It had only been a week since you and your three friends entered the medium. Jake has been a bit standoffish since the whole incident. He hadn't been rude, but he was certainly distant. This was most likely due to the whole kissing your decapitated head thing. You hadn't had a chance to explain yourself and...to be honest you were kind of afraid to. Yes, it was necessary to save the group, but part of you felt like you had manipulated the situation for your own personal benefit, more so than the benefit of the group...and that didn't sit right with you. You are in love with Jake English, but now you kind of feel like you don't deserve him, okay you've never felt like you deserved him. Even if you did, you are pretty sure you burnt that bridge when you sent him your disembodied head.

Trying to mend at least SOME of the damage that may have been caused by the incident, you invited Jake to explore LOTAK with you. With his love of adventure you knew he wouldn't say no. You did everything needed to prepare for your adventure together. Maybe along the way you can apologize and properly confess your feelings to him.

You had been working with the alchemiter for the past few days making sure to cover all your bases for the trip. Gas masks? Check. First-aid kit? Check. Change of clothes for both of you (in case you guys fall into some serious disgusting stuff, I mean what's going to be in those tombs?), water, food, backpack to carry everything? Checks across the board. Maybe you should pack backup masks as well, in case one breaks. As you are pondering this AR has decided to voice his opinion about the event, you knew it was only a matter of time.

TT: Okay, I really trying to stay out of you business, but this is just sad. You can't possibly get everything for every convoluted scenario in our head to take with you. It's impossible. I understand you're nervous I would be too in your situation, but seriously you are going to be late meeting Jake. And not ironically late either. You will be asshole late if you don't leave now.

At this you look at the clock and realize that AR is right. You grab the backpack, now packed with everything (and now realizing that captchalogging everything would have been more efficient so you captchalog the backpack at least) and run out the door.

You meet Jake at that read brick like rock on LOMAX. You doesn't seem upset that you are late. "Sorry" you mutter, embarrassed that the you're late for the trip that is supposed to make up for the messed up shit you've already put him through. God, you always find a way to screw it up.

Jake in reply, just beams at you with that perfect smile "Don't worry old sport, no harm done." He is practically bouncing with excitement. "Come on" you say. Jake follows with so much enthusiasm you think he might combust.

Things go well. After you two prepped with the gas masks and arrived, you let Jake take the lead. He was like a kid in a candy store, running to and fro, unable to contain his energy...it was adorable. After a few hours he seemed come down a bit and you finally got the courage to tell him. "Jake" you call. He had been walking just ahead of you, but at the sound of your voice he turns around, still beaming the exact same way as when you started the outing; okay, it was kind of hard to tell through the mask, but his voice just seemed to replicate in sound what that smile did in sight. "Yes Dirk? Egad, are you tired? We've been walking a while and I'm used to it, but I didn't think about how you might be fairing." You quickly assuage his fears, although now that you think about it you are a bit tired. "No, no, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something"

Jake still seemed like he had the wind taken out of his sails a bit. "Okay, let's sit over here, I'm all ears." You both sit on a nearby rock and you spill you guts.

"Jake, I know the way we entered the medium wasn't ideal. I'm sure you probably still at least a little angry with me, maybe even hate me a little. And I know that having to kiss my decapitated head wasn't a great moment between us, but I..." God this was hard.

Jake saved you from having to finish your thought though. "Well, shucks buster. I mean, it sure wasn't how I pictured my first kiss going and all...and you know...everyone..was..watching which was weird. However.." Jake grabs you hand. "I must say, seeing you there, alive...knowing that the kiss worked and you were okay. Made me really happy. I didn't really know what to do after that though. It's kind of a hard and embarrassing thing to just ignore. I don't think I could ever hate you though Dirk."

You just sit there, unsure of what to say. Emotions never were really your thing. You have them, absolutely...but expressing them is kind of hard. You remember that his hand is still in yours and you give it a squeeze. This seems to get the message across, as at this close proximity you can see his smile underneath the mask. He also seems to understand that you don't know where to go from here.

"I've rested enough how about you, chap?" Asks Jake. You nod. "Let's get a move on then!" he cheerfully declares.

You guys continue to explore the land for a few more hours. No incidents, but Jake never let go of your hand.