Floor 10 (SAO open)

JaK seemed annoyed with how much she seemed to want to compensate him for all short-comings. "Just eat." He said taking a bite, and it was delicious, probably the best meal he had in Aincrad so far. "Seriously, don't worry about anything, just enjoy. Anything debt you owed me was repaid when you saved me from that geyser and when I probably worried you half to death by sending you away." He said sternly while chowing down. He then took a break and asked a question. "How can you be so cheery anyway? Especially in a situation where you could die at any moment, if for any reason this game glitches, shuts down, or your helmet slips off."

JaK kept eating quietly and just took in everything she said, then spoke up randomly after a little while. "Maybe...Maybe that's why." He said and then a friend request popped up in front of Phoenix, revealing a very, VERY small list of friends. "Maybe that's why I feel like I needed to do this, see you again. You're cheery and it makes me feel..." He hesitated, not really big on talking too much about his feelings. "Someone like me feel like, there's hope. Even in a world where I have no control over my destiny, there's hope that I'll survive and see it through. Then look back someday on all of this, with that same smile you have now." JaK then ceased talking for the duration of the dinner until their meal was finished. "Delicious!" He said with a grin putting down his silverware. "So worth it." *sssiiiggghhh*

"That's a pretty big promise Phoenix, you might regret making it." JaK says with a bit of a smirk as he gets up and walks over to her. "Can I ask you something?" JaK says with a deep blush.

"Can I...give you a hug?" He said rubbing the back of his head. He said nothing else. It was such an odd request, but if one thought about it, being a solo-player must've been a hard life. Always alone since day one in a world he was plunged into and having NO ONE to share his feelings with. He just needed someone/something to make him feel better; wanted for the moment. JaK stood there, blushing wildly, not knowing how to explain his request.

JaK embraced her, not saying a word still. Memories of love and trust flooded his mind of his mother, friends, and family from back in the real world. He only squoze firmer as she spoke of being glad she met him. Peculiarly the gems around their neck glistened when in such close proximity together. As they finally pulled away JaK actually closed mouth smiled still holding her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes genuinely. "Thank you. I promise to make it out of here too and free everyone, including you." A silence fell over them for a moment as they continued to stare at each other, their promises hanging in the air like floating clouds.

She kissed JaK on the cheek and his heart skipped a beat, he didn't know that was possible in this game to have your heart skip like that. Then as she pulled away he felt an urge, as he swallowed and leaned towards her. He wondered what it would be like, doing this? The real thing, and as he met her lips with his own, he found them to be moist. So welcoming, so full of life in a fake world.

However, after half a minute he pulled away and then let go of her and left abruptly. "I-I'm sorry..." Stupid, stupid, STUPID! She at least had common sense to stop herself. He was a solo-player, what the hell had he just been thinking? He quickly went up the stairs of the cellar and walked away, feeling like he let his guard down too much. "That, can never happen again."

JaK paused for a moment as he walked away from her, but didn't say anything else.Truthfully, he didn't know what to say, he had just acted like an A-class jerk. Messing with Phoenix's emotions like that, what was he thinking? He knew what he was thinking, he was thinking he wanted to be happy and that MAYBE there was a chance with her. He wanted to ask her to stay with him tonight...But, this was difficult for him. So he just stood there with his back turned to her waiting for her to either teleport away or pick up on his desire.