[PP-F11] Respite (Birdie)

[Ashrah 0]

Taft offered players who ventured there a rest after ten floors worth of hellish struggle. The previous floor was a literal hell, sculpted in nightmarish honor of he Underworld from Greco-Roman myth. It's polar opposite was the mirror of Tuscan life that awaited beyond the floor boss' chamber; the eleventh floor central city was magnificent in all of its rustic beauty. Of all things in Aincrad he had witnessed, Tobias enjoyed the atmosphere of Mediterranean culture most of all.

It was a place where people could forget their troubles and melt into the zest of a feeling akin to holiday. Herbal infused foods filled the city streets with their pungent, artful scents and beckoned to the empty bellies of hardworking players. The sounds of marketplace commerce were common here, though there was little stress overall. A bridge that spanned between two sides of the city stood over a gently flowing river, the bringer of life around which all life had arisen. It was a monument to the human struggle, something which all those trapped in Aincrad deserved to see, even if only once.

The cathedral that loomed in the distance from where he agreed to meet Ava had a distinct, protective allure. Those who sought refuge within were offered sanctuary in the olden way; while it was no substitute for a proper home or an inn, it did provide for some of the more destitute players to make ends meet. After all, Starting City could only house so many.

It was the autumnal leaves which capitvated Tobias the most. The seasons in Aincrad shifted in real time, and the chance to see those brilliant reds, oranges, yellows, and browns like back home called out to the deepest parts of his soul. He hoped they would touch Ava as well, especially after their last brush with death.

It's nearly time. She wanted to meet around 3- spend an afternoon, see the city at night. I thought that was a fine idea.

@Birdie

Edited October 1, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

How am I already lost?!

Birdie hadn't been on the 11th floor for five minutes and she'd already managed to find herself walking down a narrow street, haplessly wandering and wondering where the road would lead her. Taft brought with it a distinctive feeling when shone in the same light as Aincrad's other levels: each building seemed to be intrinsically designed following western-European architecture, life was bustling with its thousands of NPC and player residents alike, though perhaps the most striking quality of the city for Ava was how carefree she felt there. Waning through the crowds and busy streets of the city reminded her of home and the journey she made six days a week to get to and from her workplace. It brought a warm smile to her, despite not being the happiest memory.

The bluenette emerged from the flittering crowd, coming into a plaza that housed a marble fountain dead in the centre. Alright, fountain, we're getting there. But where's the.. cathedral..

Turning westward, the city's main attraction met Birdie's gaze, her mouth hanging agape as she instinctively started towards it. The midday sun reflected on the stained glass windows, shining into the eyeballs of the the girl who reacted by shielding her eyes. That's obnoxious.. h-hey, there he is! As her observative gaze scanned the ground level of the building, she came across the sight of a close friend standing besides it. "Arc!"

Birdie began towards him. Her shout was likely drowned out by the ramblings of the people of Taft, though it didn't stop her from producing a discreet wave in hopes it would garner his attention sooner. She'd stressed last-minute over her outfit, deciding finally upon a casual look; a yellow t-shirt with patterns of green and a pink jacket, the sleeves pulled up to her elbows. A blue mini skirt sat around her hips and a pair of black heel boots with grey thigh highs formed her bottom-side attire.

[Ashrah 0]

Arc flipped through his menu idly as he waited, going over the morning's routine and reflecting on experience and items he'd procured. It was almost necessary to ensure that details were memorized in Aincrad, like where you got something or what enemies you've fought. Little things like that helped to keep you alive, and in turn they helped keep others alive as well. It was a habit he got into when he was doing virtually nothing else in order to make best use of his time.

He did look up periodically for the girl, since that was his main reason for being in Taft at all. Tobias looked forward to seeing Ava, and partly distracted himself simply out of the need to not feel nervous. At the same time, he was immensely excited and couldn't wait.

