyes, and to know that they saw him. "I'm right here," he whispered. The snowstorm raged overhead, but his words were close enough to her for the woman to hear him anyway. "I'm right here," he repeated.

The dark thoughts that plagued the woman were the same hellish things that he had experienced when Alkor died. He knew the depths of that despair better than he wanted to admit. But he was here, and she had him. He wouldn't let her shed tears as though it were his dying day. "I'm sorry, Ava," he apologized. "I didn't know you felt so strongly about my actions."

He ran a hand through her hair and stroked it gently to offer her comfort. "You've got nothing to forgive yourself for," he told her, "but I hope you can forgive me for being inconsiderate." The green eyed man wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. 

His eyes closed. "Hey," he said. "Miss Ava, thank you for caring."

The mercenary swallowed the lump in his throat. "Thanks..."

Edited September 29, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

She felt the cold touch of his calloused hands graze against her cheeks, pulling her gaze upwards as they met with polar opposite expressions. Tobias' calm look quelled her angst, Ava's aching heart beating easier knowing that he was right there with her.

Her mouth spaced apart as his fingers brushed through her hair, a red tint warming her cheeks as she sealed her lips closed. Ava was powerless to speak, mentally drained from the fight that had started so perfectly yet ended with two too many close calls. Her head shook left and right in jitters.

"You idiot-" Words choked through her throat as she wrapped her arms around his body, clutching him tightly as a tear smudged across his shirt.  Her cheeks pressed against his chest, "Of course I care about you! How could I not when you throw yourself into danger to protect me!" More tears slipped from her eyes, her arms squeezing tightly as she felt the beat of his heart vibrate her eardrums.

She hesitantly pulled her head away from his chest, watery eyes gazing up at him with an apologetic frown. "I-I forgive you Tobias, but please.. p-please promise you'll be more careful?" The girl's despair constricted her throat and silenced the words she tried to speak, causing her to glance down briefly and try again. "The thought of losing you from being recklessly selfless, I-I can't..." Her eyes closed and head shook, stopping the thought from plaguing her mind.

"If I'm ever in a situation where.. where the end is unavoidable, you need to promise that you'll let it go?" Ava's breathing turned unsteady as her sight returned to the man's calming face, a single rogue tear frozen in motion across her left cheek. "Promise me that you'll understand it wasn't your fault, and that you'll continue to protect others like you've done with me.. so many times.."

[Ashrah 0]

He hugged her tightly as she spoke, and his expression turned sadder as she twisted the proverbial dagger. Idiot was a fine word to describe his actions, though Tobias was fine with being an idiot. It was far and away better than being a heartless monster. As she lost her wits against his chest, the young man could not help but to cradle her head. It was a bittersweet sentiment, but one he cherished. No one had ever cared so utterly deeply for his wellbeing. 

She pulled away to look up into his eyes, and he met her gaze once more.  To be more careful was one thing, and he could give her his word on that. Her other request, though... "I'll make that promise only if you promise never to get into a situation like that," he scolded her gently. "Something being beyond my control doesn't make inaction right. And I would much rather die than lose you."

The mercenary heaved a defeated sigh as the admission left his lips. "I'll protect anyone I can," he told her, "and everyone if I can, but not at the cost of your life, Miss Ava. You are precious to me." He leaned his forehead against her own, his eyes shut. "This world, without you in it, would be even more hollow for me. I can't let a friend go that way."

He shook his head gently. "There's no breaking even on kindness. You don't get to not help one person and make up for it by helping another." His eyes opened after a moment. "And even if it weren't my fault," he crooned, "my heart would still have suffered an unimaginable loss."

In that instant, he was utterly vulnerable. The emotion in his wavering eyes was raw, and his cheeks burned from the cold. He kept tears from falling because he had to be strong- for her.  Both of them as a sputtering mess in the cold just wouldn't do.

"So please..." he reached for her face and a finger brushed across her lips. "Ava," Tobias said her name with a powerful affection attached to it. "Please don't think that way. It grieves me deeply."

You asked me not to stop being a wonderful person... but please, don't you ever stop being so damn beautiful, inside and out."

