It's Time for Another "Good Idea, Bad Idea"

A dragon! That would suit him perfectly! The scaly creatures seemed to love treasure, and hoard it as well. Theo already possessed both of those traits. The thought made her smile, eyes squinting happily. It was always nice to think about such trivial things. Especially after the bomb her memories had just drop on her. If she were an animal though, what would she be? "Hmm... I think I would be something small... Like... A kitten maybe? Cute and cuddly, but could also attack if needed." She mused, thinking of herself in kitten form. Yeah, that would definitely suit her! Small, but also ferocious.

As her ebony haired friend sat beside her, she leaned on him lightly, enjoying the view and the company. It was almost hard to believe that not long before this, the girl had been at one of her lowest points. Well, the lowest that she could remember, anyways. Her eyes had begun to close, trying to drag her into sleep. Theo's words had kept her exhaustion from stealing her away, though. Sitting up, she looked at him with a smirk. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she shoved him to the side teasingly. It was nice, and familiar to be messing around with him again. "You know that the birds weren't the only thing that-"

Grrrrrrrrrowwlllllllll

Was that... His stomach? Rin had been startled at the aggressive sound at first, but once she was able to identify it, she burst into a fit of giggles. "Th-That sounded like some sort of angry animal!" She managed to say through the laughter. In an attempt to calm herself down, she took a deep breath, running a dainty hand through her pink locks. "Whew... Sorry about that! It was just so unexpected!" Smiling at him thoughtfully, she continued. "Yeah. We should probably get home soon. You look exhausted. And your stomach seems like it's screaming for some food." She was quite tired herself. It had been a really long, emotional adventure. Home sounded like the perfect thing. "I would suggest that we try to just teleport back to the Crystalli, but I have no idea if I have enough magic energy for that right now. In which case, our next best option would be to head to the town that's nearby. We could get something to eat and rest for the night. The only problem with that is I wouldn't be able to walk very fast, so it might take us a while to get there. Normally I could just draw us some sort of mount, but I definitely don't have the magic energy for that..." It was incredibly frustrating that she could do little to help in her current state. "But, it's up to you. I can always try to teleport. Who knows? It might work out after all."

"Hey... Rin you can barely walk. What makes you think that you could expend enough of your energy to do that right now?" A sudden voice came from behind her. Lily, who had been listening to their conversation, approached, looking at her human companion with concern. The pink haired girl didn't take kindly to the intrusion, though. "You can't tell me what to do! I know my limits, so why don't you just back off?" She hissed, throwing an unpleasant glare towards the bunny-cat. Stepping back awkwardly, the fluffy creature obeyed. "I... I'm just trying to keep you safe..." She mumbled, red eyes staring sadly downwards. Ignoring final words, Rin looked back to her friend, smiling warmly. "So, what do you want to do?"

“H-Hey! Wait! I can walk!” Rin exclaimed as she was lifted off of the ground. Her protests seemed futile, though. Sighing in defeat, relaxed, realizing that the more she struggled, the harder it would be on Theo. Even if she knew that this was the better option, she didn’t want to admit it. If she had walked, it would have taken them much longer. Her friend looked exhausted, but at least they would get to the town sooner. Surprisingly soon, actually. It only seemed to be a 20 minute trek to the spooky looking village. Was it always this creepy looking? On the way to the castle where the Plague Doctor resided, she had hardly noticed. Maybe it was because it had been dark outside? Either way, it wasn’t exactly an ideal place to stay. But they didn’t have much of a choice, did they?

Strange looks came from every direction. It wasn’t every day you saw a random guy carrying a random girl into your normally quiet village. Not to mention that they both looked like they had narrowly escaped a fight with a giant grizzly bear. Yeah. That would definitely earn you a look like that. Trying her best to ignore them, Rin looked down at the ground, a small blush settling across her cheeks. To her, being carried like this made it even more embarrassing. It wouldn’t surprise her if people had mistaken her for a child!

Realizing that Theo had stopped for a moment, the young girl looked up, only to be greeted by a large wooden door and a ghostly creeeeaaaakkkk. Wow... Even the doors were creepy. Nice. The lobby like area in front of them was barren, containing nothing but a large desk, some chairs, and a few other oddities. It smelled almost like an old library, a mix of musty books and oatmeal. It was quite quaint, actually. Not as scary as she had expected it to be. That was until she heard a loud, booming voice. Eyes widening in surprise, she jumped a bit, not expecting anyone to be here, since the place was so empty moments before.

A young, red haired woman popped out from behind a corner, smiling excitedly. It probably wasn’t very often that they got visitors, considering the town was so tiny. As Theo talked to the new arrival, he gently lowered the pink haired girl to the ground, making sure that she was firm on her feet before releasing her completely. Just as she had turned to thank him, he collapsed, grabbing a hold of the desk to make sure that he didn’t fall all the way to the hard floors. “Theo!” Rin cried, bending down to crouch beside him. The woman had continued to speak though, explaining that they only had one vacant room available. It was a pity, true, but what else could you expect from such a small little place?

