Private Finished Meeting Death

Ria looked at John eyes full of suspicion as he took few steps towards her. Ria stood her ground, refusing to move though her instincts told her to run. John's smile was somehow really...unsettling. It made Ria's stomach jump.
"I guess it is, if death was here. But in my knowledge there are many creatures associated with death, but no death itself."
Ria didn't even know why she answered him seriously when the man was obviously joking. Right?

Ria became even more suspicious when John wanted to make some big reveal. She tensed just a tiny bit. And for a good reason apparently when John told Ria he was the personification of death. Then Ria almost did take a step back. Not because of fear bit because she doubted John's sanity. But she shed that doubt fairly quickly, or some of it, when she remembered where she was. There were many stranger creatures here. Still Ria kept leering at John a bit from under her brow.

Ria's leer turned into confusion when John offered to buy her dinner. Ria opened her mouth only to close it again and she was too confused to get flustered or embarrassed. People had asked her out before but never by the personification of death. And she had always refused the invitations. So she would do so now as well.
"I-I just met you. You can't possibly expect me to go along with your courting. Whether I issued a challenge or not. Wait, I didn't even actually issue a challenge. I was trying to joke around. Which so obviously failed if it landed me a date invitation."
As Ria spoke blush started slowly appearing on her face, and she couldn't stop it.

Ria's blush didn't go anywhere when she realized she might've misunderstood. More like the tips of her ears also became kind of pink. But Ria, with pure willpower, forced the blush down so her cheeks were only slightly tinted pink. And the tips of her ears.
Ria cleared her throat a bit and the usual mild glare returned to her eyes.
"If you wish for me not to misunderstand then please state your intentions more clearly. I'm not that familiar with social conduct in the outside world, unfortunately."

And the next moment John indeed did offer her a date and Ria was just confused beyond belief. What did this man want from her? Did all sparring matches lead to this here? Ria would have to investigate more.
"Make up your mind! I think you have guessed but I am not the smoothest operator in conversations."
Ria frowned and rubbed her neck a bit. She indeed was hungry. But Ria wasn't sure if she wanted to go eat with John. No, she actually KNEW she didn't want to go eat with John. Or, at least the thought she knew?
This was why socializing during sparring was useless!

Ria kept glaring at John as he finally formed the final offer for food. He made it sound casual, but Ria wasn't stupid. Her natural suspicioun was aroused now and she unfurled her arms, putting them on her hips. Ria's stance was firm and determined as she humphed a bit and looked at John along her nose.
"You think you're smooth, don't you? I know your kind, John. Your tricks won't work on me. I won't let them."
Ria's tone was hard, just like she was now. Though her stomach was still jumping a bit, but Ria ignored it, ignored what it meant.
"So I will find my own nice place where to eat, and you can go to yours. Thank you for the offer, however. And thank you for warning me about the wolves. I'll make sure to leave along the tree tops."
And with those words Ria turned around, jumped to the closest tree and disappeared from John's sight, jumping from branch to branch. Only when she had gotten far enough Ria let blush rise to her cheeks again. And it didn't disappear until she exited the forest.