[Birdie 0]

Her aching soul felt a harsh tug at the man's heartfelt words, pulling her lips apart as a hushed gasp left the girl's mouth. Ava realised there was nothing else she could say to Tobias; wherever there was danger and herself involved, he would be hellbent on promising and securing her safety, disregarding the consequences he'd fall victim to. She clenched the fabric of his cloak in her hands, the man's boundless protective nature almost agitating her for the shortest of moments.

I.. I can't stay mad at him.. Her hands and arms fell limp, her hold on him loosening as she choked down the lump forming in her throat.

"So please..."

Her lips pressed together as he brushed against them, the delay between her breaths lengthening as the world around them slowed down. She looked up to him, wide cyan eyes penetrating the man's emerald gaze as her cheeks burned a fiery warmth. Beautiful..? "Tobias..." All worry washed away from her expression in an instant, replaced with a sincere smile as the last of the her tears wiped away on the sleeve of her clothing. For the first time since the fight had began, she loosed a normal, calm breath. "I-I don't know about beautiful, but.." She brought a hand to Arc's, holding onto the back of his palm as she lowered it from her cheeks. Her eyes lowered as she took his hand in hers, ".. I can keep being the Birdie you need me to be."

"In return, just keep being you. Keep being wonderful." Ava felt stupid, brash - was there any need to breakdown in the centre of a hunting field? And next to Tobias  of all people- the one who'd protected her so fiercely in the past? It wasn't fair on her to put the additional stress on him - yet, somehow, she couldn't truly regret the moment they'd shared. The girl learned more about him as a person in those five short minutes than she had in the past weeks, and she was sure some things slipped out that she'd never intended to have foreign ears hear.

"U-uhm.. Tobias?" She lifted her body as high as she could from her knees, hoping Arc would notice and step aside so that she could rise up from the stone cold ground.  

[Ashrah 0]

"As long as that's who you want to be," he replied, never breaking eye contact until she did so herself. He didn't give it to everyone, and not so often as normal people did, but when he did it was expressive. "But don't let it get in the way of being you. I don't mind staying the way I am if you don't mind doing the same."

He rose slowly and dusted himself off, frigid from the fallen snow. Thankfully, the Survival skill did a fantastic job of mitigating this environmental harshness, so he was considerably less adversely effected than a player without it would be.

He took a step back as he moved, and he kept his grip on her hand. "Up ya go," he said with a grin as he prompted the girl to rise with his assistance. 

His gaze moved away finally, to where the rest of the floor existed outside of their microcosm. He knew he needed to get her to the village where it was warm. "Hey I," he started to speak without looking back at her, then realized that his words were meant for her face. His eyes trailed back and he smiled sadly. "I know it ain't much from a merc like me who isn't really a huge catch," he kept rattling himself over those words, "you're an awesome guy, Arc", "but I really care about you, Miss Ava. I hope that doesn't complicate things too much."

[Birdie 0]

She held onto his hand tightly and pulled up, managing to stand on one foot and then the other with his help. "Thanks," Ava spoke with a warm smile, brushing away the snow from her clothes, reacquainting herself with the standing position as she embraced how truly chilly she felt. Having not thought to wear any winter equipment, her bare legs were practically numb from remaining in direct contact with the snowy ground.

Her gaze became devoted to Arc as he spoke two short words, a wave of anxiety flushing through her system. She remembered back to all the things he'd said - all the things they told each other just moments ago.

For a second, her expression remained static. Catch? She knew what he was saying but a voice in the back of the girl's mind told her to ignore it. She struggled to externalise her thoughts, brushing the top half of her arm with the other. "W-well.. I wouldn't say you're a bad haul, Tobias." Her eyebrows turned inwards, the girl's eyes looking to him with a caring smile.

She briefly peered over her shoulder at the path they'd taken to the field, twisting on her heels a second later as she took point by Arc's' side. "I meant all those things I said, about caring for your safety when you do that.. thing you do." She didn't have to tell him she disapproved of his recent recklessness.

