SEED didn't seem to be able to track down the person Alice was after, so for the time being she was free to spend time with Martin. Of course, if Martin had his way somebody else would take care of the problem before Alice got involved and that would be that. The mystery criminal should be counting their lucky chisels that Alice wouldn't reveal their identity. If Martin figured out who it was he'd talk to Ryker and make sure they were never able to set foot in Rigbarth. Hell, he'd tell Cecil and then everyone would know.

In the meantime he held out on the hope Rigbarth's SEED outpost would keep spinning its cart in the mud until one of the bigger branches took over Alice's mission, and that the gods would seal up the black fog that'd been messing with the runeys.

It was a lot to hope for. But, he had a lot to look forward to. He held on to what he wanted.

Martin aimed to see Alice once each day. They went on dates. Short dates turned into long ones as they came up with jobs they could do together, like mining or hunting wanted monsters. Long dates became a separate thing where they coordinated their days off so they could do activities Martin would've never considered otherwise. They'd pack lunch and Alice would take him to some wild spot in the winterland, or they'd go to the inn for a bath and a meal, or they'd stay at his place and make supper with Cecil and they'd all eat together while it snowed outside.

It was so natural to have Alice at home it felt like she'd always been there. The way she and Cecil talked over the table, Martin would've thought she'd been coming over for years.

After Alice left for the evening Cecil said, "I can't remember the last time you were in such a good mood."

"I didn't think I'd ever be interested in anyone."

"I'm glad! I was worried you were gonna work yourself to death. You'd gotten so obsessed with your job you wouldn't listen to any of us."

There were two people in this room and only one of them hadn't shut up about mysteries since he was nine. "I'm the one who's obsessed, huh?" Martin said, ruffling his brother's hair on the way out of the living area.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Martin shut his bedroom door to let Cecil ponder on it for a while.

He'd found new meaning in life. He wanted to be the best partner for Alice that he possibly could.

Their new relationship came with a side effect. He discovered this early on when Murakumo belted out a different loud greeting than usual at the bathhouse.

"Hey buddy good for you!"

"Huh?"

"Something nice happened. I can tell. But if you don't believe me check your reflection in the baths."

Martin did. In the mirrors he carried a smile he couldn't hide. Outwardly the settled curve was calm—nowhere near as huge as it felt—but unfortunately not only did everyone in town notice, they also felt the need to comment on it.

"Oh my. There's an expression I haven't seen in quite some time," Yuki said when Martin made a rare detour to the bakery to get picnic supplies.

On a different outing for material stone just inside Rigbarth's gates, Simone happened to catch him passing the clinic. "Interesting. Do I need to review the conversation we had shortly after your 12th birthday? Ah, and there was another when you turned 15…"

"NO. Thanks." Spontaneous combustion kill him now. Martin quickened his stride. Oh, gods, Ludmilla lived in this part of town. He needed to get out of here.

Since Simone brought it up he remembered to return Priscilla's romance novel.

"Umm. So, what did you think?"

Martin dove into technical blacksmithing mistakes the author made. Finally. He'd wanted to complain about this since the beginning. Only later, after he'd left, did he realize that probably wasn't the information Priscilla had been asking about.

Not everybody was well-wishing. Radea went to and from the Silo often, so they crossed paths more than Martin would have liked. Radea's nose wrinkled with distaste. "Feh. You better not be a distraction. Alice has a job to be doing, you know."

Like he needed to be lectured by a teenager.

Unwanted attention aside, his work wasn't suffering at all. At some point he realized he could see weapons and tools as something other than functional items. The purpose of a tool depended on the person using it. Therefore, if he wanted to make a custom piece, it helped to know who the end user would be.

When Scarlett placed a SEED commission for the post in Kardia, Martin asked, "Have you been out that way? Are the rangers mostly dealing with monsters, or people?"

"It's similar to here, but they get a lot more insect monsters."

He flattened Scarlett's order sheet on the counter. "This is a standard equipment order. I can fill it if you want, but insects are resistant to swords. Their shells are like plate. You're better off with crushing or piercing weapons."

"Change it if you think it's advisable. Bring me an updated cost sheet for approval before starting anything."

