PP F4: Hot and Cold [Daeron- COMPLETE]

[Mari 1]

Mari was on the outskirts of the city; sort of…wandering back and forth – almost at the entrance to the safe zone. Why? She was in the mood for a drink and was hoping to stop a passing player, offering them Col in exchange to go get her some liquor from a merchant or tavern and bring it back to her. She wanted hard liquor. But thus far her efforts seemed fruitless. Mari was too tired, and too emotionally drained to deal with any crap at the moment. It didn’t help that she had an entire guild after her head. She didn’t like the idea of killing anyone else; but if she had to, she’d have to get them alone one by one, maybe try talking to them.  

"Don't censored run away from me you little censored!" Mari shouted after a player who had walked, then ran past Mari, not giving her the time of day.

[Daeron 1]

Daeron gave the screaming female a look that could send anyone a message that spoke many words. Daeron walked up to her and patted her on the back. "Ignore them, how about you just... leave them be? I'll buy you a drink?" he said offering a drink on him. Going towards the bartender, he ordered two drinks one for him, and one for her. Returning with the drinks, he handed one to her. "Here, just.... take it." he said as he took a drink from the liquor that he got for himself.

 

One thing that he loved about this game was that he didn't actually have to worry too much about the whole no money problem. Especially being one of the highest leveled players, getting money for him was in fact rather easy. Daeron then stopped drinking for a second to give her a slight, but silent toast. He smirked, but not giving a complete smile, since he never really smiled around anyone but very few people.

[Mari 1]

Mari jumped, almost falling face first into the snow when she felt someone give her a light tap on the back. She turned her head around to meet face to face with another PKer. The PKer status didn't even bother her - everyone had their reasons, and she was one too now. He had sandy hair and his eyes had an amused gleam to them.  He told her to ignore them, Mari gave a shrug. "May as well - they ignore me. Its just frustrating. Being stuck on the outskirts of town like this. So close yet so - hey what?" Mari watched as he sauntered off, after offering to buy her a  drink, he disappeared between the buildings; a place Mari could no longer go, before returning a few minutes later - offering her a drink. Mari was a little shocked, but she accepted it, holding the glass toward him. "Uh...Cheers..." She took a swig, wincing from the straight bourbon as it burned the back of her throat. 

"So...I guess after a while you really can go back into town then, huh?" Mari asked, taking another sip of the honeyed liquor. 

[Daeron 1]

Daeron nodded for confirmation. "Yeah. Once your heat sorta settles you'll be good. So, beautiful day huh?" he asks looking at the sky. He took another gulp before he returned to the girl. "Don't you get cold eventually?" Daeron asked her as he sat down right beside her. He leaned against the snow mound right behind him. Drinking was something he hadn't done for a while since... he couldn't even remember.

[Mari 1]

Mari gave the man a curious look, she wasn't sure what angle he was playing. Was he really just so nice....kind as to willingly buy her a drink and not give a damn about anything else? "Mmm..well  I guess that won't happen any time soon for me..." Mari mumbled, averting her cerulean gaze from his. "I guess it is." She felt a little awkward around him, it was easy to yell at people, it was easy to be frank, and short with them - but conversing with them? Friendly banter? Mari wasn't very good with that even at the best of times, and she wasn't in a very good state of mind lately. 

Mari chose to sit in the snow next to him. "I don't feel the cold - at least I don't seem to feel it as much as others..." A small smile crept up on her face as she recalled how Zelrius was shivering from the wind on this floor, and it didn't even bother her in the slightest, Mari took another swig of her drink. "Even if I did feel the cold. This'll warm me up soon enough." She said as she gestured toward the glass.

[Daeron 1]

Daeron brought his arm around her side, not really caring at his obvious move and how quick he was making one too. Finishing the last of his drink he disposed of the bottle, allowing it to shatter in the database of the Cardinal system. "So you're like me who uses this place for usually eating and such. I have my robe here so it keeps me warm but not too warm." he said with his arm still around her at her side.