Ava's hair blew in the wind, her footsteps carrying her forwards as she started the journey back to the warmth Snowfrost Town could provide. Does he.. maybe he doesn't.. but what if he's trying to say it? Confused thoughts plagued her mind. "I just.. what are you saying Toby?" Her cyan eyes locked with his, cheeks warming into a fierce blush. "Are you saying that.. you like me?"

Edited September 29, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

He stared right back at her as she asked the question he had never expected from her. Though their initial conversations had been riddled with misunderstanding on that front, he assumed that she'd shut him down entirely on it. To even approach the topic meant she most likely had not even considered it, and that made his eyes widen in surprise. "I... yeah, I mean, I thought you knew that," he replied, "what I mean is, I thought you didn't like me that way, so I just decided not to even think about it. I was content with having a friend."

He broke his eyes away as he explained with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "So I thought telling you like this might upset you, or something... but I felt like it was important you knew. It didn't start out like that- I genuinely enjoyed having you around, and I wanted to help you any way I could because it's the right thing to do, and because you're my friend."

The mercenary reached up and tostled his hair anxiously. "But gradually, while we were working together and I kept getting to know you better- well..."

He stiffened for a moment, his whole body hot suddenly. "-that is to say, I really hope you're not mad at me, but I do like you, Ava."

[Birdie 0]

Her flushed cheeks brightened as he replied, surprised that the man assumed she'd known already. Deep down, in the pits of the girl's mind that her rationale couldn't reach, she realised those feelings long ago. "U-upset me?" she repeated in a whisper as he continued, an ache befalling her gut as the proverbial cat was tossed from the bag.

"Tobias I would never get mad because of the way you feel, especially not.. h-how you feel about me." Though her words carried the full truth, she'd feel a little down if it transpired the man thought negatively of her. Her treading slowed, eyes wandering to the man's turned gaze. "You should've said something sooner you big dummy.."

While she couldn't be sure her feelings towards him were as true as his for her, words flowed through her mouth as her stomach turned somersaults. "At the start, you were a gentleman for helping me. When you didn't ask for anything in return, I left that night feeling as though I owed you." Her eyes fell happily to his shoulder, "Then when we met in Urbus, I saw more of the real you,-" she inhaled a shaky breath. "-you threw your life into that group of cultists without knowing their strength. I-I started to realise how you felt, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it." Her smile weakened, "I mean, what if I was wrong?"

Stop rambling, she told herself, shaking her head gently. "Maybe we could uhm.. m-meet up? A-at a place?" She searched his emerald gaze desperately, hoping he wouldn't force her to complete the sentence. "For a.. uhm.." 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

He felt like air.

That was the best, most accurate way to describe the lightness of his body as she spoke words he could never have anticipated. It was as though his flesh had faded and his spirit were roaming free through the air around them, immune to hot and cold and everything else. In his life, never had a woman insinuated she wanted anything to do with him, and the thought of someone reciprocating his feelings to any degree overwhelmed the young man with emotions he had never known existed within him.

The winter wind blasted his face and blew the hood from his head. His hair whipped about, and his eyes watched hers with tears threatening to spill from them. For all his thought of attempting to stay strong, he wavered in the face of her admission. That not only did she feel... something, whatever it was... but she was... wanted...

"...for a thing?" he asked in the quietest of voices, not saying the word 'date' so that she wouldn't feel the weight of the world falling on her shoulders. "I think we can manage that."

The tears streamed down his face at odds with his newly reforged tenacity. He tugged at her hand and led her down the path toward town. "But enough of that," he cleared his throat, not wanting things to get any more awkward for her. The truth was, neither of them was very fluent with their feelings, and meeting up later would be a good thing. They could sort through things and come at it with clearer heads. 

And more importantly, Ava wouldn't freeze to death in the process. "I can't have you freezing out here any longer. Stay close to me until we get back, Miss Ava. You're already so cold." It wasn't even a matter of romantic action anymore. Tobias held the girl to his chest and wrapped her in his cloak to preserve what little warmth she still had with his own. 

"Next time," he said, "warmer floor. Definitely a warmer floor."