The Floating Isles of Everleigh (DigitalSiren x Staine)

While they spoke, Khaine was deep in thought, thinking about the path that lay ahead of them both. Even going for his item first it wasn't going to be an easy one, the game was made to be difficult and to take a while to level, there were many dungeons they would need to do for gear and funds to run their quest on, many areas they would need to explore and lands they would need to cross, mostly on foot. There was a lot to consider, the towns they would visit and stay in, NPC allies they would likely have to make and skills they would need to learn, not just for the classes they were playing but universal skills too. Tracking, cartography, alchemy and herbalism. That reminded him, in order to more easily make money they would need to get professions too, and they were limited in their choices. Each player could only have 2 artisanal professions, and with a wide variety of them they would need to choose the right ones to not only make money on the open market but to service their own gear and needs. Judging from the food they were eating, chef wouldn't be one of the ones they really needed...but would be very appealing anyway, so it might just be worth one of them looking into it. Echo would need to be proficient with cloth materials to make her own gear, and he would need to become a blacksmith in order to craft his own armour and weapons for the both of them. That left them one profession each. Jeweller stood out as one that would get them a lot of work, as did alchemist...so with that in mind, who would become the chef? Things like this were at the forefront of his mind, as well as the route they would take, which dungeons they would likely face and which areas they should visit along the way in order to find the best places to farm materials and funds.

Looking up from his food as she spoke, he smiled warmly at her. At the very least his journey would be a pleasant one with Echo alongside him. Either it was how she reminded him of Makayla or maybe her own playful, even slightly flirty way of speaking to him but his fondness for her was only growing and seeing her vulnerable like she had been the previous night only endeared her to him more. He'd felt protective in a way only his little sister had really had the chance to enjoy in the past, and he had enjoyed holding her in bed. Thinking to how he had woken up though...it was a miracle she hadn't noticed his hardness pressed up against her or his hand on her breast, if they continued to sleep like that it was only a matter of time and while Khaine himself didn't mind, he had to believe that she wasn't quite into him in that way. Not just that, because that was something that could very easily change...but she trusted him. For all his silly comments and flirtations she had decided he was worth putting that trust in and he didn't want to betray that, he refused to do it willingly...but controlling his body while he slept was another matter entirely. "I'm glad you enjoyed it...but..." There was really only one way to deal with it, and that was to come clean, wasn't it? If he told her what had happened it could only go two ways, either she would be angry and that would be that, or more likely, she would surely respect his honesty. "I have a confession to make. Umm...a little later." Looking back down to his food, he had chickened out at the last moment. "Yeah, probably, but I imagine they have like a baseline taste? That's how I'd do it, but who knows? It is amazing how they put this all together though." Nodding along with her assessment of everything that had happened, he found he couldn't agree more. "Yeah, Drealm couldn't really anticipate this, I mean how are you meant to predict a hacking event on this level? It's unprecedented, but they will get hell for it anyway. I hope it doesn't ruin them...oh, you're welcome. I didn't want you to wake up and not know where I was."

Grinning as he finished his meal, he was laughing as she left to go shower. "Yeah, that is too bad...I'll just have to turn around and stare at your breasts instead." While she showered, he gathered his things together, made sure he was stocked up on all the potions and he had levelled all his latest skills since yesterday so he would be ready once she returned, and when she did he was waiting by the door. "So...how much is it going to cost me then?" He paused, knowing damn well he hadn't actually given her a hint as to what he was talking about. "To be your sugar daddy I mean. I'm gonna need a figure here." Leading her out of the room and down to the main lobby, he spoke to the concierge and confirmed the room would be held in their name, Echo's in particular, though they would have to pay for every single night even if they didn't plan to use it. Rolling his eyes, he opened trade and transferred 20,000 of his remaining Crescents to her. "Just pay some in advance, it will be better than worrying about it. See...I knew you were gonna cost me from the moment we met, just like any good sugar baby except without the nudes." Smirking, he led her out of the Onsen and towards the NPC where they would have to turn in their quests from the previous day. The streets themselves seemed a lot less chaotic as people had either left to get their items as quickly as possible, were out in the field levelling or were in bed, only a few players were out at this early hour in the streets and as they approached the NPC, he looked down at her sheepishly. "So...I know you threatened to take back the good friend request and I don't really want you to...but...when I woke up this morning..." He sighed...this was harder to get out than he thought it would be, and in the end he just decided to deal with it, rip the band-aid off. "My hand was on your breast...and...well. I was excited, from our position I think." He didn't even look at her as he turned in his quest and the experience rushed into him, levelling him up again in the process. "I really didn't do it on purpose I swear, I wasn't trying to grope you or anything and you were still asleep, I just...I don't wanna start off without telling you that it happened...and that I'm sorry." After all the blushing she had done, it was his turn, just slightly. He wasn't ashamed of touching her, or even of enjoying it, it was more the admission, like he was some naughty schoolboy admitting he had cheated on his test. "This way...if we are going to the mirrored desert we should head to Calibaster first, it's to the south at the foot of the mountains. Small village, very ninja themed, though we should maybe pick up our professions first. Any idea what you're going for? I was thinking blacksmith and jeweller myself." He was already leading her towards the artisan hub, one of which would be found in every major city. "That, and I should probably take up mining to get the ore and raw materials I'm gonna need."
 
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Looking up from her food, Echo tilted her head to one side. "Hmm?" Her brows lifted. Confession... Oh... She knew what he wanted to tell her, but she couldn't just tell him she knew. I could have been something else and if she could spare him the embarrassment she would. "Oh, Okay" Her smile came easily and she went back to eating. "I would assume so, but I have no idea really" Likely they had hybrid some of the flavors, others would be more exotic fruit most had never tried. At least, that was her guess. Echo agreed with him, though she couldn't help but wonder what the fall out would be... Just as she wondered if the hackers would somehow open the players to a world they had never dreamed of. There was some appeal to the idea that was being forced on them. To live in a word beyond imagining for an untold amount of time. It reminded her of an old anime, where three young girls found themselves in another word. This was honestly no different. Perhaps if people, herself included, looked at this as an adventure rather than a curse, they could find some happiness in their kidnapping.

Shaking her head as he called out after her Echo smiled. "If you stand in an AOE because you're being a perv, I will let you die" Was her playful answer before vanishing into the bathroom. Showered and with him once more, Echo was busy adjusting straps on her outfit when he questioned her. Looking up, still half bent over she blinked at him. "What? How much will what cost you?" Her cheeks flushed and she grabbed her swords following him from the room. "Khaine!" His name exclaimed loudly "You are not my sugar Daddy! I thought I made that clear last night" In the lobby she was still fuming when he opened trade. Sighing loudly she accepted and flipped him off. "You will never see me naked!" A few player heads turned their way and she blushed. Though she was annoyed, she couldn't help but laugh shaking her head at him. "Yeah yeah, I know." A smile curled on her lips. "Thanks"

Following him to the NPC she looked up at him with a frown. "You know I was kidding, right?" He'd done nothing to make her actually consider it.. His admission though made her flush bright pink. "Oh..Um... That... Yeah... I... I know." She looked away, shy suddenly. "I woke up before you." Shaking her head Echo looked up at Khaine with a frown. "I didn't think you had done it on purpose." She touched his arm, drawing his attention to her. "It's really okay Khaine. I didn't think you'd take advantage of me" She bit her lower lip and wondered if telling him she hadn't minded... that she had actually liked it... "I didn't want you to feel bad, so I pretended to be asleep. I had just woken up a moment or two before you had." She shifted in place, uneasy. "Thank you for telling me though" Her eyes met his and she blushed looking away. "Oh.. um" Turning her quest in, she leveled as well. "I was thinking cooking. The food doesn't seem like a lot now, but we need to eat now. If we don't it will affect us. It feels like it will just be useful to have. We wouldn't need to come back to a town for food if we could make it while in the field."

Stepping away from the NPC she followed behind him. "I thought maybe Alchemy too. I read that it provided more than just healing and mara pots. Besides, foraging is used in both. I can sell both food and pots to other people. If I pick up something like husbandry or fishing too I should be able to get most of the materials without having to buy anything for both professions." Echo wasn't sure, so she looked to him for confirmation. The Bazaar he'd lead her to was rife with both NPCs and players, though not as many as the night before. Her hand slipped into his, not wanting to get lost. She was pretty sure her artisanal professions would be good ones as would her gathering ones. Though she didn't know which of the latter two would be best. She was leaning towards fishing, but only because husbandry would require a plot of land for them to own animals or grow crops. "What else should I get with foraging?" Her eyes lifted to his. "I had an idea earlier. I know we are both worried about being trapped here.. But we could look at it as an adventure? We can't get out, so we might as well make the best of it, right?" She smiled at him, shy, unsure if he'd like her suggestion. "I mean, sure it's playing into the bad guys hands... but! It might make this all less miserable."
 
It hadn't taken him long to finish the meal she had gotten for him, Khaine smiling happily as they had gone to speak to the concierge. It was weird, knowing that the food wasn't real and yet still feeling full and satisfied, and he wondered how his real body was doing. Were they already feeding them all through tubes? He could picture himself, laying in a hospital bed with the tubes coming from him, keeping him alive, Echo too, though in her case it was her in-game body he pictured, having no idea what she actually looked like. He shook his head; it didn't do him any good to imagine such things, their focus should be entirely on the in-game things they did but it was going to be a fear for the next few days. What if she just vanished? Dead? What if he did? Would she be okay on her own? He hoped so, she was a capable, smart girl but that didn't ease his thoughts completely. Laughing, he nudged her with his whole body, playfully. "You'd let me die because I am admiring your beauty? So cold, Echo, and to think I was just giving you a compliment. Not many girls could distract me so easily you know." Smirking as he had transferred over the money, he laughed loudly and looked around at about a dozen faces which all turned towards Echo as she had yelled a little loudly, her voice carrying as she rebuked him. "Now now, I didn't mean to offend you, just take my money now babygirl. You can buy yourself something nice for Daddy." He was still laughing the entire way out of the building, especially after being told he would never see her naked. "Aww, never say never! I'm willing to let you see me like that, why do you have to be so difficult? Are you shy?" He smiled as they walked, and suddenly it was his turn to blush. A shame, he had been enjoying her looking like that.

As she touched his arm, he gave her a sheepish smile, he hadn't realised she had been awake at all, but the fact that she had at least made him feel...was it relief? "No...you know that for all my jokes, I'm not gonna do that to you, take advantage. Not on purpose at least...I just thought you should know. Didn't want to start our journey together on a lie...because to be honest I didn't mind. I really liked waking up with you in my arms, this morning at least." He reached down and ruffled her hair again, something he tended to do when either he was nervous or he thought she might be, or when it just seemed they were getting over something awkward. "You know, because of everything happening...it was nice to hold somebody, but like you said I might not be able to control that, so I understand if you don't want to do it again. Let's face it...I might be developing symptoms of being a perv, my body seems to." Glad to be off that conversation as they approached the profession trainers, he nodded. "That sounds good to me, you know I'd be happy to eat anything of yours, and potions sounds good too." He managed to say it with a straight face, determined to not give away that he was thinking lewd things again. "Why not go husbandry and foraging? We might need to get a place to do the husbandry but if we pool the money we make, I bet we could. I'll get fishing and mining, mining covers both of my profession choices so I have the spare one and I do enjoy fishing."

Once they reached the tradesmen he left her alone to go and talk to the ones he needed to, picking up exactly what he said he would as well as visiting one of the vendors there. Looking through the goods, he found the tools they would need, some materials for repairing their own gear and even better, there was a large selection of ingredients for sale, already packaged. Buying enough to fill one full bag, he set off to find her again, handing them to her along with the tools she would need. "Here you go. A portable stove, a teapot, some ingredients and knives. Being a sugar Daddy is hard work!" In truth it hadn't cost very much at all, the gear here was designed for players just starting off and was priced appropriately, just a couple hundred crescents spent on what amounted to everything they needed. He'd also stopped by the cartographers and purchased some maps for the areas they would be visiting along with marker pens to mark off anything noteworthy they found. "So it looks like the southern exit will take us the right way to start. We could get a carriage or hire mounts but in the beta, when you got off those things they would go back to where you bought them for, and it might be more efficient for us to travel on foot. We will make less distance, but there will be mobs we can level on, quests out in the wilderness and you can gather things. I can stop to fish when we make camp and might find some interesting rocks to mine from." In his more serious mode now, he was already guiding her towards the southern gates, waving to the NPC guards that stood unmoving, unsmiling. This was it, the start of what would undoubtedly be a long journey, and he had to admit it was kind of neat. He'd never had this kind of purpose playing the beta, or any MMO for that matter, in the past. This was more than just a slog to the endgame now, this was actually a quest, and he had no idea what to expect from it....he could feel the breeze, he could feel the heat of the sun even as it dipped behind the clouds, the weight of his armour...everything was so real. Was it really so bad being trapped in Everleigh like this?
 
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Snorting softly she shook her head. "I will let you die if you're failing to do your job 'cause you are staring at a cute ass or a nice pair of tits." She stuck her tongue out at him. She was still in a good mood when he transferred the money. Another benefit of being good friends was she could hit him. Slapping at his arm, while playfully, the blow was firm and left her hand stinging. "I am going to let you die for the shear fun of it, you pervert!" It was clear to the many people watching, NPCs and players that she wasn't actually mad, the laughter in her voice giving it away. Echo held up a finger, poking him in the chest. "Read my lips! N-e-v-e-r" Sighing she crossed her arms. "I am quite aware. I remember last night" In truth, Echo was pretty sure their relationship wouldn't develop in the manner. She had plans to tell him her age if it came up, because if he ever found out, he'd likely be weirded out. Echo knew she was only sixteen in a game that required her to be eighteen.

