Strength in Differences

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Shouldn't hurt?

Nik was just as puzzled by their answer as they were by his request, but the white-haired Sidhe remained quiet on the matter. He continued to watch them, not at all ready to relax and even the warning didn't ease his mind overmuch, though, at least he knew what to expect. That helped him control his reactions, kept him from bolting. And that desire was ingrained so deeply into him that it took every ounce of will he had not to. His pale blue eyes had gone blank, staring at something unseen on the ceiling. He didn't react to pain except to jerk slightly, his body protesting wordlessly what it didn't like, but he didn't speak.

They didn't question, so he didn't feel the need to speak. He could simply concentrate on keeping his breathing even and his heart-rate down. He noticed everything, though. He noticed when the pain started to lessen and his breathing started to get easier. That..that did take some of the tension out of his frame, but not a lot, not enough. He couldn't blame such a thing on a pain reaction now when there was so little pain. His ribs were sturdy now, some of the bone mended, but he'd still have to be careful with them and the bruising had faded just a little, swelling going down, but if they were pressed against, they'd still hurt. It was far, far better than what it had been, though, and true to their word, it hadn't hurt.

That alone amazed Nik beyond belief, but when he was allowed to sit up, he still looked rightly pale and now that the touch from the two had stopped, tremors of fear and reaction shook his body. He was unable to stop them and so tried to ignore them instead, dipping his head to the two healers. "Thank you." As far as he was concerned, they didn't have to do what they'd done and he was grateful they had.
 
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On the way back to the newlywed's room, Kaulu had informed the healers somewhat of Nik's condition. She told him of his injury and how bad the bruises looked, and then she reminded them to be gentle and kind to put a little emphasis on how important those traits were going to be. She asked them to not ask what happened and they gave her their word before entering the room.

The healing had took a while. Not too long, but long enough for drowsiness to sneak up on the waiting bride, having almost nodded off a couple of times through the process. But she had kept awake, and when Chahel and Kisha were finished, she stood from her seat, watching and waiting as they explained to Nik that he still had to be careful for a few more weeks or so.

The older pair nodded when thanked, Chahel's sleek black hair graying on the sides of his head. "Do not be afraid to ask of us anything else," he said, though there was a subtle hint of an order spicing his tone, but his eyes and expression were nothing less than friendly. Kisha smiled at the Sidhe, her own expression warm and open.

"If that is all, we will be taking our leave now," the older woman said politely as she moved to the doorway. The couple bowed politely to Kaulu who thanked them, and then they left. Kaulu looked to Nik, gently clutching her hands in front of her. "Thank you, Nik," she said, meeting his gaze.
 
Nik nodded to their offers - clearly hearing the hint of command in the male healer's voice - but he was relieved to see them go. The white-haired Sidhe moved from the bed then, sinking back down to the one on the floor, Kaulu's words bringing his gaze up to her black eyes. His own pale sights were so very tired and confused and wary as he looked back at her and Nik offered a slight smile that didn't reach his gaze. "You're welcome."

At least he'd done what she wanted, had eased her mind about the injuries. That was something he'd not expected to have to do, but he was glad it had worked anyway even if his body was still shaking slightly as he laid down, able to take a deep breath without pain. And there had been no pain with the healing. That still baffled him as Nik watched Kaulu get into bed herself, wanting to ask why that had been, but he stilled his tongue.

The more questions he asked like that, the more questions she'd have in turn and he'd already raised too many as it was. He couldn't tell her what his family had forbidden him to say. Unfortunately, many of his actions, many of his words and now these injuries all led back to that one thing, all conspiring against him. Or maybe fate was just trying to help him. Nik wouldn't know and tonight wasn't the time to find out. He looked once more to the form of his new wife and spoke softly into the dark.

"Goodnight, Kaulu."

Nik slipped off into sleep then. A true sleep that Sidhe were not subject to, but the truth of that might not become clear until the morning and maybe not at all if Nik woke before she did.
 
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The two switched spots, Nik moving to his bed on the floor and Kaulu to her own. She did feel better about Nik and his injuries, but she also felt as if she had done more harm than good and she didn't want to make it worse. She didn't want to ask him about it either, since it'd be either too complex of an answer or he'd just lie to her or avoid it smoothly.