 

Daeron realized how she was being somewhat awkward. It was almost as if she forgot how to be normal. Ignoring that matter, Daeron grabbed a handful of powdered snow and blew it in the air, one of his favorite things to do.

[Mari 1]

Mari noticed him placing his arm around her side, Mari shifted her body weight, not exactly approving of the move. She gave him a questioning look. So, he was some sort of womaniser? A player? Mari sighed, taking another drink. Normally she would rebut such an action. She didn't like being close to people, nor did she like being touched, especially by someone she didn't know, but right now - she felt so emotionally dead in that regard that she just couldn't bring herself to care. "Eating, Drinking...." Mari shrugged. "A tad hard to do that right now. If I knew I would end up being a Pker- I'd have become a cook so I could procure my own food rather than wait for some player looking for a quick Col, and willing to go into town for me." 

 

Mari quickly finished her drink and threw the glass away, it disappeared before it hit the ground, shattering in a myriad of pixelated data, her eyes watered at the burning sensation and her stomach already felt warm. "Is this the part where you offer to keep me warm?" Mari asked dryly, she didn't exactly mean to be rude to him, she just came off that way. "Mari." She added, telling him her name.

[Daeron 1]

Daeron smirked for a moment at her comment. "Nah, you said it yourself that you don't feel the cold much, but if you want me to I will." he said moving his arm away because of her silent hint. Standing up, Daeron stretched through the air. "You see rather set. Bye." he said walking away.

 

Away from Mari, he went to a place where he could purchase food. Daeron payed few col for it and headed back. Handing the food to Mari, "Daeron. Pleasure to meet you." he said as he sat back down beside her. Daeron didn't bring any for himself but instead bought an extra bottle of liquor and some additional food. "Now you won't have to pester others for a while." he said giving a slight chuckle.

[Mari 1]

Mari shook her head, "Ah, you'd have to get me more than one drink for that."  She added with an amused grin. She watched as Daeron stood and stretched. He told her she was set and walked away. "Huh..." Mari said to herself, thrown off by his actions. He seemed so carefree. "What an odd boy." Mari didn't move from her spot, she was comfortable there, and with the warmth in her stomach from the drink earlier, she felt content - she had what she wanted. She Sat and watched as a few players wandered in and out the town, most paying her no mind at all.

"Eh?" Mari watched as the man came back, carrying an assortment of food and drink with him, "Missed me that much huh?" She asked him with a wry grin.
Daeron sat back down, placing the food in front of her. "Daeron, same to you." Mari said, clearly in a better, more sated mood than she had been when he first saw her. Mari wasn't sure what to think of him. He seemed kind enough, a strong player, obviously well off when it came to Col. "Pester others? You mean this...." She gestured toward the food and drink, it was at least a weeks worth - if she rationed it correctly. "Is all for me? That's, awfully kind of you - I am a stranger to you. So what's the deal?" She asked, quick to question his motives, and lacking much needed tact.

[Daeron 1]

"Catch? Well you have to bl- just kidding. There is none. I just feel bad for letting a cute girl like you go hungry." he said putting his arm around her again, forgetting about what she did last time he did that. Daeron chuckled a bit, "So. what do you wanna do besides sit here all night? Unless this is what you want. I don't care." he said relaxing in the snow bank with his arm around her.

 

[sorry too early to type a lot.]

[Mari 1]

Mari snorted, as she reached for the alcoholic bottle, she opened it and took a swig before shoving it into the snow. She placed the rest of the food away in her inventory. "Eh...blow you? Is that what you were going to say?" Mari leaned in closer to him, giving him a sly grin as she used one hand to brush back his chestnut bangs out of his face and over his ear. "I could do something like that..." She spoke in a soft sultry tone, ensuring that she placed emphasis on the word 'something'  

Mari had grabbed a pile of snow with her free hand, and just as she finished her sentence she leaned back and blew the flurry of snow into his face. Erupting into a fit of stifled giggles. "Debt repaid."  Mari fidgeted when she felt him wrap his arm back around her, she swore that he had snaked it closer this time than last time, Mari cleared her throat.

