puppycrush2 | week two

[A hum of amusement from her. The climb here won’t have the thrill of a little (potential) rule-breaking—but there will be thrills enough, she’s sure about that just from the look of it all. She gets her own helmet on, fussing for just a moment with her hair underneath it. Can’t be looking silly now!]

Perhaps it would be best if you do. [She laughs, finally done fussing, then steps up beside him.] I think I might learn quicker if you can show me how it’s done.

[ God she still looks so cool. He's totally going to have helmet hair, but it's fine. ]

Yeah, alright. No problem. At least it looks like we're starting easy enough... just gotta climb over to that platform over there.

[ Since I'm assuming they're already ascended and hooked in... There's a grid of ropes that they can find their footing on and move over in a sideways motion until they make it to a wooden platform just a couple of feet away. Mark reaches out for the grid before pulling himself up onto it, letting out a surprised little laugh as it sways under his additional weight. ]

Hold on, let me just make it a couple more squares over, and then I'll stop so you can get on. Deal?

[ Of course he hasn't done this before, but with his natural strength bolstering him both physically and confidence-wise, he's hoping he can at least look somewhat impressive. ]

[Dorothea follows, coming to a halt just before the rope grid as he begins the climb. And it is very impressive!]

Deal!

[And so she watches him get to work and—oh, she hadn’t considered the swaying. But still, Mark is making it look easy enough as he gets moving. She’ll wait until he’s gotten farther over as requested, then a tentative hand is reaching out to grab onto one rope.]

Here goes nothing…

[She pulls herself up to get her footing in the first available square, and she’s suddenly feeling glad for all the sword training the professor put her up to; the strength she’s built up will certainly be appreciated.]

Yeah! [ He gives a little cheer as she hoists herself up onto the rope grid, holding on as it sways once again. ] There we go, that's perfect.

[ Mark waits for it to settle before he starts climbing over the rest of the way, trying not to go too fast — especially so they don't move the grid more than they need to. Just bit by bit, until he's made it over to the edge.

He looks back at Dorothea. ] I'll wait until you're here before getting off — with enough luck, we can do it quick and clean. [ He offers her an encouraging smile. ] How're you holding up?

[Okay! She can do this. No problem. Mark setting a slower pace is appreciated, because Dorothea is definitely being a bit cautious about her footing at the start here.]

It’s a little trickier than I expected.

[She laughs, taking her eyes off of the very tight grip she’s holding onto the ropes with to meet Mark’s gaze. She returns the smile, though it’s quick to fall away as she focuses on catching up to him at the edge there.

A deep breath, a nod.]

Alright. Quick and clean, you said?

[She’ll hold him to that.]

Quick and clean. [ He nods — reassuringly, he hopes, but this is so easy for him already. He hasn't done anything like it before, and getting used to the feel of ropes underneath gloves is different, but the physical exertion is nothing for him. He's thoroughly in his element here.

So he's doing this for Dorothea, of course. Every move he makes on the course — all for her. ]

You're doing great so far, by the way. But any time you need a breather — we'll stop. Promise.

[ He takes a second to look down at the platform just below him, and — ] Alright, here I go — [ he's off, one foot landing on the platform, the other quickly following. He even holds onto the edge of the grid as he does, doing his best to stabilize it so there's barely any swaying at all.

And looks up at Dorothea, beaming. ]

How was that?

[And Dorothea is rather out of her element in contrast, but hasn’t that sort of been what she’s intentionally sought out over the last number of months? Try something different, see what sorts of paths it might open up for her?

She’s not entirely sure clambering up ropes is her thing, now that she’s in the thick of it, but it’s easy enough to enjoy with someone like Mark leading the way.]

Perfect, I’d say. [Smiling back at his successful transfer onto the platform.] I’m glad you took the lead to show me how it’s done. Here goes nothing…

[And with that, very glad for his steadying hand still holding onto the edge of the grid, she’ll give it a go. Shuffling to position herself, then one cautious foot onto the platform—an uncertain pause, and then she’s making a go for it. As her other foot joins the first onto the platform, she’s reaching out to grab his free arm to steady herself.]

[ Ah — he sees what she's doing and has his other arm right there, ready for her to grab to ease herself onto the platform. It's not like there's any danger of her falling, anyway — not with the way she's already hooked into the guiding line — but the jolt of it would probably be awful.

He assumes. ]

You've got this! [ He laughs from the exhilaration of seeing her join him on the steadiness that is the platform. ] That's the way to do it. Just go for it. Worst thing that could happen? I'll catch you.

[ And he means that, though she wouldn't know to what extent. Like, if a rope snapped or something and she fell, of course he'd swoop down and catch her.

But the normal way works just as great too. ]

[Oh, that’s quite a rush, isn’t it? She’s laughing a little after her first successful crossing. Mark’s arm gets a gentle squeeze in thanks before she relinquishes it, beaming up at him.]

