[private] I could take the whole world with me

[Tarian]

Those eyes change again - from pink to the now-familiar violet - and Tarian wonders if she knows how often she does this. It's like the sand beneath his hooves, shifting and changing and always leaving the Loessian trying to figure out where he stands. Maybe it would be easier to be brash with her, to say another stupid retort and see all that anger come sparking back to life.

It's the humor that leaves him wondering and those thoughts feel like dangerous ground for the pegasus.

But more than that, Tarian is coming to find he enjoys her smiles and each one feels like a small victory; a battle won in a war that he hasn't quite figured out what he's fighting for yet. His blue eyes linger on the side of her face - the proud curve of her cheekbone, the fierce glint in her gaze as she stares out at the sea. "I think we need to work on your definition of fun," he tells her, and though Tarian knows that he should be scowling, that his words should have come much tense or terse, the winged stallion is doing none of those things. His voice is contemplative and his expression is (carefully) curious. All he can think of is that he has little room to talk, because what has he ever done for 'fun'?

When was the last time he had done something solely for his own enjoyment?

When was the last time he enjoyed himself as much as he is now?

The winter air is much colder than he remembered when @[Altissima] steps away. Their shared warmth from being so close leached away and like the pale woman nearby, it made his thoughts return much clearer. But even with the heady sense of her gone, Tarian is surprised to find that he wants to -

"I'll take you," he says and angles his white head towards the tidal river that flowed into Loess. They could fly further North, into the hills where most of the infamous hot springs were located. But Tarian knew of a saltwater one not far from where they stood. A place that wouldn't take her long to find on her own and even less time with him leading the way. Looking back at her, oh, he just can't help himself: "You could probably use a wash anyway." His silver nose reaches out and up, towards the dark markings on her forehead. "Looks like you missed a few spots the last time."