“Just make sure he has a room to stay in, okay? I’ll try to find somewhere else for the time being.” She said, wrapping her arms around her friend and pulling him upwards with her. “Here. Lean on me.” She continued, encouraging him to wrap an arm around her shoulder. He had carried her all the way here, so the least she could do was help him to the room. “Oh dear. I’m afraid you won’t find anywhere else to stay, honey. The rest of the villagers don’t take too kindly to strangers. That’s why our little inn is so... Well... Little!” The woman snorted, finding her joke quite funny. “But...” Interrupted by a waggling ginger and a few “ah ah ah!”s Rin went silent once more. “The next town over is MILES away! There’s no way you could make it there all by yourself, sugar! Nu uh! I won’t allow it! There’s enough space in that room for the both of ya’ll!” It was pointless to argue with this girl. Rin didn’t have the energy to in the first place. “Alright... Fine... Can you show us to it?” She asked, just wanting a place to rest for the time being. “Well of course! Let me just tell mamma real quick! MAMA! WE’VE GOT VISITORS!” Bursting into the room from whence she came, it was silent once more.

“She’s... Interesting isn’t she?” Rin stated, giggling awkwardly. She was trying to make some sort of small talk to fill the silence, but it only seemed to make it worse. Sharing a room? What were they going to do? Where were they going to sleep? What if they had to sleep... in the same bed... Oh gosh! She was going to explode from embarrassment just thinking about it! “Alright! Mama gave me the okay! Breakfast is gonna be ready soon as well, so you can join us, if you’d like!” Returning almost as quickly as she had left, the woman rushed passed them, heading towards a doorway that was just to their right. "Come on y'all! The room is up here!"

The door opened to reveal a dirty, rickety staircase. Each step that was taken would earn you a groan from the wood beneath. How old was this thing? Taking light, careful steps upwards, Rin tried her best not to put too much pressure on them, for fear that she would go crashing through. Once they had finally reached the top, the woman directed them down a very short hallway, pointing to the last door on their left. "This is it right here! It might be a tad bit cozy in there with the two of ya, but I'm sure you'll be just fine! I'll holler to ya when the food is ready, alright?" She chirped before skipping back down the stairs with ease. Well... It looks like this was it... Jiggling the handle on the door, Rin gently pushed it forwards, opening it slowly. The room really was quite small. There was nothing in it aside from a bed, a small table, and a lamp. Leading her weak friend to the bed, she helped him to sit, making sure he was comfortable before moving to the other side of the room. Sitting down on the floor, she dug through her bag. It wasn't like she was looking for anything, since the only thing that was inside was her tablet, but she needed something to make her look busy. "I... I um... I can sleep on the floor..." She mumbled, not looking up from her task. Geez... This was awkward... She didn't really know what else to say... There didn't seem to be any other blankets or pillows in the room, so it was going to be kind of hard to sleep down there. But what other choice did she have? It wasn't just like she could say, 'Hey! I'm going to sleep in the bed with you! Hope that's okay!' No... That would be much too forward of her.

"Oh hey! Lovebirds! Looks like breakfast is ready now! Mamma is the best cook in town! It would be a shame if you let it get cold!" It had been a while since she had last been here. The awkwardness of the situation made it feel like years, but... Wait... Lovebirds...?! Suddenly realizing what had been said, Rin's face erupted into a bright shade of red. They weren't...! That was...! "W-W-We should go eat now!" She blurted, rushing towards the door in a huff. Oh gosh... How was she supposed to look at him now?! Lovebirds... That wasn't what they were... They were just friends! JUST friends! Right?

He was almost like a tornado. Whirling quickly down the stairs and landing in a chair by the table. It was a miracle that he could do such a thing, considering he was basically comatose moments before. Rin had taken a seat just before he had, eyeing the food in front of her excitedly. How long had it been since she had eaten last? It seemed like years... Decades even. Reaching out tentatively for some pancakes, she grabbed two, slathering them in butter and syrup before shoveling a small bite into her mouth. It truly was delicious. Probably some of the best pancakes she had ever had. "Mmmm~" She cooed, eyes lighting up joyfully. The woman hadn't lied about her mother's food being the best! Dragged out of her food daydream by the sound of her name, the pink haired girl looked up, noticing that Theo had already eaten 10 times what she had in the span of a few minutes. Normally she would have smiled and laughed, but instead her cheeks grew red and her head looked downwards, too embarrassed to look at her friend at the moment. Surely he must not have heard what the woman said? Either that or he didn't care. Then why did she feel this embarrassed in the first place? Why was her heart beating so fast?

Listening to the quiet banter of the inn residents, she finished her pancakes, poking at them awkwardly from time to time. She had been struck dumb for words... It was uncommon... That's for sure. Getting up from her seat and tucking the chair in beneath the table, she bowed deeply. "Thank you very much for the meal, Miss...?" She said, waiting for the older woman to respond. "You can just call me June, dear. No need to be so formal!" Her voice was deep and full of wisdom. A kind sounding lady indeed. "June... Yes... Thank you!" Rin thanked once more, standing up straight to flash June a smile. "I'll be excusing myself now." She continued, turning away quickly to head towards the stairs.