Martin balanced the accounting so the change to the order would get the Kardia rangers better suited gear for about the same price. It took a few days to get approval back from SEED HQ, but after that Master Darroch assigned Martin to smith the weapons.

Somehow Martin knew after he finished the order that it was good. Master Darroch agreed.

"This is some mighty fine work."

"Thank you sir."

"Heh. Said it before and I'll say it again, no need to be formal. You've got about as much pull as I do around here now."

"I'll… try." No matter what Master Darroch said the skill difference was as obvious to Martin as a regular artist looking up at a master painter's mural in the domes of the capital.

Even so he had the confidence to admit he'd gotten good at this. He couldn't point a finger at when it'd happened, he just knew it had.

By the way, Kardia already had a blacksmith. It wasn't like Rissa to fall behind on orders. "Did something happen to Rissa?"

"Got married, moved to Selphia. Hear she's working with Bado now. He's gettin up there in years. Will probably leave the place to her."

"Oh." Marriage, huh…

"If you're thinking of settin' up your own shop Kardia needs a blacksmith."

"I wasn't planning on moving."

"Well if you get the itch don't worry about me. Been here a long time and I'll be here a long time yet. Any apprentice you take on you'll do good by, I'm sure."

His own apprentice. Now that was a crazy thought.

Martin cleared and reset his work area. He removed the accumulating ash from the forge and fed fresh charcoal into the white bones of what was left. At the front desk he was looking through inventory when he heard the back door creak open. Winter air prickled his shoulder.

Usually nobody came through the back except for deliveries. He'd just restocked to get through the winter so it was a surprise.

Alice poked through the gap. Just seeing her made him giddy. Heh, he was definitely in too deep. They caught each other's attention right away. With a widening smile Alice waved him outside.

He looked towards the forge. Master Darroch was busy preparing pieces for a set of cookware.

Martin wordlessly excused himself out the back entrance.

"Woah. I hope I didn't interrupt anything," Alice said. "You've got soot everywhere."

"Sorry about that. Careful, I don't want to get your uniform dirty." Fine black powder dusted the plates on his armor and rubbed into the palms of his gloves. Splotches trailed down his waist onto the leather apron. A hug was out of the question.

SEED's flashy white uniforms made sense but they weren't doing him any favors.

"I won't take long," Alice said, turning bashful. "I just kind of wanted to see you."

He wanted to see her all the time. Hearing his own feelings reciprocated made him a little shy, honestly.

It was nice and cool outside. Alice closed the door. He lounged against the wall looking over the charcoal supply and the snowy bridge further out. The smithy formed a hidden corner here, out of sight of the main road. As far as he could tell there wasn't anyone around. Travelers stopped coming soon as winter set in.

"It's not as busy anymore," Alice said. "I went to get flour this morning and found out Misasagi doesn't open until later. The bakery also switched to short hours, and I think Elsje is planning to take the whole season off. Is winter always like this?"

"Pretty much. Once the travelers go almost everyone closes up shop until spring. It's a small town. The days are short too so it's hard to get much done."

"Even for you?"

"I go through a lot of lamp oil. But, yes."

Alice was curious about what he did when the nights were long. He told her the various blacksmith jobs he could accomplish without much light. He'd also catch up on house repairs and sewing clothes Cecil needed, or fixing his own to make them last longer. Sometimes he drew. The designs could turn into art he'd use at work later.

It amazed him he could talk like this without boring someone to death, which was what usually happened when he brought up his "spare time" activities—assuming the person hadn't already been scared off by the blunt way he spoke.

"You know," Martin said, "before you came, Cecil kept spouting this 'be yourself' mantra about how I should meet people. I didn't think there could be someone who didn't mind how I am. It still seems unreal." Despite his faults and embarrassing secrets Alice stuck around. He'd thought for sure the tool-naming thing would be the end of any interest she'd had in him.

Alice laughed softly. "I don't know if you can tell how amazing you are," she said.

"I'm not."

"See? I mean, I know you had help but you basically raised your brother alone, and you're crazy passionate about your job. I always thought if you could care about someone half as much as you do the forge it'd be something really special."

