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[titled]

"... Speak."

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[immobileyes]

-- Ah?! [ Whoops, dropping the book she's checking-- and fumbling for it-- and missing-- ]

[titled]

[Oh my. Arles steps forward, leaning over to catch the book before it can hit the floor.]

My apologies. I didn't mean to surprise you.

[immobileyes]

I-it's okay... sorry, I was a little distracted.

[titled]

Quite all right.

[He's just going to idly glance down at the book he caught before holding it back out to her--]

[immobileyes]

[ It sure is a cover of two passionate-looking young men entwined in an embrace oops-- Mary doesn't seem all that embarrassed though, accepting it with some relief. ]

Thank you... I'd feel bad if it got damaged.

[titled]

[Only a little nonplussed, Arles's eyebrow tics up as a thought goes through his head like is this what young people are interested in?

In other worlds, at least.]

Were you thinking of buying it?

[immobileyes]

I wanted to see if it was a good example of true love first.

[ She is completely serious. ]

[titled]

[...Well.]

Any particular reason for that interest?

[immobileyes]

I was trying to explain it to my friend, but I couldn't, so I had to ask Zara, and now I'm trying to find good examples so I can show him.

[titled]

[She asked the rabbit, huh... Arles's lips twitch.]

Have you already looked at fairytales? Those seems to have a lot of true love in their stories.

[immobileyes]

Yeah, and I've found a few... but I thought I should try to find a lot of different examples!

[ If this is how she makes herself useful, she's fine with it. ]

[titled]

Still-- books are a limited medium.

[And they're biased... While his time with Elvira was something that felt magical, he couldn't say that everything was all flowers and sunshine. Not when she was Mejojo's fiancee first.

And then other things happened.]

Perhaps someone who has been in love would be able to tell you more.

[immobileyes]

... What about you?

[ IS THIS A BAD THING TO ASK-- ]

[titled]

Me?

[Arles's eyebrows lift slightly-- but he just chuckles.] Why me?

[Does he give off the impression that he's been in love??]

[immobileyes]

Because you brought it up and you seem really mature. [ Excellent reasons. ]

[titled]

[As good a reason as any, it seems that Arles mumbles to himself before he raises one shoulder in a light shrug.]

...I was in love, once.

[There's always that sadness in him when he remembers Elvira, but he's still able to speak of it.] Ten years ago. I doubt books can quite get across how unbearably anxious you can get when you're in love.

[immobileyes]

Anxious? [ It's true, she hadn't expected that particular emotion to come up. ] It made you worried?

[titled]

Indeed. When you're in love, you're no longer the center of your own world.

It's different from friendship. Much stronger. [Arles considers how to word it, how to put voice to the feelings that he had, still has, into words.] When you love, you feel as though you would do anything for that person. You wonder what would make them happy.

Naturally, you worry about hurting them. As much as I was happy being with Elvira, I didn't wish to see her unhappy, much less hurt. I worried about that. Even little arguments.

[immobileyes]

... So it's like you're selfish, but you're selfish for someone else's sake instead?

[ ... is what she's getting from this. ]

[titled]

...You could say that, yes.

Some are willing to sacrifice many things so that they may make their loved ones happy. [He would've done anything, to save Elvira--]

[immobileyes]

And you were like that, too?

[ It's just a feeling. ]

[titled]

Perhaps.

[Arles smiles-- a small one, tinged with sadness.] What else do you wish to ask? Mind, I would like to ask a favour of you once I finish answering what I can.

[immobileyes]

... You look a little sad, so I don't think I should ask anything else. [ firmly. ] But you... want a favor?

[titled]

[Arles just smiles at that.] That's kind of you.

[And, he half-turns toward the nearby shelves, lifting a long-nailed hand toward the spine of one of the books.]

I have a companion who's seventeen. I'm afraid he hasn't been able to have many experiences, so I thought I would buy him a book or two. The problem is that I'm not sure what to get him, as his attention span is...

[... He trails off, which should be answer enough.]

[immobileyes]

... Is he really energetic?

[ Reading might be hard for someone like that, but maybe... ]