The young man had dismissed his weapon, but his cloak and bandages were practically ever present. He did, notably, wear the hood draped down his back to reveal his face. Dark hair and vivid green eyes were his most prominent features, and he had a soft smile that reflected the placid nature of his surroundings. Tobias glanced down at the river for a moment as the bustling crowd ambled past, and he ran a hand through his hair.

Naturally, of course, his hair was a darker brown. He'd used the system's aesthetic features to change it to black in honor of a fallen comerade, but no one ever asked about those things. He glanced up from the scenery to look for his date, and he saw the blue haired beauty headed for him at a quickened pace.

"Miss Birdie!" he greeted with a wave. "It's good to see you-" he took in her attire and felt woefully overdressed, but then, he didn't really take the time to collect new clothes. His drab black/gray gear was almost trademark at this point. "...you look great," he appraised as she approached

[Birdie 0]

Arc's compliments caused a wave of heat to wash over her cheeks, she was happy that he noticed and actually liked her outfit. With one worry flushed from her mind, she  Birdie's eyes rolled, her smile broadening upon hearing him address her so formally. "It makes me feel like I'm your boss when you call me Miss," she told him with a lighthearted expression, "You could call me by my real name, you know." She pulled up in front of him, continuing gently into his chest as her arms wrapped around his torso.

She pulled away, her goal of trying to keep her cheeks as mellow as possible already far down the drain. "I-It's great to see you again. You're looking suave today, 'Sir Arc'." A grin spread across her lips as she giggled quietly, standing with her hands tied together by her front side. Birdie stood there for a moment, a million things rushing through her mind that she wanted to talk about the man with. "Just walking through the streets back there, this place is... absolutely beautiful." She briefly turned over her shoulder, admiring the building architecture and general atmosphere that the city provided. "It's far better than my idea of having dinner in Urbus, anyway," she murmured, embarrassed for how bland her original date pitch had been.

 "S-so, how have you been? I literally haven't stopped thinking about this since.. well, w-when we agreed on floor 11."

[Ashrah 0]

"Well, err," he stammered, "where I grew up, we had this concept called 'Southern Hospitality'. Everyone's sir or ma'am, mister, missus, or miss. You say please 'n thank you, and-" he cut himself off and shook his head. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous."

Their eyes met, and he smiled. "I can handle that, I think, Ava," he replied. As she pulled him close, he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. She felt warm, and he felt his heartbeat increase in tempo slightly. 

When she pulled back, he slowly reopened his gaze to the sight of her. It is real. This is happening. "Could be I've done the Merc thing so long I just consider everyone a paying customer," he joked lightly.

Birdie described how she loved the scenery and that this city was far and away better than the second floor for a meeting and dinner. "I thought you'd enjoy it," he said, "but your idea was just as good! I'm sure dinner would have been just as good either way." Arc shoved his hands into his pockets to assuage some of his nervous fidgeting, then followed her gaze toward the city. "It looks to be modeled after Italian Renaissance architecture," he said. "I've always wanted to go to Europe and visit, but things can get pretty exorbitant with international travel."

When asked how he'd been, Tobias glanced back at her and put a finger to his lips thoughtfully. "Well, I had a job on the tenth floor," he recalled. "Springing a guy from the darkest part of Tartarus, narrowly evading mobs nearly 15 levels higher than me- you know, the fun stuff." When he thought about it, the whole quest seemed a little risky. She might not like that part. "But I was careful," he added quickly. "Didn't take any unnecessary risks, and definitely didn't try to engage any of them."

He put on a dubious expression, as though expecting to be chastised.

"But..." he finally turned his gaze back toward her. "I gotta admit, I've been thinking about you a lot, too." That's almost certainly why I didn't run headlong into any fights. She wouldn't have been happy with it.

[Birdie 0]

Birdie turned back to Arc as he gave his insight on the city's architecture, eliciting a curious purse of her lips as she gave the buildings a second glance. "Hm.. this city does remind me a little of Rome or Sicily now that you mention itt." He continued to express his desire to travel across the pond, she could only share a look with him as he explained the price tag of such a trip. "I'd love to travel across seas too. As you said though, the price tag on that is a little.. out of reach." She turned away from the city, giving Arc her full attention.

