Mike
*It had been a few weeks, and alde had begun to notice a gradual change in his fiancee's demeanor. At first he thought it was something she was going to handle on her own, so he decided not to talk about it... At least that was how it started. He spent his days out in his campsite outside of town, tending to the small bounty of crops, and then doing some light blacksmithing work for the townsfolk so he was usually busy enough that he didn't really think about it.*

*Course, once the second week of this gradual change started, he decided to try and talk about it, but, each time he wanted to talk, he found the words lost to him. Now with a third week having passed, well... He did his crop tending, then went to the inn they were staying at, knocking before entering.*

*Giving her a few seconds, he braced himself for whatever might transpire in the conversation ahead. And once he entered, he just went with the first words that came to mind.*

"Are you okay? Did I... Did I do something wrong? If so I'm sorry, I don't know what I did, but I'll both make it up to you, and do better hence forth."

*And that was how he found himself, just sort of babbling things out as he tried to communicate with Katherine. That lack of proper relationship experience, truly kicking him in the moment.*
Andrew
*It had been three weeks since it flared up again.*

*After being dormant for years after she fought the war within her mind, the curse of death returned. It threatened to eat away at her, taking away what made her, her. So she had to combat it with everything that she had.*

*The captain was busy reading through yet another book, on spirits and domains. Never in her life had she studied this hard, and of spiritual texts, nonetheless. She had decided not to rely on the mysterious Lily that appeared; she always relied on herself, after all.*

*She didn't hear the first knock, taking a second for her to realize Alde was at the door.*

"Come in."

*Katherine was confused at his words. Did Alde do anything wrong? Her expression clearly showed confusion, but not shock. Her face was rather calm and thinking compared to perhaps 6 months prior, where it would have been much more concerned.*

"I don't think so. You've been pretty much perfect the entire time. Maybe it takes a try or two to get things through, but nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"

*The fire macen's words were straightforward and to the point, lacking warmth and caring. If Katherine from before was a fresh, hot roll straight from the oven, smeared with butter, then right now she was just completely ordinary, cold, even.*
Mike
*He watched her confused look, and his own brows furrowed in confusion, and his look shared his perplexed state. He felt even more confused hearing her confirming, but cold words. He blinked a few times as he felt her response echo in his mind, and tilted his head.*

"But you... You've gotten so... So... Cold lately. You don't spend as much time around me, or... Anyone that I'm aware of...?"

*He started to say. Only growing more confused in the moment as he tried to explain.*

"So I must have... Done something to cause it...?"

*He just looked at her, as he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't even know what else could possibly be the culprit of her mood changing.*

"There's... Nothing else, least that I can think of... Am I... Really not the cause...?"