Postgame: Piracy No Fun

Hugs for a conflicted feeling and a new dawn

Aether chuckled, his excitement growing as they planned their strategies. "Oh, yes. We'll turn up the charm and the compliments like never before. Echo won't know what hit them. And we'll make sure Kori knows we weren't going to let him have the last word.". A while later Kori was minding his business. Kori sat near the fireplace, basking in the warmth and feeling a sense of contentment. He kept to himself, enjoying the quiet moments he had without the group's constant teasing.
As he sat there, he couldn't help but reflect on the night's events, particularly the way he had shut up the group by surprising Echo. It had been a spontaneous move, born out of both a desire to silence their relentless teasing and a surge of protectiveness over Echo. Kori knew that the group meant no harm with their teasing, but he also knew Echo was easily flustered, and he had grown fond of the shy ghost. Seeing them flustered and embarrassed made him feel a mixture of amusement and concern. He couldn't deny that he found Echo's reactions to the group's teasing to be somewhat endearing, but he also couldn't bear to see them overwhelmed by the relentless barrage of compliments and flirts. That's why he had stepped in to shut the group up. Kori leaned back, the fire warming his face, feeling a sense of satisfaction that he had been able to intervene and put an end to the group's teasing. He knew deep down that he had surprised them as well, and secretly relished in the small victory against their collective wit and charm.
The memory of Echo's blushing face flashed through his mind, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He couldn't help but wonder if his sudden act of affection had also caught Echo off guard and left them flustered. As Kori took a moment to bask in the warmth of the fire and his thoughts, he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He craned his neck, looking over his shoulder to see who had approached him. As he glanced back, he saw Echo standing there, their face still holding a tinge of pink from earlier, but they looked somewhat composed now. Kori's eyes widened slightly with surprise. He wasn't expecting to see them so soon after what had happened. He turned his head fully to face them, the flickering fire casting shadows on their faces. He silently studied them for a moment, unsure of what they wanted or how they were feeling.
The silence between them was momentarily deafening. Kori's mind raced with questions, wondering why Echo had sought him out after what had transpired. He couldn't help but notice the lingering blush on their face, a reminder of the effect he had had on them earlier. He found himself feeling a mixture of anticipation and unease, unsure of what to expect from their interaction. He waited for Echo to speak, his eyes never leaving their face. The air around them felt thick with tension, the crackling of the fire in the background the only sound that echoed. Kori's eyes searched for any hint of the feelings in Echo's expression, his heart thudding slightly as he waited for them to break the silence. Echo cleared their throat softly, the embarrassment they had felt earlier now replaced with a mix of curiosity and shyness. "Hey," they said, a hint of awkwardness in their voice, "can we talk?",
Kori's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Echo's voice. He hadn't expected them to speak so soon, and the slight hint of awkwardness in their tone only made him more intrigued. "Sure," he replied, gesturing to the space next to him. "What's on your mind?", Echo hesitated for a moment before they took a seat next to Kori, the fire casting flickering shadows on their face. They sat in silence for a beat, collecting their thoughts. "I just wanted to, um... thank you," they finally said, their voice slightly shaky. "For, you know, earlier. That was... unexpected."..Kori was slightly taken aback by the unexpected gratitude. He hadn't expected Echo to come up to him just to thank him for his earlier act. But he was also happy to see that his actions hadn't upset them. "You don't have to thank me," he said with a small shrug. "I just wanted to shut those guys up for a bit. You were getting flustered, and they weren't letting up.". Echo couldn't help but feel a mix of gratitude and embarrassment at Kori's straightforward explanation. They knew he was right, but they were still flustered by his actions. "I know," they said, their voice growing quieter. "But you didn't have to go that far just to shut them up. I mean...the kissing thing...", Kori couldn't help but chuckle at the way Echo referred to what he had done. It sounded so innocent when they said it like that. "The kissing thing," he echoed, a hint of humor in his voice. "Well, I had to think of something drastic to get their attention. And it certainly diverted their focus, didn't it?". Echo blushed slightly, their embarrassment growing as they recalled the moment. The memory of the quick and tender kisses Kori had placed on their forehead and nose still made them flush. "Yeah," they admitted, their voice barely above a whisper. "They definitely stopped teasing me after that. But...why did you do it? Was it really just to shut them up?".