Her cyan eyes narrowed. Enemies.. fifteen levels higher? "Arc..." Her tone was hushed and laced with concern over the man's actions, and though she knew he was sensible enough to make it through most situations without coming to any harm, it wouldn't change the fact that it was beyond dangerous. All she could do was close her eyes and breath a disconted sigh, "As long as you're not hurting yourself out there.. if there's ever a job that seems too dangerous to do alone, I'm one message away.."

A warm glow arose on the bluenette's cheeks, Tobias' smooth words catching her off-guard. Thinking about you... "Oh!" The girl expression livened up immediately, her hands desperately fumbling to bring up the menu. "S-so, I was crafting some things in the shop yesterday and the orders I needed to make took way less time to make than I planned. Soo~" She offered the man a trade request, her cheeks brightening as she dipped her eyes to the ground for a moment. "D-don't take this in.. that way, I-I wanted to make you a gift. You've done more for than I could ever repay you for but.. it's something." Her fingers moved over an item, selecting it as her trade offer.

- Onyx Ring (+2 Accuracy, +1 Evasion)

Spoiler

 

Name: Onyx Ring

Your Profession: Artisan

Your Rank: 4

ID:  68579

Roll: 11+1

Item Type: Lucky Charm
Tier: 1

Quality: Perfect

Enhancements: +2 Accuracy, +1 Evasion

Description: As dark as the night sky itself, this ring is crafted from the purest onyx of Vulcan Village. Empowers the wearer with additional Accuracy and Evasion. (Image link)

 

 

Edited October 2, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"One day," he spoke wistfully in response to her agreement about travel expenses. His eyes were on the sky, almost like he sought to glimpse a world far removed from that one. She sounded gently reproachful when broaching the topic of his soirée into the tenth floor; and he couldn't really blame her for it, either. The problem with Tobias was that he held the truth in high regard, even when it was ugly. He wasn't going to lie to her. 

His gaze fell to meet with hers. "I won't do anything crazy," he replied calmly. "I did promise I would be more careful." And a promise was a promise, regardless of who he made it with. The vow he'd made to Ava carried exponentially more weight than he'd probably admit. "But I'll make sure to call you, sometime. That time, I was helping out another player, so I wasn't alone."

She promptly explained she'd made something for him, and it struck him that he had never asked about her profession. An Artisan... evinced by the high quality item that she'd just offered him. His green eyes widened as he looked from the item up to the girl. "A-are you sure?" he asked. "This is... a really great item, Ava." He paused with his hand away from the accept button, letting her consider the offer. 

He calmly hid how flustered he was at the notion of proposal. "So-" he cleared his throat and glanced away, then back at her. "I, uh," he failed to seem cool in the least, but he was certainly happy to be there nonetheless. "I... wanted to know more about you," he said timidly. "I mean, this may come as no surprise, but I've never been on a date before."

He gulped. "And- I mean- it makes sense to know someone you like... better, right?"

[Birdie 0]

She swiped the menu away from existence, her head dipping forward and back in an assured nod. The trade offer would still be active as it was down to him to accept or decline. "I wanted you to have it. Accuracy doesn't fit well into a scout build and I already have my evasion up as high as it can go, without using skill mods." Her expression grew softer, "It suits you. Black and lighter blues don't really mix, and well.. this ring is about as dark as it gets." Her eyes fell on the ring's icon on Arc's inventory, "Why? Do you not like it?" Birdie tried not to sound hurt, but her tendency to overthink matters had crept up on her.

