Welcome to Gaia! ::

Pao
He smiled rather proudly at the compliment, and gave a quiet "mmm" of his own when she hugged him before disappearing. The dishes didn't take him too much longer, and when he finished he went to get bundled up and gather up a butt-ton of blankets for them to huddle under once they were outside.

He set them on the floor near the door and took a peek outside again, a bit of relief washing over him when he saw that it was still as clear as it had been earlier. "We're still good for stargazing, but," and he turned back to put on his boots. "Not sure where we're gonna set up. Everywhere is pretty wet 'cause of snow."

Aria
She followed him to the door and got her own boots on, carrying the cocoa now. She hmmm'd thoughtfully, and then said "Wonder if there's a way onto the roof that doesn't involve ladders... we could knock the snow off, and have a good view..." She paused, then shrugged.

"If not, we'll find a good spot. Pity there isn't some big old board or something we could just put on top of the snow, then put the blankets on that." She moved over to him, and peered outside. Just seeing the sky from the door was enough to have her breath catch at the incredible, clear beauty.

Pao
"The roof is kinda a hard sell so let's just look around outside for now? We'll find something nearby, I'm sure."

With that, Rhys hoarded up the blankets and went to the door to try and get it open. Instead of opening it though, he kind of just opened and closed it repeatedly because the blankets kept getting in the way. "Piece of s**t..." he muttered before finally standing back, cheeks a little warm from probably looking a little stupid.

Aria
She nodded a bit, and watched him, then said "Babe, can I manage the door for once? I know it's important to you, but... You have your arms _really full..." She moved up next to him, looking up at him with concern. She didn't want to upset him, after all, but... he really was not going to manage both.

Pao
He nodded quietly and got out of the way, burying his face in the blankets. They smelled very faintly of Tide, which was...very nice. For a second he wanted to meet and thank whoever left all this stuff for them to use.

Aria
She got the door open, holding the two cups of cocoa in one hand, and then moved out of his way. "All right, babe. Let's go." She let him go first, so she could shut it behind them, and then followed him out, eyes sweeping the area around the outpost building. It was a small clearing, and she frowned a little, and moved farther out. She was about to get frustrated when she saw there was another clearing nearby, that had a good-sized log sitting in it. "Oh!" She said, and pointed.

Pao
The brunette followed her out, appreciating the crunch of the snow beneath his boots in all the silence. He started looking as well, a small frown setting in when he saw nothing, but he kept right on following her until she finally said something and pointed. "Nice catch, babe," he said as he smiled and started walking over.

When he got to it he kicked off the small dusting of snow on top before setting the blankets down and starting to lay them out. Now and again he would look up at the sky, still amazed that there was that kind of view that he hadn't noticed up until now. "It really is somethin' else, huh?"

Aria
She followed him over, and watched him more than the sky for the moment, enjoying the sight of him getting this set up to do something she loved so much. When he glanced up, she did too, enjoying the beauty above again, eyes lost in the stars for a moment. She then refocused on him and nodded. "It's amazing..."

Once he had the blankets set up, she moved up next to him, and settled down, and smiled, waiting for him to join her, keeping the cocoas close to her to protect them from the cold. "Pity we don't have some thermos' for this."

Pao
Rhys leaned against the log for the time being, enjoying the vantage point since he was looking up at her for once. Even with the dim lighting she was beautiful and the thought of being so unbelievably lucky passed through his mind again. "It is," he soon replied with a nod. "Kinda wish I noticed sooner, actually." He looked up for another moment before finally joining her, getting close enough to share a bit of his warmth with her.

When he got settled he grabbed a blanket and draped it over their laps, and then another that he wrapped over her shoulders, just to make doubly sure she wouldn't get cold. "We should just bring out own next time if we get assigned out here again," he said as he took his mug from her hand. "Or assigned to anywhere that's cold, really. Our own thermos and Swiss Miss box."

Aria
She shifted just a little once he was next to her, so that she could lean against his shoulder a little as she leaned her head back, her cup of cocoa still snuggled right against her chest, as she smiled a bit. "Mmm well you have plenty of time now, and whenever we're somewhere we can see stars, if you're in the mood." She said, softly, her eyes bright with the happiness she was feeling.

His suggestion made her laugh. "That sounds like a good idea, actually. Make sure we have the good stuff for ourselves, so we don't have to be dependent on anyone else." She turned her head and kissed his cheek for the idea, then turned her head again to gaze upwards. This was as close to a perfect night as she could imagine.