When he bashfully admitted what she was very aware of she nodded. "Khaine, I really know that" Echo's head tilted to one side and she offered him a smile. "Had I thought you had one it on purpose, we would have talked about it" She didn't add that she would have taken away the good friend almost right away. Hair ruffled, she swatted his hand away, smoothing her hair back into place. "You're gonna mess it up. Don't do that!" Her space buns though were no worse for wear. "I did too, it's why I asked." The comfort was really nice. Echo frowned as she tucked a stay lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't know honestly. If it becomes a thing, maybe we just put pillows between us?" She did like Khaine and it hadn't been the worst way to wake up, that didn't mean she was ready to wake up that way daily though.

Clearing her throat she bit her lower lip and smiled. "Mmmmn were the professions out in beta?" She didn't think they had been, but she'd read a lot about them from the developers. "I recall them not being. It was one of the aspects I was really interested in. They are as "realistic" as they can be. So you say you'd be happy to eat my food, but it might not be very good at first." From what they had said, the artisanal professions would be sort of hard. You'd make things that were no good; cooks would burn things or make them with too much salt, armor smiths would make poor quality goods that would fit poorly or be like paper. The list of what could go wrong went on and on and it would take them time to perfect their crafts. After a moment she nodded. "Okay, I will go find the trainers. Let's meet back here in half an hour?" Echo smiled and slipped into the crowd after he agreed. She found the alchemy teacher first. A Brownie by the name of Fenodyree taught her a few basic potions and gave her some scrolls for the next few levels. The little shop Echo had found her in had been dank and held a slightly sulfurous smell.. She was happy to be back out in the fresh air. The chef she found covered in flour and beaming at the students that gathered close, his name was Fernando and he was more than happy to teach her some basics and much like Fenodyree had given her some more scrolls for later. After that she'd found her other teachers, the forager had been less than helpful, giving her a book of plants and basically advising Echo to be careful to not die! The husbandry teacher had on the other hand been full of help, more than willing to talk her ear off and finally she had excused herself with a smile.

She met him exactly on the spot half an hour later. Rolling her eyes she accepted the trade. "You are not my sugar anything Khaine, let alone Daddy." There was playful irritation, but she wasn't going to fight him on the supplies. He seemed to like helping her and fighting in all honesty had seemed futile. "Walking seems fine. The mounts seem like a waste it they will just vanish." It would make sense that the game might not have mounts with the ability to fly at some point, but she couldn't help but wonder if they did have them. Echo knew she would like to own a mount, even if it was a frivolous purchase. Following him through the gates, she smiled at the guards. Outside of the gates was different. Rather than plains, there was a forest. It's shade was cool and welcoming even in the heat of the morning sun as it rose and mist clung to the ground. "Ooo Spppoooooky" Laughing brightly. The forest she knew was called the Forest of The Firelights. Echo was unsure why it was called that, but in the early morning sun, it was pretty.

Humming softly as they entered the forest, she pulled out her forging book, keeping an eye out for some of the plants that she could use for cooking or potions. Occasionally Echo would stop and crouch near a plant, trying to find it in her book. She was able to find a few mushrooms, some wood sorrel and a few crab apples were her haul by the afternoon and with each, Echo had let out a happy cry of joy. A few times there had been mobs in the way, or just in their path. Most of what they had fought so far were Elder Mossstools, creatures that seemed to be entirely elemental in nature, from their moss and branch bodies, to the vividly purple toadstools. Beady eyes, like that of a spider peered from the darkness of their cowls. Panting softly, Echo knelt to inspect the corpse, pulling off a few mushrooms. "It's kind of neat I can forage from these guys. Which is handy seeing as there seem to be so many" Rising she smiled to him. Suddenly she could hear humming. "Do you hear that? What is that?"
 
"Hey! That's kind of mean don't you think?" Khaine couldn't stop chuckling, the smile on his face was wide and he was thoroughly enjoying flirting/teasing with Echo. "It's not like it's any nice pair of tits or perfect, cute little ass could distract me." When she stuck her tongue out at him he wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her...he was seriously starting to develop a major crush on this girl and he felt just a little wrong that a lot of it was because of how she was so similar in personality. He couldn't say why he found that so attractive, his sister was very cute but she was also pretty young...perhaps it was just that he had always been close to her, teased her, doted on her, and some of it was transferring onto Echo. "It's your cute ass and perfect tits that are so distracting! You might call me a perv but I'm not a perv for just anybody...you're special!" Which was also true; Khaine was generally flirty but he had kind of gone over the top with Echo compared to how he normally was. He'd laughed as she playfully slapped him and poked at his chest, the grin never leaving his face. "Oh happily...you do have very pretty lips too. Say 'Thank you for paying for the room Daddy' for me." He'd petered off then, eased up on the teasing as they had set off and he had confessed what had happened in the morning. Her reaction had made him feel a whole lot less guilty, and he'd handled it more seriously, nodding at her suggestion. "A pillow huh? My own fault for being a pervert I guess, I don't get to cuddle up with the cute girl of my dreams."

Before they left the town they had sought out their professions and he shook his head, the conversation shifting. "Nope, no professions in the beta, NPC's sold all the things we needed instead, and at discount prices too. I'm sure they devs kept track of it all, saw what kind of items became the most popular." Laughing he had started to move towards the profession trainers he wanted, he'd stopped to look at some tools as he answered her. "Oh I'd happily eat your..." He smirked, looking back to her and delaying the rest of his sentence deliberately as he placed the tool back down on the stall. "Umm, food. Yeah, that's it. And I bet it's the tastiest 'food' in the game too." After that they had split up and he had picked up his professions and met her at the gate with all the gear he had bought for them before they headed out. In the open world again and not the safety of the town, he had enjoyed walking through the plains with her, just chatting while they paused to take down mobs they needed to level with along the way, some more difficult than others but with the two of them working together everything was pretty much a breeze. He'd laughed again as she had said he wasn't her sugar anything but this time he hadn't pushed it further; he figured she needed at least some small break from his constant innuendo and lewd jokes aimed at her and he wanted to just enjoy being out in the open anyway as they headed towards their first goal. He still wasn't exactly thrilled about going for his target first, it seemed unchivalrous to seek his own exit from the game before hers even if it did make sense from a progression standpoint, and the more time he spent with Echo the more attached he was becoming, and the less he wanted to leave her stranded in this virtual world alone, without him to help keep her safe. He remembered the asshole from the previous day...leaving her in a world with people like that, in one with zones where she could be attacked if she accidentally wandered into them...if definitely didn't sit right with him.

As they got closer to the Forest of the Firelights, he found himself spending a lot of time just watching Echo as she steamed ahead, seemingly full of energy where he liked to travel a little more sedately, walking, taking on enemies as they got close rather than seeking them out on first sight. Walking through the forest he watched her gather all manner of fruits and fauna, excited with each new discovery as he smiled happily, it was like he was travelling with a child in a way, she at least had that sense of wonder and it was slowly eroding all his concerns about being trapped in the game away. Sure, they were stuck here, but travelling with Echo it didn't feel like that, it felt like he really had stepped into a new world, he had his sword, he had a quest to fulfil, he had a companion that he truly adored. It was...nice, and he laughed as she started babbling about being able to forage from a particular enemy they had encountered. "Yeah, it's pretty neat, pity we haven't found anything for me yet. Maybe something with gems or ore for me to extract you know?" He smiled, reaching down to stroke her hair again while she stripped the corpse of the mob, thankfully it not being as grisly as it sounded. He didn't know why he was running his hand alongf her hair, he just knew that he had seen her there and he had wanted to, and now that they were good friends, he could. "So how are you feeling? I know it was rough this morning, as scary as it was last night. Are you doing okay, Echo?" He had genuine concern in his voice as they heard the humming start and he paused, looking towards it. "You hear that too? We should definitely check it out!" Leading the way towards it, there were a few more mobs along the way before they came to more and more plantlife, some of it looking quite dangerous, vines and pitchers, flytraps and the woods began to thicken, leading out into an opening in the trees, a carpet of flowers that seemed almost out of place considering the nature of the forest they had been travelling through, a strange woman standing in the middle of it, the source of the humming. Having cut down several of the more aggressive plants along the way, Khaine sheathed his sword as he approached, not sensing any danger at all. She was really quite beautiful, quite naked but frustratingly covered by her hair and some of the foliage around her and sitting in one of the larger flowers, smiling as they approached. He could taste her scent in the air, floral and heady like a perfume that was slowly overwhelming him and he was already walking towards her. "H...hi there, can we help you? You look a little lost...um, what happened to your clothes?" He was smiling as he spoke, his sense of danger seemed to have completely vanished as tentacles snaked towards him along the ground and the woman looked up at him almost shyly. "Oh, my clothes? Well it was such a lovely day, the breeze felt so wonderful on my skin that I just couldn't resist taking them off, you know? I bet you'd see if you just tried taking off some of that hot, heavy looking armour you're wearing and join me in enjoying the beauty of the forest."

Her eyes flashed green, and there was a heath bar hidden if one looked for it among the foliage she was sitting in. More alarmingly, there were items on the floor around her looking like they had been dropped by travellers already, but no signs of anybody to claim them. Khaine grinned, looking for all the world like he had lost half of his braincells as he moved closer to her. "That does sound nice, and I don't think it would be very knightly of me to refuse the offer of such a beautiful woman...Echo, don't you think we should join her?" Incredibly, he was already starting to pull his armour off.
 
Was it mean? Echo didn't think so. If he wasn't paying attention, then it would make her job harder. After a moment of consideration, Echo shook her head. "Nope, it's really not" Her tone was bright and cherry. "If you're distracted, you put us both in danger. I remember your crazy pull yesterday, sir." She pointed at him. "Do that and get distracted you die and then because I would be healing you and attacking them, they will turn on me!" Now did Echo really think that Khaine would do such a thing? No.. not really, but it was fun to tease him about. When he corrected that not just anyone could distract him, Echo blushed and made a "Hmph" noise, dismissing it. She was special then? Even with her choice to tell him about her age, Echo couldn't help but feel her heart beat faster. She tried to play it off and his response only led to her cheeks turning brighter pink. "No!" He seemed to notice though that she was becoming too clustered and Khaine backed off. Echo noticed and appreciated it, though his words didn't help her blush fade, if anything it lasted longer. Girl of his dreams.

Professions gather and another joke from Khaine that left his name coming from Echo's lips loudly, "Khaine!" She slapped at his arm, careful of the armor, knowing if she hit him too hard all she'd do was hurt herself. Their day had passed pleasantly though as they wandered towards where they needed to be. Echo thrilled and almost childishly excited each time she found something she could use for her professions. She was highly pleased that the crafting inventory was bottomless, because in other games she had issues with such things. If she could pick it up, she did, always convinced you never would know when you needed a fly amanita in a potion or for food. In all honesty, it was silly and she'd never once run into the problem. At worst, in other games she just went back to find the needed item. Looking up at Khaine she nodded, "That would be cool, or even just some rocks for you to try your hand at mining" Maybe they would find a good zone for it soon. At least tonight, she'd be able to try cooking them something, though for the moment it would be mostly vegetarian. As she pulled the fungi off the corpse she felt his hand on her head. Echo blushed, though when he asked how she was, a frown pulled at her lips. "Honestly? I am just trying to not think about it. I don't want to think of my family and how worried they are," Echo rose and tucked the mushrooms into her pack. "It just seemed like a dark rabbit hole that I should avoid, ya know?" Rising she bumped her hip onto his. "I know you're likely in the same boat." They both were doing their best to ignore what was happening to them and their loved ones in the real world.

The humming caught her attention though, before they could talk further. Nodding she smiled when he suggested they check it out, "Sounds like fun." As the dispatched mobs and got closer, Echo felt her stomach turn as they found the field of flowers and plants, a heady scent in the air just barely covering the stench of something else. It was obvious almost at once that the lady sitting within the flower was not friendly. Hanging back she was about to tell him what she thought when Kaine walked past her, getting closer to the clearly dangerous woman. "Khaine?" Echo's brows wrinkled together and she shook her head, hissing his name "Khaine!" Almost ignoring her he and the woman talked, Echo carefully crept closer. She noticed the health bar and swore. "Khaine, you dingus, get away from her!" It was too late however. What Echo had not seen was the vines moving through the flowers towards Khaine. And now the idiot was stripping his armor off. "You know you're never living this down right?" Echo drew her swords and leapt skywards, the spell called Angelic Plummet. It had seemed like an odd skill, requiring her to push off a second object before delivering a powerful attack. Echo's wings extended to buffet her fall, allowing her to glide over some of the plant life. And then, from above she dropped before him, Both of her feet planted firmly in his chest, kicking him hard backwards. It shot her closer to the woman, her small body spinning like a top in the air before hitting her square in the chest with both blades in an x across her breasts.

The woman screamed, the sound haunting as her face contorted. Where once had been a beautiful woman a monster had taken it's place, snarling at Echo. "You fools! You will die like the rest!" Vines snapped along the floor and Echo back flipped, applying Spirit Thief to her blades, cutting down the vines as they flew at her. "Damnit Khaine, snap out of it!!" Vines were heading his direction and Echo rushed to defend him. She'd read about such monsters in manga and she understood the pheromones' were messing with him, but she needed her tank! Along the floor, as the flowers rustled she saw glints of silver, gold and other metals.. gear from other players. A group of vines rushed towards them, bundling up to deliver a powerful blow. Echo widened her stance, and raised her dual blades in an x, to deflect the blow. She was no tank though and this was going to hurt. The sound of the vines hitting her blades rang through the clearing and Echo felt her health drop, as she went sailing backwards. Unwilling to let the attack offer her nothing in return she cast buffet, stunning the tentacle like vines and as she hit the ground in a crouch her blades dug into the earth slowing her. A whimper left her and for a moment she hung her head. "That hurt" Rising, shakily she cast Anguished Cry, healing herself up some. Along her arms and legs, blood blossomed from the attack she had endured. Panting she bared her teeth, and hissed a feline like sound, her delicate pointed canines flashing. She was after all, a Fae.. Her health was just below half and she'd only taken about a fourth of the mobs health down.