Her cyan eyes widened as Tobias suggested getting to know her more, "Right, no- I mean- yeah, that's what people who are-" together? "-going on dates should do.. I think.." Seeing him approach a topic so brashly was strange, the man usually adopting such a level-headed demeanour. It was clear from her uncertain tone that her experience was limited too, and she glanced away before admitting the truth. "To be honest, I've only ever been 'out' with somebody twice, once if you don't uhm.." She smiled anxiously, "you don't count now."

Birdie considered his words, "I'd like to learn more about you too, Arc." She calmly turned her gaze up to him, a soft glint radiating from her blue eyes. "Hm... m-maybe we could take turns to ask questions about each other?" She thought it was a simple practice, and she'd heard of new couples doing it as a way to know about each other's hobbies and interests. "I-I know I'm not very interesting, but uhm.. I'll try to answer any questions that you have about me."

Standing beside Arc, she found herself possessing the urge to wander the city with him. Her feet tapped lightly with unease, though she didn't want to start walking if he had other plans for the two of them. Keeping still, she'd wait a while before bringing it up to her date.

Edited October 2, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"No, it's not that at all," he assured her quickly. "I just, I feel really... special, I guess is a good word." He accepted the ring in short order after her reasons were given, and he equipped it to have a look at. "Kind of reminds me of one of the Knightly Order signets," he mused. "Tobias of the Knights Templar. What do you think?" He flashed the ring in a way that made him feel almost like Sauron, a thought which forced him to suppress a guffaw. "I think I disagree with you on one point, though," he pondered aloud, albeit quietly. "Sometimes light blues and black go very well together." 

The idea of her out on a date with someone else had him wondering whether it had been in the game or otherwise, but the thoughts weren't motivated by jealousy. After all, in Tobias' mind, who wouldn't want to date this girl? She was a sweetheart! "I'm still processing it all," he laughed. "I was blown away when you wanted to come out with me. I can't really express how happy I am."

Arc glanced over her sapphire gaze and gestured toward the inner city. "I don't suppose you want to take a stroll through the market," he prompted as he caught her anxious body language out of his peripheral vision. "We can talk while we walk, if you're amenable?"

He offered his hand for her to take so they wouldn't get separated at they walked. After all the struggle to get past his awkwardness, this portion at least seemed easy. "You can ask the first question, if'n you like," he added after a few seconds pause. "After all, ladies first, right?" he offered her a smirk coupled with a wink.

[Birdie 0]

"Tobias of the Knights Templar," she repeated whimsically, a smile curling onto her lips as she caught him striking an imposing stance. A laugh had to be suppressed from the girl, her eyes rolling verily instead.

Hm, sometimes.. oh. Whether he was referring to their respective colour schemes or not she didn't know,, but the notion caused her smile to bloom. The girl thought similarly to Arc in that she was excited to be here with him, albeit nervous about making a colossal mess of the day.

Her mind was put at ease, breathing a metaphorical sigh of relief. "Yes! I-I mean," she coughed, silencing her eager tone. "That sounds lovely." She met his hand with her own, sliding her fingers down his palm until they fell through the gaps between his. Her beating heart flourished as their hands interlocked, the girl making a desperate attempt to mask a blush as best she could. She walked, leaning slightly into his arm to make it harder to spot her reddened face.

Gosh, he's so gentlemanly, she thought, his offer of allowing her the first question met with a nod and a warm smile. "Thank you kindly sir- I promise to keep my questions sensible." A curious twist befell the girl's expression, the gears in her brain turning as the first question rolled out. "Hm.. pardon me if you want to refrain from pre-Aincrad questions, but where do you come from? What's it like there?"

[Ashrah 0]

Arc closed both eyes as they went, intermittently opening one to ensure the path ahead of them was clear of any obstructions. His thoughts were transcendent of that plane of existence they were trapped on, as though he and the lady with whom he shared warmth were free and able to do as they wished. It made the moment more beautiful when he considered that they were two adults, and that regardless of which world they were in had decided to connect on a deeper level.