Pao
He leaned his head back as well, perfectly comfortable with how everything was right that moment. Just the two of them under the stars...and a load of blankets because it was freezing cold. But the cocoa and the silence and just about everything else was more than he could have ever asked for. "Mm, it feels like one of those things that you could do in any mood, so as long as you're there I'll probably always be in the mood..."

He sipped his cocoa, smiling as her lips left a little bit of warmth where they touched. After sipping he returned that kiss with a little bit of a chuckle before looking up again. "So, do you see anything familiar?"

Aria
She smiled at his words, and made a soft noise of pleasure, knowing he was happy to share another of her favorite past times with her, on a regular basis. She nodded a little, too, and added "Good to know. I intend to share as much as I can with you, then." She was glad it was ******** cold out, though, because the idea of a night under the stars, when this was such a private place... Well, maybe for the future, but the cold meant she did not even BEGIN to want to think about it tonight.

His question made her smile, as she sipped her own cocoa, and she studied the sky. The positions were different from what she was used to, and the constellations she would see back home were lower on the horizon, which didn't surprise her. They were much farther north than her small town in middle-Southern California. She licked her lips for a moment, leaning against him, and then reached up to point. "Over there... I can see Aquarius, though he won’t be visible for much longer..."

She carefully showed him the stars that made up the water bearer, and then Pegasus, Andromeda, and a few others. "What's visible is shifting though... we'll be seeing other things, soon. Orion, for instance... You might call him the constellation for Deus.... He's the Hunter..."

Pao
Sharing hobbies, again, was something he never pictured himself doing with someone. At least not on a very genuine level; maybe just to be polite he'd agree to do something in passing, but never spend the better portion of a night like they were doing now. So this was new and different and incredibly interesting, and it was interesting because he loved her and it opened his eyes to really see something that she loved and he just...wanted to be able to share more things with her. Be a little more inside and understand her world a little bit better.

He followed where she pointed, squinting a bit and trying to see the shape of the constellations by connecting the dots she pointed. He imagined seeing it on a map would be way easier, but a map just didn't look like this. And it probably wouldn't have been nearly as fun. He took a sip of his cocoa and smirked at the idea of having a constellation for Deus. "The Hunter, huh? yeah, that's pretty on the nose." After another sip he glanced over at her and asked, "So do you have a favorite?"

Aria
She hoped to find more things to share with him... She wanted to see inside his world more, but letting him see what she loved was wonderful and fun too. In the meantime, though, she happily shared whatever he wanted of her interests with him, because it felt good knowing he wanted to know. That he was enjoying it was a complete bonus for her.

"Indeed... The hunter who hunted with Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, enshrined in the sky after being killed by the Scorpion, for whom we have the constellation Scorpio. The ancient myths say that is why they were placed so that neither would be together in the sky." She said. It was, despite the length of that bit of knowledge, almost an absent statement.

His question, though, earned him a soft smile and said "Mmmm I'm somewhat fond of a lot of them, but I suppose I like Ophiuchus? The so called thirteenth Zodiac, the Serpent Bearer."

Pao
If she asked, he would gladly share more of his world, limited as it was. She already knew most everything, but whatever else she still wanted to know he would tell her.

He smiled warmly as she went on, her interest in the stars shining rather brightly as she spoke (no pun intended). When she answered he blinked cluelessly, but still nodded. "Don't think I've heard of that one. Any reason why it's your favorite?"

Aria
She began to trace patterns in the stars with her fingers, not specific ones, just things she was seeing as she did so, then paused and pointed out a small cluster of stars. "That set there is the Pleiades... How many stars do you see in it?" She was curious about his answer, because some say the traditional seven, some saw less, and some saw more, some of the harder to spot ones in there.

She was pondering asking him about his parents, at some point. She knew of them, but he'd never spoken to her much about them.

"Well... It's not well known. And in the Orion legend I mentioned, before Orion went hunting with Artemis... He once, while drunk, attacked a king's daughter. The king had him blinded, and Ophiuchus healed his vision. Not that I think Orion deserved it, but to be able to do such a thing, even if it is merely a myth... It makes for a good, and fascinating story."

Pao
His gaze followed to where she was pointing, eyes narrowed as he tried to see what she so clearly saw. It took a second for him to give a weak, "Six?" as he kept right on squinting, only stopping to look to her as she explained the story.