The idea came unbidden and she bit back a sigh. If he'd never live down the plant seducing him, she would not live this down. Opening her mouth Echo screamed, "D A D D Y !"
 
"If I'm distracted it's only because you're so beautiful." Smiling, Khaine didn't elaborate or really tease her anymore, though he did reach down and ruffle her hair a little yet again, not enough to mess it up but enough so she would feel it. "And no matter how distracted I get, I'd never let anything happen to you, dummy. You can at least count on me." He enjoyed the way she blushed, even the way she told him no, grinning and rolling his eyes. "Spoilsport." Letting her calm down a little while they had gotten their professions with only one more real incident when he had implied she would taste good, they had soon began their journey. The forest itself being rather spooky, he was having a pretty good time navigating it with her, still a little miffed that he hadn't managed to find anything to mine for himself while Echo had no shortage of things to harvest. It wouldn't really matter in the long run, as far as he could tell the game had decided to go the realistic route rather than the one most MMO's went; in most games all the zones would have 'nodes' for all kinds of things to harvest, forests would have mining nodes, dry, arid areas would have plants and fauna to harvest but here in Everleigh, they were unlikely to find anything for him here because they simply didn't exist, but once they reached the mountains? Less plant life, more precious gems and minerals for him to take. He kind of liked it this way, it felt like it would in the real world but it made it no less frustrating in the moment to see her having so much to gather while he had nothing. "Yeah, it would, but I'm sure we will come across some good stuff eventually, in the meantime I'll just enjoy the sight of you bending down to pick plants." Grinning, he at least did enjoy her enthusiasm, her excitement. It was genuinely brightening his day to be travelling with a companion that seemed to find joy in everything they did, not to mention it was incredibly cute. "Oh look, there are some mushrooms just trapped beneath those roots there, you might have to wiggle a little to reach them though!" Laughing, he stuck his tongue out at her.

When he asked her if she was okay, he had offered her a warm smile for her troubles, nodding. "Probably for the best. I don't know what kind of people your family are but if they are anything like mine I know they will be worried...but we are in good hands, I bet. The doctors in my country are really good and I bet yours are too, and there is no way the company isn't taking care of us. Drealm have never seemed like the kind that would abandon their users if something like this happened...hell, they would be ruined if they did so we must be getting the best treatment possible, right?" Taking a knee down next to her while she stripped the mob corpse of harvestable goods, he placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "If it does become too much though, you can talk to me, okay? I know it's scary, I'm scared too, but I have you to keep me smiling, I'd like to be able to help you too if I can." He grinned, another way to annoy and distract her coming to mind. "After all, Daddy has to take care of his little princess, right?" In all honesty he had heard that kind of thing often before, there was definitely a community out there that called the guy in the relationship 'Daddy', he knew it was a BDSM kind of thing, though gentler than the usual Master/submissive kind, he had even done his own reading into it since he was more than a little interested in some BDSM things. Sure, he'd not really had much chance to practice it beyond a few casual encounters but somewhere along the line he had decided that was the kind of relationship he would really enjoy, so when he called himself Daddy to her, usually joking...he was also thinking of that, of what it would actually be like. He wondered what she thought of it. She blushed a lot, clearly it meant something to her too, but he had a feeling she was fixated on the 'sugar Daddy' thing and not the title on it's own. His musing had been interrupted by the humming, and that was where everything seemed to go pear shaped.

It was like he couldn't focus on anything but the beautiful, almost naked girl in front of him. He knew something was wrong, it felt wrong, but...she was in his head, she was all that mattered, right? He could hear another voice as he stepped closer to her, his eyes never leaving her. That's right...what was her name? Echo? Echo was okay though, wasn't she? She worried too much...he was going to be fine, he would spend a few hours with this woman, he would breathe in that intoxicating scent, relax, spend some time in these nice, tranquil woods and just forget about his troubles for a little while. Did he even have any troubles? None that he could think of. No, life was good...so very good...if only the yelling would stop. Suddenly he was propelled backwards several feet, landing on his ass. Who the hell? He shook his head, trying to clear it of all the fog...where had that woman gone? He frowned, remembering what had just happened, the feet planted against his chest as the cute one had leapt from him, using him like a springboard. What was her name again? "Hey, why did you do that? That was kind of rude..." She seemed to be fighting some ugly kind of monster and he had lost track of the woman he had been walking towards, disoriented after his fall, he looked around trying to find her. "Where did she go? Hey, did you see a naked woman around here?" He looked towards the girl fighting. She seemed familiar, like somebody kind of important, which was crazy, right? "Hey, you're cute, but really, did you see her?" Suddenly there was an high pitched, eardrum shattering scream that echoed through the woods.

"D A D D Y."

Echoed...echoed...Echo? He shook his head, that was right, Echo, his princess! He pulled his sword from it's scabbard, frowning as he realised he was missing some armour. What the hell had happened to him? He seemed to be missing more than that, he was missing some time, the last few minutes of his life had just gone. "Echo? Echo, be careful! Geez that thing is ugly." He was already sprinting to stand in front of her, slashing at the vines and taking a defensive stance. She looked hurt, and he frowned a little more...what had happened to her? The last thing he remembered was...Daddy? He smirked as he cut down another vine. "Oh so now I'm your Daddy am I? Okay, I accept, babygirl, stay behind Daddy. Heartache!!" He spoke the words while plunging his hand into his own chest...the animation really looked painful and he definitely felt it but the effects were powerful, 25% of his own hp lost but a bubble for that amount formed around Echo, a shield which would take all damage for her until it was used up, taken from his own health pool. He grunted with the unexpected pain...it was the first and only time he had ever used the ability, he hadn't expected it to actually hurt! "Oww, fuck...okay that should help, just stay behind me!" Vines were approaching them from all angles and he cut out at them wildly, making his way towards the source of them, the hideous looking creature in the middle of the clearing. Trusting that Echo would be with him to help follow up, he charged, shoulder down and sword forward, attempting the onslaught skill, ramming himself into the enemy and plunging his sword into what he hoped was a weak spot. It wasn't enough, it wouldn't kill it alone...but he wasn't alone. "Stay the fuck away from my little girl you ugly bitch." Grinning, he just couldn't help himself. She had definitely called him Daddy, he wasn't going to just let this go. "Echo, hurry up, finish her off!"
 
The compliments seemed to come from Khaine with ease, it was what had made Echo question if he really liked her or if it was just something that he did habitually. Neither was wrong, but one certainly made Echo's stomach feel funny. Her eyes narrowed playfully, the golden hue of her iris glittering in the light. "We shall see!" Echo really did trust Khaine, how couldn't she? He had been kind, if not brutally honest when they first met, then he had bought her gear. True, it wasn't only for her, but the gift had still been appreciated, if it had not made her feel a little nervous. He had stood up for her, when the creepy Unseelie man had tried to pick a fight. Then when their world shattered around them, he had been a rock. It had only been about twenty hours, but the two of them had become fast friends and even with all his jokes and sexual innuendo, she felt like Khaine was actually a really good guy; that meant if he said he'd keep her safe, he meant it. At.. least in Echo's mind.

In the forest, Echo was busy picking up every little gathering node she found when he made a comment about getting to watch her bend over. "Yeah, Yeah." Rolling her eyes she had laughed and wandered off. The next comment had gotten him a rather rude gesture and a laugh, the sound of her laughter ringing around them in the small clearing they had found. "How exactly are you not a pervert?" It was a valid question when he talked about her wiggling. Echo had no doubts that Khaine would claim she was misunderstanding, they both knew better though. She had however gone and picked the mushrooms. At first, her gathering skill had leveled steadily and now it was very few nodes that she felt the skill increase. It had been odd at first a sort of tingling that spread from her stomach outward. It hadn't been like that when leveling in combat, the only reason Echo could see for it was because the gathering and professions were behind a few menus. She had given a squeak the first time she had felt the level up and now she could almost ignore the steady progression.

Khaine's warm smile had drawn forth one of her own and she listened to him talk about their families. His theory about Drealm also made sense. "They might be ruined anyway. It will really depend on how they handle things, either way, it will be a steep uphill battle to recover from the hack." She might have been young, but she wasn't stupid. Drealm would have a hard time climbing out of this hole and Echo couldn't help but wish them luck. They had worked hard, tried things others hadn't and up until the hack? Things had been amazing. From alpha, to beta and now release, the game had nothing but glowing reviews. The hand on her shoulder was comforting and Echo reacted naturally, pressing her cheek against the back of his hand for a moment. "I know you're right, I just hate thinking about it" her words softer now. His words did bring comfort and she smiled, eyes closing as she offered a nod. "Mmhm!" Khaine's next words made her groan. "You just couldn't resist, huh?" Her cheeks had blushed. Daddy. Every time Khaine said it, she was drawn back to Tumblr and TikTok videos about something.. she shouldn't have been looking at. She understood it could be seen as a sexual thing.. the only other Daddy to come to mind was Sugar Daddy and Khaine had already become that for her. Intentional or not. The major difference was he didn't seem to expect anything from her in return. If Echo wasn't mistaken, Sugar babies were meant to pay in some way and she was pretty sure it was sex. She could be wrong though.

The monster in the middle had ended their rather peaceful and frankly uneventful morning. As she fought, Echo had heard the almost stupidly spoken words from Khaine. She'd tried pain, tried calling out to him. Bleeding and in pain she had resorted to one final tactic. Screaming Daddy at him. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! That snapped you out?" Her words were both amused and highly annoyed. Panting she moved towards him and watched him cast Heartache. She felt a shield envelop her, it felt.. odd. Sort of like a hug that was just out of reach? Shaking her head, Echo moved behind him as he blocked off a conal attack. Acting quickly, Echo cast Bloodied Kisses on Khaine and wiped the blood that had blossomed at the edge of her mouth. Echo watched as Khaine charged into the monster, it's HP dropping, but not quite enough. Sprinting along the ground, dodging left and right quickly, Echo became a blur of blue and golden light, both blades suddenly in the creature's chest. What he might of have seen was her little jump into the air and the way she had fallen like a lance from the heavens as she cast Lugh's Spear. The finisher was powerful, but it came with a cost. The shield he'd placed around her had shattered, like glass breaking the sound had filled her ears and she lost about fourth of her remaining HP. Panting, Echo pulled her swords from the mob and as she did a sweet sigh rustled along the flower covered clearing.

From the shadows between the trunks of trees, a dryad stepped into the golden light that filtered from the canopy above. "Heroes" her voice was like a sigh along the leaves, "Long have I awaited one brave enough to slay the weed among my roots. My name is Quert" Her skin was creamy and pale and along her arms sprouted branches. Along each the supple limbs that sprouted from her green leaves swayed with each step. The cascade of pale pink hair was intertwined with the branches and along the largest branches that formed a crown of sorts, golden specks floated. "But to have two brave souls?" Her head bowed for a moment, "I never could have dreamed of such. You have my thanks for rescuing me" She was naked, hair, and leaves covering her body to protect her modesty and the closer she got to them, the sweet smell of apples filled their noses. "I have very little to offer you, I am afraid" Her voice took a turn, remorse thick in it's cadence. An almost rose gold apple, with leaves of pure gold appeared in her cupped hands. "This is the apple of Echtra Condla" She offered it to Echo, for she had delivered the final blow. "With it, you shall not want for food or drink" Echo accepted the prize. "You may use it all at once, or in bits, the power of Echtra Condla shall feed one for a month" The apple felt warm in her hands, and shimmered faintly in the sunlight. "Thank you, Quert" Quert smiled at the pair and lifted her arms heavenward. The branches thickened and the leaves flourished before their very eyes. Where once Quert had stood, a beautiful apple tree now grew in the field of flowers, her branches laden with apples. A sigh ran through the leaves and the faint echo of her voice enveloped them. "I am once more whole"
 
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Khaine had only been able to grin as she asked him how exactly wasn't he a pervert, watching her go for the mushrooms. "Well...because I'm not always like this with everybody. I told you, you're special!" Chuckling he had leaned against the tree she was rooting under for the mushrooms and smiled down at her, almost innocently though he didn't quite manage to pull it off. "You know if you didn't look so cute when you blushed, or make such wonderful little squeaks when you get defensive about how cute you really are, maybe I would stop!" Reaching down he had offered a hand to help her back up to her feet, pulling her towards him when she took it. One arm slipped around her, innocent enough as he just pulled her closer and smiled down at her, eyes meeting as he didn't look anywhere else this time. "Am I really a pervert if it's only one girl I enjoy looking at?" Using his other hand to reach up and cup her cheek, he was so tempted to lean in and kiss her, he wondered how she would taste, how she would react. She was blushing...she blushed a lot at his comments, which was fair given the nature of them...he was pretty sure she liked him at least a little but how much, he couldn't be entirely sure, the blush might just be because of her inexperience, maybe she wasn't used to flirting, she didn't seem to be. Whatever the reason, he couldn't get enough of it, but he wasn't going to push her any further. He slowly released her, chuckling again. "Besides, if you want me to really stop, tell me so. I will...I wouldn't make these comments if I didn't think you enjoyed them, little girl." Grinning, now it was all on her and they both would know it. She could stop him, he really would respect her wishes since on top of everything else he wasn't really that much of an asshole. If she was uncomfortable, he would give her a break. Giving her the chance to tell him to stop commenting on her if she wanted to, they headed towards the humming.

