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"I'd say I love her, yes, but that doesn't mean I haven't hurt her in the past or won't again int he future," Mathias said as they walked along. He was paying more attention to Ruthie now than the art. Mainly because he'd seen half these pieces already so it wasn't really a big deal to him.

"Romance is a very nice notion, yes, but hardly the most important thing in a relationship. I'd like to think she and I get along well, even with my schoolwork and other hobbies and responsibilities getting in the way. Will we keep our relationship going and get married one day? I don't know - we'll have to wait and see. She could get bored of me, or we could have a falling out. The future is hard to judge."

Watching Ruthie with his full attention he chuckles. "Is it true love? I don't know. We split when we first got to college to see if we could find someone else to spend time with and that didn't really work for me, or her apparently. Maybe we're meant to be, maybe we're not. All I know is that right now she's very special to me. But I'm not going to demand she tie herself to me forever unless that's what she wants and she makes that clear. She's my best friend first."

Stretching a bit he rolls his neck. "But I'll be damned if I let any a*****e try and date her if she doesn't want me. She deserves the best."

"Yeah, I do... We've been friends for forever and we have had our ups and downs, but things tend to work out. But I'm not going to hold my breath on it staying that way forever. I tend to take things day by day, and so far things have been good." But it hurt less if she did decide that she was ready to leave him, if he knew that it was a potential event.

But still didn't mean he looked forward to such an event occurring.

"I don't know? Just recently? It's hard to tell sometimes. I just know I'd do anything for her if she asked it of me..," He chuckles weakly. "But yeah, I just want to make her happy. Even if it means I kick my own a** at work to give her some extra time."

"In a heartbeat," Mathias said before laughing and shaking his head. "Art for me is a means to an end. It's a hobby I enjoy but it's not my life. I'd give up fighting if she really wanted me too."

"It's not about working hard for your partner, it's about being willing to give them everything, because they should be giving you everything. That's what my mother and father have done their whole marriage, and they've been going strong for almost 25 years now."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment, watching Ruthie. "So I wouldn't say she's lucky - just... with a guy who understands how relationships work."

"Some people can see what's happening, but most don't have a clue,"Mathias said as he ran a hand through his hair. "Most fall in love, and here's the bottom line - it knocks most trio's down to two."

"Sometimes it's the sweet caress of twilight, and it feels like there's magic everywhere. An enchanted moment, it seems most people through. It's enough for any restless warrior just to be with the one they love."

He smirked and looked at Ruthie as he said. "The real question you need to ask yourself is, can you feel the love tonight? The peace the evening brings. The world for once, in perfect harmony with all its living things?"

"Can you feel the love tonight, is it where you are? Is it enough, for your wide-eyed wanderer that you got that far?"

He raised a brow at her. He had his own special connection to that song, but he wasn't about to bring it up.

Mathias let a chuckle slip through his lips and he nodded. "Yes, I was quoting Lion King," He said. "It's somewhat special to me."

"Oh I'm sure there are, I haven't met any personally but I'm sure there are some who like that sort of thing." He said with a smile.

Shaking his head he rolled his shoulders and let out a light sigh. "I guess it just boils down to going with what your gut tells you."

Mathias laughed and waved his hand in her direction. "It's really no big deal if you're tired," he said, keeping his voice friendly. "I've been there."

"You're young enough that you really don't have to commit to any one person you know. Play the field and see what happens." He said after a slight nod. "It's not like you have to find the person you want to be with for the rest of your life now. Have fun."

"Just do what feels right to you."

Mathias laughed and nodded, motioning her toward the exit. "Do you have a ride?" he said quietly, as they started to move toward the nearest exit. He'd hate to have her be stranded at the gallery if she'd come with someone who hadn't decided they wanted to leave yet.

"I know that feeling all too well, between classes and my job it's rough to find the time to see my girl, much less sleep. So I started splitting my time into on-and-off weeks to make it easier to spend time with her."

"Yeah, some people are built for commitment really, and no matter what anyone tells you, there is nothing wrong with that. You shouldn't be forced to do something you don't feel is right or isn't making you happy." He said with a smile as they walked.

"So do what makes you happy, if that's sleeping with every dude that gives you the time of day, then s**t, do it. Whatever brings you the most happiness in the long run. Especially if this hobby of yours keeps you super busy."

"Alright, I think I can help you out with that. I'm parked over here." He blinked his eyes to let them adjust to the darkness for a moment before turning his head slightly to look at her. "It's not much of a ride but it'll do. You'll just have to direct me."

As she confided in him her feelings he had to chuckle softly and shook his head. His lips curling into a slight smirk.

"Sorry? I mean, being happy can be easy sometimes. It's really about - just being happy. About enjoying and loving what you have and understanding that sometimes you don't always get what you want. But I think you might find, you get what you need."

Raising his arms up over his head for a minute to stretch he looks up at the sky. Of course you couldn't see the stars thanks to all the light pollution, but he could pretend.

"It's okay to want a solid and safe relationship while still getting all the sex you can with everyone you can. That's not unusual. Hell, I don't know what your orientation is - frankly none of my business - but if you want to be with as many partners as possible, but still have a single person you love, then you just have to find someone whose willing to be in that kind of open relationship. They exist. You just have to find a kindred spirit."

"As far as responsibility, you have them, don't sweat them. They exist so you have to deal with them. But you can still be happy - you just have to accept that this is the lot that you were dealt and go with it. Find the person - or people - that make you happy and just do what you want to do."

Reaching his car, an older sedan in a dark forest green, he popped the locks and pulled the passenger side door open for her before moving around to the driver's side.

"You just have to go out and seize the day. It's your life - live it. It's now or never."