Once back to the room, Rin sat down in the spot she had been before the duo had left for breakfast, grabbing her tablet from the bag she had previously been rummaging in. Unsure of what else to do, she began to doodle aimlessly, spacing out a bit as she did. "Hey... That's a pretty good picture of him!" A small voice came from her side, shocking her out of her daze. Him? What was that damn bunny-cat talking abou- oh... Getting a better look at her tablet, she noticed what had been scribbled on it. It was none other than the doofus himself... "Gah!" She cried, throwing the tablet across the room. What was going on with her?! "Well that wasn't very nice... What's going on with you, Rin? You've been acting strange." Lily asked, floating upwards to perch herself on her human companion's shoulder. Sighing, the young girl shook her head, still not completely sure if she was ready to talk to the fluffy creature. "I... I don't know..." She managed to mumble, pouting in frustration. Red eyes widening, Lily stared at her friend, shocked by the thoughts that had assailed her mind. "I have a question for you. Answer me honestly, okay? Do you like Theo?" What a dumb question! Of course she did! "Well, duh! He's my friend. Of course I like him. Pssh. What kind of a question is that?" She replied, scoffing dramatically. "No no no! I mean... Like... More than a friend. Like those people that we saw in the market that one time." Oh... OH! "Um! No! NO! He's just my friend! That's it! Just a friend! Yup! Haha! Friends! Pals! Yep... Just that! Heh..." Well... That was the dumbest thing she had probably ever said. Nice one, Rin. Her face was the brightest shade of red it had ever been, making Lily smirk deviously. "Mmmmhmmmm. Right." The ball of fluff snickered, trying to conceal the laughter as best she could.

"A-Alright alright! I don't know." Rin admitted, covering her face with her hands. Why did things have to be so complicated?! They were teammates! Wouldn't it be unprofessional to be... Uh... What was it even called? In a relationship? Gosh the thought of such a thing was absurd! "I just don't want anything to change! We've been friends for a while now! I want us to be friends... Well... Forever! That sounds cliche, doesn't it?" She giggled nervously, moving her hands upwards to run through her long, pink locks. Lily nodded, trying to absorb all that she had been told. "Maybe you need to sleep on it? It could just be this whole situation getting to your head." The bunny-cat reasoned, trying to give her friend some sort of comfort. "Yeah... Sleep... Maybe that would be good... The only problem is, I don't really know where to sleep. I should probably sleep down here, huh? He's done so much for me. The least I can do is let him have the bed." The question was directed to her companion, but it looked like she was already dozing off herself. Smiling, the young girl moved her bag towards the ball of fluff, trying to drape it over her as a blanket of sorts. Once that was done, she stood, moving across the room to retrieve her tablet.

Hearing a sudden ruckus coming from below, Rin lurched backwards, hitting her head on the wall behind her as she did. "Ow!" She whined, rubbing the back of her head in an attempt to soothe the pain. Why did she have to be so jumpy all the time? Hearing the door suddenly crash open, she began to panic again, this time for a different reason. The drawing! It had to go! Nobody could see it! Frantically tapping the erase button, she grumbled. Why wasn't it working?! Oh... Right... The pen! Once the pen had been fabricated, she tried again, coming out victorious this time around. Stupid tablet and it's snobbish ways. It couldn't outsmart this girl! Uh uh! Not this time!

During her battle with her own magical item, Rin hadn't noticed the conversation Theo had been having with the woman from before. When he had mentioned something about a shower, she was quite confused, so she decided that the best option was to just nod in agreement. A shower did sound quite nice, but what was the point if she was just going to have to change back into the clothes she was wearing? Maybe they were given new ones? Standing up from her spot on the ground, she scanned the area, in search for the aforementioned cloth. "Oh!" She exclaimed, spotting a plaid shirt and some jean shorts. They were quite cute, actually, though they looked like they were going to be a bit big. I guess she would have to just deal with it until they made it back to the Crystalli. Sitting on the bed to wait for her friend's return, she began to doze off, the exhaustion from the day hitting her like a ton of bricks.

Hearing the bathroom door click open, the pink haired girl's eyes opened slowly, inspecting the noise. It looked like Theo had finished showering. God, he looked attractive with his hair like that. Cheeks turning a light shade of pink, Rin grabbed the towel and clothes that had been laid out beside her and stood. "Th-Thanks! I'll try not to take too long!" She stuttered, smiling thankfully. Brushing against him gently as she passed, she entered the small room, closing the door behind her. It was really nice to have a moment alone. Time to collect her thoughts before facing reality once more. As she turned the handle, water came flowing downwards, engulfing her dainty hand in a cold embrace. It was going to take a bit for it to warm up. While waiting, she unraveled the makeshift bandage that was around her abdomen. The gash that was beneath it seemed to be looking quite a bit better, though it was pretty ugly. Sighing, she tossed the bandage onto the ground and hopped into the shower. The warm water gliding against her skin felt amazing. Whoever invented the shower was a genius. She lingered for a while, just enjoying the warmth.

