nysalogs | sun's up, we wait all day ( semi-closed. )

[ he hasn't found the knights yet. doesn't really know how to, and none of them were in stasis. lancelot doesn't once consider that the natha had failed to save them-- and it's not out of blind faith in these omnipotent beings that makes him believe that they're still alive somewhere. no, it's simply because he trusts vane, percival, and siegfried somehow made it. and he continues to revisit the stasis units with this optimism.

what gives him hope is that he finds king carl in the units, as well as several other familiar faces in the order. he doesn't let anything demoralize him because this is the best he can hope for, especially after the fall of the skydom. something is being done, as ridiculous as the situation is...

his confidence shows in his interactions. he meets a young woman named clair, who is perhaps the only person he's met thus far that he feels familiar with in terms of dress. have my half-assed fantasy explanation as to why he's drawn to her... okay... but upon speaking to her, he realizes that it won't be long until they're able to go planetside.

from his knowledge, however, he knows there is a pretty specific condition that has to be met in order to make the drop. ] Miss Clair— ah, you probably are already aware, but in order for me to teleport, I need the help of someone who has done it before.

[ he doesn't act particularly bashful about it, although it is awkward to ask someone he'd just met. ]

May I request for your assistance? I believe my comrades are below.

[ Hey, that's Lady Clair to you mister!!! Anyway, she probably introduced herself as a knight of the One Kingdom of Valentia, if that helps ~draw~ him to her. They can be knight pals.

Finding out about how the newbies are to make the drop doesn't faze her. In fact, helping them teleport down to Olympia involves the one thing Clair loves above all else, besides learning about peasant ways: providing her valuable assistance. So she smiles brightly as she replies: ]

Why, of course! I would be delighted to assist you. Come!

[ She's just used to giving orders... and leading the way, which is what she's doing right now, guiding him towards the teleporter. If he wants to be reunited with his comrades, then there's no time to waste! ]

[ at any mention of knight, he will have been completely absorbed to her. he may have never heard of the kingdom of which she serves, but there's comfort in knowing that his knightly status isn't a lonely one. and yes, he'll have to graduate to calling her lady clair... please correct him; the majority of the knights in the order are male, so... ]

Y-yes!

[ there's only slight hesitation there because of her willingness to assist him without further questioning. while lancelot is glad for it, it still makes him nervous as he reaches a hand out for her to take. ]

Will you take my hand, then? [ or is it the other way around... she can show him who's boss. ]

Ah, yes... we are to join hands for the journey, correct?

[ At least, that's the word. Normally, she would very daintily offer him her hand like he's about to escort her onto the dance floor at a ball or something, but she is supposed to be leading him for this. So... she nods her head firmly and then takes his hand, which she uses to guide him onto the teleportation pad.

If it's awkward at all to hold hands with a stranger, then she's ignoring it. This is for a mission, after all!! ]

I feel as though I must warn you that the journey may cause some discomfort, but it is otherwise entirely painless, I assure you. Really, it will pass in the blink of an eye!

[ She gives him an encouraging smile. Are you ready to hurtle through space? ]

That's my understanding, yes, Lady Clair.

[ when her smaller hand is on his, lancelot tentatively squeezes her firmly, as though to express his confidence. he feels no awkwardness when this is the certain condition that must be met in order for him to search for his other knights.

that doesn't mean that he isn't slightly embarrassed by the whole ordeal. but her confidence gives him strength to carry on. ]

Ah, is that all? [ even though he's never experienced anything like it sans the trip to thesa (which he can't even completely recall), at least she's given him what to expect when they're teleporting. it makes sense that they'd have to hold on to eachother. ]

Okay, I'm ready!

[ When he squeezes her hand, it just brings her attention back to the fact that they are holding hands, for all intents and purposes... and, ah... no, she must stay focused! He's relying on her to guide him safely through the teleporter, and she can't falter! ]

Very well. Shall we?

[ He doesn't seem to feel any trepidation, so that's good... shoving all other thoughts aside, she closes her eyes and fixes their destination in her mind, her grip on him unconsciously tightening in anticipation—

—and off they go. ]

[ to be sure, he has to focus on the fact that this is for a larger purpose than just physical contact. so he takes it step further; lancelot takes her other hand, too, and stepping closer. there's nothing intimate about this, he tells himself, and simply smiles at her. ]

After you, my Lady.

[ the light nearly blinds him when they teleport. by the time they hit the surface, but he stumbles against her... backing her up against a wall. ]

[ Clair has made this journey through the teleporter a few times now, and so she knows to brace herself for the landing in particular—what she doesn't really expect is for Lancelot to stumble forward... maybe she should've warned him about that too—

Ah. Fortunately, they ended up in some sort of alleyway between buildings, with walls on either side of them. It's one of these walls that he has her pressed back against, his hands on either side of her head. Even though it was an accident... she can feel her breath catch in her throat at his closeness. It seems even she's weak to being kabedoned. ]

Ah... [ How long has it been since she's been so close to someone? She can't deny, now that he's in front of her, that... she blinks. ] Are you unharmed?

[ their bodies are uncomfortably close to one another, and he would try to shift free, but it wouldn't be without feeling their limbs touch. he does his best to press his back against the opposite wall, his eyes wide when they meet hers, but he quickly looks the other way— it's indecent to be at this proximity to a lady. ]

I'm... all right. What about you, Lady Clair?

[ lancelot moves his hands out of the way, but there doesn't seem to be a better spot for them... ]

Are you able to move?

[ My, they sure have wedged themselves into quite the pickle, haven't they? Clair pretty much stays as still as she possibly can, since moving at all will... bring them into... contact, and the blush on his face (which she can see well enough, thanks to their proximity) is just making her more and more aware of that fact.