They talked a little of Drealm, he nodded in agreement as she said they would probably be in trouble anyway but he knew that the success of this game might be enough to pay for they medical expenses they would have to incur, this and their last game had made them a very popular company. Even so, they might have to have the governments bail them out when it comes to some things, maybe make deals with the insurance companies...it was going to be a bit of a mess all in all. Laughing as she groaned at his comment, he shook his head. "Of course i couldn't. We've already gone down this path now, you're my sugar baby at the very least." Grinning, he had continued to lead her into the forest. "Not my fault that you haven't really told me to stop, I'm beginning to think you even like the idea. Want to sit in Daddy's lap later?" It was good that they had reached the clearing shortly after, since he had started to think of the awkward way they had woken up again. His time had vanished at that point, he'd lost track of it when the scent of the strange pheromones had assaulted him, breathed in almost immediately and messing with his perceptions, with his thoughts. He hadn't known it at the time as he fell under the thrall of the Alarune, the dim sound of Echo's voice in his ear as she tried to snap him out of it, even physically assaulted him until that one scream that had brought him to his senses. The rest of the fight had taken only moments, the two of them together managing to overwhelm the creature, the last thing he saw as he tried to hold it down was Echo falling from the sky onto it's head, piercing it with her daggers and her shield shattering, her HP dropping a little with the impact...then she was left panting, beautiful, triumphant. Laughing, he pulled his own sword free, shaking his head as he caught his breath. "Wow, remind me never to get on your bad side princess." He'd never seen that attack before, though of course he was a tank and didn't really have anything quite that flashy. Had she used her wings to get that high? Maybe he had chosen the wrong race. He extended his hand out to her when she appeared, the Dryad. Stepping back along with Echo, he listened and tried to keep his eyes on the creature's face, feeling that somehow it would be a bit of a betrayal to look down. Slowly his memories were returning, the dumb things he had said, the way he had been drawn to the Alarune. He frowned...looking back at Echo, at her HP, she had been hurt, and while the Dryad spoke on Khaine was starting to feel guilty, like he had let her down. He had, hadn't he?

He was lost in his thoughts when he heard Echo thank the Dryad and he looked up at her, nodding. "Yes, thank you Quert, for your gift. You're welcome..." He had barely began to speak when she had transformed, the sight incredible as the beautiful creature twisted, her arms lengthening, becoming slender and wooden as she became a brand new apple tree in full bloom. He stared at it for a few moments before he looked back down to Echo. "You should keep that." He gestured towards the apple as he sheathed his sword, still feeling like he had failed her. "You earned it, if it wasn't for you, well...I guess I'd be restarting my journey." Since he hadn't died yet he didn't quite know the consequences of it in full but the rumour was that you would lose levels, and that was just if the hackers hadn't decided to add consequences for failure in the world they now controlled. He was sure only that death wasn't permanent...but who knew what else one would lose? Looking down at the ground, and with nobody else around Khaine began to look through the loot that had been left on the floor. Crescents, broken weapons and armour that had likely been stripped freely...oh yeah. Shaking his head he looked around until he spotted his own discarded pieces, picking them up while still frowning, attaching them to his gear. Looking back over to Echo he didn't know quite what to say. "You should get some loot too, there is some good stuff here, potions and money and things. Listen..." He couldn't help himself, he had to get it off his chest. "I remember what happened, how I got...distracted. I'm sorry..." Looking closely he could see where she had been hurt, blood was drying on her arms and legs and he gently took her wrist, lifting one arm up to inspect it. "This shouldn't have happened." The flirty side of him that had been thriving just a short while ago was just...gone, he was serious, not even a smile. "Come here." Pulling her with him to a large log that looked comfortable enough for them to sit on, he sat down first before he pulled her to sit on one of his thighs. He didn't even make a comment about her being in his lap as he took out one of his potions and began to rub it into her arm first, the cuts and scrapes starting to mend with a soothing light and perhaps a tingle.

"I let you get hurt." Khaine seemed to be lost in the fact that he had failed her, rubbing the potion into her arms and legs, any exposed parts that looked like they hurt. "Not a very knightly thing to do, huh? Thank you for snapping me out." The corners of his lips almost lifted as he remembered how she had done that, but after what had happened he didn't feel like he had the right to tease her about it. It was probably one of his worse traits, how hard he was on himself and how easy for him to lose himself in his own failures. Echo likely didn't feel that bad, if he really thought about it, might even welcome the flirting again but right then he didn't have it in him. When he thought he was done with the salve, he gave her a gentle nudge and a smile, a little forced but it was there. "Come on, let's collect our winnings and get out of here, I'll be more careful this time okay?"
 
It was funny how Khaine could be both so sweet and exasperating at the same, Echo found. She was cute and made cuter by her blush and her squeaks it seemed, but it was made worse by him pointing it out! More so, when he said it wasn't like he was like this with everyone, she felt her stomach summersault. No, Echo firmly reminded herself, Stop with that. If he knew, like really knew, it wouldn't be cute anymore. Khaine it seemed was also dangerous, Echo knew she should tell him, right then and there, break any notions of this going further. But when he mouth opened to tell him, looking up into his stupidly handsome face, her will broke and she couldn't. She liked him, even if it was only a crush, she did like him. She liked the way he made her feel, even when he was being a pervert. He made her feel... more than cute, though it was a large part of what he seemed to focus on. He made her feel beautiful too. He wasn't the first guy to hit on her in a game, but he was the first she found herself falling for. Others had been boys her own age, they had been sweet, but they lacked something that Khaine had. Hell, Echo couldn't even place what about him appealed so much to her, but whatever it was, Echo knew she was a goner. If she told him now it would all stop, oh, Echo doubted Khaine would abandon her, but the playful flirting? The soft touches? Gone... and in their place awkwardness. Do.. I ever need to tell him? It's not like he'd actually take anything from me. I'd still be a virgin..

The thoughts were distracted by Khaine, who else? An arm slipped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Echo could feel herself blush at his question, her mouth parting slightly, unsure how to answer it. Did it still make him a pervert? The question vanished as his hand cupped her cheek. Big, doe like eyes found his, the golden depths of Echo's eyes shimmering. Is he going to kiss me? Echo wanted him to kiss her.. was that wrong? Her heart raced, and she could feel the butterflies dance in her stomach. Conflicted feelings swirled within her chest, the desire for that kiss, the feeling that she should tell him. In that moment, while she wished for him to kiss her, Echo knew it was very unlikely she would tell him. She wasn't brave enough, she was far too selfish... The feelings all faded and her face turned red and she pushed at him as he released her. She couldn't tell him she wanted him to stop! She.. didn't want him to, but to make her admit it? "You're an ass!" Was all Echo could manage, stalking away from him. I take it back, I don't want him kissing me!! Humphing loudly she headed down the path without him.

Snorting Echo shook her head, "I am not your sugar baby!" She was, in some sense, she knew it, he knew it and it wasn't like he was going to stop buying her things. It was more than just lavishing her with goods, he was looking out for her, protecting her. Making sure she ate.. Biting her lower lip, she had been about to admit that she liked when he teased her, and then, in typical Khaine fashion, he put his foot in his mouth. Her eyes narrowed. "Couldn't pay me enough to sit in your lap," A slender finger poked at his armored chest, "P-e-r-v-e-r-t!" The words stretched out and she spun, stalking away from him for a second time. He knew just how to get under her skin, and in truth, Echo was unsure if she liked or hated it. It was a part of him, so in the end she'd like it, but damned if it wasn't at the very least annoying. Anything else that the pair might have said was distracted by Khaine being struck stupid by the plant's pheromones and starting to strip his armor off. The fight had left her winded and she smiled at him, shaking her head, panting still she bumped into him playfully, head falling to his shoulder as she tried to get her breath. She had actually been worried, but he'd snapped himself out of the spell he'd been under. She didn't know anything was wrong till they had both thanked the dryad and he told her to keep it. Looking up at him, she frowned, "Khaine?" His name was a soft question.

He seemed to ignore the question for the moment, frowning still, Echo put the apple in her bag and when she was encouraged to pick up some of the loot, she did. Kneeling she was picking up some of the potions he'd mentioned when he drew her attention back to him. Her head tilted and any desire to tease him, at least right now, vanished. His eyes moved to her bloodied arms and she frowned. Arm taken in his hand, he inspected her injuries. "Khaine," His name was even softer now, though once more it seemed he ignored her, pulling her gently to her feet and then guiding her to a log, sitting before pulling her into his lap. Again, teasing him would need to wait. He tended to each scrape she had, the potion felt funny on her skin, the tingle pleasant though. Shaking her head, one small hand cupped his cheek. "Hey, stop that," She exhaled and smiled at him, fuck it, she decided. "It's a Daddy's job to take care of his princess, isn't it? You got a wee bit distracted by the creepy plant lady," She was trying to tease him, make him actually smile, "But when I needed you, you came to my aid. You didn't fail me.." Leaning in she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Can't we sit a spell?" Echo wanted to rest anyway, have some water and they then could collect their consolation prizes. She shifted in his lap, turning so she could lay her head on his shoulder. Her eyes found the tree, and she smiled some. "She is really beautiful, isn't she? Shimmering in the sunlight" The light lit up her leaves, making them golden and green. "Are you hurt anywhere?" She knew she ached, goddess, all over... She could only imagine that he didn't after that one attack.
 
Khaine had no idea what was going on inside Echo's mind this entire time, he had been far too lost in his own world of fun teasing her with the name Daddy and all the other things he enjoyed about tormenting the girl, right up until the attack in the forest. Echo wasn't wrong, if he knew her age he would have stopped with the flirting, cut back on the teasing a great deal but it was more than that alone which would have ended their current dynamic...it was more than the age difference or that she was slightly underage...neither of them had figured out exactly how close to their siblings the other was beyond noting that they reminded them of them. If Nicholas knew that when he was flirting with and teasing Echo he was flirting with Makayla...it might have broken him...the longer they interacted together the more he was falling for her, the more the little comments back and forth meant to him, the more he ended up smiling just because she was slightly frustrated with him, or he'd managed to switch gears again from flirting with her to telling her he thought she was beautiful, that she was special. He'd been unable to stop smirking as she had refused to tell him to stop, calling him an ass instead and pulling away from him in a huff. "Aww, am I really an ass?" Following her down the path he'd been unable to stop laughing, shaking his head and speeding up to walk beside her. "You're definitely my sugar baby, can't deny it now, you had your chance to tell me to stop teasing you!" He'd laughed again and grinned at her. "I'll have you sitting in my lap before nighttime, I bet you." He hadn't actually been that confident in that bet at all, and yet after the battle that was where she had ended up.

The flirtiness was gone as he tended to her wounds with the potion. No comments, nothing sexual or teasing as he was laser focused on her wounds. He couldn't believe he had done that, let her get hurt like this. He could remember it now, exactly how it had happened, he had seen the girl in the middle of the forest, the Alarune. She wasn't as pretty as Echo was, not to him, and he couldn't for the life of him understand how he had been affected by her so strongly, but he had abandoned Echo, he hadn't been guarding her or looking after her, he'd let her get hurt, left her in danger all on her own after all his big words and he was quickly spiralling downwards through his emotions as he dabbed at her cuts with the potion soaked cloth. He heard her call his name as he held her in his lap, but it didn't quite register enough to pull him out of it. "I'm sorry Echo, I'm really sorry. I should have fought her more, I should have been stronger. It wasn't fair to leave you in danger like that..." He was going through the motions as he cleaned her, right up until she told him it was a Daddy's job to take care of his princess and he nodded softly. "I guess if you look at it like that, I...did you just call me Daddy? Again?" He laughed softly again, not quite feeling up to teasing her about it but it had made him smile, he'd felt the corners of his lips turn up as he finished taking care of her leg. "You know what, you can have that one for free, since I did get 'a wee bit distracted'." The kiss to his cheek was all it took after that and he nodded to her as she shifted in his lap. One arm slipped around her waist and he pulled her tight to him, leaving her no room to wriggle free unless she put up quite the struggle, and one hand came up to hold her head to his shoulder.

"Fine, we can sit. I really am sorry you know." He still didn't have it out of his system, looking up at the tree while he spoke. "Getting distracted is no excuse, she wasn't even as cute as you are anyway, and you...I'm not meant to let you get hurt. I'll do better next time." Looking down at her, he shook his head, though of course the moment he tried lying to her he winced, a twinge of pain causing him to grimace. "Hah, a little bit...my chest hurts some, but I'm the tank, silly, I'm meant to get hurt. It's you I'm worried about." Looking down at her, he was having those feelings again...he wanted to kiss her, now more than ever, maybe it was the fight they had just won, maybe it was the way she looked so peaceful resting in his lap, maybe it was just that he really was falling for her hard...whatever the reason, Khaine wanted to just press his lips to hers and hold her against him, sit out the rest of the evening in the shade of the apple tree. He nodded, not looking away from her face. "She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." His tone was low as he spoke and he continued to just follow the curve of her lips, her smile, for just a few more moments before he realised he was staring and looked away, his eyes landing on the tree. "Hey, how are you feeling? Did the potion work? I read something about them being used like that for pain relief, this game needed something to make aches go away when you really needed them to. It is only temporary, we can get something more permanent though." Changing the subject, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, feeling a little better after her pep talk and just holding her for a little while. "Thank you. For what you said, about what a Daddy is meant to do." Grinning, he let his hand slide down her waist, almost towards her rear but stopping just shy of it. "Princess." Waiting to see how she would react and feeling a little better, he had his trademark smirk slipping back onto his features. "Hey...hey Echo..." His eyes sparkled as he found hers, trying to hide the growing smirk again. "I told you I'd have you in my lap before the night was over..."
 