"Man..." he eventually sighed. "Sounds like a good guy. Doesn't sound like that Orion b*****d deserved it though, yeah."

Aria
"Ahhh ok." She tilted to kiss his cheek, and snuggle a little closer still, because despite everything, the cold was seeping in. "That group is called the Seven Sisters, as an alternate name, because the Pleiades were a myth about seven sisters... Anyways. There's a lot more than seven in that cluster, but most people only see six or seven in it with the naked eye, so I was curious how many you could spot. I can see 8 on a night like this, but I have the advantage of knowing, so that's sort of... nothing important."

She chuckled, and nodded softly. "Yeah. So it's an interesting one, and fascinating. Obviously, it's a Myth so most of it, if not all, was just a story from some one's imagination, I suspect, but... It makes seeing the patterns people used to spot in the stars interesting. At some point I'd like to learn about the constellations other cultures then the Europeans saw."

Pao
Rhys shifted to wrap his arm around her to let her get even closer if she wanted to. He could definitely feel the cold start to bleed through all of the layers, so the closer the huddled the longer they could stay out here.

The brunette stayed silent through her explanation, a loving gaze just settling on her. Something about the way she spoke about the stars that just added on to her beauty, and when she was done he leaned in and kissed her very softly. And very briefly because he pulled back right away, smiling. "For a second there I think I fell in love with you all over again."

Aria
She would have cuddled right onto his lap if it wasn't for the fact that this log would make it uncomfortable for him, she suspected. But it was nice to be here with him, right then. She managed to finish her cocoa while it was still luke warm, even, too.

She kissed him back, and then blushed at his words, her eyes wide and bright with her love for him and joy at his presence. "Don't know why my star obsession would do that, but... Glad it doesn't bore you, babe." She leaned in to kiss his cheek, and then rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes refocusing on the sky. "I know we need to go in soon, but... just a few more minutes? If you're not too cold?"

Pao
He could only smile back and pull her in a bit closer, not sure that there was any way to explain what went on in his head just moments earlier. Rhys sighed happily, content with her in his arms despite the cold, and when she asked he nodded, gaze skyward so he could appreciate the view a bit more.

"I'm fine, babe. Just lemme know when you're ready to go."

Aria
She smiled up at him, and then just gazed at the stars. Another 10 or so minutes passed, and she was about to suggest they head inside when she gave a soft gasp and pointed. Waves of color, greens and purples mainly, began to flicker across the night sky. "Oh! Ohhhh the aurora!" She whispered, her body suddenly tense in her excitement, and her face an expression of ecstatic excitement, and bliss.

Her hand dropped to grip his, and he'd be able to feel it was trembling a little. This was clearly an incredible moment for her, and she got the chance to share it with him, making it even more amazing.

Pao
The brunette was so far doing okay still, a bit cold but just happy to be by her side. He took a second to look straight ahead to relax his neck a bit when she suddenly gasped and tensed up, obviously excited about something.

"The who?" he whispered back, both amused and confused by her sudden excitement. He could very much feel her hand trembling with so much of it, so he looked up as well and was met with a very gorgeous view. Really, he started thinking, he only started seeing the beautiful things in life when he met her. With a quiet sigh he smiled and just enjoyed it, more than anything not wanting to cut her experience short.

Aria
"The Aurora Borealis! It's not visible if you're too far south, and it's..." Her words failed her, as she stared at a light show made by Nature herself. She remained silent for the fifteen minutes the show 'played,' entranced by what was happening in the sky over them. This moment, she knew in the back of her head, was going to be something she cherished for the rest of her life.

And she'd never have seen it, in all likelihood, without him. If she hadn't been with him, she'd not have been willing to ask whoever she was here with to join her, and she'd never have done it alone, in a place like this. Having him here made this possible, and she felt so grateful for his presence.

When it finally died down, she slowly took some deep breaths, to calm herself, before she turned on the log to face him, and she leaned up, to kiss him hard.

Pao
He couldn't help but chuckle when her explanation sort of just...died. He understood, of course, and she said enough that he realized this was her first time ever seeing it, so he didn't comment and just enjoyed the view alongside her.

When it was done he was about ready to stretch a bit when she turned and kissed him. Hard. So he returned it, gladly, and for a moment the world around just melted away. When he pulled away to take a breath he gave a soft smile, eyes still on her lips as he contemplated kissing her again.