So she climbed in bed after blowing out the candles and tucked herself underneath the covers. She heard his soft voice in the darkness, bidding her goodnight and she replied the same in a similar softness. She closed her eyes and soon fell into slumber. Having waken up earlier than usual that morning and going to bed at such a late hour after the situation with Nik, the Chaktawe woman would not wake for a good few hours after sunrise - probably not until around ten. She was usually a heavy sleeper anyways and never really liked to wake too early in the mornings.
 
The next two weeks passed by routinely. A new routine, but one Nik found he was coming to understand.

He had the mornings to himself and Nik usually spent them in the desert itself, simply being very quiet or he went into the city where people were starting to know him as he was always willing to lend a hand to anything and learned rather fast. Kaulu never woke to see him sleeping and Nik didn't actually sleep every single day. Only about every three and in the last fourteen days, he'd been able to avoid getting caught in that regard. The afternoon was usually spent with Japi as she always managed to find him no matter where he'd gotten off to and most often they shared stories of their own cultures or just things they'd heard of the world, pooling knowledge.

The later afternoon saw Nik doing something that not even the Chaktawe seemed to do in the heat of the day; training. Somehow he didn't mind the heat. It was strange and questionable, but Nik didn't mind. After that, he finally came in contact with Kaulu in the early evening and they'd share what their day had been like with the other. Nik often asked questions that had built up in the hours before their talks and then when dinner came around, he spent it with her and her family. The nights were always open to the moods and whims of the Chaktawe people. Depending on what was happening, Nik might go back to work in the city fixing or helping with whatever current project he was involved in at the time, or to the gathering place at the oasis with Kaulu or even just speaking with the Princess further.

They never quite got into overly personal things, both seeming to test the waters in that area by doing smaller things first, waiting for some time to pass. Nik could say he was already very fond of Kaulu but often times he wondered what she felt regarding him. He never asked, though.

It was early evening now, the two of them together in the courtyard and Nik glanced sidelong at the woman, a slight smile quirking his lips. "You are awfully quiet today. Is there something on your mind?"
 
Two weeks had passed by already and if Kaulu was to be asked to describe them, she'd answer to say it was actually refreshing. She had forgotten what it was like to be so close to someone other than her family. She wasn't so close to Nik, but waters had been tested and their relationship was developing into something stronger. There was one person before that Kaulu considered to be her closest friend, almost like family, but the man had died in the war before the peace treaty was ever even thought of. Since then, she'd never really had such a person outside of her sister. She was close with the townspeople, sure, and some she considered true friends, but there was never a chemistry with anyone else like she had with Hache'ha

Nik was adapting well to the people, too. Kaulu would have never expected him to be so involved with the community, but he helped in anyway he could and that earned him respect with almost everybody. Japikoa had also seemed to take a special liking to the Sidhe, and they spent most afternoons together with the young one's persistence. Kaulu spent her mornings in training or with the people, afternoons with princess affairs or lavishing in free time, and evenings with her family and Nik.

Today she woke and for some reason, unanswered questions about her new husband swarmed around in her head and she couldn't quite forget about them, always in the back of her mind even if she was focusing solely on something else. And as always when she was distracted, she was quieter than usual without meaning to be. It seemed that Nik had caught on to her quietness throughout the day, and in the early evening as they sat in the courtyard together, he asked her about it.

She looked up at him, mirror jet eyes meeting pale blue and she smiled slightly as well before looking away.

"I don't know if I will ever be able to know more about you, Nik, but..." she glanced to him them. "I would like to." Not as her duty as a wife, but as a genuine desire to become closer to him.
 
Her answer was unexpected and surprise flickered through his gaze before wariness and uncertainty replaced it. And then all three emotions were gone behind well-developed clouds in his pale eyes. He looked away from Kaulu, out to the courtyard and the water there and then out beyond, thoughts racing. His fingers, though, had found a piece of the Princess' clothing on the bench, a wordless request for her to stay, that he wasn't rejecting her words. He just needed a moment to think about them and such an action was one he'd performed before without much thought, something she might have caught the meaning to by now.

What she asked was more complicated than she knew, but...she was not wrong in asking. They were meant to spend their lives together - or at least until the alliance fell apart as Nik knew it would - and he knew it was not fair to deny her information about him, to deny her that kind of friendship.

