Eina Tulle was bad at flirting, but that didn't stop half of the men she met in her life from flirting with her.

It was almost a sort of occupational hazard, being the receptionist for the Guild; though there was a wide variety of adventurers that came through the doors, a considerable bulk of them were red-blooded and virile young men who'd shoot their shot with anything even a fraction of Eina's looks.

Even if she considered herself only average in terms of looks- what with her plain brown shoulder length hair, slim body without any wildly-attractive curves, and the fact that she needed glasses- the half-elf receptionist couldn't ignore the sheer amount of ogles and flirts she'd receive. She chalked it up to the fact that these very repressed adventurers just excited themselves at the prospect of talking to a woman who was obligated to speak with them. Only minutes after they usually found some fellow adventurer to hit on, or go to the nearby Hostess of Fertility to hit on the waitresses there. Regardless, she dealt with it almost every day, never taking anyone up on their offers, always shutting down advances.

She had her own job to focus on, a lot of young adventurers who needed her guiding hand. She didn't have time to be distracted by any sort of romance.

But this stranger was different.

There was something about the man that had sauntered into the guild that day that made something in Eina stir she'd rarely felt before.

He was a traveling merchant, not exactly an adventurer, but he'd stopped by to drop off some magic stones. He looked at least a decade older than her, still young enough to be considered in his prime years. He certainly didn't look like someone from Orario, his skin dark and a little weathered. He soon confirmed it as such as she busied herself with the proper paperwork and formalities for newcomers selling magic stones.

"Just passing through is all," he said, leaning forward. "Was sailing through this region and caught sight of this lovely city. Couldn't resist sailing into port to see what…local distractions I could find."

He said the last few words with a look in his eye that Eina deigned to ignore, but she gave him a smile regardless.

"Well then, welcome to Orario, sir," she said, looking up at him over the brim over glasses before she looked back down at the paperwork. "I'm sure you'll find many things that'll satiate your um. Curiosity."

The stranger chuckled, his eyes still on her face.

"I'll count myself lucky then."

"Oh?"

"One of the first establishments I've wandered into and I'm lucky enough to come across someone as beautiful is you."

The sudden and very forward flirt took Eina off guard a bit. She felt her ears turn a little pink, but she kept her eyes focused down, feeling her defenses automatically activate.

"I-I see." she said, her lips quirked in an awkward excuse for a friendly grin. "If you're that easily impressed then you'll find some truly memorable sights in the red-light district, I assure you."

The stranger considered her for a moment, then gave her an easy grin.

"I highly doubt it."

Eina felt more pink flood her elfin ears. Her left one twitched when she looked up at him again, meeting his eyes. He just wouldn't stop looking at her face, with that look…

Eina swallowed. She didn't say anything back, unable to stop the blush from filling her cheeks.

It didn't take long for Eina to acknowledge to herself that this stranger was attractive. As they talked more throughout the transaction and as he quickly got comfortable enough to start giving her more flirts, Eina felt that stirring inside her burn warmer.

He may have been a merchant but he was built like an adventurer, all lean muscle on a broad fram (not to mention a smile that was almost enough to make Eina's breath hitch). Looks aside, there was something in the way he carried himself that made him stand out from the hundreds of other strangers who'd try the same game with her.

It wasn't the confidence and masculine bravado he exuded; that was something she'd seen plenty of from the adventurers she'd worked with. No, one of the distinct things about the stranger was that overwhelmingly suave charisma. He wore it with a level of class that most adventurers, much less most men, could only dream of having. He wasn't crass or overly-pushy, adjusting his flirts with her responses, always keeping her on her toes. It even reflected in the way he dressed, looking sharper than most in the room with the white collar shirt that stayed clean under the outer layer of a weathered traveler's tailcoat.

But most of all, the biggest difference that drew Eina to him was that wild streak in his eye. Even with the class that he carried himself with, he had an edge of unpredictability that excited her. Reliable and capable, adventurers had that in spades. But to have all that and still be brimming with this unexplainable sort of…chaos that roiled in his eyes, it made Eina's cheeks flush.

That chaos made his flirts hit her harder, made her believe that he meant every single one. It made her pulse beat a little faster as they kept talking. She couldn't stop feeling that stirring grow hotter as she looked at him.

He didn't only carry himself as a man, but a man who knew what he wanted.

And he made it clear in his eyes that he wanted her.

Eina was quickly succumbing to advances that she'd usually shut down. There weren't any defenses, not when she was actually enjoying this stranger's attention. She knew the situation was dire when she even attempted to flirt back at him, stuttering her attempt.

But what really let Eina know she was in trouble was when she found herself agreeing to meet up with him at a local tavern right after work.

She cursed the fact that it was the weekend: if it were any other day she'd meekly decline and say she had work the next day. Regardless of what day she wished it was, none of that stopped her from heading straight to the tavern after work at the Guild, still dressed up in her usual uniform.

As she walked through Orario, Eina wondered to herself what she was really doing. She'd never accepted an invitation or gave in to any advances, even if it was from a coworker or an adventurer she'd trusted and known for years. And yet, here she was about to have dinner with some merchant she'd just met. It was illogical, perhaps even dangerous. Who knows what kind of man this stranger was?

But all Eina could really think about were those eyes. That smile. The way he leaned into the counter and lowered his voice just enough for her to mirror him and lean into his words. She swallowed.

Perhaps it was the wild recklessness of it all that truly compelled her.

She was always seen as the maternal type, the reliable receptionist who'd take adventurers under her wing, drilling them during off-hours, make sure they were all knowledgeable enough to stay safe during their endless dungeon excursions. Eina had built herself a reputation of being that sort of reliable, motherly person, going above and beyond her station and working very hard to make sure things stayed that way.

So maybe it didn't hurt to try and let someone else take the reins for a change.

Before Eina knew it, she was at the tavern. It was tucked away in a part of the Labyrinth City that wasn't teeming with adventurers, and she wondered if the stranger had done that as a courtesy. Either way, Eina was here. Even if she didn't know why she'd taken the effort to walk here and meet with this stranger, she was here. And to her surprise, as she walked into the tavern, she was excited.

Her heart pounded as she looked around for the stranger, only to meet his eyes a few moments later from across the room. There he was, with that charming grin of his, waving her over to a cozy corner of the tavern near the hearth. She gave him a friendly grin, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. She looked around almost by instinct to see if there was anyone from the Guild. But no, there was just her and the stranger.

Within minutes and she was seated at his table, the din of the tavern suddenly muting itself as she lost herself again in his words. This time she wasn't working, she wasn't confined behind a desk. Just being alone with him like this was a thrill that kept her pulse racing throughout their light dinner, that pulse skipping more than a few times when his brazen flirts would catch her off-guard, or perhaps his hand would graze against hers.

Within the hour and Eina was in his arms.

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