After breakfast, it is decided the two of them will stay inside for the day, so now comes the time where they change into more comfortable clothing. For the man, he creates a small device that he places on the kitchen bar, which produces a glowing eye. With it, he can keep semi-distracted vision on her while outside of the room. This is allowed by the Council, but not as a catch all for the two days, so he is quick about changing. On the other hand, it gets difficult when Alain needs to change or use the bathroom. Using the eye, Cas can instead just see in a less detailed view, which lets him see a blurred person instead of the full image. This is uncomfortable for both of them, yes, but neither wish to disobey the Council so much so that they deal with what must be done.

Now sitting together on the couch, Caspian is watching Alain as she looks through the light tablet. She notices over time that he is just observing her, so she kicks up her feet onto his lap, sitting sideways. “Lazy day, huh?”

Looking down, he sees her feet on him. She wears colorful socks decorated with Chassan courier creatures, though the maker of the design made them out to be smaller and cuter. Cas places a hand on one of her feet, massaging it slowly at first. “Guess so,” he replies. “What do you want to do?”

Feeling this new sensation, Alain loosens up a bit, sinking farther down into the furniture. “This is fine for now, I’d say.” She is browsing the Infoloop, a massive web of unseen information connecting all worlds. On it, most reporting of worlds news comes from Ascentia. Much of it is accurate intelligence regarding activity all should know about, but there are also “baiting” stories posted just for gossip or other events that don’t necessarily have any effect on the worlds, like reporting on the most beautiful Goddesses or upcoming Demigods. Some worlds have lead reporting agencies, which usually come in the form of an acronym such as “BWN,” or “Bea Worldwide News.”

“Hey, Cas?”

“Yes?”

“Keep going, please,” Alain says quietly. A small smile has emerged on her face due to him being so kind to her. When he starts using both hands to massage her feet, she relaxes even more. “Thank you, kind sir.”

“I feel like a maid,” he responds. In reality, however, he’s enjoying it quite a bit. So soft, and this feeling... Had I known the touch of someone else would be so enjoyable before... “Is there anything else I can do for you, miss?”

“This is quite lovely itself, dear butler,” she giggles, enjoying the roleplay. “You’re doing a wonderful job.”

“Glad to be here for you,” Cas replies. The soothing pattern of his own movements lulls his mind to settle down a bit, as if this is the first time he doesn’t have to think about something. He focuses on nothing, his hands acting on muscle memory, pushing and pulling at her skin over the fabric of her socks. As each individual part is given attention, the man starts to imagine life after this mission. Yes, there will always be more missions, but it could take weeks or months before he’s given another one. During his downtime, he and Alain will simply be training in Chassa for the next time he’s sent out.

What will they do during that time? Alain is more or less permanently attached to him, at least until he falls or retires as a Reaver. We could consider something more than this odd, not-quite-relationship partnership. Would she want a family, maybe eventually? I’ve never considered asking her such a thing. Come to think of it, I know very little about her personal feelings and thoughts. “What do you think about a family?”

Alain stops swiping the tablet, lowering it so she may be eye to eye with her Agent. “What was that?” Did he just ask...?

“Any thoughts on having a family in the future?”

“H-huh?” He did! “I-I mean, uh... I don’t know, Caspian, that’s such a sudden question.”

Quickly, he realizes what he had just asked her. Embarrassment floods him, making him lose eye contact. “I didn’t mean it between you and I, Alain. Just in general, you know?”

“Oh!” Her cheeks flush red, her eyes falling away as well. “Right... I think it could be an end goal, maybe. Why, what... do you think?”

“Mm... Maybe someday. I still have quite a bit of work to do around here. I don’t know if I can dedicate that time and energy right now so I think I’ll worry about first dedicating myself to one person.”

“Hm. I’m sure your mother would like that.”

“Wh-? You’re bringing up Aethea?”

Alain’s eyes widen. Why did I do that? “U-uh, I just felt that you were worried she would want you to, you know...”

“Know what, Alain?” Cas’ eyes have flipped back to her, his hands stopped, gripping a little tightly.

No secrets, no more. “I...” She meets his eyes, straightening herself to say, “I asked your mother for her blessing. For us, later.” The Elf swallows, adding, “She said her blessing is mine.” When she’s finished, silence fills the room, and her confident facade begins to fail her. Was that the wrong decision?

Her Agent closes his eyes, saying, “Idiot.”

A worried look comes over her, and Alain asks, “Huh?”

“You never would have had to ask her that. She already knows we’re meant to be.”