And he'd heard the tone change in her voice. It wasn't politeness, duty that drove her to ask, but genuine curiosity, interest. Much as that puzzled Nik to have it directed at him...he felt he couldn't deny her. He might have to outright say he couldn't answer a question and perhaps even tell her why, but he could try, at least see what she wanted to know. She'd been nothing short of kind and patient and welcoming since he'd come here...and that had created more of a profound impact on the white-haired Sidhe than she could have known.

Finally his pale eyes came back to her midnight ones and Nik searched her gaze for a moment, still uncertain, but the wariness seemed to seep away, the guarded look in his eyes lessening slightly when he spoke. "What would you like to know?"
 
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It was too soon. She should not have brought it up. She should've just waited, at least until after a couple of months. Nik's eyes had gone completely clouded before they left her own eyes' presence and she felt like there was no hope. But right when she was about to take back her question, she saw one of his hands move and his fingers delicately caught onto a part of her clothing. She looked back up to him, waiting for his answer patiently. He hadn't outright denied her...

For a long moment, there was silence between the two as the man thought of his answer. But soon enough he had found her eyes again, his own becoming slightly less hazy as he spoke. It was her time to answer, and to be honest, she didn't have a straight one.

"Anything you feel can trust me with. Or at least a little bit," she answered. "I just... I want to have answers to my questions about you. They won't leave me alone and, well, you'll see that I get sort of restless when I don't have answers," she admitted, smiling slightly. "I know this marriage was arranged and that's what this relationship was solely built on at first, but... I feel as if we could have a deeper connection than that. Perhaps that's just me though," she said all this sincerely, voice gradually becoming quieter.
 
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Nik listened to her closely, feeling like he was heading into deep water and he couldn't see the bottom where his feet walked. But Kaulu, somehow he felt she could. He felt like she might see what he could not. She spoke of a deeper connection, like she could see a future between them and what that looked like to her, he didn't know, but it was more than he could see. He felt something for her, a fondness, perhaps something like trust, too. Yes, there was trust there. He just didn't know how much...or perhaps it was that he didn't know how to express it. He didn't know what she wanted from him in the long run, but all she seemed to be seeking now was his friendship, his trust.

And he...wanted to give it to her.

He was simply struggling with the fear and with the fact that he couldn't understand why she'd want him. Then again, she didn't know what he was. And that...he wasn't allowed to tell her.

Nik nodded slowly, realizing the ebony-haired female was seeking an answer from him even if she'd not voiced it as a question and his pale blue eyes held her obsidian, searching her gaze, finding nothing but a sincerity and compassion there that he didn't understand but was almost starting to crave the longer he spent with her people. Like a desert soaking up rain. "I...would like that." His reply was honest, but the Sidhe looked down, away, swallowing hard as he tried to think, moving his head slightly to get the white hair out of his eyes, nervous and jittery like a skittish, abused horse. Wanting to trust, to understand and yet so very afraid to. Nik finally shook his head, raking his hand back through his hair and looked back at Kaulu with a helpless sort of expression. "I don't know where to start...what to say. I..I will speak to you, answer you, but..."

He gave a shaky exhale and a shaky attempt at a smile. "What are your questions?"
 
She could see that he was trying, or at least willing to try to trust her. Trying to break through something that he was hiding, and trying to find anything that was okay to tell her. If Nik believed that they could be friends just as much as she did, then maybe something could really spark those planted seeds and make them blossom. She was willing to try even if he wasn't.

When he nodded and searched her eyes, Kaulu kept herself unguarded, vulture eyes showing only authentic sincerity and compassion. He seemed to finally agree and said he would like to tell her things and start that deeper connection she spoke of earlier, but he just didn't know where to start. She returned his shaky smile, trying to tell him that it was alright and he could relax.

"I... I don't know," she answered. "There's many, but I'll try not to ask so much. If I ask one that you do not feel totally comfortable in telling me, don't be afraid to say no, okay?" she asked, looking at him. With that, she took a breath and searched for one of her many questions.

"Why... are you afraid of healers?"

'You asked how badly the healing would hurt - aren't the Sidhe eminent for their healing?' she wanted to ask these as well, but for now she kept it sweet and simple.
 
He wasn't going to feel totally comfortable with any of them, of that Nik was sure, not with the type of questions he knew she wanted to ask. His behavior...it hadn't been normal. He knew that, but he also knew he couldn't have done any differently. If his family had wanted him to know how to function around other people who weren't going to hate him on sight then they probably shouldn't have spent the last seven hundred-something years abusing him. It changed one's psyche into something few could recognize and even fewer could traverse through.

