Parce Qu'ils Croient

As she twisted his words, he waited for the punchline- though it never came. How could she sound so genuine. “I wouldn’t be so sure.” He echoed her. Absently trying to push away the indication of whatever closeness was threatening to forge between them. But he wanted it.

Aresenn hadn’t expected an answer to his existential musings, much less the one he got. And as he harrowed his mind for a response. He wanted to tell her that what she was implying was easier to say than to follow through. That he appreciated the sentiment, but it wasn’t worth a second thought. But the truth of the matter was, he didn’t want to wave her off. The words that she said threatened to spark something. And now more than ever, he wanted to borrow the strength from the only one to ever encourage him to conquer the demons by owning them. Release them. Let go. It wasn’t any less of a frightening thought. Aresenn racked his brain for something to say- he felt like he should say something. But then he didn’t have to say anything at all. Casting her a sideways glance, he listened- absorbing the piece of her background that she had chosen to give him. An offered example of the fate she secured herself away from the expectations of others. I am the butcher. But could he allow himself to be? They were on a similar path- he could see that. Their journeys were not all that different … she was ahead of him- but perhaps he could simply follow her lead.

As to why they didn’t have friends- it seemed that she didn’t even have to think about an answer. She knew. He couldn’t help the breathy chuckle that escaped his lips- not because what she was saying was funny. It was just the kind of response someone offered when faced with a truth they hadn’t expected to see. “You’re way too smart for me, you know that?” He answered her then. An observance made of everything presented to him. While he managed to hang on to every sound that rolled off her tongue, how could he possibly absorb it all? Looking out into the world once again, as he sat processing. He wasn’t aware of her intention until she felt her lean into his shoulder. His body went rigid for a moment out of surprise … though the tension released him as quickly as it had taken its hold. “But … I would say you are probably right. It seems like a very good reason.”

-Exit Aresenn via Fade-

"Aresenn Praetor"