Once the water had started to get a bit chilly, she quickly finished up, retreating into the warmth of her towel as soon as she could. It was really soft! Smiling, she wrapped it around herself, trying to keep warm while she moved about. Grabbing her destroyed shirt from before, she tore off a clean strip from the top, deciding to use it as a hair tie. If it couldn't be worn again, might as well repurpose it! Twirling her long, pink locks into a bun on the top of her head, she tied it together with the cloth, tugging at it slightly to make sure that it was tight.

Once she was dressed, Rin stepped out of the door, smiling joyfully. The shirt was WAY too large for her, reaching down to her lower thigh. The sleeves were too large as well, so she decided to roll them up. As for the shorts, they hung very loosely from her hips, though they were pretty much invisible because of the dress-like shirt. "Sorry if I kept you waiting! You didn't have to wait for me!" She cooed, bowing gratefully to her friend. He had been so kind to her throughout this entire experience. After tossing her destroyed clothes over towards her spot on the floor, she sat next to him on the bed. "I decided to put my hair up because it was a mess! I hope it doesn't look too strange!" Giggling jokingly, she poked her bun, making it shift slightly to the side. Feeling extra sleepy after the calming shower, the young girl yawned loudly, flopping backwards onto the bed as she did. "I'm so sleeeeeppyyy~" She groaned, staring at the ceiling awkwardly. She didn't really know what else to say... Theo had insisted that she didn't sleep on the floor, but sleeping in the bed together seemed... Well... Intimate. But maybe she was just overreacting?

His touch was gentle and kind as he tended to her wound. It stung each time he would make contact with her skin, but it also seemed to send shivers up and down her spine. Why did such a simple thing make the girl so nervous? All he was doing was patching up the gash. It wasn’t anything special. Once the wound had been bandages and covered with her shirt once more, she smiled, thankful for his care. “Thank you. You’ve been so kind to me during all of this. I really appreciate it.” It was a genuine statement. He had saved her life several times throughout this crappy day. Even if he didn’t have a fancy title in the eyes of the world, he was her hero.

Giggling lightly as he flopped down next to her, Rin began to change her mind on the whole situation. He looked so exhausted, there was no way that she could make him sleep on the floor. And if he really thought it was okay for her to sleep in the bed as well, then it must be fine! “N-no! You can’t sleep on the floor! It’s okay!” She stuttered, a small patch of pink forming across the bridge of her nose. They had a sleepover with Lester before, right? This wasn’t any different from that! Sliding under the covers just as he had, she turned the opposite way, trying to hide her embarrassment. Reaching an arm out to turn off the lamp that stood next to the bedside table, she sighed, beginning to feel more relaxed now that it was dark. “G-goodnight. Or , uhm... Good nap? Heh heh...” Stupid. Closing her eyes, she tried her best to fall asleep.

It had taken some time, since her heart was beating so fast, but eventually sleep overtook her. It had been a peaceful couple hours. No sounds could be heard aside from soft breathing and Lily’s occasional snoring. It was a good rest. That was, until Rin spun around, throwing her arm around Theo in a tight embrace. “Theo...” she mumbled, clearly still asleep. It looked like she was having a dream! A smile spread across her face as she nuzzled against him. “I... I think I love you...” Awww... What a sweet, innocent bean. So pure. “H-Hey~ Wait! What are you doiiiinnggg?” Oh... Uh... Well... That took a turn... Umm...

A-Anyways! Lily woke up and was like “yo wtf...” Hah... Hah... Okay fine, she didn’t. But I’m just shook, okay?! I wasn’t ready for that! I’m just supposed to be narrating here, that’s all! Rin is a good, pure bean! She was just spilling the sweet tea about her feelings and then that just came out of nowhere! How am I supposed to react to that?! You know what. Theo was probably just doing something weird in the dream! He probably had just tripped or did something dumb like Theo does sometimes! Yeah! That’s it! Get your mind out of the gutter! Haha... Yep! Silly Theo!

Alright! Let’s get back to this! I can’t believe I made such a big deal about something so stupid! Anyways, Lily woke up after hearing Rin speaking, and looked up, seeing the situation she was in. Eyes widening in surprise, the bunny-cat tossed the bag that was covering her to the side and floated upwards. What had she missed while she was asleep?! “Rin... Psst...” She whispered, trying to get the pink haired girl’s attention. “Just 10 more minutes, Lily...” Rin mumbled back, still talking in her sleep. Bringing a fluffy white paw up to her forehead, she facepalmed, shaking her head in disappointment. “Dammit Rin...” The feline creature would have jumped on her to wake her up, but wasn’t sure if Theo was asleep. It would be rude to wake him up if he was. Maybe it would be a good idea to check. “Theo? Are you awake? I’m so sorry.” The bunny-cat whispered, waiting to see if she would get a response from the black haired male.

After Theo's lack of response, Lily gave up on trying, and decided to let them be for the time being. The bunny-cat was quite worried about her human companion's blossoming feelings for the treasure hunting goof. Knowing every detail of Rin's past was a blessing and a curse. She knew that the girl was definitely capable of love, but her concerns were mostly about the things that she learned in that camp. They were irreversible. Even if the young girl retained her current bubbly, kind personality, she could never fully block out the things she had been conditioned to do, or the things she had seen. Sighing, she curled up on top of the bag that had been covering her not long ago. Perhaps it would be best to just block it out for now.