The retorts she'd once had had died when they had come upon the Alraune. Things had swiftly changed and before they really knew it, things had been over. It seemed like a blip in Echo's mind, like the lead up, the fight all of it had been over before she could really take note. She knew that wasn't quite right, it had taken some time.. But the Alraune had not been more than a mini boss at most, likely she'd been a quest that required a small party at least. Mostly not male would probably help. The thought led her to wonder if she'd played a male, would she have been affected? In theory, she should have, the programming should have taken into account and acted accordingly. Looking up at Khaine from the comfort of his lap, Echo shook her head, "I don't know how you think you should have," She watched as he applied some of the potion to her skin, "Keep in mind, you were lured in by her scent and even I hadn't noticed completely." She wasn't lying. What she had noticed was his behavior first. The plant lady had been at least suspicious in Echo's mind, but it had been Khaine that had made her understand quicker. "One could maybe even argue I wouldn't have noticed in time," Her smile was soft, "Otherwise, without you."

Echo didn't like this morose version of her Khaine, the one shaken it seemed to his core for letting her get hurt. Her Khaine? Shaking her head she tried to distract him and herself, trying to focus him back, playfully saying he was her Daddy again. When he questioned it, she shrugged some, "I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about," She wasn't quite ready to accept it, Khaine as her Daddy... That didn't mean the idea wasn't appealing to her slowly. "Oh, mmhm.. A 'wee' bit," Echo even lifted her hands, giving him the air quotes. Just because he'd been shaken, didn't mean he would be immune from her teasing forever, "I think it's a fair trade off, all things considered," A smile curled on her lips. Neither of them would be for long was her guess. He would only be willing to not tease her for so long, if she knew Khaine at all and Echo was beginning to think she was indeed learning to know him. Asking him to sit there a while longer, she found herself pulled closer, head held to his shoulder. There was no reason for her to fight, so she curled into him, relaxing in the protective circle that was Khaine's arms. "She wasn't all that cute, period... But you can't help it. Do you think if I had decided to make a male character we would have been seriously screwed?" She was curious about his thoughts on the matter, her eyes resting on the apple tree.

Asking Khaine how he was feeling made Echo sigh loudly, "I have this feeling were I the tank and you the healer, you'd give me hell for not letting you heal me.." Echo spoke softly, "And I think if I tried to heal you right now you might actually fight me thinking you are somehow "deserving" of the pain you're in," Her head brushed along his shoulder, as she shook her head, "Stubborn, that's what you are." Letting the conversation go, for now, she'd commented on the apple tree, unaware that it wasn't the tree Khaine was looking at as he responded. She missed the way that his eyes trailed along her cheek, down the curve of her lips, lingering. His question was answered with a small yawn before she spoke, "I feel okay. A bit sleepy, but I am sure it will pass," Echo tilted her head towards him and smiled, "It worked, it tingles in a really nice way," A single finger rose to boop his nose, "You?" A giggle left her, "I mean how are you doing meow?" His lips pressed to her forehead and Echo's eyes closed, savoring the warmth of the kiss against her skin. Nodding slightly she smiled some, "It seemed to be right. You can't protect me from all harm, I will get hurt again, either because you fail or I do something silly," She sat up some, "The main thing is we need to know that it's okay, we are a team."

Princess. Echo bit back a sigh and looked up at him, "Yes, Khaine?" His smile was spreading and Echo had this feeling the truce was about to be over. He said her name this time, "Yes???" His next words brought forth a shriek of feminine outrage, "You asshole!" Shoving against his chest, hard, Echo scrambled out of his lap. "I remember that bet!" Her eyes sparked, part in anger, part in amused annoyance. "I'd accuse you planning this, but I saw the stupid way you started to strip off your armor!" Huffing loudly, Echo spun and began to pick up loot, potions and Crescents, muttering darkly under her breath. Something about men, audacity and leaving him to die next time. Even annoyed as she was, Echo was happy he was back to his annoyingly cocky self. She hadn't liked seeing him drop so low. In truth, she wasn't sure if there was anything Khaine could have done to protect himself, Echo was unsure if she'd not had any better options either. Maybe a cleanse of some kind? She didn't know the spell yet though.

Loot gathered the pair found the path from the clearing, leaving the beautiful apple tree where she was, with sunlight dappling along her leaves. The path was much like the one before, though they began to see some variation in the mobs they came across. They still ran across Elder Mossstools, but they also came across Mossstool Gallants and Bulwark Tarragon, both it would turn out were minable and forgeable. When Echo found the first Gallant, she had gasped and pointed at it, "Let's kill it!" She was almost positive he would be able to mine it, though... it was covered in armor and not rock. The first Tarragon, she'd known he'd be able to mine it, it's body made of rocky plates. Anything really to keep them away from the subject of his failures, her calling him Daddy or him teasing her further. That could wait for when they camped that night and the ample distractions wore out. "Its odd we haven't found any more quests, don't you think?" They had picked up a handful from town, but yet to come to any mob needed, or zones or even dungeons. The latter Echo was both nervous, excited and a bit thankful they hadn't found yet.
 
"How? I don't know...I just should." There was little in his tone to suggest he was in one of his more jovial moods, Khaine just seemed to be stuck in a kind of loop for now where he admonished himself for letting Echo get hurt, and it was easy to see that this meant a lot to him. It was part of why he played tank in the first place, he liked being that protector, he liked being the kind of guy that looked after his party and of course that went double, triple even when it came to somebody like her. It wasn't just that she was a girl, which did affect him in a very real way, it was how similar she was to Makayla, how much she reminded him of his little sister and how he had wanted to protect her from everything that had been going on with the hackers. From the last night when they couldn't log out and she had needed holding he had started to develop very protective instincts over her and to fail her like he had, like he felt he had at least...it was doing very real damage to his mind. He smiled as she tried to comfort him, shaking his head. "Don't be silly, you can't give me credit just because you noticed I was acting weird. I should have resisted, somehow, I should have been stronger." He leaned down to kiss her forehead, happy she was at least still in his lap where he could tend to her wounds and laughing softly as she chastised him for not letting her tend to his.

"Oh you don't, do you? Fine, I'll let you off the hook just this once." He laughed and nodded at her assessment. "I don't know...I meant she wasn't that bad looking...she wasn't as cute as you are but nobody is that cute so that's understandable, isn't it?" He offered her a smile and his trademark smirk was starting to slowly return. "At least I got what I wanted though, right? I got my princess in my lap just like I said I would." It had been hard to fight it, the laughter that had bubbled forth as he had watched Echo's expression change when she realised what he was saying, calling him an asshole and shoved against him. He'd followed her up as she had scrambled out of his lap, pouting playfully as he tried to not focus on having failed her but on the happiness he had when they had been fighting like this earlier, and the joy he had felt when he had been teasing her. That...that was what he wanted, that was the Khaine he wanted to be, not the morose one that was more unhappy than cheerful. "Oh come on, that was funny, right?" He really hadn't let her tend to his wounds, had kept them to himself while she had argued with him about them and now that she had pushed out of his lap there didn't seem to be much point in going back to tend to them, so he was aching a little as they continued on their journey through the woods, first stopping to pick up several pieces of loot and crescents from the forest floor before they set out. "How dare you! I wouldn't plan to lure a cute little thing like you to my lap like that, I'm not a complete monster, I'm your noble Daddy, remember? Remember how you called out that title for me, desperate for me to come to your rescue? Remember how it felt?" Khaine was grinning ear to ear as he followed Echo through the woods, not willing to let her forget it for a second.

As they journeyed on through the woods, his failures somewhat forgotten as they killed one of the strange creatures Echo had spotted, Khaine had started to fall back to the same pattern of poking a little fun at her, admiring her a little more than was appropriate and mildly flirting while pretending he was completely innocent. The first one of the enemies they took down he took out his tools and began to chip away at, extracting some pretty looking gems while grinning to himself. "Echo, look over here! I bet I can make you a pretty little tiara with this, or maybe use it for a collar for you! Every princess deserves some jewellery don't you think?" Putting the gems he extracted into his bag he had made pretty much the same kind of joke every time he had found something new and it was starting to get late by the time that they eventually started to leave the forest and enter the lands beyond. There was still no sign of the next town and by his estimation it would be a good few miles away before they got there meaning for tonight they would probably have to set up camp. The first clearing they came to which seemed at least a little safe, he paused so that he could pull out one of the tents. "Hey, what do you think of maybe setting up a camp here for the night? I know it's not the same as the Onsen but we will probably be out of the forest some time tomorrow anyway so this is the last chance we will get to sleep beneath the trees. Seems safe enough, right?" Popping out one of the tents, he let it fall to the ground, impressed by the size of it.

Her question about the quests made him shake his head a little in disagreement. "I'm not so sure really, I mean that was kind of a quest we just did, wasn't it? We haven't really been in a civilised area since we left the town so it kind of makes sense that we would get less actual questlines and instead we got whatever the hell that was with the Alarune." He was toying with the gems and ores he had managed to get from the new enemies as he spoke, letting Echo set up her own area in the makeshift camp. "We will probably find some more actual quests once we are out of the woods, so to speak, maybe even bump into other players. I'm claiming you though, okay? No jumping at the next man you see and calling him Daddy, I licked you first!"
 
It was baffling to Echo how Khaine somehow expected to simply power through or somehow do better with all points against him. Pointing at the clearing, they could still see the loot resting in the grass between the flowers as they swayed in the gentle breeze. "I am willing to bet most of them were guys," Echo said this firmly, looking up at him, "Do you think they were weak? Or bad?" Sighing, she inclined her head, "Some maybe, but unlikely all." She wanted him to see it really wasn't his fault, it had been a trap aimed at men. Her voice softened, "If this had been a trap for girls, would you have been upset with me? Think I failed you? Or allow me to be this down on myself?" Pausing for a moment, Echo added, "What if I was the tank of the party and not the healer?" She didn't like that he was this hard on himself. He'd saved her in the end and that was what mattered.

Echo didn't trust him for a moment about letting her off the hook and she readied herself for him to tease her relentlessly and not having much of a recourse when it came to it. Had he not dropped like a stone, she might have felt okay teasing him about the encounter, but because he had? Echo didn't she could bring herself to tease him about it. Blinking she looked up at him, "Well, not at first, no.. Do you remember what she looked like when we killed her though?" Echo shuddered, "It was scary." It had been, the change hadn't been instant either, it was like watching her melt into that creature. She'd been happy sitting where she was while he had tended to her wounds and then he had to go and be his normal self. Outraged was the best word for her reaction to be sure and his question made her snort, "Yeah, real riot you are."

Turning to face him, Echo crossed her arms under her breasts. A single brow rising, "No?" The single word question held a wealth of suspicion as it was clear that she didn't believe him. A loud annoyed sigh left her as he continued. "Here I thought I was special," the parting jab the best she could do, without using his assumed failure against him. Goodness, Khaine was going to be a giant pain in the ass for the next few hours, Echo could already tell. When he asked her how it felt he was met with a hmph. Loot gather from the field, the pair had headed out and true to her prediction, Khaine wasn't letting any of this go and for a moment, Echo wondered if she could "accidentally" stab him with her swords and talk her way out of it. From the comment about his princess needing jewelry, every time he found damned gems. Echo would have been a liar if she said by the time he asked if they should set up camp that her patience wasn't wearing thin. Looking around she nodded, "Okay, yeah," it might be hard for him to tell if her answer was her being tired or tired of his jokes.

While he set the tent up, Echo moved to get firewood so she could start a fire. A part of her wanted to ask him to lay off with the Daddy jokes, part of her didn't. While it was a little annoying because she didn't want to bring what happened up again, to combat all his teasing, she didn't mind the roles he was setting up for them all that much either. It seemed to fit them well and there was a certain comfort that seemed to come from it. While she might not have understood the full implications of the roles, or what they meant to him, Echo was drawn in either way. Having gathered enough fire, she used the skill campfire, which in addition to making the fire itself, helped her construct a cooking pot which rested over the fire. The smell of burning wood slowly permeated outwards. Digging in her bag, she pulled out some mushrooms, thick egg noodles, some beef, onions, garlic, broth, soured cream and seasonings. It would take her a little while, while she worked methodically. Starting with the browning of the steak, while she chopped up mushrooms, garlic and onions. The steak had been seasoned simply with salt and pepper and when it was done, Echo pulled it out to rest before tossing in the mushrooms, with a bit of butter. Next the onions joined the mushrooms and finally the garlic.

"I hope you like Stroganoff," Echo said, focused on the task at hand. Broth, thyme and a brown sauce that smelled like Worcestershire. Using her wooden spoon, Echo made sure to scrape all the browned bits before letting the sauce come to a boil and adding the thick egg noodles. Humming softly, she kept a watchful eye on the noodles as they cooked. It was very much like cooking in real life, nothing fancy as of yet. Noodles done, she pulled the pot off the fire, the stand easily handling the job. The cream was added slowly, tempering it to prevent cuddling before the beef was added, which had been thinly sliced. Echo had picked up simple, but very much in her style bowls. They were all white as a base, with delicate patterns. Having decided on the green and blue bowls for tonight, she gave them both an ample helping. "Dinner is ready, did you finish setting up the tent?"
 
Khaine smiled softly at her. Echo really was sweet, trying to reassure him that it wasn't his fault he had fallen for the man trap that was the Alarune that had lured him in so easily, and he reached down to cup her cheek, shaking his head as she asked him if he would have blamed her had it been a trap laid for girls. "You know I wouldn't Echo, that's not fair...using logic on me. When did you decide you were going to be such a buttface?" Laughing softly, he reached behind her head and suddenly pulled her to his chest, hugging her close. "I just didn't like feeling like I failed you, or put you in danger. If you haven't noticed, I like being the protector. Protecting you...that's what a Daddy does, isn't it?" He grinned, holding her tightly enough that she wouldn't be able to easily pull away from him even if she tried as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Daddy has to look after his little princess...otherwise how will he get to hold her at night?" Finally he released her, helping gather the loot around where the Alarune had fallen before they would return to their journey, smiling at their interaction. It might not seem like a lot but Echo had really made him feel better, raised his spirits...he did notice she wasn't biting back like she normally would though, was hardly teasing him at all in fact. That...he didn't like so much. Khaine wasn't fragile, he could take the teasing, hell he kind of craved it...he had loved how she had always at least fought back as he tormented her, and he had a plan...he would push her into doing it again through relentlessly calling her his little girl or himself her Daddy. Sure, it wasn't a very well thought out or complicated plan, but given time he had a feeling it would work.

