He rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm so tired, Blaise." * * * Aisling wiped at her eyes and stood up, going down into the building. * * * "He says he's sick and he wanted to stay with the clan."
"It's not your fault, but I might sleep. Is that okay with you?" * * * He would hear a knock on the door, tentative and quiet. * * * "What do you think?"
She nodded, leaning back. "That's okay." *** He looked up with a slight frown before he got up and open the door. *** "I don't like that very much."
He nodded, resting his head on her lap. “I love you.” *** Aisling was standing in front of him, having obviously been crying. Her arms were folded protectively in front of her and she looked up at him, her brows furrowed. *** “That he asked to stay or that he’s sick?”
She looked down at him, running her fingers through his hair slowly. "I love you too." *** He looked surprised, opening the door a little bit wider. He still seemed a bit reserved. "What's wrong?" *** She scratched her temple, thinking for a moment. "Any of it."
He gave her a slow smile before closing his eyes, leaning into her touch. * * * She ran her fingers through her hair nervously, seeming uncharacteristically ruffled. "Dion, what do you call it when you feel a little bit less when someone isn't around? Is that love? Or-or when you can't focus on things you normally love to do because you'd rather be with them. Is that it?" * * * "I told him to go back to the woods and die. That was too harsh, wasn't it?"
She let him rest, brushing his hair back slowly. *** He watched her uncertainly. "I.. I suppose those happen too. It's complicated." *** She tilted her head slightly. "Maybe a little bit? I don't know."
He dozed off, his mouth slightly parted. * * * "What if..." She looked desperate, tugging on her fingers. "What if you wake up and find you're sad because the other person isn't there? Or... I don't know. You're walking through the city and you find things and immediately wonder what the other person would think about it?" * * * "I didn't mean it, I don't think. I mean, he's my dad."
He looked uncertain, frowning slightly. "Why are you asking me this?" *** "Do you want to apologize to him?"
"Because I've... I've never been in love with someone, Dion," she said, sounding upset. "I don't know what it is. I don't know. I know that I've never felt this way about anyone before and all those things... I feel that about you. But I need to know what makes you think you love me." * * * "No, I'm not that worried."
"I didn't know it was something you had to prove," he told her. "I was hoping you could just my word with how I feel about you. Why would I say it if it wasn't true? If I had the idea in my head that you might reject me? Nobody wants that. It's a risk you'd take to say it if you weren't lying."
She frowned, looking down at the ground. "I... Dion, I've never felt anything like how I feel about you. I think you're so wonderful. I feel like you're a part of me. Is that love?"
She exhaled, looking disappointed in herself. "I think... I think I love you, Dion. I think I do. I just... I'm sorry. You might have changed your mind and that's okay. But I think you should know that I love you." * * * "At least I didn't beat him up. I mean, he tried to get Ellis exiled."
He was watching her intensely. "If you love someone you can't just change your mind about it." *** Her brows furrowed slightly. "Don't get into any fights, now."
She watched him with a frown. "So... you still love me? Because I think I might love you." * * * "I could take my elderly father."
She looked at him worriedly. "I love you too." * * * He laughed, kissing the corner of her mouth. "You can't stop me."