He must not have communicated this well. "My work matters to me, but you are far more important."

Genuine surprise widened her eyes. "Really?"

"I thought you knew. Ugh, sorry." Geeze. This is why he wished he had a way with words. How did you tell someone they were this important? Was there some way to show it?

There might be.

He shouldn't, not here. Anyone coming over the bridge would see the highlight of Alice's hair and her bright uniform laid over him. Even now it probably looked… like…

Thoughts quieted when she drew near his spot on the wall. Gold hair draped and she swept a hand to tuck it behind an ear. "You're special to me too," she said. And before he could react she popped up on her toes and smooched his cheek.

Martin forgot everything. Pleasant sparks rooted him to the spot. The place she'd touched tingled.

She didn't go far, settling to the ground and looking happy as could be. In the background the rhythmic chime of hammer on metal carried on, but Martin wasn't really paying attention. He could make out the individual fan of Alice's lashes.

Her mouth must be as soft as it looked.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, teasing and oh-so-close and kissable.

Warmth tickled his face. "N-no, nothing. Nothing at all."

"You suuure?"

He couldn't think past her playful touch settling over his tool belt. She was toying but he was serious. He did want to kiss her.

Slowly the glitter softened from Alice's gaze as she realized what he had to be thinking. They were so close the winter air didn't have room to fit, and if Alice hadn't trapped him against the wall he'd be able to tilt the tiny bit to seal the deal.

But he couldn't move. Pressed to the building his armored arms were leaving black marks.

She drifted closer. The heat between their faces grew, and Alice's slightly parted lips firmed up. Oh, fire.

Martin closed his eyes.

She kissed him.

Her lips on his, and the sound of grit scraping under his tensing fingers. If he touched her she'd get sooty but gods he wanted to, and he kissed her back, flattened against the wall, brick crackling against leather. His gloves curled closed on nothing.

She let go the tiniest bit and his heart ached. He could sense the shadow of her lips waiting. Was this enough?

Not enough. He met her with another tender kiss. Her grip on his waist strengthened, and she leaned into him with newfound certainty. All his affection finally had a place to go. Exhilaration flooded until that's all he was.

He might melt. He might slide down the face of the building.

When she relaxed he went with her, drifting off the wall just a bit before their lips parted. Martin exhaled and rested against the brick.

Wow.

He watched his breaths send puffs of vapor into the cold sky. Too lovestruck to look down he feared he might have disappointed her. Alice's presence burned into his chest. Her fingers rested heavy on the belt holding him together. His blood pumped.

She must have come down to reality enough to realize where her hands were because the pressure vanished. She backed up.

Alice looked at her shirt. "This isn't too bad, right?"

Still somewhere in paradise Martin had to risk looking. His hair bunched against the bricks as he tilted his chin down. Ash dusted the fabric below Alice's armor and the upper portion of her winter slacks.

"I'll just, um," she said, moving to wipe it off.

"Don't—" the ash smeared into a much more visible stain "—touch it… ah."

Alice giggled awkwardly. "I don't think anyone will be surprised."

"I have laundry powder for it at home. I'll wash it for you if you want. Or, Murakumo can. He's good at washing stuff but he'll try to do it for free."

"You don't mind?"

"I really don't. The laundry is in a bin right side of my bedroom. Just leave it there." He had to know. "Was the, uh. Was that… okay?"

She broke eye contact and blushed. "It was amazing."

Phew.

"I think I better change," she said. "I doubt Ludmilla will believe me if I say I was trying my hand at blacksmithing again. Err, I shouldn't phrase it like that."

"R-right." Yes he could see how Ludmilla would gleefully twist those words.

After a little more talk Alice left to change and pick up on the next task in her agenda.

The zing of being kissed wouldn't go away. He lay against the brick, watching winter sky, feeling heat seep through his woolen tank. The more he thought about kissing the more excitement coursed. If he went inside now he'd burn.

Martin sighed against the wall. Today he'd discovered something powerful enough to totally wreck his focus. There was zero chance he'd be able to get anything productive done now.

He had to wait for the scorch on his face to fade, to feel like he had some semblance of a composure, before he clicked open the back door to go inside and at least pretend a usual work day.