10 minutes had turned in to 30... Then 45... And then a full hour. That's always what seems to happen, isn't it? Eyes fluttering open slowly, Rin grumbled, ambushed by the groggy "just woken up" feeling. Shifting slightly, she attempted to stretch, but quickly realized that something was holding her back. Eyes widening, she looked up, shocked by the proximity of her friend. His arms were around her, pulling her in closely. "Uh..." She whispered, a bright pink blossoming across her pale cheeks. It was strange. Normally she would have jolted away from him. But for some reason her body screamed for her to do the opposite. Heart practically beating out of her chest, she moved closer, wrapping her arms tightly around him in return.

This position seemed really familiar. A loving embrace, enjoying each other's warmth, not even noticing or caring about the silence in the room. It was a really nice feeling, one that she didn't want to end. Eyes closing in contentment, she smiled, trying to enjoy it for as long as she could. Though, they should probably get moving again, before it got too dark. It would be nice to finally get home. Wait... But... If they made it home, would all of this go away? Would everything just go back to normal? For some reason, the thought of that happening made her a bit sad. It had been a dangerous and emotional adventure, sure. But something else came out of it. Something that she still didn't completely understand. It rested deep within her chest; a warm feeling that was present whenever Theo was around. Maybe it was the thing that Lily had asked her about. Did she really like him more than just as a friend? It was entirely possible... But what did that even mean? Friendships were still completely new to her, and now this came up? Perhaps she would need to do research on it or something.

But now wasn't the time for that! They needed to get out of this little inn! Yawning quietly, she struggled to open her sleepy eyes. Even after the nice nap, she was still a bit tired. Oh well, she could rest more later! Moving her hand to poke the sleeping beast, she smirked, waiting for his icy blue eyes to show themselves. "Hey! Theo. Wake up, sleepyhead." She whispered, giggling lightly. "If you don't wake up, I'm gonna have to wake you up like Sleeping Beauty for real this time!" It was a joke, but something inside her screamed for her to do it anyways. Or maybe that was just me. Oh well.

Static. Sparks. Electricity. It jolted through her body as if she had been struck by lightning, sending shivers up and down her spine. There it was again... That feeling as his lips touched hers. It made her heart race and her head spin. Was this... A kiss? The thought excited her, but also made her a bit nervous. Was it really okay for them to be doing something like this? Even if it wasn’t, she was enjoying it. Pulling herself away for a moment to look into his glacier-like hues, her hands moved upwards. Lacing her dainty fingers into his hair, she smiled warmly. She didn’t want it to end. Not yet. Cheeks turning a warm shade of pink, she leaned in once more, pressing her peach colored lips against his. It was addictive. Like some sort of drug.

Was this what love was like? The girl had always dreamed of it. Seeing people in love was so fascinating. Like nothing she had seen before. If this truly was what she thought it was, it was better than she could have ever imagined. In this moment, all she wanted was Theo. Nothing else seemed to matter. It was intimidating, but also incredibly special. She truly hoped that he felt the same way about her. How embarrassing would it be if she gushed about how she felt, and he had no idea what she was talking about? Perhaps she should stop? No... It was too late for that now. There was no way to ignore this. But how could she explain it to him? This was all completely new to the young, memoryless girl. What if she said something wrong. Or stupid? Well... There was only one way to tell.

Moving back once more, she placed her forehead delicately against his, eyes closing in contentment. It was now or never. “Can we stay like this forever?” A breathy giggle left her lips as she spoke. It had been a joke, but honestly, it wasn’t at the same time. There was silence for a moment before she spoke again. “Theo... I... I really like you...” She confessed, cheeks becoming a darker shade of red. “No... It’s more than that... I just don’t know how to explain it.” Taking her lip between her teeth, she chewed on it gently, trying to think of what to say next. “I don’t really know much about this. Any of this. The feelings... What we just did. I don’t understand it. All I know is that it’s one of the best things I’ve ever felt before, and I don’t want it to just go away.” Eyes opening to stare into his, a hand moved down from his hair to his cheek, caressing it gently. “I was hoping that maybe you could teach me?” It embarrassed her a bit to ask, but it was necessary nonetheless. It would be worse if she hadn’t. “Um... Th-That is, if you feel that way as well... I-It’s okay if you don’t!” Chuckling awkwardly, she moved backwards slightly, not wanting to make things more difficult if he didn’t share her feelings. All she could do now was wait for his response.

He felt the same way?! Upon this realization, the girl lit up like a fresh candle, excited and overjoyed by her companion’s gentle words. She hadn’t experienced pure happiness like this as far as she can remember. Though, at the same time, she was quite nervous. Her knowledge when it came to this sort of thing was quite limited. There were a few couples she had observed in passing, but that was pretty much all she knew about it. Perhaps she could try to mimic the love-ish feeling that she had for her bunny-cat pet? No... It was a lot different! Much more unique. More special. Maybe rare even? Ugh! Why did this have to be so complicated?!