Ava leaned against him and he peered down at her thoughtfully, his notions of embarrassment dismissed by her closeness. At some point, he ceased to be uncertain and awkward and happily lost himself in her presence. It was like she was the only other person in the world- well, perhaps not to that extreme, but Tobias had discovered that little else occupied his thoughts, lately. He had fallen into a despairing trap of living life one day to the next, and spending all of his time getting stronger and neglecting the rest of their ersatz society. 

It only made sense that the first person to really reach through to him got an immense amount of attention. That was how he rationalized it, at least. There may have been more to it, but he wasn't going to question those things.

"Not at all," he waved a hand, "you want to know me, and I think that's wonderful." His fingers rose to his nose and scratched at the tip of it. "I come from the East Coast US," he began. "Midway along the original thirteen colonies, in Virginia. On the ocean itself, in fact."

If he had a map, he could have pointed directly to the southeastern corner and had a finger directly on where his house probably was. "In Virginia Beach. Right near the Oceanfront."

His thoughts drifted to the city where he'd grown up, to the extremes it varied from at any given time. "In the summer, tourists are everywhere, so locals rarely go to the beach proper; but in the winter, it can go from 21° C to 0 in a day's time. It'll snow, too- though never too much."

How to describe it...? "It's massive," he told her, "there are eleven high schools that span the city, sectioned off into districts." He wondered if that quite covered how many people were in the city. "And you can go from one part of it to another and see totally different cultures. Farmland to the south of where I am, and the beach due east... it's a massive suburban biome."

"The people vary from real nice to absolute jerks," he said, "but that's true anywhere. He glanced over at her again and tilted his head. "What about you?" he asked. 

[Birdie 0]

The world slowly crawled past, her eyes unfocused as she looked to the path ahead. To hear about the states from a resident of the country was enlightening and brought a whole string of things that she thought to ask him - what the culture is like, popular foods in his hometown, whether he celebrated the same holidays as the UK - she contained her eagerness and listened on.

"Yeah, there's bound to be idiots wherever you go," she sympathised. "We call them 'chavs' where I'm from." Birdie loosed a smile, though it's integrity faded partially as he redirected the question to her. She hadn't considered telling him about her hometown; was there anything remotely interesting to say about it?

Her gaze trailed to the dark haired man and then to the path ahead. "I lived near the sea too, though it sounds like Virginia Beach's water is a lot more.. clean, compared to my seaside town." She recalled the not-so-glamorous mucky brown water with a light sigh.

"it's a lovely little town though, Southend-on-Sea is the name. We tend to get a lot of people flock over from London during the Summer so you'll always have tons of diversity with the tourists here - if you could call them that." Her mind's focus shifted towards the town's attractions. "Most people go there to visit the pier, it's the longest one in the world! It's about a mile and a half long - a little less?- actually."

She felt as if there was nothing more to say about her town, little else of note came to her mind. "The temperature varies, though it's usually cold and depressing. I'm honestly kind of sick of England.... I'd love to move out to the US and live somewhere that actually has personality, you know? Southend's nice but from the way you described Virginia, it sounds like there's so much more to see and do out there than what my little old seaside town could offer."

Her talk came to a pause as she realised she'd started to rant a little. "S-sorry, that's so catty.."

Birdie gently squeezed Arc's hand, her gaze wandering up to his as a warm smile spread from her lips.  "What have been your favourite moments in Aincrad so far?" She thought the question to be broad, reiterating it shortly after. "Rather than focusing on the negativity this world brings, what moments have you loved about it?"

 

[Ashrah 0]

"No, no," he nearly whispered as she said she'd been a bit harsh. His head shook slightly. "See, I like listening to you; and hearing about where you from is really cool." He tilted his head back and felt the breeze wash over them. "The states are pretty diverse. People are different everywhere, and the way of life varies drastically from one to the next. You'd have no end of new adventures."

Her fingers tightened slightly around his, and he ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "Mmmm... Aincrad, hmm?" He considered the question for a moment. "I have liked the thrill of fighting, because I've never quite done anything like it." He scratched his nose and glanced toward the Cathedral. "Something about feeling like a real warrior, and being able to protect people is absolutely awesome."

