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Rythian busied himself organizing a chest, listening to Zoey chatter at the other end of the room. He could listen to her talk for hours, about everything or nothing. It didn't matter, just so long as she was there, talking with him, being with him. She was the greatest thing to have happened to him since the Old World incident.

Of course, he couldn't tell her that.

He always put it off, telling himself he'd talk to her tomorrow or the next day. Sometimes he would work up enough courage to make it as far as getting into the same room with her before clamming up. He didn't know why; it was probably something about talking to her face-to-face.

The closest he'd ever gotten to really telling he loved her was when she was when she was 'captured' by the brown mushroom enclave. They'd gotten in contact over Mushnet, and managed to have a quick conversation. He had the message all typed and everything, if he had just pressed send before Mushnet crashed maybe he could have avoided this whole thing and-

No. He wasn't going to get himself worked up over that. Not again. What happens in the past stays in the past, for now he needed to focus on the present. Like how right now, Zoey was behind him, talking about- what was that? He paused a moment to listen- her escape from the enclave. He loved her creativity and imagination. When she was around, everything and anything was a possibility.

He loved more than that about her. The way her eyes sparkled when she got excited, the way she could brighten up a day with her personality, the way she always seemed to be everywhere, no matter where Rythian turned, the way-

"Rythian? You alright?"

The way she was staring directly at him. He snapped out of his daydream. "What? Yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well you sighed and kind of fell into the chest you're working in, I thought you'd passed out or something,"

Rythian took a moment to process this. "You thought I'd passed out, so your solution was to stand at the other end of the room and ask if I was alright?" He couldn't keep a small smile from his face.

"Well I didn't know! And besides, you're alright now, aren't you?" She asked proudly, crossing the room and extending a hand to help Rythian up.

"Yeah, I guess," he muttered. His mind was spinning, and he decided that now was the perfect opportunity to tell her. "Oh, and Zoey?"

"Yeah?" She asked, turning back to him. One look at those sapphire blue eyes sent his brain into lockdown mode.

"I— uh— I—" he made a noise somewhere between a groan and a sigh. "Nothing. Just remind me to teach you about first aid a little later, alright? I don't want you poking me with a stick if I break my leg," He smiled.

She laughed a bit, a sound that could put bells to shame. "Alright, Rythian. I have to go now, though, feed the wolves, harvest the garden, a few other chores. I might run back to Duncan's for some more parts, if I need anything. You know how it is. I'll see you around though!" She waved as she bounced out the door.

"Bye!" Rythian called after her, and he heard her shout goodbye in return. "I'll miss you!" He yelled, but she was already gone.