As their journey continued and they carried on talking, he just wouldn't stop. "What do you mean you thought you were special? You are special, you're my little girl...there is nothing more special to a Daddy than that, didn't you know that?" He had no idea that he was actually annoying her so much, if he had known he would definitely have toned it down but instead he continued with the Daddy jokes, the princess comments and everything in between, determined to make her start to tease him back again, to get back what they had just a few hours ago. When they finally came to making camp he set up one of his instant tents while she prepared to do the cooking, something that didn't take him very long at all though in truth they were far from instant. Grumbling to himself that it had taken at least half an hour, she had almost finished dinner by the time he was done. "Yeah, just about. Why, missing Daddy already?" As he walked towards the cooking area he was pulling off his breastplate, revealing the pale grey undershirt beneath it that prevented him from getting chafed by the armour, placing it down as he started to remove more of his gear. He wasn't trying to strip or anything, it was just heavy, hot and uncomfortable and it seemed to be a cool evening...he wanted to feel a breeze on his skin...it was honestly the worst thing about playing a tank. Beneath the leg armour he was wearing his boxer shorts, pale blue and thankfully buttoned up at the front, and once it was all off he rooted through his bag for the comfortable slacks he carried with him for when he didn't need to wear it. "Finally I can get comfortable. I know your battle gear is kind of revealing but I'd trade in a heartbeat if it only had the kind of defensive stats my armour does...wearing this stuff is no joke, I feel hot and uncomfortable and I am sure it makes me feel grouchy." Stretching and sitting down, he smiled at her. "I'm sure I heard something about Stroganoff? Can't say I'm the biggest fan but I don't mind it, and I'm sure it's five times more delicious when cooked by a princess."

Taking one of the bowls, he carried it back towards the tent, gesturing for her to follow as there was a nice little dining table outside it and he wanted to show off his handywork, since it hadn't been nearly as easy as he had hoped it would be. Sitting at the table, he allowed his food to cool a little while he pointed inside. The bed...and there was only one big double bed and not separate beds, looked incredibly comfortable, much like the one in the Onsen. The tent came with lighting, storage room, comfortable looking rugs on the floor and bug netting around the entrance so they could choose to leave the main parts open if they wished, or close them off to the world. Thankfully there was an invitation only rule for camping tents unless you were in a PVP area, so random travellers couldn't damage their new temporary sleeping quarters or enter without either being invited in or being in the same party as the one who had set it up, and Khaine had no intention of inviting anybody else to his party. "So, what do you think? I can add another bed if you'd like, but...I really enjoyed last night. After my incident though I understand if you'd rather not have me so close to you again while I sleep...I'm still kinda sorry about that..." He smiled sheepishly, remembering how awkward he felt telling her, but she had taken it well. The worst part was that he didn't mind...he kind of liked how she had reassured him but he didn't know if it would happen again and he hardly wanted to make her have to lay with him when he could wake with an erection...it wasn't fair to her even if he enjoyed teasing her about how cute she was. To distract himself he took a bite of the stroganoff, and his face lit up. "Wow, I was right, get a princess to make it and it's fucking delicious! Oh, sorry for the language...but this is really good, you should be proud of yourself, you're an amazing cook!" He took another bite, more than happy to polish off this bowl quickly, he hadn't even realised how hungry he was till he started eating. "I should have gotten a little babygirl sooner, to think I'd have been eating sandwiches or something awful instead of this!"
 
It wasn't fair for her to use logic? A soft snort left Echo. "Poor thing," she offered in a sardonic tone, a smile flirting at the edges of her lips. Brows lifted and she placed a hand on her chest, gasping, "Why I never!" Her tone taking on honied southern accent. "How dare you impugn my honor, Sir!" Laughing as he pulled her close she didn't resist the hug. Her arms slid around his waist and she gave a soft sigh. "Sometimes we both will fail. If I let you die, because I missed a heal, I would feel horrible, but you wouldn't make me feel bad. You'd know it was a mistake." Her chin rested on his chest as her head tipped back, golden eyes watching him. "I would think so, yes." His lips brushed her hair and she closed her eyes for a moment. Something was changing between them, Echo could feel it. Though he called her princess and himself Daddy, it wasn't something so innocent as the words led one to believe. Groaning softly she shook her head, the joke incredibly dad-like. "Uh.. huh..." The idea of him holding her as she slept was not unappealing, but she didn't want to give Khaine the satisfaction.

Each new joke at her expense made her sigh, still not feeling like it would be okay to poke at him for this perceived failure. She didn't know his constant ribbing of Daddy remarks and little girl/princess. It might have not rubbed her the wrong way, had she known. There was at least a break as they both worked on their own projects. Kaine set the tent up while she made the food. Cooking was almost cathartic, something so normal in a place that nothing was. Sure she didn't use a stove, but Echo could dismiss that and enjoy the simple task. As the smell of the stroganoff wafted through the clearing, she could tell it would be done soon. Looking up at him she rolled her eyes. "The quiet has actually been nice," the remark was playful rather than biting. The remarks were a bit tiring, but she was still overall happy. Echo looked to Khaine with a tilt of her head. "Surprised you didn't shed some of that before you started working. Seems like it would have been easier and less out." Her outfit was surprisingly comfortable, though she would have preferred something looser. Later, her PJs would offer what she sought. She hadn't commented on his being grouchy mostly because he hadn't seemed grouchy.

"Oh," Echo couldn't help but sound a bit disappointed that he didn't like stroganoff. She liked it, though it wasn't her favorite meal ever. It had just made sense with the number of mushrooms she had gathered over the day. Taking her own bowl she rose and followed him to the tent. The word tent seemed to pale before the structure before her. Sitting at the table she eyes the singular bed that he pointed out. Shaking her head some she bit her lower lip. "No, it's okay. I don't mind sharing." The comfort they had both gotten had meant a lot to her and she knew it had meant a lot to him as well. Their world had been turned on its head, the comfort was needed. At least for her. "We haven't talked about it much, and I don't really want to rehash it, but I still would love to be held. It makes me feel.. safe'' There was more, but she wasn't ready to admit how cared for and even cherished it had made her feel. The emotions were strong and they had really just met.

She had been poking her food, mind elsewhere when he took his first bite and Echo's golden eyes lifted to meet his own, blush dancing in her cheeks. "Yeah?" Smiling, she took a bite of her own. It was rich, almost decadently so with the cream. The meat fell apart in her mouth and the mushrooms added a texture, soft, but with a bite. "Mmm~" Giggling she shook her head, deciding to tease him in a way that wouldn't bother him. "Sounds like we might need a swear jar." His praise made Echo glow and she nodded to the cooking pot, still warmed by the fire. "There is more if you're still hungry." Snorting she shook her head. "Just any babygirl?" The terms didn't really bother her and while she didn't understand completely the terms, she got the gist. The internet was both full of wonder, perversion and horrible things. The sun was setting slowly, the sky a canvas of pinks, purples, oranges and deep blue. Echo sighed softly, as she watched the color shift before her eyes, like watching a flower bloom they seemed to shift without her really seeing the change.

"Khaine?" Echo dragged her eyes back to him and she pushed at the last noodle left in her bowl. "I know you enjoy teasing me about being your little girl, you being my Daddy.. but what does it really mean?" There was a sweet innocence to her question. "I have seen things online, so I know sort of the way you mean it. I don't know the finer points though." Pulling out her water she took a sip, the contents of her canteen cool. Another deep sip was taken and she turned her full attention back to him, waiting for him to explain. He was the one who brought it up, he had to know more than she did, even if it was just a little.
 
"Your honour will survive..." Khaine couldn't really argue with the logic she was giving him, and it really had been making him feel better. "And it's not Sir, it's Daddy, remember? Do I have to give you a spanking for this?" He wasn't entirely serious, not that the idea hadn't appealed, but teasing her made him feel better, though had he known how she had been taking it, growing frustrated, he would have stopped it long ago. He didn't like the idea of actually upsetting or frustrating Echo, he was just doing what they had done since they had met, this was their relationship as it stood. They tossed friendly barbs at each other, they flirted a little, she called him a pervert, he responded by denying it and then saying something perverted...this was just how it was, right? They had continued until they had gotten to their campsite and he had left her cooking while he went to set up the tent. When he finally had walked up to her, having finished setting up the tent he had shaken his head while removing his armour. "I didn't want to take my armour off till we have the tent, didn't know if we would be attacked you know? Now if we are we can just get in there quick, enemies can't enter, nor can other players. Safest place out here for now!" To him it made sense, he didn't know what lurked around here and after the Alarune he didn't want to let his guard down too soon. Putting Echo in danger again wasn't something he thought he would be able to take so soon. Helping carry the food back towards the tent and to the dining table just outside of it, he'd been happy to help set the table and despite it not being his favourite, the food really did look and smell delicious, Echo had done a fantastic job cooking it.

As he had sat down at the table he smiled at her response. "Yeah...me too." Laughing, he shook his head. "I mean not the feel safe part, I mean I like it...it did give me comfort, having somebody to hold." He'd taken a bite of his food, complimented her on it, enjoyed her reaction. "Yeah, it's fantastic. Anyway...thank you. For accepting, even after I...well, you know. I don't know why it feels like I need it so much, but just holding you last night, I felt...like things would be okay, you know? Even if it takes a while to get out of here, and I hope we manage soon, but it could be difficult...at least I'm with you, at least I have you, I'm with...a friend." He gave her a warm smile and continued to eat. "A swear jar? I don't know how I feel about that...are you trying to get even more money from me? Being your sugar Daddy is hard!" As he was finishing and she told him he could get more, he shook his head. "I'm full, though maybe save some for later? I definitely wouldn't mind eating that again..." Her comment made him chuckle softly. "Of course not just any babygirl, who do you think I am? You won't believe me...and I wouldn't blame you, but while I might be happy to flirt with any stunningly beautiful girl a little, I don't often tease them to quite the extent I have with you...and I definitely wouldn't share my bed with just anybody. You're special...you I actually like. A lot." The words came easy to him, it was just how he felt. Echo was the kind of girl he could easily see himself falling for, he was pretty sure he already was starting to, she made him smile, made him laugh, spending the whole day adventuring with her had only made him like her more, she had reassured him when he thought he had failed and her smile actually brightened his day...he'd do anything just to make her smile, make her laugh, giggle...yeah, he was getting addicted to her, he wanted her, he liked her, and he wasn't shy...Khaine didn't care if she knew he liked her romantically, he wanted her to know. She wasn't under any obligation to like him back but he felt he was at least a decent judge of when a girl enjoyed being with him, and she at least responded like she wanted to be with him in the same way...so what was wrong with telling her?

She said his name, and he looked over at her. "Yeah?" The question she asked...that made him smile too. Slowly rising from his seat, he lifted his chair and carried it with him to her side of the table, placing it down next to her, patting his left thigh. "I can tell you, if you like, but there is a price. My lap...sit in it. I promise I will be good." He let her take her sip of water, waited patiently until she had finished before he reached for her, grabbing her waist. There was no attempt to stop him, which would have made him back off immediately, as he pulled her over into his lap, her rear resting on his thigh, pulling her legs up to lay across him so she was sitting sideways with one arm behind her and wrapped around her waist so she couldn't fall. Using his other hand, he pulled her head to his shoulder, laying it against him. "There, that's better. So being your Daddy...being a Daddy...you know what BDSM is right? Even if you've never tried it, you probably know...it's a part of that...a part that to be honest, I've never had, but always wanted...the way I see it, it's gentler. Softer. A Daddy looks after his princess...he can be strict, they can still enjoy a lot of the things you would in a normal BDSM relationship, spanking, a little bondage, punishments...but it's less...formal. A Daddy cares for his little girl, nurtures her, helps her with things she struggles with and with her emotions. He loves her, buys her stuffed toys and watches silly movies with her, Disney movies especially!" He chuckled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head...the entire time he had been speaking his hand had been gliding up and down her arm, trying to keep her comfortable, never going anywhere it shouldn't. Khaine was taking this seriously...because it really had been something he had always thought would suit him perfectly. "Soothing her when things aren't quite right, rewarding her when she's a good little girl...and of course doing dreadfully naughty things to her...the last part is the least important, if I'm honest...even if I am a pervert."
 
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His threat of a spanking with her playful teasing had brows lifting. "Spanking? Yet, you say you're not a pervert." The idea itself was not unappealing to her, which was surprising on it's own. She seemed to recall a picture she'd seen once on Tumblr. Something told her his threat was much like the image she'd seen and she fought her blush, though it was a losing battle and her cheeks burned. Rather than let him see it bothered her, she bared her teeth at him, the look almost feral. "I think not," it was added with a sniff as she went back to cooking. The clearing filled with aroma of their dinner and she could feel her stomach tighten with hunger well before she'd finished cooking. His reasoning made sense, and Echo's eyes trailed along the edges of the clearing. It seemed safe, but better safe than sorry.

As they spoke of what the cuddling the night before had offered them both, she smiled and nodded. "I didn't make you feel safer?" Echo pouted at him playfully, looking hurt at the idea she'd not offered him the same comfort. She understood though, why in theory protecting her, keeping her safe had helped him deal with the rather volatile events of the evening. They had likely shaken every player to their core, no matter if they showed it or not. Echo's mind went to the male in the city. Would he have been bothered or scared? Or happy to live in a world without real consequences? Nodding again she smiled softly. "Things will be okay," it was more than the fact that had to be, Echo truly believed it. When he called her a friend, her smile grew and she beamed at him, "Yeah! I am really happy I met you, Khaine." Chuckling she lifted a brow. "See, I think you're actually afraid you will end up broke. Then I'd be your sugar momma" Teasing him, Echo went back to eating.