The feeling of lips against her palm jarred her from the pool of thought she had been drowning in. It was such a kind, gentle gesture. Wanting to return the favor, she leaned forward, placing a delicate kiss on his cheek. Why was he so kind to her? Nobody had ever treated her this way. It was strange and new, but she wanted to cherish every second of it. It was almost hard to think that they would have to go back to their normal lives soon. But maybe they would be able to do things like this from now on? She was about to ask, when he began to speak again. Listening intently, she nodded with interest, trying to take in everything he was telling her. All of this sounded a lot more complicated than she had expected. “O-Okay! I’ll try my best!” She cheered, smiling confidently.

His next words surprised her a bit, though. H-hot? A-And the neko maid costume?! She thought he had forgotten about that! A bright pink blush blossomed across the bridge of her nose the more she thought about it. Normally, in this moment, she would just cower with embarrassment, but it was such a perfect moment to tease him! She couldn’t pass it up! “Yes, Mr. Silversong! I would wear the neko costume again. But only if you give me extra tutoring.” The pink haired girl snickered, winking and sticking her tongue out playfully. Maybe that came off a bit lewd sounding? Oops... Oh well! It was always fun to tease him, since his reactions were so dramatic! Though, truthfully, the idea of wearing the costume was still quite embarrassing, even though she didn’t show it. The outfit was a bit... revealing, to say the least. Why would he want to see her in an outfit like that?

His reaction was a little bit different than she had initially expected. He seemed more flustered and nervous. But why? Had she said something wrong? “S-Sorry! I-I didn’t mean to say anything bad! It was just a bad joke!” She stuttered, trying to explain herself. Gosh, why did she always manage to make things more awkward than they already were?! She really liked Theo, but she was just making a fool of herself in front of him! A bit sad about the loss of contact between the two of them, the girl’s face began to scrunch up into a subconscious pout. She desperately wanted to be close to him again, but was too shy to protest. Oh well. Guess that’s what you get for being awkward, huh?

He almost seemed to become more distant as time went on, staring blankly at the ceiling above them. It was pretty rare to see him so somber and thoughtful, but perhaps now that they had become closer, she would be seeing it more often. It was actually nice to see different sides of her normally cheerful friend. It made her feel like she was getting somewhere with him. His mysterious past intrigued her, but not to the point where she felt she had to be concerned about it. If he wanted to tell her more, he would do it himself. Perhaps something from his past had caused him to have these random changes in mood? It seemed quite likely, especially after the giant change in mood and character she had had when she found out about her own. It hurt her to think that he was hurting from some unknown event in his past. Maybe there was some way that she could help? Well... Maybe not... If he never wanted to share it with her, then there wouldn’t be much she could do, huh?

Letting out a small sigh, she decided to join him in his staring contest with the old, white ceiling. It was good to get a moment to think after all of this. It had been a spur of the moment thing. They were both slightly drunk on exhaustion, making it much easier to fall into the grasp of impulse. Her feelings for him were real, no doubt about that, but were they really allowed to do something like this? They were teammates... Not only that, they weren’t the only ones on the team. How would Lester feel about all of this? Would it make things weird for him? What if he decided to leave because of it? A wince cracked across her face as she thought of it. Lester was a dear friend of hers, just as Theo was. Though, it seemed like the feelings she had for the lighter haired male of the group were strictly platonic. Even so, it would be heartbreaking if the squad were to split apart over something like this. Perhaps she was just thinking too much into it?

It looked like Theo had been thinking something similar, though. His words were genuine, tinged with that seemed to be nervousness. The last thing he said confused her, but she decided to address that after answering his almost rhetorical question. “I-I think it would work... Maybe... U-Um... Well... My feelings for you are genuine, and I don’t really think I could just ignore them at this point. S-So you might be stuck with me... H-Heheh...” She mumbled, a bit unsure of herself. “Though, I would understand if you didn’t want to be with someone like me. I-I mean... I’m pretty plain... And you’re, well... You’re handsome, and kind, and funny. You could be with any girl you wanted.” Chuckling nervously, she looked in the opposite direction, not really wanting to make eye contact with him while she spoke. It was too embarrassing... It really was true, though. His smile made her heart beat faster, his piercing blue eyes mesmerized her, and his kind words made her feel like she could do anything. How was it that someone like that would want to be with a boring, memoryless girl like herself? She wasn’t complaining, in fact, she thanked whatever higher being there was for giving her someone this special, but it was just a bit confusing.

Remembering the thing he had said before, a small gasp left her lips. Turning back around to look at him, she began to speak with enthusiasm and interest. “Oh! W-what was that “date” thing you were talking about? I’ve never heard about it before!”

He was laughing? But why? Had she said something that was funny? As far as she could tell, what she had said was just a true statement! Theo was genuinely handsome, and really sweet! So why would it be strange to think that he could be with any girl that he chose? Though, at this point, it kind of irked her to think of some random girl being with him. She couldn't really justify saying that he was "hers," considering they hadn't made anything official yet, but others girls better stay away! Unless they wanted to be roasted like that bear in the mountains. Cringing a bit at the thought of the poor animal, Rin decided it was best to think of something else.