Still...Kaulu was the first person who'd ever shown any interest in trying, in figuring out what was wrong and while Nik wasn't entirely sure what would come of such a thing...he was a bit curious to find out. So he nodded to her, showing he understand that he could deny her at any time. He'd known that already, but to know she understood that, too and accepted it...it was just another step on her part, bringing her closer than anyone had gotten before to the core of himself. It was terrifying.

It was fascinating.

And then she asked a question that even an answer would not truly satisfy as it would lead to far more questions, ones he didn't know he could answer. Nik had partially been expecting this flood of panic, of fear, though and so he kept it out of his gaze, only his body tensing but even that faded slowly as he took a very controlled breath and forced himself to release it. He closed his eyes for a moment, reminding himself that he didn't have to answer anything he didn't want to....or wasn't allowed to. He had to try and stay calm, though. He had to be as normal as possible...and he wanted to trust Kaulu.

He had no reason not to. She was honest, kind, noble....she was everything his people were not...and that was why he felt something for her he'd never felt for them in his entire life. Genuine like.

"I am afraid of them because I have never known anything but pain at the hands of healers. They heal me, but..." Nik sighed, running his hand back through his hair as he looked away, eyes seeing something far away for a moment before they abruptly cleared. "It's always been painful, like...receiving the injury all over again, sometimes worse. Your healers...I have never been healed like that."
 
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Kaulu noticed the tensing of his body but saw no such thing in his eyes. Part of his excellent control of showing emotions, maybe not. But she was patient and waited for Nik to take his deep breath and answer. She also knew that his answer would probably lead to more questions she'd want to know, but at least she would have something to base them around. At least she would have a few answers compared to none.

When he finally spoke, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked to the ground and towards their feet, staring blankly at the two pairs. Healing... should never really hurt. As far as she knew, it should only hurt if the healer allows it to. Maybe... the Sidhe allowed their patients to feel the pain? Maybe they knew something no other healer knew and that was why they were so eminent for their healing? Or maybe not... it was just confusing and unclear but something told the woman not to ask any more on that particular subject.

"Ah... well... here, you do not have to be afraid of pain," she said carefully. "Pain is almost never felt here when healing." She looked to him then. "How are your ribs doing, by the way?"
 
She didn't ask. She had every opportunity to....and she didn't ask, didn't pry, didn't take advantage and Nik stared at her for a moment in complete surprise, unmasked in his eyes before he slowly relaxed, tension draining away and curious confusion entering his gaze as he watched the Princess of the Chaktawe. She was officially like no one he'd ever met before and Nik felt a small smile gather faintly on his lips, his entire demeanor changing, settling.

She hadn't taken advantage, hadn't pressed.

Nik met her eyes with a true calm now, so much different than his controlled one and it was obvious now between the two. He looked down at his tunic, glanced back up at Kaulu and then smiled a bit shyly, but lifted it up, giving her a clear view to the healing bruises, yellows and purples, some greenish tinges, but definitely healing. "They don't hurt so much anymore. Your people are skilled." Nik lowered the tunic again after a moment and then looked to Kaulu again, speaking quietly, much less shaky about it this time.

"What else would you ask?"

He was far more genuinely interested this time, especially knowing she wouldn't force answers out of him. And for Nik, that kind of extended kindness, trust went so much farther than Kaulu might ever know.
 
Kaulu didn't know what was happening before it had happened. Nik's atmosphere changed completely and their eyes met. His icy blue were so calm, so settled. It wasn't controlled. It was genuine, and Kaulu felt like it had something to do with the way she hadn't forced any more answers out of him. But she didn't know for sure and instead focused on the healing injury of her husband. She smiled slightly, happy to see the colors fainting. Slowly, but surely fainting.

"I'm glad," she replied, looking back up at him as he lowered his shirt. She paused for a moment, seeming to think again. But what else could she ask that he would actually answer? The wolves, maybe...

"Japikoa told me of how you are close to the werewolves," she smiled lightly. "I know they are protectors of your family, but are they so close to the others as they are to you?"
 
Now that question brought a smile to Nik's face, a genuine, happy one that flared to life in his pale eyes and he chuckled, shaking his head. "No. They think Finnine a spoiled peacock, Taraghlan to be made of ice and they are pretty sure Cuchulainn is war given physical form. They hold little loyalty to my st-...mother and my father finds little use for them. At the moment they are subject mostly to my grandfather's whims as he is the King."