Looking at the pot, she offered a nod. "Sure, it should keep for a few days before it vanishes?" During picking up her crafts, the NPC had mentioned something about it. "Maybe someday I can sell the food I make." It seemed silly and Echo knew they wouldn't be trapped forever... but if they were, her family aside, she could perhaps be happy seeing the world of Everleigh, setting up a small restaurant. For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder if the game would have expansions.. How would they keep the people trapped within engaged and active. She didn't linger with the thoughts as they drew her down a dark path. Shoving the thoughts aside, she teased him, distracting herself. "No? Sure we shouldn't go back and talk to the plant lady?" She couldn't help the tease, and she felt he'd take it well now. Though when Khaine told her she was special, that he wasn't quite like this with everyone... The thought of him flirting with someone made her hackles rise. She would stab him, it was that simple and Echo was convinced he would deserve it!

She watched him move his seat after her question, his price made a brow rise in question as she drank her water. Khaine allowed her to finish her drink before pulling her into his lap. Cradled in his lap, she looked up at him, clearly waiting for his explanation. A shallow nod was offered when he questioned her knowledge, "Yeah, I have seen it on Tumblr, TikTok..." Her voice trailed off, confirming it. "You have?" Curious... It fit him though, she had to admit, the caring nature that he exuded when not being a pervert. Her mind went back to the rare stuffed animal he'd gotten her. Her eyes narrowed playfully, "And you're grooming me to be your little girl?" The wording wasn't quite right, she knew, she was meant to be an adult after all, not sixteen. His lips brushed her hair and she had to admit she saw the appeal, her eyes flickered to his face.

The lede wasn't buried, the implication of the relationship being something he wanted, with her. Echo was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. Yet, while all signs indicated that it was something he wanted, he hadn't actually asked. She liked him, was attracted to him, even if he could be frustrating, mildly annoying and a huge pervert and she'd only known him for a day really... He was also kind, protective and sweet. Lifting a hand she brushed against his cheek, turning his head towards her. Leaning into him, her cheeks burned as her lips brushed his. The touch was chaste and she was already pulling back from it. She'd kissed him, she'd be the one to offer the change in their budding relationship... though she would force him to ask if he wanted her to be his...
 
Khaine had offered a not so apologetic smirk at her question, not even bothering to shrug about it. "Do I have to be a pervert to want to lay my hands on that ass?" He stuck his tongue out at her playfully. "Wait...don't answer that, I feel I know what you'll say already." A spanking was definitely one of the many things he would like to do to Echo if he got the chance, but apart from his not very subtle flirting it wasn't like he would be pushy with it. He wasn't in any rush; either something would develop between them as he suspected it might considering how they already talked with one another, or it wouldn't. Khaine had a relaxed attitude when it came to things like this, he pursued what he wanted but the girls he chased had to show they wanted him too. Laughing off her little snarl, he had left her to the cooking until later when they had started to talk about the cuddling in bed. "You made me feel happier. Is that not enough?" He laughed and smiled at her, the smile only becoming warmer as she said she was happy she had met him. "I'm glad I met you too you know. I mean, you were a bit of a buttface about me tagging a mob I'd worked hard on finding, but you're really not so bad." He grinned and nodded. "Yep, if we have a swear jar it will be you paying for my things in no time and I don't know how I'll get you to do that. I don't look nearly as cute...any suggestions? How does a noble knight persuade the princess to part with her illicit earnings?"

They'd begun to eat shortly after, mostly making small talk. "You definitely could, I'd buy it, if I saw you selling this kind of thing. Maybe if you offer a kiss with every purchase too, then you'll really rake in the crescents." As much as he joked, he could really see them making a living, he could go out hunting or take on protection duties, maybe do some blacksmithing and sell the weapons and armour he made while she cooked and sold her wares. It would be a life...but deep down he knew that they both really wanted to just get out of Everleigh. Maybe they would come back after that, he did like it here, it's why he'd come back to the game after the beta but now that they were trapped, they wanted out...though if it never happened a life here would be fun. He'd still be with Echo...that was at least something. He was drinking when she asked if he wanted to go back to the plant lady and he snorted, the unattractive noise not looking any better as he had to wipe his face. "Well, do you think she'd want to share my bed? I mean if you're sure..." He stuck his tongue out at her again...he couldn't help it, she just made him want to tease her, he acted more childish around her and he wasn't always the most mature individual anyway. As the conversation had moved on and he'd managed to coerce her into his lap he'd explained what he thought a Daddy was, let her listen, and the way he'd worded it left no doubt he was talking about her being his little girl, and when she had questioned him he'd smiled softly, rolling his eyes. "See, when I start being serious you still find a way to make me tease you some more, hmm? No I'm not grooming you...I'll let you groom yourself!" He felt the term was just fine, after all she was an adult, so it wasn't even grooming even if he was laying it on thick, leading her that way.

When he'd finished he was still lightly stroking her arm, he was comfortable just having her in his lap and could have stayed up the whole night just like this, holding her...it would have been perfect actually. Looking down at her, a soft smile on his face, letting her think about what he had told her. When she looked up at him he could see her features illuminated in the moonlight the game provided, looking as beautiful as he'd ever seen her...and something more. The look in her eyes, she looked shy, she was blushing...and her hand came up to his cheek. He let her guide him, at first he wondered if she was just trying to get a better look but it didn't take long to see where it was going as she leaned closer, stretching upwards to brush her lips against his. The kiss...it was sweet, chaste, soft and unsure, all the things he would have expected from her...and it made his heart skip a beat. That flutter...it wasn't like it was the first time he had kissed a girl but this...it felt so much different and not just because they were in a game, because it was a virtual reality kiss that wasn't quite real. "Echo..." Her name was spoken quietly, but the weight it held, that soft word...

His eyes remained on hers as his own hand came up, fingers brushing a strand of hair from her face and cupping her cheek while his thumb was beneath her jaw, keeping her gaze on him. "You are playing a dangerous game princess...kissing a pervert like me while sitting in my lap, making me talk about things like that." His smile was plainly visible even in the soft light they had and in his eyes was something else...there was a hunger to it, he wanted her, but it was much more than that. Affection, adoration...it was more than simple desire and for once he didn't have a quip to make, he didn't feel like a joke would be appropriate, it wouldn't come close to conveying what he was feeling. "Do you like me, Echo? I know you like me as a friend, but...is it more? Of course it is, you kissed me...does being my little girl in truth sound like something you might want?" He was tempted to kiss her again, a real kiss this time. "I know I do...something about you was special from the moment we met, you're sweet, kind...maybe a little bit of a crybaby but you're brave too, tough and strong. You don't take any of my crap...even when I doubted myself you raised me back up and didn't let me sink." Speaking from the heart had never been so easy. "You're an amazing girl...but you know who I am already, just a pervert, are you sure you want this? Because if you don't you have to tell me fast...I'm going to kiss you now, and then you're mine...I hope that's clear." As he spoke the last sentence he was lowering his face towards her, he wanted to feel her lips on his again and in moments they would be there if she didn't intervene. It wouldn't be a hard kiss, it wouldn't be the light, chaste peck she had given him either...it would be soft, searching...a lover's kiss.
 
He did know the answer she'd give him, there was no doubt in either mind. He was a pervert for wanting to put his hands on her ass. A smile curled along her lips as she looked at him, but Echo refrained from teasing him, eyes dancing. There was a simple joy in cooking their meal. Having gathered materials along the way, she couldn't help but feel a small spark of excitement at the idea of making more meals from scratch. Using meat they had hunted, making her own pasta. With how things were, what had happened, it was likely good to be excited about something like cooking. They'd need to eat in game, no matter if their bodies were fed outside of it. The two were exclusive. If you didn't bother to eat in game would you die? Unlikely, but she didn't want to know the consequences. What would happen if your body was nourished but your mind said otherwise? Exhaling softly, she looked up at him, sticking her tongue out. "I suppose," Echo might have wished she made him feel safe, but she also understood why she hadn't. It wasn't like she could be the protector he could be. She gave him a look of indignation. "I was clearing to it! It was obvious!" A grumpy look lingered on her face, though she was far from upset. "I don't think you could! Could be my butler maybe?"

Chewing, she snorted softly. "Hmm. A kiss with each purchase." It seemed as if Echo was considering it, a part of her wanting him to retract the idea. Why did she care so much if Khaine cared if she was kissed by strangers? Her mind slipped back to the idea of owning a small restaurant. Would it come to that? What kind of life might they have? The 'they' of her thoughts were missed. No plans she thought of, made, seemed to be missing her noble knight. He was just included, as if a given and not a possibility. Had Echo noticed, would that have changed anything? The conversation shifted and she shook her head. "If she does," Echo's eyes slid to the tent, "Dibs on the bed in the tent. And I will not be sharing!" The conversation moved on and somehow Echo found herself in his lap. It wasn't bad, she could admit that to herself, and Khaine was warm, the chill of the night air chased away from her skin. "Yeah, you were being super serious."

She knew he hadn't been actually teasing her, but them both making light of the feelings that were brewing between them made it easier. Deciding she wanted to kiss him had been easy enough, the actual kiss had been harder. Not that it was a complicated task, but she knew that kiss would change everything. They were playful, flirty, but they were only friends. They'd known each other for such a short period of time and Echo was sure neither of them loved the other. Had feelings though? Yeah... they were both goners in that sense. Her kiss had been chaste and as she pulled back, her face had been ablaze, cheeks burning. Khaine's voice, the softness, the weight of it made her eyes meet his again. Her name had never held so much. His hand lifted, brushing against an errant strand of hair. For a moment, her eyes closed and she took a shaky breath before looking back up at him. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb holding her chin up, as if he knew she wanted to look away suddenly. Shy, unsure.. but he didn't allow it. Echo didn't force it either. Like a moth, drawn to the flame, she gazed up at him.

His question had her mouth opening and then closing as he clarified. Of course she liked him, but he knew that. They were friends. Her mouth opened again when he asked if she liked him as more, all but ready to call him a dummy, before once more it snapped closed. The last question made her shift, uneasily. Did it? Yes. No. Maybe? The fact of the matter was the simple answer, without thought was yes. There were questions, concerns and perhaps even a little fear. What would being his little girl mean? What would happen if she didn't like it, or somehow they were better as friends? Her eyes flashed as he called her a crybaby. True as it was, it didn't please her to be called one. "You were the one to make me cry. Maybe you're just a bully." The huffy answer was whispered, though it lacked the conviction Echo normally had. It was an ultimatum of sorts, if she didn't stop him, it would all change. She couldn't bring herself to stop him, even if she was, "I am scared," the words whispered right as his lips found hers.

Scared was only one facet of her feelings as his mouth claimed hers. The emotions were chaotic to say the least, as they swirled inside her. Elation, shyness, trepidation. She did want to try, but the fear of breaking what they had, losing him, being alone? She didn't even know if she honestly thought he'd leave her, even if they didn't work. The real fear is if it didn't, could she be around him while he flirted with others like he had once flirted with her? Echo wasn't normally a worrier, yet she couldn't help those feelings. The other either. Like the sweetness of the butterflies in her stomach at the kiss. The shy eagerness to find out what it meant to be his..
 
"You suppose?" Khaine could almost imagine how she was thinking, even knowing her just for a day or two he had a pretty good handle on Echo now, it was how he was able to tease her so effectively, so when she had said those two words he knew how she felt, and he had tilted her head up towards him, made her look at him. "I feel safer than I would without you, but I take more risks too, can't help that one, I like being a protector. You're a healer, and you make me smile, you're cute, adorable, you try to steal my kills and then call me an asshole when you don't succeed." He chuckled, knowing he was probably annoying her a little bit, but wasn't that part of their fun? "Safe is just one of many feelings, and it's not your job to make me feel safe, that's my job. Yours is to patch me up when I do stupid things and save me from the beautiful, deadly plant girls that want my ass for some reason." He started to eat and laughed, covering his mouth and swallowing before he could even respond to her. "Then you planned a bad route, and what does it matter anyway? You got the loot, didn't you? You got a fancy pet out of it that nobody else in this world has, just through your crybaby powers. Hmm, no...I'm not being your butler, but you can be my little princess if you like." Grinning, he'd gone back to eating, enjoying the meal she had crafted up for the both of them.

She'd commented again shortly after and he'd made a soft growling noise, he hadn't even thought about it till he'd made it, but the thought of her offering kisses to people had dragged it from his lips unbidden. He didn't trust himself to say anything about it, instead taking a drink so it didn't look strange, his uncharacteristic silence and tried not to think about how insanely jealous he would be if she kissed anybody but him. Was that what this was going to be now? So quickly he was finding his feelings for his companion growing...oh he'd known he liked the the moment they had met, the way she had accused him and pouted at him, reminding him of his younger sister without actually being her, endearing herself to him but before long that had started to become more...and now he was jealous of anybody else kissing her, just like that. He caught what she had said and shook his head, laughing. "What? Fuck no, not happening. Fine, if she turns up apologising for trying to rape me and reaaally wants to share my bed, I'll turn her down. She can stay outside the tent where she belongs, no way I'm giving up another night cuddling my healer for some floral hussy!"

Then things had become a lot less jokey, a lot more serious, and having her in his lap, explaining what it meant to him, the talk of Daddies and little girls, he really had been trying to be serious, he might have thrown a joke in there but for once he was trying to just be upfront and clear with his feelings. He'd tried to explain it, how he felt about it, tried to get her feelings on it too but she hadn't had any experience, not like he had, and instead she'd done something shocking, she'd kissed him. Chaste and sweet, it was still a kiss and his heart was racing as she pulled back and he questioned her. He warned her, and he chuckled softly, ignoring her rebuttal as his lips found hers again, a deeper kiss, probing at her lips ever so gently with his tongue while his arm pulled her tighter against him, closer, sharing his warmth with her. His mind was blank as he could only think about the moment they were sharing, all his previous thoughts about whether this was a good idea, to get so involved with her when he didn't even know who she was or where she was really from, didn't even know her real name but in the end it didn't matter. By the time he pulled back from the kiss, it was too late for Khaine, he was addicted, he wanted more of her and at the same time, he at least knew she was younger than him, probably about 18 or 19, he might even be her first...and he had to go slow, give her time to process.