He bit his lip, then added, "and... then there was this pretty lady I met. I feel like every moment I spend with her is probably better than the last."

Tobias looked at the woman with a blush on his cheeks, and a sheepish smile.

[Birdie 0]

A blush warmed her cheeks, each word he spoke softly caressing her eardrums as her eyes met his. Red-faced and boasting an embarrassed smile was a string of words she'd never imagined associating with Arc before that moment. it was oddly comforting to see him so nervous, as if she hadn't a reason to hide how she felt.

"Strange, I started talking to this boy a while ago as well." Her head rested on his upper arm, gently closing her eyes as she allowed her sight to fade. "We met in a tavern; it was cold, stormy outside. I was doing something silly.. h-he was like a beacon of light in the dark." Her lips curled and she brought her teeth down onto her lower lip, halting a giggle before it occurred. "I really enjoyed his company, I-I think.. I wanna see him again sometime." Eyes drifting open, her gaze fell to the path ahead.

The sun's embrace hugged the city, warming the air around them. The jacket she wore became obsolete, Arc acting a source of warmth and protection for the girl in place of it, though the moment was too perfect to interrupt with such a meaningless action. Instead, she relished in the calmness, enjoying the first true moment she felt completely at ease with the game world  "What was this girl like?" she asked him, her smile broadening slightly as she wondered how he'd tackle a risky question.

Edited October 4, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

Her words infused him with a certain degree of happiness, one that he had not felt in many years. He never anticipated to find something so amazing in this world. When she leaned into his arm, he glanced over at her and smiled. She was affectionate in a way he truly enjoyed, and he wasn't going to stop her despite several giggles from the peanut gallery about how cute the couple was.

"What's she like indeed," he mumbled as he stopped walking, several yards from a restaurant that sported a deck overlooking the river. The sun cast a long shadow now, more burnt orange than golden as the day grew later. Arc placed a hand softly to the nape of her neck and stared into her eyes.

"She's like..." he wondered for a moment as his own gaze wavered down to her lips, then up to her nose, and finally her eyes again. He painted a picture of her in his mind, frozen this way to remember when things were difficult. This was worth fighting for. 

"I feel calm when she's there, despite how nervous or uncertain I am. I want to say things that make me feel silly, and even though I still do, I don't regret them." His eyes closed and he smiled. "And she's such a sweetheart," he added in a hushed whisper. "I love how beautiful of a person she is."

[Birdie 0]

She came to a sudden stop as he did, eyes shooting open as her once dreamy state faded away. Her eyes lifted to the restaurant that Arc had chosen, freeing a smile as her lips curled joyously. Sprouting vines draped over the entrance way, making room for the open door as one would pass through. The interior seemed inviting, a candlelit room adorned by ornaments and furniture inspired by the renaissance era. Birdie's head dipped back out of instinct as a hand tickled her neck, her gaze resting on the green of Arc's eyes as a calm smile persisted.

Flustered, a soothing breath escaped her lips. How is he so smooth.."It sounds like this girl is special to you?" The girl played along, her eyes freely exploring the man's facial features. "I have a feeling she'd say the same; she'd say you make her feel like.. a cloud floating through the sky..." She paused, seconds of silence from the little bird following. Tittered laughter escaped her lips, "God, c-can we please stop this?" Birdie realigned her head with the ground, her feet pointing towards the restaurant. "Tobias.. you're the most wonderful person that I've met in a long, long time. Please never change?"

Birdie crept along the path and made progress towards the deck. "This looks incredible, have you eaten here before?" She knew he'd visited the city in the past though to what extent or for what purpose, she lacked the details. "It reminds a little of the restaurant I worked at, albeit this place is pretty much perfect.. in like every single way."

