Welcome to Gaia! ::

She might not have believed him. Lerin blinked back his confusion at the thought as Ziari pulled back ever-so-slightly and tipped her head at him. he didn't think it was that peculiar. Though maybe it was, where she was from. He'd heard Oba had a great many people and surely of those great many people there were also great many types of people who all did various sorts of... things.

Meanwhile, his village was small, static, and bland. Not a whole lot of his family was exceptionally experimental, and despite his concerns about whether or not he was 'good at kissing,' he didn't think it was all that strange for anyone of his village to wait until the opportune time for such activities.

Before she had the chance to speak, he immediately thought to clarify. "That is, I-"

But his further commentary on that matter didn't seem to hold any relevance for more than half a second. because in the next instant Ziari was leaning in again, and Lerin thought it seemed perfectly acceptable to leave it at that. His fingers slipped from around her shoulder, through her hair to pause at the side of her neck. "Whenever I pleased?" He repeated inquisitively. Because that- Well, it was another thing he'd not been afforded the opportunity of, before.

"I can't say for sure if you really want to offer whenever I want..." He retorted on a quiet murmur.

The growing heat in his cheeks just seemed to continue to build. It was actually kind of amazing, because by this point, surely his extremities were becoming starved for blood. But Lerin ignored that and glanced down at the arm Ziari had threaded about his middle, and he smiled faintly. He appreciated, as always, the sincerity in the young woman's words, though he was also just as pleased by the notion that he was permitted, by those words that he enjoyed to continue doing other pleasurable things. "I didn't know," he replied with a small shrug. "I didn't know you wanted to, though I suppose I wasn't really looking for those indications..."

"I did offer to guide you, and I want to be here to give you anything to make your journey easier, so... You can always just... let me know, if there's ever more I can do to make you happier." He leaned, tucked his face against her hair, and lightly kissed her temple. "Ah, not just in this regard, I mean," Lerin added hastily. "But- but anything, ever, for whatever reason..."

He eased back against the bench, one arm still loosely draped across Zi's shoulder and gaze still pinned on where she leaned against his chest. He didn't think he wanted anyone else with her, despite as often as he'd said, 'you will find better...' He'd meant it, of course. She could find better, if she looked, and he wasn't selfish enough to keep her from trying. So he tucked that thought away for now, and merely nodded in response. "I'm happy too," he decided at length. "I never would've come even this far without you, so, going to Tale should be... quite the adventure."