That you wish to learn about me... is a gift far greater than you could know. I hold those words close, yet merely smile the most cryptic smile I can muster. Dear Rei, as much as I care for thee, I would not divulge all my secrets for fear of loosing glamour in your eyes, that my shiny wrapping would be torn off to reveal a scuffed, broken toy. I know you would not do that, nay you do not have such cruelty within ye, but I cannot help but fear it anyway. It mystifies me how you cripple me so; you make me want to compose stories and songs of such grandeur about you yet at the same time make me afraid to do such for fear of your rebuttal.

Elodin is endlessly amused by my conflict. In fact he makes his amusement clear in my thoughts, and I cannot help but allow my lips to curl at his merriment. How odd that his emotions were my own, our personalities so different yet deep down we shared a soul. I knew then, as I had from the day the Turtle gave him to me as an egg, that I would not trade a thing in the world for him. Or you, Rei.

In fact... I wish to take you away from your herd, spirit you away and show you the beauty of the world through the eyes of the unchained, through the eyes of those with no responsibility save the ones they chose. I wanted to set you free, my beautiful bird, yet I feared also you would fly away from me, fly to a place my wingless flesh could not follow. As I weave my tale I am aware of your gaze locked to mine, and find myself unwilling to break the contact, loosing myself within the deep honey of your eyes, even when you close them I cannot bear to look away from you.

Your question starts me from my thoughts, from my staring, and I look away, studying the lake so you would not see the look in my eyes. The look of one who has longing, who's wondering if, perhaps, such love was actually within reach... or if it was all an illusion waiting to be shattered on the hard shores of reality.

"I... Do not know lass. To feel such love... that is something rare, something I've ne'er encountered on my travels." I look to the sky then, watching the sunset. Could I love someone to sacrifice my own life so they would not loose who they were?

Yes, I would.

"I imagine it would be...something beautiful. Where every day my eyes would open and my heart would stutter because it is real and mine, a gift far more than anyone deserves and oh so precious. I imagine it would be painful, but the pain would be worth it for every second basking in y-the glow."

Did you hear it? Did you hear the way 'your' almost slipped out? I...hope you didn't. It would embarrass me beyond belief, yet I cannot help but hope you did as well. Gah, gods curse and bless this sweet confusion. "What of you? What does my dear Rei think such love would be like?" I keep my tone...friendly. Or, the same.

And I fervently pray that I do not make a fool of myself.

@[Rei]