"What was that for?"

Aria
It took her a moment, after the kiss broke, to catch her breath, but finally she said "Many things, but... being here, now, with me in this moment is probably the primary one." She smiled up at him, love and joy on her face. "This... moment means a lot to me. If... it had been anyone else I'd been sent here with... I wouldn't be out here, tonight, to see one of the most beautiful Celestial wonders nature provides. Some of the best things that have happened to me?"

She paused, took another deep breath, and said "Happened to me with you around... You say I'm your lucky charm... You're definitely mine, love."

Pao
The smile on his face only grew the more she spoke, love and joy and pure contentment on his face as she went on. And the twinge of guilt came back for a split second because he knew that this could have been one of those nights that they could have shared in something more, but it disappeared just as soon as she finished.

And he kissed her, again, pouring every bit of love that he could into a softer, gentler kiss. He pulled her just a bit closer as he reached up to caress her cheek, not wanting this to end just yet. When the kiss finally broke he sighed, eyes closed as he still leaned in for short, just butterfly kisses. If his brain didn't start registering the cold again he might not have stopped, either, but he did eventually pull back. "Love you, too, Seren...and because I do we should probably head back inside." His smile turned a bit silly but he kissed her again before slipping away and off of the log.

Then he reached up to help her down. "You have fun, babe?"

Aria
She basked in his smile, feeling just so happy to be here with him, not even worried about other things they could share. It would come when it did. For now? For now they shared something amazing, and that was what had mattered to her.

She kissed him back, holding him tight, eyes closed throughout. She would have been content to just cuddle with him, kissing him, for hours, lost in the contentment. When he pulled back, though, she gave a slight pout, because the cold hit her quite solidly and suddenly, and she blinked a little, brain slowly catching up to what he was saying and what was going on.

She sighed, then chuckled, and took his hands to slip off the log and stand beside him. She gathered a few of the blankets and the mugs, and gave him a bright smile. "Fun doesn't begin to describe it, love. It went... beyond fun. I don't have the words."

Pao
He gathered up whatever was left, laughing lightly at her reply. "Same, but maybe a little less than you?" he said as he started walking back to the outpost building. "Probably because I didn't know as much, but it was pretty cool. So." And he glanced over at her, smiling that bright smile reserved for her. "Thanks for sharing."

When they eventually got to the door he managed to get it open with a triumphant, "HA!" and held it open for her this time.

Aria
"Of course. I'm happy I got to share this with you." She walked next to him, her heart fluttering a moment because that smile always got to her. She didn't know it was a smile for her, just as she had no idea that she had one she only ever gave him, but she knew that smile felt good deep inside. She just gazed at him with all the love she felt for him.

She chuckled aloud at his reaction, and slipped in past him. Her hands were so full she couldn't risk bumping him, or she'd have kissed his cheek. She looked around, then found a good spot to spread out the blankets, so they could dry, toed off her boots, then took the mugs to the kitchen. She washed them up, before returning to him with a soft smile. "Who's room tonight?" She simply asked.

Pao
Rhys followed her lead and spread all the blankets he had out to dry, then hung his heavier coats up before taking his boots off. When she got back he resisted the urge to just pull her in and start making out, and instead pulled on a thoughtful look. "We should just share a room to save us from having to think about this," came an amused thought as he headed for his room, stopping at the door. "My bags are still mostly packed. Yours?"

Aria
She laughed and nodded. "That's fine with me. Why don't you get your stuff while I get my outer layers off?" She walked over to the coat hooks and soon had the outer stuff off, and hung up to dry and warm up. She moved back into the main area, and looked around, a fond look on her face. 24 hours here, and the world was a better place. It was freaking amazing.

She wondered, again, if they should talk about the same issue for home, but decided to leave it be for now. She simply checked that they'd locked the door, then went to her room to change into pajamas.

Pao
Rhys disappeared behind the door as soon as that got sorted, stuffed some stray things back into his bag, then went straight to her room. He forgot to knock again, so as soon as he got the door open, he blinked and knocked just to say that he did. And then he grinned and walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Sorry," he said as he set his bag down and started digging through for his PJs. "Gotta start remembering to do that for when we--" and he stopped there, not sure what her thoughts would be on just sharing a room when they got back.