I suppose if I’ve got you looking out for me, I’ve got nothing to worry about.

[Well. She’ll still worry a little, but that has less to do with any judgment about Mark and more with how she still finds the whole thing a little nerve-wracking. But he’s right—just going for it is the right approach. That’s how you get through anything scary at all. Like the first time performing in front of a crowd. Or… going up against an enemy in battle.

Hm.]

So, where to next?

[She motions to the other end of the platform—it splits off into two potential paths for further climbing.]

[ Hm...

Mark, not knowing the extent of Dorothea's deal, looks between their two options (where I am truly just making shit up) — a swaying rope bridge, or a series of hanging vertical beams for them to hop across. The former leads to what looks like a rope ladder that's going to take them to the highest possible point here; the latter, another series of ascending platforms, albeit all of them on a bit of an angle.

He looks back to Dorothea, grinning. Both are easy enough for him, but... ]

How adventurous are you feeling?

[ He might be taking the lead physically, but when it comes to actually thinking? It's going to be all her. ]

[we’re here to yolo.]

I think I’m starting to learn where the limits of my adventurousness might lie.

[With a laugh, she considers the two options, tapping one finger against her chin in thought. While she may have a much more active life than now than previously… she’s not sure she’d venture it’s hopping across beams active. So after a moment, she points to the bridge.]

This one feels a little less like pushing my luck. [An amused hum as she glances back Mark’s way.] Besides, think of the view we’ll have if we make it to the end there.

Best of both worlds, huh? Easier to get there... we get to survey the whole course, probably... and who knows how fun it'll be on the way down.

[ He's looking up all the way to the top; it'll be a bit of a climb, but at least the rope ladder looks pretty standard. Mark turns back to shoot her a conspiratorial look, like alright, they're really in this together now. ]

You wanna take the lead for this part? Then you get to see the view first.

[She's opting to not think about the process of that climb just yet herself. Just the goal—the view from up there must really be something. Maybe not quite the standard sort of romance of the view of the city at night up on the roof, but breath-taking in its own way.

After a deep breath, she puts on her most determined face.]

Well... alright. But only because you said you'll catch me if I fall. [She steps over to the start of the rope bridge awaiting them, pausing to glance over her shoulder at him. Light tease in her tone:] So you better keep your word, mister.

I will! I totally will. [ He beams at her, her determination, her everything. ] You have absolutely nothing to worry about as long as I'm here.

[ It's so easy to say. This is what Mark wanted to get back to — being a hero, someone others could rely on, and knowing he could come through. It feels so nice, but especially to be able to promise something like that to Dorothea — all the while coaxing her out of her comfort zone, it would seem.

ohhhh he's going to have to think about what that means later. Until then, he is right behind her. ]

You're already killing this, though. [ What can't she do!! ]

Then let’s get to it~

[It helps to have his confidence in her pushing her forward here. This is certainly not the most dangerous thing she’s ever done, but still—looking at the rope bridge before her does stir up some nerves. But she flashes him one last smile then turns to get started.

Getting solid footing to start feels like a challenge, as she steps out onto the arrayed ropes and the sudden pressure and weight sets the thing into a sway. Dorothea immediately darts a hand out to grab at the guiding rope to steady herself, grip tight and posture tensing. It thankfully settles after a moment, and she exhales a relieved breath before continuing. One careful step, then another.]

I do wish it didn’t move quite so much…

[ He shoots her an encouraging smile right back, and waits for her to step onto the bridge. Mark wants to make sure she's at least got her footing first before he joins her to cause more chaos, but her tensing has him tensing, ready to spring into action just in case.

So he puffs out a little exhale when it passes, too. And, still smiling should she look back, ] That's the fun of it, isn't it? Just having something sway underneath you...

[ It's pretty simple, he thought. He'd have thought there'd be worse up ahead, but maybe it's better to not speak that into existence? Anyway. ]

I'm stepping on, so don't worry if the bridge starts moving again or something. I'm right behind you... [ trying to be smooth... ] and if it moves too much, I've still got you.

[Right. This would be just like crossing that first section, except… a little less steady. Requiring a little more balance. It would be fine.]

Alright.

[There’s the quickest of glances back Mark’s way and she summons her best determined smile right back. Then she tries to keep moving forward, holding onto that momentum. And it goes fine, at first. But then she takes a step just as Mark makes his first step onto the bridge, and the way it sways nearly causes her foot to slip right off the rope.

She’s moving a bit too quickly to right herself—her forward progress comes to a halt, and she’s gripping onto that guiding rope for dear life as the bridge sways unsteadily. With a shaky exhale of a laugh:]

Perhaps we should try to move in sync…?

week two | dates

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