<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Bet</strong></span></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/eRBwTzu.png)</div><strong>NAME:</strong>Albion<br/><strong>DAY:</strong>June 12th, 2021, Mid Afternoon<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>SOPHE, Training Grounds<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Nerissa<br/><strong>EXTRA:</strong>Quick, distraction!<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>As pictured<br/><br/><hr/><br/>... Was this still a game? Albion started to have his doubts... Nerissa loved games, but her long pauses followed by the answers she gave... Was she simply calling his bluffs or was there more to this? Then again, he was no better; No doubt she could see the moments where he stared at her like a deer in headlights, trying to figure out what he should do or say next. The problem was... Everything he said sounded almost legitimate. More worrying still, he... Maybe a small part of him wanted to believe she truly did mean every word. But if so, what then?<br/><br/>Could he simply just forget three years of 'just friends'? He knew precisely why he kept himself away from forging any relationships, and now... He seemed to be on the precipice of inviting himself into another one, with perhaps the only lady who seemed keen to be around him through thick and thin. SOPHE stopped seeming to be a thing as he relaxed himself, let his mind wander. Her words were like a fresh, enticing scent in a putrid world, calling him away from all that was miserable to join her in a better place. The stunned look on his face perhaps told her he was seriously considering it.<br/><br/>Yet her words... As she whispered them, a cracking sound resonated in his mind as he realized bis grave mistake: Once more, he was inviting a happiness into his life he was not meant to have, and would no doubt only bring misfortune upon the foxgirl like he had when they first met. Maybe happiness was right there, but a hairs breadth away... But he could not allow himself to reach for it. Opening his eyes, he slowly pulled himself off of her, clearing his throat.<br/><br/>"*Ahem* I... Er... I forgot the time limit, but I-I think this is my first point now. We should... Get back to the remainder of the game." He spoke quickly, looking away and trying to hide the embarrassed tint of red on his pallid cheeks. Christ, how embarrassing could this be, nearly succumbing to the loneliness and letting himself try to experience a real relationship again?<br/><br/><em>'I'm sorry, Nerissa... I probably toyed with your feelings there, but... I can't drag you into things. You're in enough danger working for SOPHE as it is without adding my problems into the mix.'</em>He buried his face in his palm, silently reprimanding himself for showing that fleeting moment of weakness.