Aria
She looked up at the sound of the door opening, and smiled a welcome at him, chuckling at the knock. "Good habit to get into." His comment made her brows raise a little, and another smile, slow and happy, cross her face. "Mmm thinking about one of us moving in back home?" She said, amused and chuckling again. "I've been wondering about bringing it up myself."

She hoped she hadn't misread his intent, but she couldn't imagine another reason for it. "But yeah, getting into the habit of knocking, if so, is a good idea."

Pao
He ran a hand through his hair, a sheepish little gesture, as he walked over to the dresser, trying to figure out which ones would be his since. "I'll work on the knocking," he said, then looked over at her and wondered for a moment, if her words meant that she was open to the idea. "I always figured we could consider it at some point," was what came out after a while. "You and me...I mean I already told you that I'm pretty serious about you, so."

And then to keep from showing her the blush that was creeping onto his cheeks he turned his attention back to the dresser and went straight for the bottom one.

Aria
She watched him, a soft smile on her face as he worked his way through all of that. She moved to sit on the bed, her back against the wall, and she crossed her legs, considering the best way to respond to that. Finally, she simply said "And I told you I am too. You just pick whether you want to move, or have me do it, babe." She continued to watch him.

Despite his best efforts, she did catch a hint of his blush, and her smile widened a little. She enjoyed knowing that if he could do that to her, she could do it to him. And it was nice to have these discussions, so things could get settled.

Pao
His lips slowly turned up into a smile as soon as she said that, but he played it as cool as he could and just put his clothes away for the time being. "Well," he finally said as he shoved his empty bag aside before grabbing his PJs. "Your room's bigger so me movin' in with you makes a little more sense." And he'd also take the moving away from the basement bathrooms as a small bonus.

With his clothes in hand he moved over to the bed and set them down before starting to change. "I also kinda didn't ask because I was worried you'd think it was too soon. If it is, we can just stick to how it was before. Taking turns sleeping over."

Aria
"That works for me." She said quietly, watching him put everything away. She liked her room, and having a window, so that was fine with her. But if he'd wanted to keep his room, with the added 'walls' and all, she'd have made due just fine. "I know you're not... so used to havin' a window. D'ya want me to see about some kind of... curtains or whatever?" She asked him, curiously.

When he came over to change, she just raised her brows at his words, enjoying the view but caring more about other issues. "Given I was wondering the same thing, I don't think it's going to be an issue, yeah? We both seem to want this, and were avoiding it to make the other more comfortable."

Pao
"I'll get used to the window after a while," he said while he was halfway into his shirt. He pulled his shirt all the way on before giving a proper answer, though. "Alright, well I mean. Yeah, that sounds like a plan." He gave a soft smile before changing into his pajama bottoms, and then grabbing his dirty clothes and setting them down by his bag.

"Forgot somethin' in the other room, hold up."

Rhys disappeared and came back with a little hamper that he soon tossed his dirty clothes into, then set in a far corner of the room. "You learn to bring one," he felt the need to explain as he made his way to the bed and slid under the covers. "So. We're gonna be living together, then?" It was a little hard to believe but he still had a bright smile on his face at the thought of having someone to come home to every night that wasn't ready to beat him with a bat.

Aria
She smiled a little at his comment. "If you say so. I don't mind a curtain, but I'm just as happy without." She blinked a bit as he left, and then chuckled when he returned. She used her chin to gesture over to the corner of the room, where there was a cheap-a** black plastic bag. "Was usin' that to store the dirties in, to be honest. Flat pack, easy to replace..." She shrugged. "But a hamper is probably better for the environment, yeah."

She shifted to lay down besides him, on her side so she could watch him as he spoke, and she gave a soft, sweet smile to his bright one. "Yeah... No more worries about who's room, no more having to go back and forth to get clothing... Sounds easier to me, yeah?" She leaned and kissed his cheek.

Pao
He turned to his side so he could properly see her, too, and then nodded. “Easier," he smiled as he returned her kiss with a soft one to the lips. "But I figure other things are gonna crop up. Growing pains, kinda thing?" The smile didn't waver as he said this, though. If they could get through what they did the night before, a lot of what was ahead he couldn't imagine to be anywhere near as hard.

Rhys reached up and casually brushed aside a bit of her hair as he gazed into her eyes, love and affection swimming in his eyes as he once again went back to wondering how he got so lucky with her. The thought lingered as he lightly traced her features, silently committing it all to his memory.