"Am I a bully, little girl?" He knew what he was saying, already treating her like he was her Daddy. "I don't think so, even if I do like teasing you...but I was serious, you have to tell me how you feel, because..." He raised his hand to cup her cheek and he smiled...not a teasing smile, or a cocky one, he was trying to put her at ease. "If you let me I'm going to get hooked on you, I can already tell. You make me laugh, make me smile, I love flirting with you and teasing you and to some extent looking after you, and we are in a dangerous place, I think that heightens these things. I can fall for you, Echo, really fall hard, and I don't do things like this lightly. I know I'm a flirt and a tease and a damn pervert but I don't just mess around, if I'm in a relationship, I'm in it. 100%, devoted, loyal...I'd be yours, all yours, and you'd be mine...so Echo, you need to think about what you want. Pretty sure I'm older than you, I'm not going to ask details about you or anything, not yet...because we only exist together here right now, but if I push you I'll feel like I'm taking advantage of you, and I don't want to do that, I want you to be sure."

He looked up, seeing the beautiful star system and moons of Everleigh. "Come on, you can climb down now, we can get ready for bed. I'll sleep on the floor if you want to be alone, to think about things." He looked back down at her and smiled. "And I'm scared too...excited, by you, by the thought of being more...scared of how I feel, and scared of losing you, driving you away. Of you finding out you don't want me, that this is just the danger of where we are making you think you want to be with me..." He started to push a little, trying to guide her down from his lap because he knew if he let her stay he was only going to become more infatuated with her.
 
A huff left her and she narrowed her eyes, though the look was far from mad, a playful glint in her eyes. "All your mobs and loot are belong to me," the answer was geeky, but it was pretty accurate as to her feelings. Well, only sort of. Okay.. mostly. Echo was well aware of her desire to loot all things first and to see all the rare loot first. While it was a problem sometimes, she was able to share and even when allowed to be the first to loot a body or chest, Echo made a point of sharing the loot. She didn't care so much about keeping the loot. It was silly really. Her face smoothed and she nodded some, what he said about protecting him made sense, even if she didn't like it much. Patching him up would be okay and he was meant to be her tank. A snort left Echo and she flipped him off. "I did not plan a bad route. I am squishy and I wasn't an over powered beta bully!" Okay, that last was a bit much, even Echo would admit to it, but it had sounded really good in her head and coming from her mouth. "I needed to make my way there rather than barrel in head first." A smirk curled along her lips. "Least now I know how we got into such trouble with the wicked flower."

The growl Khaine had made when she'd mentioned giving kisses away with her goods had made something inside of Echo tighten. She found she liked noise. He didn't comment, but her goal had been achieved either way. Echo had known he wouldn't like the idea of kissing others... or rather than know, she had hoped. The mention of the plant lady and her answer had made him laugh, the sound drawing a smile to her own face. Laughing herself she shook her head. He was truly incorrigible. Much like the growl that had slipped from Khaine though, Echo was finding she was fond of this behavior. Even if it made her shake her head in exasperation from time to time. Mirth clung to her words as Echo muttered "Floral hussy.."

Being in his lap perhaps was unwise, but Echo couldn't for the life of herself figure out why. Held tightly to him, his head had dipped when she hadn't tried to pull away or tell him to stop. This kiss wasn't like her own. It wasn't chaste, sweet... It was searing and passionate. His tongue gently probed at her lips and her mouth opened slightly. Her inexperience was clear, though what she lacked she made up for with a sort of delightful eagerness. Her tongue brushed along his and she felt his arms tighten around her further. His warmth ate along her skin and Echo felt like she was burning. It was pleasant, so pleasant and she would have gladly burned with him. It came to an end though and Echo was left looking more than a little bemused in his lap. Eyes slowly lifted and she blinked once, twice.. three times as if trying to process the question.

"I have called you one twice tonight at the very least.." Her voice, much like the sweet confusion on her face, was distracted and she shook herself, physically in his lap. Like a bird ruffling its feathers. Her cheek pressed into his hand as Khaine cupped her cheek. Her eyes held his, slowly clearing from her first real kiss. A small smile toyed at the edges of her mouth and she lifted a brow. "Are you asking me out, Daddy?" The name was an experiment and she found she didn't mind it at all. She had thought it might bother her, calling him Daddy. She after all had a dad, but it wasn't the same. When he said he was pretty sure he was older she bit her lower lip and looked away, knowing without a doubt he was older than she was. The game required you to be eighteen after all and she was sixteen. That was two years younger than the game required. No Khaine seemed older and if she had to guess he was closer to her brother's age, perhaps a little younger or older but somewhere around there. He was offering her a way out, even now. He was trying to make sure she felt safe. Looking up at him again she nodded. "I am sure, if you want to try?" There was a shyness to her voice but a sweet surety too. She.. wanted this. Echo knew their attraction was happening quickly, but she also knew it wasn't just the fact they were trapped and she had a feeling it wasn't that for Khaine either. She genuinely enjoyed his company and him.

She slipped from his lap at his urging though she stopped and turned. Sitting, she was the same height as him. A frown pulled at her lips and she shook her head slowly. "I already know at least one of those things is not true." She touched his cheek, "I don't like you just because I am scared to be alone or because we are trapped. It makes sense to group, but I don't stay here because of that. We could both easily find other groups. I am here because.. I like you. I like the pervy jokes, the sweetness.. the way you look after me. The way you want me to be sure I want this, you give me every chance to say no or back out. You want me to be just as sure. You are a good man." She exhaled and laughed, a hand rising behind her head, eyes closing for a moment as she smiled. "Also we can share the bed, but tonight, I would like to put up a pillow barrier if that is okay. I do want to think about it more and I think that will be easier if you're not holding me. Though... I don't think my answer will change."

Leaning in, her hand fell to his shoulder and her lips brushed his cheek. "I am going to change. Wait out here." She moved into the tent and closed the flaps for a moment. It didn't take Echo long to change into those frilly PJs and open the flaps once more. "Do you want me to wait outside while you change?" In her arms was her stuffed animal, the one he'd bought her the night before. It was held to the gentle swell of her breasts. Her hair was loose and falling in furious curls around her body.
 
"Could you be any more of a dork, Echo?" Rolling his eyes at the joke, Khaine couldn't stop himself from smiling, she wasn't the only dork there after all and she was a very, very cute dork. Too cute for her own good, clearly, but every word she said had only endeared her to him more and Khaine was well and truly hooked on the girl. He could see a future here, as he listened to her talk and comment, laughing and smirking, growling at the mere suggestion of her kissing anybody else and reaffirming it by pulling her into that kiss, the second of the night and one that only made him want to go further. He had to hold himself back, remind himself why he liked her. She was dorky, and cute, but she was shy, unsure. If he pushed her, she would go with it, he was confident in that, it didn't take a genius to figure it out and she was definitely submissive enough, suggestive enough to him but he didn't want that. He wanted her to be sure herself, without being pushed, so he had to hold back his own desires, go at her pace. It wasn't easy, but he reminded himself that if anybody were to be with his sister like this, he would want her to have the same kind of man, one that wouldn't try to force her into bed with him because he knew she would want to make him happy. He would want her with somebody that led her there, but let her take those steps herself.

As the kiss had broken he'd grinned playfully. "Oh, a beta bully, am I? So if I took you over my knee and gave you the kind of spanking you deserved...would I still be beta?" He knew damn well she was talking about the game before release and not him, but it was fun to play with the word. He'd grabbed her hair and made her look at him with a sharp tug. "How do I go about getting that alpha bully status?" Then he'd let her slip from his lap, but stayed seated as she turned to talk with him, listening to her. "We don't talk about the Alarune anymore, that's my first rule as your Daddy." He was laughing as he said it, it obviously wasn't a serious rule. "And yes, I'm asking you out. I'm allowed to be a little traditional I think, I'm allowed to make sure you want this instead of pushing you into it, so don't be a pain in the butt." She'd said she was sure though, he hadn't missed that.

She touched a hand to his cheek as she spoke and he smiled back at her, putting aside any jokes he wanted to make for now as she told him that she was sure of at least one thing. "I hope I'm a good man, Echo, I'm trying. I am holding back, because I want you...you don't make it very easy either, being that cute, that beautiful, it should be illegal." He reached out and brushed her hair aside. "And I'm not talking about your pretty avatar, though that is very easy on the eyes. A little short, but I love short. Short girls are my favourite!" He stood up to follow her to the tent, laughing and shaking his head. "Damn it, I was looking forward to waking with your boob in my hands and not freaking out this time. Oh well, one day." As she moved into the tent to change he turned his back, giving her at least some privacy. The pillow idea wasn't a terrible one, it was probably a good idea if she wanted to sleep on it, and wanted a barrier, even if he had been looking very forward to holding her as they slept.

When she came out, he smiled, chuckling at her pyjamas and he moved closer, grabbing her hips and lowering his head. At first it looked like he was going to kiss her then he moved lower, and it would look like he was going for her breasts, slow as he was, until his lips found the stuffed bunny, kissing him on the head. "I'm okay, princess, I don't plan to wear pyjamas anyway, I will be keeping my boxer shorts on though, no matter how much you beg to see me out of them." He'd already took off most of his armour so it didn't take him long once he had stepped into the tent to strip down to his boxers and neatly fold his clothes up. Laying on one side of the bed, he looked up at her, still on top of the covers. "Come on, build your pillow barrier so you don't have to worry about Daddy and his roaming hands." Yawning, he laid his head back and closed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "Hope you don't regret being mine already, because I'm very excited. I wonder if you're even capable of being a good girl and not a brat."
 
His question made Echo stick her tongue out at him. "Probably," came the sweet answer. It was just a part of who she was, though she doubted that Khaine had an issue with her playful, dorky nature. This assumption on her part was only proven as he smiled at her and Echo wrinkled her nose at him playfully. She'd gone about describing how she hadn't been in the wrong when she found herself being pulled into a kiss, her explanation dying on her lips as she kissed him back, but not before she'd called him a Beta Bully, the alliteration, small as it was, had made her happy. Goddess, she was a dork... Her kissing was much like the first had been, shy, inexperienced. Echo, though, leaned into him, unaware of the issues Khaine was facing when it came to her. Khaine pulled back and for a moment, Echo held a bemused look on her face, lips still slightly parted, eyes unfocused.

Shaking herself, like a bird trying to settle it's feathers she cleared her throat, cheeks burning. Nodding she crossed her arms. Khaine was dangerous, at least.. his kisses were. His question made her eyes widen and she shifted some, uncertainly. Echo wasn't in love with the idea of pain. Yet, she had seen several gifs that had made her horny. A miss of a red ass and the rough groping and fingers sinking into dripping pussies made her more eager than she might have been otherwise. Echo knew herself well to know she was a big baby when it came to pain or heck, even discomfort. While aspects of BDSM, the little she'd seen, had aroused her physically, but the thought of being bound, bent and tied in odd positions had not appealed to her. His question though, brought her back to the here and now and she tilted her head, thoughtfully. She understood the joke he was trying to make, but she didn't want to give into it. "Well, did you play during the Alpha?" Her question was innocent and oh so sweet. Echo seemed honestly and truly concerned and confused all at once.

Allowed to slip from his lap she snorted and tossed a look over her shoulder at him. "That is a bullshit rule. You can't just ban us from talking about you thinking with your cock." Her smile was sly and it grew with her next words. "We'd never have anything to talk about!" She stuck her tongue out, turning to face him properly again. "You knew I was like this before asking, so I think you like me being a pain," Echo answered. She was feeling oddly bratty, but it seemed to be welcomed by Khaine. Her smile and face softened though and she nodded some. "No, I do understand. I really appreciate it, Khaine" It had been very sweet of him to make sure she was comfortable and she understood the reasoning. Khaine might not know how old she was, but he knew she was younger and one might have even said impressionable. Like a teacher falling for a student, it would be an odd taboo, that could be seen as the younger, less experienced having no choice. Pressured into the relationship because of their position of power.

Her hand had cupped his cheek and her fingers stroked against the warmth of his skin. "Why hope? Are you not sure?" Her head tilted and she seemed bemused by his answer. "You are a good man." His next words drew a squeak of surprise from her and she blushed brightly. Eyes lowering she shifted some, shy. "Well, that should prove that you are then." Her voice held that shyness even as her eyes rose some to meet his as his hand brushed at her hair. She snorted softly. "Some of those words don't apply to personality." After she said it, she supposed they could apply, but they went more hand in hand with looks. Shaking her head at him she sighed and walked away and his comment about holding her boob was answered with a rude gesture over her shoulder, her laughter trailing behind her.

When she came out, dressed in her PJs, she looked up at him. Her body, her breathing, had stilled as his head lowered. Was he going to kiss her again? Heart racing, his head lowered further and she blushed, her mind going to the exact place he had intended and then his lips pressed against her bunny's head and she gave a growl of annoyance. "You are such a buttface!" She pushed at his shoulder hard, while clutching her stuffie to her chest and let out a huff, still mildly annoyed at him. Stalking after him she waited till he laid down before starting to amass a pillow barrier that would keep them separate. Once she was satisfied she climbed into bed as well. "Are you saying I am not good?" came her voice from behind the wall of pillows. Cuddling her bunny close, she yawned, loudly, eyes drifting closed. It did bother her a little, what he’d said, but she understood, he was teasing. At least.. She thought so.
 
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