Though he'd almost slipped up with Cliodna's title, nearly calling her his step-mother as that's what she was, Nik hadn't lost the far more relaxed aura he'd found. A fond smile touched his face, something he seemed to frequently give Kaulu as well and in his mind, she and the wolves were coming to a parallel level of importance to him. When one watered a plant in parched soil, it sprouted quickly or not at all. Nik was the former. Somehow, after all he'd been through, his spirit still sought that acceptance and love it had been always been denied. It sought it fiercely despite his fear that he'd never find it and confusion about being given it.

"Marsin is the pack alpha and after him comes Kafta, his beta. The other two are Afkii and Unene. They are a mated pair. Jemna is the youngest and she's not actually from the Moonhowler Pack, the one loyal to the Sidhe. She was taken in about six years back. She's free to come and go as she pleases, but she's stayed. She doesn't like the rest of the Royal Family in the least, but Marsin keeps her in line. He did the same for me growing up. Practically chased me around everywhere when he wasn't called away. They call me Cub."

Nik shook his head a little, chuckling softly. "They can't seem to accept that I'm not a child anymore."

He didn't know that was mostly because a great deal of his behavior turned very childish - a terrified child - often.
 
Nik's smile was contagious. It was something rare and it brightened his face, his entire being. Kauluwehi giggled at the name of Finnine as she listened to the rest of the werewolves' opinions of the Sidhe Prince's family. The slip of his mother had indeed sparked something in the princess's mind but she acted as if it hadn't. After all, it could have been a rather sour name for the Sidhe Queen and Nik thought better not to say it. But in truth, Kaulu did not know.

She learned of the Moonhowler Pack, learning which name and title belonged to which person. Nik seemed to speak of them much fonder than his real family, but Kaulu understood. She couldn't blame him. Who would? They weren't exactly the most pleasant to be around, but thankfully Nik seemed to be a turn-around, the shining light in such coldness.

"Cub," she repeated, smiling as she listened to Nik's laugh. "I say it fits you, in some way. Though maybe I shouldn't agree just as I shouldn't say you're a good dancer?" she teased.
 
That comment...that got an outright laugh out of the Sidhe, something Nik just didn't do, but it made his heart blossom into his eyes, something warm and friendly, hopeful and fierce. It turned into quieter chuckles, what he was more prone to, shortly afterward, but the more tranquil nature stayed as he looked to Kaulu, pale blue eyes bright and open in his face. "No, I think that is one thing the wolves are correct about. In their eyes I am a cub, part of their pack and...I wouldn't wish for that to stop."

The white-haired male looked away then, to the desert and he sighed, the smile fading a bit. "I miss them." It slipped out quietly. He missed their faith in him...so very much like Kaulu's own. Nik tilted his head at the thought, looking back to Kaulu, something flickering in his ice blue eyes, as if he was calculating a decision and finally he stood, speaking in his quiet way as he held up a hand, indicating Kaulu should stay as he approached the square pond of water. "I want to show you something."

He stopped at the edge of the pond and then looked back at the Princess, appearing nervous. "I...have never let anyone outside my own people know that I can do this." A slight smile, nervous and shy and a scared all at once. "But I want to trust you. I believe that of all the people I have met in my life, you are worthy of it." He said nothing more, knowing that by doing this...he was breaking the rules.

Completely and in time...he'd break more, but Kaulu...he had faith...such a tiny spark of faith that he could trust her, that she would not betray him. And in truth...what did he really have to lose? Death might be welcome by this point in his life if everything went wrong.

Nik tried not to think about that, though, as he looked down at the water and extended his hand, palm down. And then he did something no Sidhe could do. His eyes flared with a glow, washing over his face, trailing like water down his markings and the water started to rise in an elegant pattern of twists and turns, coming up to rest against his palm as he turned his hand over and it formed into a perfect sphere in his hand. The Sidhe turned then, holding it still and he gave Kaulu a look that pleaded for hope, for a good reaction, for something he couldn't even articulate in words.
 
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Nik's laugh wasn't something Kaulu heard very often. Or at all, really. But it seemed to warm up his entire soul, his eyes showing something very... foreign to Sidhe. It was warm and fierce, hopeful even. Kaulu found it strangely warmed her chest and she smiled, watching as he looked back to the horizon and said he missed the werewolves. She didn't think it was a slip though, and when he stood and silently told her to stay put, she looked up at him curiously. What he said sparked that feeling even more, along with excitement and the anticipation of what it just might be.