In fact, she can feel her face starting to get hot too. ]

I... Indeed I am! Able to move, that is, and I am quite alright as well. Quite so. [ She gets the distinct feeling that she's just digging this awkward hole deeper, but the words are just coming out of her like that time she hurled in Chuuya's hat. Help. ]

Perhaps... mayhaps we should— [ She tries to flatten her back against the wall and squeeze past him, but it just causes her thigh to brush against his. ]

[ he's thankfully not dressed in full armor for this occasion, but it also means that he feels almost everything. the heat that radiates from her person is especially worrying for him, making his face grow even a deeper shade of red. and by now, lancelot can't tell if what he feels on his features his own temperature, or the warmth from her face.

he keeps his eyes elsewhere as he responds to her, but even that is difficult -- because it's rude. ]

That's... good, to know, my Lady. I'll do my best to stay clear for you, but —

[ his breath catches at this throat when he feels her skin stroke against his thigh. ]

Please, keep- keep going if you are comfortable to do so.

[ Comfortable? Yes, she's completely comfortable. This is the most comfortable she's ever felt in her life. Right here. Is it just her, or are the walls of the buildings just closing in on them, forcing them even closer together? She can feel the heat of his body like this—and the wildfire thumping of her own heart. ]

Y... Yes, of course.

[ She'd definitely frozen, startled by the little electric jolt of contact when her leg grazed against his—there's no other way around it, though, and so she gathers every ounce of her considerable willpower and keeps moving. ]

D-Do pardon me...

[ At least she tries to be somewhat quick about... what is essentially dragging her body across his. ]

Edited 2017-09-20 07:09 (UTC)

[ a similar kind of pep talk is going on in his mind right now. it's something along the lines of, don't flinch, don't look— wait, don't make that face, either. it's hard to keep a neutral expression, especially when she begins to move at last.

he feels nearly every part of her body as they drag across his, and he does his best not to think about it. even if it's difficult not consider this is only made easily because she's... well... soft? after she manages to slide out of the alley, lancelot finds that he has to stay pinned in spot just to catch his breath— and definitely not think about what just happened.

after a moment, he follows after her. by now, it's impossible to look at her in the eye. ]

My apologies. You helped me travel down here, and you were inconvenienced for it. I owe you.

[ Goodness gracious. Thank Mila that that's over with. Her heart is beating so fast that she thinks she might expire—but maybe that would be a good thing, after that ordeal. She could swear that she felt every inch of his body... against hers... ]

A-Ah... why, it was no trouble at all!

[ Her face still feels like it's burning up, and so she avoids his gaze in turn—very uncharacteristic of her, but she just can't bring herself to do it. Will she ever be able to look at him again without remembering the way—

Oh, stop! She's being foolish! She's hardly a demure little girl anymore, and she spends most of her days witnessing far more wanton things than just occurred to her now.

Easier said than done. She clears her through and edges towards the street past their little alleyway—perhaps the fresh air will do her heart good. ]

Please, do put such thoughts of [ what just happened ] obligation out of your mind. Come—allow me to show you the city.

[ and neither is he an adolescent, or a boy out on his first date. this isn't even a date, but the way his heart is beating, and his face a similar rosy color to hers, he's beginning to wonder where all of this is coming from. but in his own defense, it's not like he can say he's ever been in such a... tight situation before. he feels ashamed that his mind is still even on that. ]

Ah, you'll do that?

[ that will definitely keep his mind off her... er, off the whole ordeal. ]

I cannot thank you enough, Lady Clair. I shall follow your lead.

[ They emerge into the street and—yes, this is much better. The sun is shining and the crowd bustles around them—it's like their little alley adventure never happened at all! She can definitely just forget about it and move on with her life.

She turns and flashes him a smile. ]

Of course. I cannot very well leave you to wander about, can I?

[ That would just be rude. Also it would ruin this opportunity for her to be knowledgeable and helpful. ]

I do recall you saying that you wished to locate your comrades, no? Perhaps we may find them hereabouts.

[ clair may be playing it off well, but lancelot still has lingering feelings about their... how would one describe that? "encounter"? before she turns to face him, she may notice that he's got a hand over his chest, gently rubbing the fabric over his skin. it actually bothers him, feeling his own hand there— he doesn't know why he does it other than the fact that he still feels the phantom brush of her breasts against him... and her thighs against his knees.

ah, no... he can't allow himself to succumb to such indecent thoughts. she may catch him waving it off—

luckily, he catches himself before long, trying to recall the last thing tells him— ] Um...

[ oh, how foolish of him. of course! the whole point going planetside is to find his fellow knights. ]

That's correct. [ on... both points. yes. ] This city seems quite large, so I don't expect to find them by mere chance.

[ at the very least, he attempts to compose himself again and turn to the young woman, smiling gently at her. ]

If you could just show me the landmarks, I'll be able to take it from there. I wouldn't want you to feel burdened by my ignorance...

[ She does notice, her gaze flickering down to the hand flattened against his chest. She was trying so hard to ignore it before, but she couldn't help but notice the hard press of his body against hers... at the time. And now... he's handsome, of course, but she also can't help but notice that, more importantly, he has a kind face.

What would've happened if he hadn't moved back? She wonders.

Goodness, these little lulls in the conversation are dangerous. She startles a little to find him talking to her again, and glances away from him to hide the way her cheeks flush. ]

Must I keep reassuring you? Tis no burden at all! [ He's going to accept her goodwill whether he wants to or not!! ]

Come. Why do we not start with the residential district? I presume that is where you will be residing, in any case. [ That way, he can use it as a point of reference. ]

sun's up, we wait all day ( semi-closed. )

❅ clair

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this neckbeardy meta is killing me