"Honestly, I don't have a censored clue. I just wanted some alcohol, and well - this is my favourite floor. I have my shop, on the outskirts of the town, but censored if I know if I can even go in there anymore.."

[Daeron 1]

Daeron gave a slight laugh as well with the snow now in his face. Thinking about what she said, he actually smiled, without intention too. "You don't have to do anything, I was just messing with you." Daeron said clearing his throat from the phlegm. For it being a game, it was actually pretty realistic on how well they could simulate sickness. Daeron slid his hand down a little lower than her hip now, but he didn't go any further than that. Daeron then reached over and took a very small drink of her bottle and set it back down.

 

"And as for your shop, yeah, you can still enter that. You should be glad it's on the outside of town." Daeron said nudging a little closer to her with every little bit here and there.

[Mari 1]

Mari shrugged, "Good - because I wasn't planning on doing anything."  She said with a cocky tone. Giving him a slight nudge in his side, a playful gesture - but it was also a small attempt to get him to loosen his hand. It was making her uncomfortable. "I may talk big, but honestly - hate being touched." Mari said abruptly, she wasn't one for tact or to beat around the bush. She tried to get used to his touch, and a part of her didn't mind it. A  smaller part of her wanted Daeron to slide closer so she could lap up his warmth. Mari hesitated, "At least most of the time anyway."

Mari turned her face to Daeron, trying to read him, he was still difficult to place a finger on. "So, Pker too eh? How'd  you end up with that mark?" Mari asked.
 

[Daeron 1]

Daeron glanced into the sky. "My mark huh? Well let's just say that I killed them because I just didn't like them, and I enjoyed it. It was a strange feeling, but it was a good feeling. Killing, I mean. After the death was done, I felt no regret. No pain. No guilt." Daeron said as he exhaled.

 

Daeron thought long before he spoke again, in fact, he didn't say much of anything. Instead, he moved closer to Mari. He didn't know why, but he liked the warmth of her, and though she had said she doesn't like being touched, he kept on pushing his luck, which is what he was used to since Daeron is purely rebellious. If he wasn't a rebel, he wouldn't be hitting on his guild leader more than anyone else.

[Mari 1]

"Just like that huh?"  Mari asked, he simply didn't like someone, and he killed them. ot only that, he enjoyed it. Mari turned her gaze away. Reflecting on what Life had said before repeating it to Daeron, "There is no sweeter song than the last breath of the dying." Mari wondered how true that sentence was. Daeron spoke about it so easily, as though their deaths didn't bother him at all. How killing felt good, he had no pain regret or guilt. "You used felt, past tense - do you feel that now?" Mari asked, turning her gaze back toward him. It was useful...speaking to another PKer like this, gaining their insight. The only other she knew was Zelrius and he had his head so far up his own ass he was coming back up the other end again.

A silence fell, and it seemed that Daeron used that time to inch closer to Mari - Mari allowed him to move closer; choosing to remain silent on the matter, he hadn't wrapped his arm around her again yet and that was good enough for her.

"I wonder...." She mused, "What that's like."

[Daeron 1]

Daeron had given her questions a lot of thought. "Did I feel that? No. I've never thought about it because I didn't want to regret everything I do. I killed people, yes. I have very few things on my mind right now. Getting out of here isn't one of them." he said looking her into the eyes with his orange glare.

 

His face neared hers so that his forehead touched her's and he exhaled warm breath against her lips. "This world is my fantasy." he said, brushing her pink hair behind her ears. Touching his lips to hers, he controlled his breathing. His hand on her hip, he hadn't a clue what she was doing or thinking. All he could see right now was darkness from the back of his eyelids.

[Mari 1]

"No guilt and no pain...hmmm..." Mari tilted her head to the side. "I'm envious of that." In a way, Mari was envious, she didn't want to feel so racked with guilt or pain - she didn't want to feel so horrid. She wanted to be able to stand tall and strong, but how was she to do that when she was weighed down by so much negative emotion. Daeron seemed to be the complete opposite of Alkor. Their eyes held a similar shade - but Daeron's - it held a sort of ferocity; a wild untamed look that made him somewhat untouchable. Alkor wanted to fight and leave this place, Daeron wanted to stay; and do god knows what. 

