[SP-F2] (Not a) Date With Danger

[Telrenya 0]

As the Bandit Warden shattered into fragments of data in front of her, Telrenya reached a hand up to rip the silver mask from her face. After running through the tunnels below, multiple skirmishes with the guards patrolling them, and the final battle with the warden that fought against her escape, the girl was left out of breath and panting. Her blonde hair spilled out from the mouth of her hood and over her shoulders, hanging down in front of her face while she bent over and planted the heels of her palms on her knees. The growing familiarity of a chiming sound rang in her ears, and after a couple of short breaths Telrenya lifted her chin to see the notification of a completed quest. Her brows narrowed in momentary confusion that was quickly replaced with irritation. "Seriously?!" She complained aloud. She straightened up in order to return Veiled Dusk to the scabbard at her hip.

[Telrenya 0]

"Who designs a quest like that, really..." She grumbled under her breath, letting out a sigh and hooking the top edge of her mask over a loose leather strap on her left thigh. She lowered the dull-brown hood of her chestpiece to her shoulders and then raked her gloved fingers through her hair, tucking the loose locks behind her ears and gathering it behind her. She didn't have enough vanity items to keep changing her hair and eye color each and every time she equipped the set of armor that represented her as 'Erin', so shortcuts like this would have to do, she thought. The name brought about the recent memory of her interaction with the unsavory redhead, and Telrenya had to hold back an audible groan at the messages exchanged between the two. "What did I just agree to...?" She asked herself with more than a hint of exasperation.

[Telrenya 0]

There would be more time for her to kick herself for agreeing to meet with Erin in person later. For now, she needed to get herself out of this area before the Bandit Warden respawned, or another set of guards came clambering up the staircase behind her, or some other annoying confrontation she'd have to deal with. Telrenya secured her wavy locks into a low bun at the back of her head, pulling her hood back up shortly after and dismissing the quest notification that still hovered in front of her avatar. "At least it was good experience." She told herself with a sigh, and her legs began to carry her through the forest far from the familiar town of Delilah. After reaching for the silver mask and placing it in front of her face yet again, she tried to multitask, swiping a hand through the air and pulling up her messages while she stepped carefully over gnarled roots and uneven boulders protruding from the earth.

[Telrenya 0]

Telrenya scrolled to her conversation with Erin, skimming over their exchange until she reached his last message, specifying a place where they could meet up and discuss this arrangement of hers in more detail. Supposedly, he had questions for her, and with his near-uncooperative behavior on the night of the Holy Dragon Alliance's Christmas Eve party, she thought for a moment that she wouldn't mind setting some more solid ground rules. 'Ugh, I wish Jevi would be there to help me talk to him...' She thought of how much she had relied on the brunette during their first confrontation with Erin in The Drunken Serpent and the memory of the dingy tavern nearly made her stomach turn. She shook her head in an attempt to dismiss both the recollection and the consideration of accepting even more of Jevi's help. 'No, Estelle, you can't keep going to your friends like that.'

[Telrenya 0]

'The whole point is to keep them out of this. You've made too many mistakes already.' She scolded herself. Keeping secrets was hard and lying was nearly impossible for her, and yet somehow she had managed to do both consistently for the better part of two months--or was it getting closer to three? A small knot began to form in Telrenya's stomach, growing larger and pulling tighter as she involuntarily recalled each time she had told Jomei she was leaving to gather materials on the lower floors, to catch up on some crafting in her shop, or to go explore some of the main settlements she wasn't familiar with. What would he think if he knew that she was actually training with her brother's ex-guildmate, nearly falling from frozen cliffsides, or breaking out of underground prisons? With her eyes lost in thought and staring through the semi-transparent window of her menus while her unease grew and festered, the toe of her boot hooked on the edge of a tall-standing root.

[Telrenya 0]

Telrenya tripped, unable to adjust her footing in time to catch her lost balance. Landing on the arm that had pulled up to brace herself against the forest floor, she let out a tiny groan at her misstep. Chocolate eyes lifted to spot the message window that still positioned itself in front of her avatar's torso, clipping through the ground as it didn't have enough room to display completely in front of her. With a flustered expression behind her mask, Telrenya pushed herself up enough to finally get to the piece of information she needed. "Cordillera's Cafe, huh? Ugh." She grunted when she pushed herself back up to her feet, running her palms over the front of her leather and cloth to wipe the forest debris loose. She let out another tiny sigh, this time one of defeat as she knew she couldn't put off seeing the redhead again for much longer.

[Telrenya 0]

After a long trek back to Delilah, Telrenya slipped past the door of her Artisan shop and pressed her back up against the oak once it swung shut behind her. A heavy breath escaped her lungs as she felt a faint sense of exhaustion creeping over her that she quickly tried to push away. The virtual sun that had hung overhead wasn't quite setting just yet, but by the time she got herself ready and reached Urbus, nightfall wouldn't be far behind her. It would probably be best to avoid getting mixed up with Erin too long after sunset, she thought. She opened her menus, shifting over to her equipment and dismissing the head-to-toe light armor from her avatar. After a short sense of relief to be out of the battle attire, she panned to her inventory and tapped on the newest addition to her collection of outfits with a tiny smile.