[Ashrah 0]

The moment she started to laugh, he let his hand drop from her and did the same. A rumble of laughter left him, and the dark haired man couldn't help himself. "Sorry," he said with a chuckle in his voice, "I just have never been able to say stuff like that. Always wondered what it was like." He glanced toward the establishment and bit his lip. "It's so god awful out of character for me. I admit- there was a time when I used to get joked for flirting and striking out with girls, way back when I was young... so, maybe I had some practice at acting like a jackass."

His hands dipped into his pockets in the characteristic, humorous sort of way that they did when he was embarrassed with himself, but he didn't mind so much. The mercenary oriented himself at her side and glanced into their destination with her. "Hey- even if I'm a bumbling idiot when it comes to words, I mean it when I say I think a lot of you." He gazed sidelong at her, and he smirked. "Don't worry, I'll try my hardest not to sound that goofy anymore, but I'll keep being your Tobias."

Both eyes drew forward now as their waiter- holy crap, there was a waiter? Tobias was blown away by that portion of the experience. Anyway, as he came out to them and offered to show them to their seats, he shook his head. "No," he said, "this is all new to me. I only showed up for a festival, once..." he chewed on his lip as he considered something else, but the merc wanted to keep that a secret for as long as possible.

"And for some training," he added. That wasn't a lie. He wasn't going to lie to her. "I hope you enjoy it, Ava."

When she described how it was almost identical to her former workplace, his eyes lit up. That was unexpected, but then, it was even better when she described this place as "perfect." He bowed his head a bit as they made their way to the table and were prompted for orders. There were a great deal of options, but he settled on a prime rib and Tuscan salad, which was rather plain considering where they were. "Aaaand... ought to pair it with Chianti, since it's regional..."

Arc picked the wine from the list and the bottle appeared in the waiter's hands. The NPC poured glasses for both of them, though Tobias wasn't sure she would drink it. He recalled her being partial to water in the bar on the second floor. Still, it was a gesture he didn't mind making given the atmosphere.  "I think I'd enjoy seeing that restaurant," he said, "I mean, you know," his eyes searched the table as the waiter took his time with their orders. "Obviously, I wouldn't go just to torment you while you were working." His eyes crept up to her as he wore a playful grin. "Just like I'd never expect you to walk up on me in a grocery store while I was stocking."

Edited October 5, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

"Hey," she said, gently laying a hand on his arm. "What you said was really sweet, those words don't come out of any normal jackass." The sentence replayed in her mind. ".. that uhm.. I didn't mean to.. it sounded better in my mind." Redness spread throughout her cheeks, You're hopeless. Again.

A smile spread her lips apart. "You better be." She met his green eyes, sauntering beside him as a waiter looked to table them. When Arc mentioned training, her head tilted a little as curiosity struck. "Training? What for?" Her question was innocent enough, not asked with the intention of intruding on his privacy.

Thanking the waiter, she loosed a warm grin and hushed the words "thank you!" before a menu found its way in front of her. Common dishes littered the menu along with the themed speciality items, and she delved deeper into the menu. "Could I have the.. cajun seafood pasta?" she asked the waiter, who promptly smiled back. She spared a glance to Arc as he made an order of a strange sounding drink, but withstood any comments.

After the drink was poured, she bowed to the waiter. Raising the glass in her hand, she gave it a gentle swirl as Arc's voice sounded. Catching his smile, dimples formed beside her lips as her smile drew her lips apart. "And how are you so sure I wouldn't try, hm?" The girl leant forwards in her seat, sharing a gaze with him. "Honestly, it's nothing to get excited over. The restaurant itself is admittedly nice looking, though it's only because me and the other waitstaff pushed so hard for some decorations." A sigh escaped her as she reminisced. "Picture a regular burger shack with luxurious decorations - it's sillier than it sounds."