 

 

"Hey...Daeron...." Mari began quietly. "How do you do it...? Enjoy killing I mean?"  Mari paused, and realized the gravity of what she said and how it could be misinterpreted - she meant, she wanted to be rid of the guilt and pain she harboured. She quickly shook her head, bringing up her hands. "Err I mean how do y- a-ahh..."  Daeron pressed his forehead against hers and it caught Mari off guard - he uttered that the world, this world was his fantasy. Mari was about to question his words, get clarification but in that next instant.

He kissed her.

 

It was only a light press of his lips against hers; Mari's mind fleeted to how a similar instance happened with Alkor; his lips had been fruity. Daeron's - they tasted bitter, like hard liqour. Mari sat there in complete and utter shock for a few seconds before she drew away with a sharp breath. Bringing up a hand to slap him hard across the face.

"What the censored was that?" 

She shook his arm off her hip and pushed him into the snow, leaning over him. "Is that it? This world is your fantasy? And those in it are your play things?" 
 

[Daeron 1]

Lying in the snow he looked at her smiling. He hadn't a clue why she didn't act earlier. "I was seeing how far you would go. It shows how strong your will is. Seeing how you stopped me there, you're susceptible to some things." he said sitting up.

 

"You asked how I do it? Well... easier said than done. But what seems to work for me is not thinking about it." Daeron said. "You hesitated pushing me off because part of you disagrees with the other. Part of you wanted me to keep going." he said exhaling. "When I said that this world is my fantasy, I meant that I actually matter here. Outside of this game, or hell, I'm nothing. That's all I've ever wanted was to be recognized with importance..."  he stopped.

 

"Which is why I liked killing. People everywhere heard of me. After I had met Lessa, it made me realize the monster I really am. I changed who I am so I could get noticed. She was my wake up call." he finished with a sense of sadness behind his eyes.

[Mari 1]

As Daeron smiled up at her Mari glared back down at him. Daeron was seemingly amused by all of this. "How far I would go? Susceptible? Hmmph..." Mari shifted so she was sitting next to him again, allowing him to sit up. "You're an ass." She muttered under her breath. Still, it did make her think. Had she been susceptible to things in the past....definitely...there was that night, where she spent her 'time' with both Zero and Lotharian, and Mari still hated herself for it. One person? Somewhat understandable, but two? 

"I guess you are kind of right." Mari admitted, glancing away, she turned her head back to him when his toned changed- as he answered her question with some form of sincerity. "Not thinking about it, lost in the moment sort of deal, eh?" Mari asked, she scratched her cheek. "Before I killed Argumail, I felt somewhat like that - during our fight. I was more angry than anything else." 

 

Mari scoffed, "Keep going, heh - bit of an ego on you there eh?"  Mari joked before clearing her throat. "Honestly - that instant just reminded me of someone else." Mari said as she felt her cheeks grow hot, flushed from heated emotions.

Daeron opened up, explaining his reasoning, his actions and his words; Mari wasn't expecting this much of a reply from the man. "Preaching to the choir." She said under her breath, as he said that he felt he mattered here. When outside SAO he was nothing. "You feel you are nothing, I feel I have nothing." She said sincerely, tracing circles in the snow absently with her index finger. 

 

"Lessa has some kind of power doesn't she?" Mari asked, her words were filled with a sort of admiration as she continued. "She's amazing, strong, vibrant." Mari looked up, giving Daeron a wry grin. "Do you like her?"

[Daeron 1]

Nodding his head, he looked at the circles she was drawing. "I do. A lot. I'm trying so hard to prove it too, but she's not quick when it comes to opening up to others like I am." he said.

 

"I guess I don't blame her. I'm just a rebel." he said finally smiling the first time in a while. "As for you, I like your warmth. Your lips weren't that soft anyway." he said jokingly. "Honestly though, why do you think you feel as if you have nothing?" he asked her so he could possibly help with her problems.