It was perfect timing when Theo began to speak about dates. Eyes wide with interest, the young girl listened intently, not wanting to miss out on a second of his explanation. When you don't know much about the world, you take every opportunity possible to learn more! This was definitely one of those times. Dates seemed like they were really fun! Going out and learning more about the person you had feelings for. That sounded like the perfect thing for the two of them! But, what would they even do? What would she say? She wanted to know everything there was to know about her mysterious companion, but was worried that she might offend him. And then there was the fact that she didn't have much else to tell... Theo already knew almost everything about her. Well... Everything she could remember anyways. The only things he didn't know about were the events that happened between her forgotten past and the meeting of the squad. Although, there wasn't really much to tell about that either. She had mostly just wandered around Fiore aimlessly, no place to live, no company aside from her trusty bunny-cat companion. There had been some good times, but for the most part it had been a pretty grim time. Sighing deeply, her eyes moved downwards, glaring at her fingers as she twiddled them aimlessly.

"Th-That sounds like it would be really fun! But... Um... If it's about getting to know each other better... You uh... Already know pretty much everything about me. Heheh..." She mumbled, a small blush appearing against her cheeks. "I want to know more about you, Theo... I want to know every part of you. Good and bad... But at the same time, I don't want to hurt you. It would crush me if I ever said or did something to make you sad or uncomfortable." It was tough to squeeze those words out, but it was something that needed to be addressed at some point. The curiosity about who her companion was chewed at her. All she really knew about him was his name, and some other really vague things. There was an attempt at one time to learn about his childhood, but he seemed to have dodged it completely. Maybe he just didn't remember, like she didn't? That could be the case. "B-But... For now... I guess we could just learn more about smaller things... Like... U-Um... What your favorite animal is... O-Or your favorite treat? Cake is my favorite! But especially red velvet cake! That's the best! The redness of the cake looks so pretty with the white frosting! And the tanginess of the cream cheese... Mmmm..." She ranted, eyes sparkling as she daydreamed about the dessert.

It had been a nice moment. Talking about the things they liked. A smile had cracked across the girl's face as the young man next to her spoke. It was always good to have sweet, laid-back conversations like this. But they couldn't last forever. The smile faded slowly, eyebrows furrowing worriedly as the subject changed. Yes... It made sense that relationships wouldn't always be happy and perfect all the time. Nothing in this world was. There was no such thing as perfection, as far as she could tell. Why would this be any different? It was strange, though, because when she was with Theo, everything seemed to be better. How was it that this couldn't be perfection?

When her companion's breathing had begun to become more erratic, Rin's eyes widened, staring nervously into the icy hues that looked back at her. He seemed to scared about all of this... It broke her heart to have to see him like this. "H-Hey! Calm down!" She said, wrapping her arms around him almost protectively. Why had she even brought this up in the first place? Dammit.... She hadn't meant to upset him. "I-It's okay... You don't have to tell me anything right now... I understand that it hurts you, and I wish that you didn't have to hurt... Ever... I-I... I just wish I could make it go away." Dragging him closer, the young girl's dainty arms engulfed the older male into a loving embrace once more. Her words were panicked and not the most eloquent, but she truly tried her best to convey her feelings to him. Why did the world have to be so cruel? The both of them had tried to live their best lives, and it seemed that their pasts had gotten in the way of it. But... It was still possible to do that, wasn't it? To live and be happy, even if the universe was against them?

Of course...

Moving backwards, she stared into the mesmerizing eyes that had pulled her in before. Like a moth to a flame, her face leaned forward, bringing her lips to his once more. He was right. These were the types of moments that needed to be cherished. There was always plenty of time to dwell on the past, and the things that hurt, but there was less time for the sweet moments, the things that made your heart skip a beat. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she leaned deeper into the kiss. Even if their relationship was going to have rough patches, and it would, it would always be worth it because of times like this. Simple, yet thrilling. Short, yet everlasting.

Pulling away just a tad, her smile grew wider, eyes glowing brightly with excitement and desire. "You're right. We should enjoy this moment. And all the moments from here on out." She whispered, lips brushing lightly against his as she spoke. "We can't live our lives in fear of what others are going to think. We just have to focus on the here and now. And here and now... I... I love you... Yeah... I love you." A small giggle left her as she muttered the last few words. It was quite embarrassing to say something so... Well... Strong? The word "love" seemed to have such a powerful meaning. Perhaps it wasn't the right word to use in this moment? No... It was... It definitely was. Nothing else seemed to portray how she felt. "I-I'm sorry... I kind of just blurted that out of nowhere... Heheheh..." Chuckling nervously, she distanced herself a little bit more, starting to worry about how he would react to her words. Gosh... Maybe she had come on a bit too strong? They both had feelings for each other, sure. But maybe saying the big "L" word was a bit much? Oh dear... Face turning a bright shade of red, she looked away, trying to hide the embarrassment as best as she could.