Aria
She kissed him back, and mm'd softly. "Well yeah, I'm sure. I've never shared a room with someone before, long term... It's gonna take getting used to. But... It'll be worth it, though." She felt similar, and wasn't too worried about it. She'd do everything in her damn power to make sure they worked through whatever came up.

She watched him inspecting her, wondering what was on his mind, just glad to be there in this moment. The peace before sleep, the comfort of being in his arms, and the pleasure of a day that had gone generally quite well meant she was relaxed and happy

Pao
After a while he sighed happily and leaned in for another kiss before really settling in. Thankfully the cold wasn't quite so successful at seeping into the blankets, and with her in his arms it was especially warm.

"So..." he finally broke the brief but very pleasant silence. He moved just a bit closer to her, not for the warmth but more because he just... wanted to. And for the first time it occurred to him that maybe he sometimes got a little too close, so he cleared his throat and said, "If I'm too close, like you can't breathe too close, just lemme know?" and then he draped his arm over her and cuddled in. "Anyway, since we're still up...is there anything else you wanted to know about me? You said it earlier, so I figured I could just ask, but yeah. Somethin' you've been holding back on 'cause you didn't wanna make me uncomfortable."

Aria
She kissed him back, and sighed softly as he snuggled into her. She loved having him close, and it was comfortable. She hoped that the cuddling, over time, would help him get used to contact from her in more ways than this.

She had to do some research on that topic, on the best ways to help him without hurting him.

She blinked, surprised, at his statement, though, and chuckled softly. "If it happens, I'll tell you? I've yet to find your closeness uncomfortable. I feel safer when you're close." She wasn't even gonna lie about that. He made her feel safe. His next comment caused her to pause, and then finally she said "I was... you've mentioned your dad a few times... Your mom only in reference to your tattoo... What were they like? What... happened?" Her hands slipped up to cup his face, her eyes worried that she was going to cause him pain, but... she wanted to know.

Pao
That wasn't the first time she'd said that so he let it sink in as a reminder to let himself just be close to her. Because it made her feel safe and because he needed her to ground him and remind him that there was someone that really, truly cared for him. He nodded and listened quietly, eyes on hers when her question finally came and he felt his chest clench just a bit.

"Mm, just gotta say thanks for waiting. It's a touchy topic, so I dunno if I would'a been able to answer before...last night." And then he closed his eyes, just glad to feel her so close. He'd never been so comfortable around anyone before that he ever let them just ask whatever they wanted. He leaned into her touch, and when he opened his eyes he sighed.

"So my mom died giving birth to me. Don't think she ever even got to hold me, so I mean. All I know about her is what my dad told me, and even then I don't remember much. And as for my Pops...the cops told me he got mugged. I could swear I saw shadows gang up on him but no way to get proof of that so it's been a mystery my whole life..."

Aria
She closed her eyes for a moment, not to his pain but in sadness for him and his loss. Finally, she opened them again, and moved to snuggle him in as close as he could. "Your pops, though... He was... What was he like, then?" She pressed her forehead against his, her honest concern for him, and her sadness at knowing he'd lost his parents so young... It was obvious to her that they weren't at all like her parents, and she wished she could have met them... or at least his Pops.

Her fingers were gently caressing his cheeks, in slow, comforting motions. If he made her feel safe, she wanted to do everything she could to make him feel comforted, loved and... safe, too, if she could.

Pao
The comfort and safety she offered him was more than he could have ever asked from anyone, and he welcomed it. Needed it, really, so he could keep going. Because he wanted to tell her more, share just a little more about his past. There were bits that mattered more, that shaped him more than what he told her the night before.

Rhys closed his eyes again, her caresses as soothing as they'd always been. He reached up and covered her hand with his own as he pulled up what few memories he had with his dad. He'd been so young....

"He was strong. Maybe a little shady, now that I think about it. Never did figure out what he did for a living, but I was what? Five? When he died, so maybe he just never got the chance to tell me. But he was always around. Taught me what he knew, how to be a man." And then he huffed, a little amused. "I was five but I guess you're never too young to start learning how to be a man. Anyway...Pops was my both my parents, my only family. When he was gone all of a sudden I kinda remember being lost for a while, just floating around and wondering who my family would be now."