[Telrenya 0]

With a quick selection, a white button-up shirt appeared underneath a dark grey blazer that was adorned with several small pink strap- and golden star accents. A wavy pink skirt fell over her thighs, and a pair of black stockings were pulled up a few inches below its hem. The emerald clover that was Erin's Favor hung from the silver chain around her wrist as it always did, and a new addition of a sapphire heart-shaped pendant hung around her neck. Since she would be using the teleport gate only to head straight to a cafe, she opted not to summon the celestial-themed rapier to her side, instead dragging her hand across her body to wave away the set of menus. "Perfe--Oh," She stopped herself, reaching a hand behind her head as she realized her dirty blonde locks were still fastened into a bun. She pulled her hair free, loose curls falling over her shoulders with a small shake of her head.

[Telrenya 0]

"There we go." She said with a new sense of satisfaction, running her fingers over the front of the already-smoothed fabric of her skirt out of habit. Filling her lungs with a deep breath of air, she turned to the door standing immediately behind her and set off once again for a very different kind of adventure. "Urbus." She spoke the name of the city aloud once her avatar was standing within the boundary of the teleport gate. In a flash of white light, she was whisked away one floor lower to the second level of Aincrad. Telrenya had to ask a couple of players near the center plaza, but shortly thereafter she was able to find the cafe Erin had specified. She sized up the building as she approached, determining that it did look harmless enough after all, and took in a deep breath to fill herself with courage before she placed a hand on the door and entered.

[Telrenya 0]

A generous distance away, a pair of sharp emerald eyes caught sight of the blonde. Despite his arm laying draped around the shoulders of a woman at his side, Erin watched Telrenya closely with an amused smirk. "Erin! What are you staring at?" The woman with a short bob of auburn hair reached a hand up to curl her slender fingers around his collar, quite literally pulling the man's attention back on her. Erin's expression quickly shifted to one of impatience. "Sorry babe, I've got something else to do tonight." He said in a dismissive tone. When his arm pulled away, the man's fingers hooked at the ends of her short hair, dragging a lock past her cheek as his eyes softened and he took on a subtle smile. "But hey, same time tomorrow?" The words left him with an upward inflection, but it was clear that he didn't expect an answer.

[Telrenya 0]

Just as the redhead pulled away and turned in the direction of the cafe, the feeling of something tugging against his sleeve caused Erin to pause. "Hold on," The woman had reached out to stop him in his tracks, a stern expression on her face as if she had steeled herself for the confrontation. Erin simply looked over his shoulder with a similar, impatient look in his emerald eyes. She looked almost hesitant to continue, but her thin brows narrowed with determination while she urged herself to continue. "You've been acting weird for a while now, what's gotten into you?" Erin had to hold back a sigh, turning himself around to face the woman proper. His hand lifted up, a knuckle nestling itself beneath her chin and pulling it up to meet his downward gaze. "Babe, relax. You're overreacting again." The corner of his mouth pulled up into another smirk

[Telrenya 0]

"You know you're special baby, so stop being so paranoid, 'kay?" Erin looked down at the woman with a hooded gaze and a playful smirk. His thumb pulled up over her chin and ran across her bottom lip before he pulled her closer, leaning down to bring their faces together with a rough kiss. After he would break away, Erin shifted his hand up and twisted a section of her short auburn hair between his fingers. "See 'ya tomorrow~" He said with a playful wink and pulled away again, making his way towards the cafe on the other end of the plaza. Once he was free from one of many women he kept on his arm, the redhead pulled open the door and stepped inside. Sharp green eyes scanned the interior until they landed on that familiar blonde hair. With Telrenya facing away from him at her seat, the man couldn't get a good view of the girl.

[Telrenya 0]

It wasn't until he drew closer, pulling up a chair on the other side of the table and leaning back in his seat that his emerald orbs were able to fully take her in. "Hey there, sweetheart! Long time, no see." He cheerfully announced his presence with a wide grin. Telrenya blinked in surprise at the man's sudden arrival. "Ahh, um, hi...Erin." She greeted him in return with a small, polite nod. His eyes ran along her form, from the hair that fell over her shoulders to the cute pink ribbon around her neck, to the bare skin of her legs between the hem of her skirt and the tops of her stockings. His gaze lazily made its way back up the length of her avatar to her chocolate-brown eyes and pulled up his right foot. The man's ankle rested on his opposite knee, and his shoulder rolled so that his arm hung over the back of the chair.