It was almost as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. He loved her too? As he spoke those 4 simple words, her heart almost seemed to melt in her chest. How had she gotten so lucky? It was almost a miracle. Soft lips caressed her own once more, sending a shiver up her spine. Was this heaven? Had she actually died back at that castle? No, don’t be silly! Of course not! Surely if it was heaven, they wouldn’t be in a shady inn like this! Oh yeah... Speaking of shady inn... It probably would be best to get out of there! It sure would be nice for them to be in her own comfy bed on the Crystalli instead! Wait... What was she thinking?! They had their own rooms! Geez! Theo wouldn’t be in her bed at home! What an absurd thought that was! As the warm lips that had kissed her retreated, Rin was forced out of the pit of desire she had cast herself into. What were these thoughts swirling around in her mind?! And why were they making her feel so...

Oh...

Wait...

Kissing? She was good at it? Well that was a little bit strange... Eyes widening a tad, a blush returned to the young girl’s pale face. Why was it that she couldn’t explain to him? “W-Well... I guess you could say it comes naturally? I dunno... I didn’t know there was a trick to it!” She admitted nervously. Perhaps she had done it before in the past? But surely she would have remembered something THIS special, right? No... Maybe not... She couldn’t even remember her father, or where she came from... There was no way she would remember something like this! “I wonder what else I would be a natural at! Heheh... Um... Well... Are there any other things that couples do that I might be good a-“

“AAAAUUUGGGHHHH!” An obnoxiously loud yawn came from behind, causing Rin to jump slightly. Was that Lily?! “Gooooooooood morning you two! Or should I say good evening?! Haha! Hahahaha!” The creature chuckled frantically, red eyes moving from one person to the other. Man... That was close... “Uh... Yeah. I guess it is.” Rin responded, a bit suspicious about her pet’s sudden appearance. “Shouldn’t we get going, you guys? It’s getting later and later! You don’t want to be out in the dark, now do you?” It was a valid point, really. Being back in the dark again really wasn’t an enjoyable thought. Perhaps they really should leave and head back home? Sighing, Rin clung to Theo, not wanting to have to leave the comfort and warmth of his embrace. “I guess we should get moving... B-But... Does that mean that things are going to go back to normal? I... I don’t want that to happen...” She mumbled, eyes filled with worry. “I don’t want things to be the same as they were before... I wish we could just stay like this...” The harsh claws of reality seemed to loom closer and closer, waiting for their moment to pounce on the new couple. Perhaps she was just being childish about all of this? Well... Even if she was, she didn’t seem to care. All that mattered to her were her feelings for the jello mage. If those were to disappear, she would be left with nothing.

He was flustered again! Instead of being nervous this time, Rin let out a small giggle, amused by how red he had gotten. She was used to always having Lily around, so when the fluffy creature made her appearance, it wasn’t much of a surprise. It seemed like that wasn’t the case for Theo, though! He didn’t have a pet that he had to share his life with, so it was probably quite strange when the feline creature barged into their personal conversation. To be honest, though, it did bother her a little bit this time. She had been in the middle of an important question! Oh well... Perhaps she could ask at a later date. For now, she needed to calm her nervous partner down! Leaning in towards his ear, she whispered to him. “Don’t worry. Next time we’re together like this, I’ll make sure that we’re alone!”

Rin...

Poor, naive, innnocent Rin... Why is it that she always seemed to make things more awkward whenever she spoke? She was just trying to make him feel less nervous about the whole situation, but look at the implications behind those words! If we didn’t know any better, we would probably assume that she was a dirty little pervert! Gosh... It must be the hormones, right? Or something like that. Either way, this girl really needs to get a grip! Someone get her memories back already, PLEASE!

Releasing Theo reluctantly from her grasp, the oblivious young girl sat up, stretching her arms for a bit before looking over to her significant other with a smile. “You’re right, though. We should get back home!” She said, moving her legs sideways in preparation to hop out of the bed. Her wound ached in protest, causing a small groan to rumble in her throat. Even after resting, the gash in her stomach still hurt pretty badly... That was to be expected, though. It wasn't like it was just a little scratch. Whimpering quietly with effort, the girl managed to make it to her feet, still a bit shaky, but well enough to make it home on her own. There was no way she would allow Theo to carry her again! It was time to be strong! "O-Okay! Um... I'm not quite sure how this whole teleportation thing works... Lily, do you have any ideas?" The bunny-cat's eyes widened for a moment, a bit surprised by the fact she had been addressed. She had expected Rin to be angry at her still... Honestly, she couldn't blame her if she was. But even now she came to the creature for advice... Smiling slightly, Lily nodded, floating up to land on her human companion's shoulder. "Well... I believe you just have to channel your magic energy through your guild mark... I'm not exactly sure how to do that, since I don't have magic, but you should be able to figure it out, right?"

Her guild mark? Oh yes! That's right! She had received the tattoo when she had joined Crystal Swan! What a great memory that was. Rolling up the sleeve that draped over her left arm, she revealed the swan-like mark, smiling at the glowing pink hues it shone back at her. It was nice to have something like this to remind her that she always had somewhere that she belonged... A home... "I... I think I can do that!" She cheered, feeling much more confident about all of this already. Sure, things might be different once they had entered back into the real world, but at the same time, there would be much more to explore and learn! This wasn't the end of their relationship. It was just the beginning! Reaching her hand out towards him, she beamed joyfully. "Come on! Let's go home! Together!"