,,<img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">While exploring outside Shimmerene with Darien, a summer squall hits the island. You take refuge in an old, damp ruin with the golden knight to wait out the storm.
{(set: $f to (font:'Oswald'))
==>
$f[[NEXT>|Intro2]]}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien makes a fire and peels off his soaked shirt, laying it against a nearby rock. He rifles through the pack he brought for the journey, procuring a loaf of bread, some cheese, and an unanticipated bottle of wine. He pops the cork with his teeth and grins.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Intro3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f[DARIEN]
"So this is fun. A little unexpected, but most good things in life are."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Intro4]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"We have wine, food, a relatively dry place to stay and one another’s fine company. What could be better? I’m almost glad this storm hit. I’ve been meaning to ask you to grab a drink anyway."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Intro5]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"And I must say, you look quite good soaking wet."
[["You look good shirtless, as always"]]
[["Cut it out, Darien"]]</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Why, thank you! You should join me. It’s really quite freeing."
{
(set: $romance to $romance + 1)
==>
$f [[Next>|MidIntro]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Sorry. Just thought I’d try to relieve some tension."
{
(set: $romance to $romance-1)
==>
$f [[Next>|MidIntro]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Really, though, this isn’t so bad. Things could be worse. Neither of us are wounded, no great evil is breathing down our necks for once, and we have nothing to do and nowhere to be until this storm clears."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Mid1]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"If only there was a bit more entertainment. A bard to play us a lovely song and set the mood, maybe."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Mid2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"I suppose we’ll have to entertain ourselves for the time being. Any ideas?"
[["You could make good on all that flirting."]]
(if: $romance is 1)[["You could leave me alone."|LeavePosi]]
(if: $romance is -1)[["You could leave me alone."|LeaveNeg]]</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"And here I was going to suggest that I sit here and flex for you until you were quivering with desire. Your idea is much better!"
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Flirting1]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"But then I wouldn’t get to see my favorite expression of yours. The one where your brow gets all furrowed and you look like you want to kill me? Yes, right there, that’s the one!"
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeavePosi2]]
}</span></span>$f [DARIEN]
"Believe it or not, it’s not my intention to annoy you. But it seems like I’ve done just that."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeaveNeg2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Let’s just drink some of this wine and eat our fill, and we’ll be out of here before you know it. I promise."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeavePosi3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien extends the bottle of wine to you as a peace offering. He waggles his eyebrows good-naturedly.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeavePosi4]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">As the two of you drink, rain falls steadily around the ruin. The smell of wet earth fills your nostrils.
{
(set: $romance to $romance - 1)
==>
$f [[Next>|FinalIntro]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"We’ve gone through a lot together, haven’t we?"
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Final2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"I find myself dreaming about you often. Most of the time they’re nice dreams. You in tight leathers, me in a steaming bath... But sometimes they’re not so nice. Sometimes, I lose you. And that scares me more than I care to admit."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Final3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Tell me, do you feel the same? Or am I crazy?"
[["I feel the same way. I don’t ever want to lose you, Darien."|Same]]
[["I’d have to be an idiot to have feelings for someone like you."|Idiot]]</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Of course, if you’d like to circle back to that later, feel free to let me know."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Flirting2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien slides closer to you. There’s laughter in his eyes as they roam over your face and figure with delight, but the more he stares at you, the more serious his expression becomes.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Flirting3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">He reaches up, brushing the calloused pad of his thumb against your cheek. He’s so close now you can see droplets of rain beaded across his bare chest like jewels.
{
(set: $romance to $romance + 1)
==>
$f [[Next>|FinalIntro]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit but… I’ll just be quiet, I guess."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeaveNeg3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien takes a long drink from the wine bottle and looks away from you.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|LeaveNeg4]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">A long sigh deflates him. He tosses the loaf of bread in his hand, like he’s considering eating it, and then thinks better of it.
{
(set: $romance to $romance - 1)
==>
$f [[Next>|FinalIntro]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Huh. I know I should say something heartfelt and perhaps even poetic right now, but all I can think about is your mouth and how nice it is."
(set: $romance to it + 1)
{
==>
(if: $romance >= 1) + $f [[Next>|Romance]]
(if: $romance <= 0) + $f [[Next>|Friends]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Hmm. I should have seen that coming. I’m usually better at this."(set: $romance to $romance - 1)
{
==>
(if: $romance >= -1) + $f [[Next>|Friends]]
(if: $romance <= -2) + $f [[Next>|Enemies]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien traces your face with his eyes.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Romance1]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien rolls his shoulders a bit.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Friends1]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien huffs a little.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Enemies1]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Maybe we should just stay here, even after the storm passes. Tell everyone that we got hopelessly lost and just spend a few days lying out here in the grass, caressing each other to our hearts’ content."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Romance2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Of course, there’d be no one to save the world if we went missing. So, I suppose we’ll just have to take advantage of the time we have."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Romance3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
Darien moves closer, his hand trailing at your waist before pulling you flush against him with impressive strength. You feel the hard, muscled plane of his body pressed against your soaked clothes as his warmth surrounds you.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Romance4]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">He flips damp hair out of his eyes and then presses his forehead against yours. His laughter is lost in the pounding rain as the storm crashes down around you.</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Well, we’ve got a full bottle of wine and at least a few hours until the worst of the storm passes. I say we get drunk, lie back, and watch the lightning."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Friends2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"You’re a good friend, you know. There’s no one else I’d rather be stuck out here with. Well, that’s not true. If the opportunity to be stuck out here with a dozen beautiful women came up, I’d probably pick that one. But then you. Definitely you."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Friends3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien grins at you and nudges your shoulder a bit. Then the two of you lean back to watch the storm roll through.</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"You know what? I was going to share my bread with you. It’s delicious, like me. But if you’d rather eat boring air, so be it."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Enemies2]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">$f [DARIEN]
"Oh. And I’m drinking the rest of this wine."
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Enemies3]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">Darien scowls and starts valiantly chugging the remainder of the bottle. He glares at you with one eye while he does so.
{
==>
$f [[Next>|Enemies4]]
}</span><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76OrLjY.png">
<span class="blackbox">The storm rages outside the ruin all the while. The two of you don’t speak for the rest of the night.</span>