His words struck her like a knife. He hadn't left, not once when she had been kidnapped? He had stayed there the entire time? Part of her had wished it to be true, but most of her had accepted that he had gone to his family for a time, that she had caught him when he had returned - that it had been a cosmic fluke, even a sign from Taj to stay with Alleo while he watched her from the stars. She could feel the anger in the way his voice seemed to meld with the air. And then he went on to say that he wouldn't always do what she wanted or agreed with. She almost scoffed. "You're not a mindless drone. I don't expect you to drop to your knees at my command!" She whispers, insulted that he could even think she expected that out of him. But the other words, the ones specifically about being a killer - they hurt her. They hurt her that he thought that was all he was. "But you're… you're so much more Alleo…" she tries to say, her body beginning to give up on the idea of fighting. No, all she wanted to do was wrap up against him, to have him tell her everything was alright - that they'd get past this, that they'd be fine

He told her that she knew it was him and more tears fell. She choked, mind too much of a mess to clearly understand anything right now. "He would…" she sniffled, ears flopping to the side as she gave up on being strong. "It's just all too much… I need the blood gone. All I smell is blood and it messes with my head. I have to fight to get back to anyone's scent, to get to your scent…" - his wooded, misted, pure scent.

From there, giving in, being weak she offered a way out that ensured he'd be happy. At least then she knew he would be happy. But, the response she got was exasperated. She had no words left, because she understood all of it - she really did. She just… she was struggling to place where she was on this spectrum of love, of who mattered. She moved forward - burrowing her maw against his mane, pressing her forehead against his neck in the place Ettore had flashed to her that had no blood. So she could soak in his musk, she could fight away the hurt, and she could start over. "I love you too," she said, eyes squeezed shut, still breathing in his scent - forcing her mind to stop playing games with her, to keep her centered in the moment. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry I made you think I didn't understand… I'm sorry I made you think I didn't believe you. I do, I really do. I just…" she stopped - keeping herself from asking who mattered more, "It doesn't matter, all that matters is that you're alive… You're alive and I'll stay wherever makes you happy… I'm yours, after all…" There was a small pause as Ettore bounced and chirped, accidentally hitting Rasta on the head with his wing, "And I'll always be, for as long as you love me…" Awkward? Maybe. True? Most definitely.

Good job, Rasta. A plus. But, hopefully it worked. Because, really, if she had to say something else, she didn't know what else to say.

Rasta & Alleo

you're my end and my beginning, even when i lose i'm winning
'cause i give you all of me - and you give me all of you