Aria
She smiled softly, lovingly, while inside feeling a twinge of jealousy, knowing she'd never know what it felt like to have a parent who loved her. But she refused to let that get in between her and him, so she kept it out of the way. She loved him too much to let it affect her, or hurt him. She continued to listen to him, every so often just leaning forwards to softly kiss him, encouragingly and lovingly.

It was all she could do, after all, was listen and support him. His last words made her feel sorrow for little Rhys, who had lost the stability and family he had known. "I love you, baby... And I wish I could have met your Pops. Sounds like he was a good guy, and I think I'd have liked him."

Pao
It really did amaze him how much her kisses could do, how he could just feel how much she loved him and how she encouraged him through them. He just nodded at the end, at her meeting his dad. "He would've liked you just for liking me, I think," he said with a bit of a chuckle. "And then treated you like family right away."

As soon as he said that his lips pulled down into a concerned little frown, and he reached out and cupped her cheek again. "You okay, by the way? I know you asked but this can't be too easy to hear 'cause of your..." and he didn't want to say the word because they were less than people to him, never mind being her parents.

Aria
She smiled, sweetly, at the idea that his dad would have treated her like family. That would have been... amazing. She hated whoever it was out there that had taken Rhys' Pops from him so young, though in the back of her head, she acknowledged that... If it hadn't happened, they might never have met, or had anything happen between them. Horrible thought, but so was the thought of what happened.

His frown, and then his words, brought her back out of those musings, though, and she sighed, just a little. "I... I will not lie? I envy you that you had a time with a parent who you knew loved you, rather than loathed you. But I am glad you told me. I really am." She moved her hand to rest on his, as he'd done to her, and said "Despite the envy, I am also very glad you had that. If you hadn't, would you have ever been able to let me in, after all?"

Pao
His frown eased into something of a lopsided, concerned expression when she said she envied him, but he was glad for her honesty all the same. And then her question gave him pause as he considered it for a moment, if he'd never experienced any of what was now his past, if they would have ever met. It took a little while for him to process but in the end he sighed, unable to come up with any kind of solid answer.

"I'm not much of a fate guy so I can't really say," he started, and then leaned in to kiss her softly. "But whatever I had to go through to get here, I'm glad I got through it 'cause now I'm here. With you, and at this point that's all that really matters."

Aria
She kissed him back and softly smiled. "Not exactly what I meant... But that works too." She sighed softly, and said "The reverse remains the same... You are always welcome to ask me what you want. I may not enjoy telling the things, but... You deserve to know."

She reached over and gently ran a thumb along his lips, a gentle caress that was as much comfort for her as it was a chance to touch him. "Being here, in the end, is the most important thing... You're my most important thing, after all."

Pao
His brows went up a bit when she said he answered a bit wrong, but ultimately let it go when she did. He nodded at her offer, very much appreciative of the fact that she was willing to share as much as he was. That trust was something he'd never let himself share with anyone before, but now...he wondered how he'd gone on so long without it. Or without her, really.

When he felt her thumb along his lips he playfully kissed it, a loving smile settling on his face as he again nodded in agreement and whispered, "And you're mine, love."

Aria
She smiled softly at the kiss, and his words. Nothing else mattered, in the long run, then being here, with him. Or wherever, with him. She dropped her hand and leaned up to softly kiss him again, her eyes closing as she relaxed against this wonderful man who'd stolen her heart so adeptly.

She didn't want it back, either. All she wanted was him. "Good..."Was finally all she could come up with to say, in her quiet, comfortable joy.

Pao
He leaned a little into the kiss, but when she pulled away he happily just hugged her close, content to just relax there in bed with her before they both eventually drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. He wondered, for a moment, when they would finally get to do more than just cuddle. When he'd be ready for more, anyway. The thought broke his heart just a little bit, but knowing she was waiting for him just made him fall him in love with her again and he was able to keep it together.

Gently he nuzzled into her hair, a content hum escaping him as he sighed and started to drift a little bit. "Y'know I'll probably dream of you, babe...," he then murmured with a little chuckle. "It's weird and funny and awesome all rolled into one."

Aria
She was getting close to drifting off, when he spoke again, and her lips just quirked up into a smile. "Dream all you want, m'love... 'M happy to be at your side, awake and asleep." She wasn't entirely sure what she had said made sense, but she was so close to sleep, the peace that it brings, especially when held by someone one loved. "Al...ways..." She murmured, before softly sliding into sleep.