[Telrenya 0]

An uncomfortable silence settled over the two and Telrenya could practically feel Erin's eyes all over her. The girl shifted slightly, bringing a hand up to her mouth and giving a short clear of her throat while she tried to think of some way to move this unnerving meeting along. Before she had the chance to say anything, however, Erin placed a palm on his knee and spoke up himself. "So, how 'ya been? Seems like you keep yourself real busy, blondie~" He teased her with a playful smirk. Caught off-guard by the casual topic of conversation, Telrenya found herself lacking the mettle to forcefully direct it elsewhere. "Oh, u-uh..." Her eyes darted anxiously to the side, unable to meet his hungry gaze. "Yeah, I've been raising my level a lot." She said simply, the statement almost trying to serve as a way to boost her own confidence while facing Erin.

[Telrenya 0]

"Mmmm~?" Erin hummed in feigned interest. "I gotta say, I'm super bummed that I couldn't make it to that holiday party with your guild. My Christmas Eve was pretty lonely, 'ya know?" He lied, a convincing frown having worked its way over his features. She shouldn't have been surprised that he knew all the right words to make her feel uncomfortable. Her lips pursed lightly, a meek apology leaving the woman while her fingers fidgeted amongst themselves in her lap. She drew in a sharp breath through her nose, but before she could open her mouth to move the conversation along, a new presence appeared beside them. A friendly-looking young girl with her medium sandy hair pulled into low pigtails stood with a round tray held in both hands in front of her black apron. She greeted them with a smile and rehearsed pleasantries, asking what she might be able to bring the two players.

[Telrenya 0]

Erin flashed Telrenya a smile that was much softer and genuine than any she'd seen from him before, giving a nod as a prompt for her to speak first. Already flustered by his hot-and-cold attitude, she simply but nervously asked the waitress for a hot tea. The redhead requested a coffee, and with a quick confirmation and a polite bow of her head, the girl turned and made off to fetch their drinks. Left alone again, Telreyna's eyes dropped to her lap while Erin's bore into her. His cheerful smile had shifted into another amused one while he watched the girl, unnerved by his presence. "So," He simultaneously broke the silence and called her to attention. The man dropped his foot back to the floor and leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table between them and resting his chin in his palm. The corner of his smile curled into a smirk, and he looked to Telreyna with lowered lids.

[Telrenya 0]

"How long are you gonna keep me waiting, sweetheart~?" He asked in an expectant tone, thoroughly enjoying the sight of the blush that took over Telrenya's cheeks in reaction. She faltered, but raised her chin to look back up at him. "W-what? What are...you talking about?" She asked despite having an idea of exactly what it was he meant. She was only about to hold eye contact with the man's piercing emeralds for a couple of seconds before her softer, shy orbs darted to the side once again. Erin simply leaned in another couple of inches farther, causing Telrenya's upper body to shift slightly in the opposite direction. "Aw, c'mon," His mouth turned down into a playful frown. "I mean, a shy cutie like you," He reached his opposite hand out to loop his two fingers around the dirty-blonde locks that fell over her left shoulder and pulled them forward.

[Telrenya 0]

"Not usually my type. But I can't just pass up on such a sweet piece of candy sitting right in front of me." Telrenya flushed completely at his sudden forwardness, a chill running down her spine at the feeling of her hair running over his knuckles while his hand hovered so close to her face. For a split second, she found a bit of courage hiding somewhere inside of her that she managed to coax to her surface. She pulled away from him, her hair falling back against her shoulder and a stern look crossing her features through the heat on her cheeks. The words caught in her throat, but still she tried to confront the man. "E-Erin, please. Jevi already told you I have a boyfriend. A-and she has someone, too!" She added on, not wanting to give the impression that her friend was on the market either.

[Telrenya 0]

Dark blonde brows furrowed, and she mustered up one last warning. "You're not coming between that, okay? So if that's what you're after, then I should go. If you have any questions about the guild, please ask them normally." Erin's hand fell at his wrist when Telrenya pulled away from him, and his playful smile fell into an unamused expression, eyes dulling as he waited impatiently for her to finish her uncooperative speech. He would then let out a sigh, pulling his torso away and leaning back into his chair again just as two drinks were set down in front of them. Telrenya was snapped out of her front when the waitress appeared beside them again, and her eyes darted between the pigtailed girl and the off-white mug of steaming liquid placed in front of her. She froze up, but the waitress didn't wait for any verbal exchange before she excused herself and walked off to another table.

[Telrenya 0]

As the two players continued their conversation, Telrenya tried her best to ignore Erin's hungry glances. He asked for details on the other members of the guild, and while she initially wasn't sure if the question was thrown out simply to avoid silence, she reassured herself that it would be beneficial for him to know the most important things about their guildmates--namely how crucial it was that he avoid them.

She took over the conversation, thankful for being able to focus on something aside from the awkward tension in the air. Erin fought off a bored expression while he half-listened to her ramblings, sipping at his coffee and simply waiting for her to be finished speaking. She prompted him for his understanding, to which the redhead waved away her concern. "Yeah, I got it sweetheart." He inwardly sighed, wracking his brain. His focus had remained on the blonde across from him, but rather than the details she had provided about her guild and her little solo adventure, he was still trying to figure out a way to make the girl his.

Thread Complete!

• Telrenya: +1 SP, +400 col