She watched as he walked to the pond, turning when he neared the edge and informing her that this was one of his major secrets. It was obvious that he was nervous and by smiling, she tried to let him know that he could relax. He wanted to trust her. He admitted this, and told her that he believed she was worthy of his trust. It was such a thing to earn, Nik's trust. She wanted to show him her good faith in him, wanted to show him that he could truly trust her and rely on her.

There was nothing more she wanted.

As he turned back and knelt down, Kaulu watched, though she had to restrain herself from just going and planting herself right next to him. She strained her neck to try to catch a glimpse of whatever her husband was doing, but she could only see something disrupting the water.

Finally, when he turned around, the woman froze and stared. It was not rigid or cold, just shock, for a band of blue glowed across his eyes and his markings glowed a blue as well. It was beautiful, like the flow of water. And there, in his hand was a perfect sphere of liquid gold for the desert. Slowly, she stood, having not anticipated something like this at all. And then, not wanting to displace Nik's plead for fear and rejection, Kaulu smiled, meeting his glowing orbs.

"How can you do that?" she asked, excited and curious and shocked all at once and not realizing just how complicated of an answer his could be. After all, no Sidhe wielded such magic.

She walked to him now, figuring that it was okay since she didn't react negatively, and looked back to the water. She wanted to reach out and touch the sphere to see what it would do but held back, eyes traveling back up to meet his own.
 
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Her smile stilled the anxiousness inside like a balm over a burn and Nik smiled slowly back, watching her stand, watching her move toward him and he stayed still, let her. His glowing eyes watched her expressions, finding nothing negative, no fear, no rejection, no disgust or dislike. No hate. Only things he'd never expected to see, had hoped to see all his life but had never been given the privilege to observe. It caused a pressured feeling in his chest, something scared and excited all at once and his body trembled a bit at her approach, but not in fear of harm, not in pain. Only with emotion he didn't quite know how to deal with.

Kaulu's question made him look up at her, an instant struggle in his gaze and it didn't leave when her own gaze met his, no it only seemed to increase. The perfect sphere of water in his hand shook, contorted, almost fell before Nik took a breath and reformed it, looking away from his wife and back to the water in his palm. He could simply tell her he could control the elements, but if she ever made that known to her people word would spread. If he made it seem like it wasn't a big deal like he wanted to, it would backfire. Badly. No, if he was going to tell her anything than she had to know how important it was that she not say anything to anyone else.

And that would raise more questions....but that was why he'd done this, wasn't it?

Nik almost scoffed a laugh at himself, feeling bitter in that moment. Right. The only way to make himself do anything was to perform an action before he couldn't think deeply about it and convince himself not to...and then be unable to back out of the questions it brought. He was so scared to speak and yet...so desperate to be heard. Like a child calling for help in the dark, not wanting to attract the monsters, but so wishing for the rescue.

Pale blue eyes finally looked back up to Kaulu's solid obsidian and Nik didn't answer right away as he reached forward with his free hand and took on of hers, bringing it forward with gentle insistence as he turned her palm upward...and then placed the sphere in her hand, his power still glowing across his face as he kept it solid in her hand and released her. Then he spoke, quiet, far too quiet. "If...if I tell you...you must keep it secret."
 
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Ah, she had almost ruined it. The question was too much and she could see the good atmosphere start to falter and the struggle increase in his gaze. Even the water sphere had been affected and when Kaulu thought it would break, Nik had reformed it. She looked up at him, searching gently and only backing off when he looked away. She waited. She waited like she would for him in any situation, when she knew he was struggling the demons inside of him. She would be patient and kind, and push him only when he needed to be pushed. But right now was not one of those times.

When he finally met her eyes, he took one of her hands in his and set the sphere in hers. She smiled a bit as she looked at the water in his hands. She knew he was still controlling it, but the coolness and subtle features felt and looked amazing. Then, when he spoke, she looked back up at him. His voice was notably quiet, and slowly, she raised her other hand and placed it gently on his cheek, looking deep into those glowing pools of light. "I am not forcing you to tell me what you do not want to tell. But you can confide in me with anything and I promise to never break that trust." She smiled lightly, openly, and kept her hand on his cheek just long enough to make it significant.
 
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