After a few seconds to process his words, she gives a sigh of relief. “How could you get me so worked up like that?” Without a response, she then asks, “So, I guess we’re...?”

We’re doing this in the opposite order. Regardless of his thinking, Caspian nods, looking to her eyes once more. “Consider me yours, Allie. Let’s wait until after I deal with the Abyss, though, can’t we?”

Finally, a wide smile appears on her face. Her head bobs up and down in agreement, saying, “Yes, I can wait, as long as you don’t forget about this agreement. Also... I will need a ring.”

“So needy,” Cas teases before adding, “Of course, I know. Now, sit back and relax, Al. Enjoy what time we have left here.” As his Controller complies and goes back to looking at the tablet, he restarts the gentle massage, content with the answer he received to his initial question. The rest of the morning goes by with them there, then they rest through the afternoon as well. By dusk, Alain is lying across the couch, her head resting on her Agent’s chest. He sits there, both reveling in the weight of her on him but also simply enjoying time ticking away while doing nothing. This feels incredible, he thinks. What is this feeling of such captivation being so close to her? How can something so simple be so gratifying? Why have I not felt this before? He ponders these questions, arms held over Alain. His eyelids, having already become too heavy to keep up, slide closed, and he falls asleep holding his Controller so close in his arms.

---

By night, the two find themselves in the Ascentian mega-club, the place where the duet God and Goddess rule, by Alain’s request. They’re in the V.I.P. section in their little room, smoking hookah and drinking brightly colored liquid from ridiculous glasses. She is lying on a bed-like piece of furniture, sprawled out on silky sheets while he keeps an eye on her from a couch within reaching distance. The hose she holds provides vapor that induces a soothing feeling, and the woman is simply in a daze with herself. His eyes remain on her, but he’s thinking of other things, like the future or the music playing. At some point, he asks, “How long do you think this mission will take?”

“Cas, darling,” Alain slurs, turning over to look at him. She wears tight pants and a small shirt that reveals a bit more than she is usually comfortable with. Her eyes gleam in the dim light of the room, looking him over with a relaxed look. “Will you stop worrying so much about the future?”

He looks down at the drink, which swirls around on its own like a little fairy. “I guess I can’t help it. We have less than two days left.”

Sluggishly, the woman pushes up from her previous position. With low heel-adorned feet, she gets up and takes a step over to him. “What can I do to keep you from worrying so much?” Alain puts a knee to the side of her Agent, dropping to his level right over the man. “What could I do, Cas?”

Caspian looks to her face just mere inches from his, her eyes clouded in a high. “Allie, don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“I wanted to come here for a reason. This stuff helps me realize what I really want, and what I want now is you.” Her body slips more into the couch, straddling him as her hands go to his shoulders. “I thought you were to care for me.”

“That is subjective, Alain,” Cas responds, keeping from touching her. “You aren’t in the right mind.” As he speaks, the woman loosens her grip a bit too much and starts to fall. His hand must move to her back to bring her upright again, which makes her press up against him. “Alright,” he sighs, moving to stand up. She clings on, wrapping legs around his waist to be brought up into the air.

Soon, the Elf is placed back onto the bed, expecting him to join her as she releases him. He doesn’t though; Caspian sits half on the bed, half off it with the hose attached to the smoking apparatus. He sucks in, exhaling soon after as his Controller is getting back up, undoing the heels on her feet. “Why does this not come out when you are sober?”

“Why do I have to be sober to be welcomed by you, huh?” Alain tosses her heels to the floor with a bit of sass, her hair let down and messy around her face.

The multicolored breath of vapor leaves him again, and he shrugs. “I suppose you don’t have to, but it certainly makes me think I’m doing something I shouldn’t when you only do this after getting drunk.”

“Must be drunk on love,” she laughs, moving forward on her knees. “What do you think?”

“I think you drank too much.” he says before she reaches him again. Immediately, the woman moves up on him, placing a kiss with a bite on the man’s neck. “Alain-”

“Hush, you,” she whispers in his ear. The music, blasting over speakers in the locked room, seems to try and take over the mood as her movements become riskier. It isn’t as if anyone is going to barge in on them, so she doesn’t seem to care at all. Her lips travel over his neck until they move to the point where they are about to meet his lips for the first time. She stops, however, looking into his eyes. “This is what I want, truly. There is no one else I would rather do this with- No one else,” she says, stealing his words from the day before. Her lips lock on his, her body over his, and she takes control over him for a time of drunken lust, love, and many, many firsts between Alain and Caspian, Controller and Head Reaver- lovers, meant to be together.