Footsteps approached, though it wasn't their waiter. She lifted the wine to the tip of her nose, the aroma causing a hopeful shift in her expression. Lowering the glass slightly, she tilted it backwards and sipped at the drink, pulling it carefully towards the table after. Her face and eyebrows subtly contorted as the drink went down, and she glanced to Tobias with a look of petty embarrassment. "Mmm, that was.. lovely!" she spoke, her tone convincing only to the most gullible of souls. Putting the glass onto the table, she kept her hold on it and huffed. "S-sorry, I was never much of a drinker.."

[Ashrah 0]

Birdie touched his arm, and he put his hand over hers. "No way," he shook his head, "you don't have to apologize for that one. My friends and I always called each other jackasses in the most endearing way possible." He looked around. "That makes us sound pretty odd, I reckon." Tobias nodded slowly in her direction. "I know it's easier said than done, but I'm trying to get more comfortable around you, so I hope you can eventually do the same."

Anything to see that smile, he replied in his mind when she said "you had better be" and smiled at him. Then, she asked about his training. "Uh," he blushed a bit and his eyes trailed away from her. "I- er- that is..." he knew he couldn't keep a secret from her if she pressed him for it. His lips pursed and he bit the lower one gently. "I... decided to change weapons," he said in a quiet voice.

 Arc tested the flavor of the wine, and found it more than satisfaction. The robust body was definitively Chianti, though it was more fruit forward than any varietal he had tasted before. It was almost as though this wine was specific to Taft. He gulped down the sip before replacing the glass on the table. She quipped that she might be the sort to, in fact, come to bother him at work, and the Merc grinned a bit more broadly. "Hah, I knew I liked you."

She mentioned that her place of employment was a burger joint, his eyes lit up. "I love little holes in the wall like that. I'll definitely have to visit." He hoped that didn't sound as eager as he thought it did, but it was too late now to retract it. Tobias sat back in his seat and listened to her quietly.

He quirked an eyebrow when she said the taste was lovely, his disbelief palpable. "Don't force yourself, now," he murmured quietly. Her apology made him feel bad for making the order to begin with. "Ah, I'm sorry- I shouldn't have presumed..."

 

Edited October 6, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

Catching his obviously nervous expression, she began to wonder what he was going to say. Maybe he's training for something innocent? A race? or what if.. She gulped, What if he's training with shady people.. t-the Laughing coffin?! Her thoughts rationalised as soon as he spoke up, informing her that he simply switched up his weapon preference. A breathe of minor relief flowed through her, and she looked towards him with a supportive smile. "I thought you were gonna say something way worse, Arc. If that's what you're comfortable with, I'm happy for you." Her eyes rose to where his sword would usually be, "what weapon are you using now, instead of that huge sword?"

All the talk of their prior workplaces caused her to feel a pang of longing for the real world, an urge to return to the life she once knew- even if it wasn't as pleasant her life in Aincrad. She'd resisted developing Stockholm syndrome for the game,  though the further she delved into the experience and the more players she met, her resolve would soon begin to crack.

"O-oh, please don't feel guilty- I said that I worked in a restaurant, so you're excused for presuming." Her arms lay across surface of the table, gently holding the glass of wine. "My mother would go out to drink some nights, and I saw what it was doing to her... I never went on nights out drinking because I was scared to fall into the same trap." Her eyes fell to the tabletop, blank in expression as she shook her head. "S-sorry, nevermi-" Her sentence was cut off by a familiar sound. Footsteps approached from within the restaurant, the same waiter from before holding a tray of plates in hand.

She nodded politely to the waitstaff as their food was dished out onto the tabletop, her nose inhaling a whiff of the seafood pasta. An elevated smile spread across her lips and the glass of wine rose to her mouth, a sip being taken before she realised. The taste was only partially overwhelming this time, and she gave an ever so subtle shrug of indifference. Maybe this doesn't taste so bad? She glanced sidelong, admiring the river they sat beside. "This is the first time I've eaten a meal in Aincrad, it's such a weird feeling.." She turned and gazed towards Arc, fidgeting with her fork as she wrapped some pasta around it.