"Love you, too," he murmured back, drawing in a breath past the knot on his throat and releasing it slowly as he opened his eyes to blink at his partner with a wobbly smile. Her strength and kindness never ceased to amaze him, inspiring him to be a better person so that he could be worthy of that look in her gaze. Boreal crooned from her place in Sascha's bed near the hearth, lending her agreement to Alys's words as she settled herself down for a nice LongNight nap.
"I think... I know we - Boreal an' I'd - want that. If anythin' happened t'eiher of us," he admitted quietly. He still held the painting close, but the sorrow was easing beneath the love that filled the room. "For th'others t'keep movin' forward. T'live for us." Tal cleared his throat and reached out to twine his fingers through Alys's, giving them a gentle squeeze. "An' t'be happy again. I can't really imagine not hurtin' when I see you hurtin'. Live or dead, I can't imagine anythin' changin' that."
"I think... I know we - Boreal an' I'd - want that. If anythin' happened t'eiher of us," he admitted quietly. He still held the painting close, but the sorrow was easing beneath the love that filled the room. "For th'others t'keep movin' forward. T'live for us." Tal cleared his throat and reached out to twine his fingers through Alys's, giving them a gentle squeeze. "An' t'be happy again. I can't really imagine not hurtin' when I see you hurtin'. Live or dead, I can't imagine anythin' changin' that."
