Verissa enjoyed the look of wonderment in Asher's eyes. He was genuinely intrigued and interested and... impressed in her ability. There was no fear in his eyes, no need to stab her in the heart for having this magic, no need to lock her up as a monster. He fully accepted her as she was. She also learned something valuable in her magic at that moment. Each time he poked, she could feel it ever so slightly. Not against her skin, but in her being. She could feel it through her magic. That alone had so many applications. 

When his fingers trailed up her arm, it raised slight goosebumps upon her skin, eliciting a shiver from the woman. His massive, hardened hand held her chin as gently as one might hold a flower. Under his praise her cheeks flushed red and she felt the need to try and look away from his eyes. But she savored the moment, seeing how his eyes resembled stormy clouds in the distant sky. How they could turn into life giving rains or torrential floods at the drop of a hat. She felt that described this man well. There was pain in those eyes, as well as joy from time to time. She knew that he used to have a wife from something Shenzi mentioned once. Verissa assumed that the woman died.

There would always be a ghost haunting those eyes.

And in that moment, Verissa felt her own grow a bit watery, so she tore away her gaze, nearly muttering the phrase that was on her tongue. [color=bc8dbf][i]'Things could be different,'[/i][/color] but the words never came. She let the shield fade away, feeling the energy drift back into the world. [color=bc8dbf][i][b]"Yes, let's stop."[/b][/i][/color]

When they did, she began setting up their sleeping space. She set out their bedrolls side by side, making the warming furs ever so neat and tidy. She set Remilia on the far side of hers, crawling beneath them with the injured dog. Remus laid near her head, his snout always pointing in Asher's direction. She wondered if it would be cold tonight. She lay on her side, facing Asher's side. She really wanted to ask about what made him sad, but also didn't want to bring him more pain. So she just lie there, watching the man, sometimes the stars, and sometimes just listening to the wind. She realized she'd never slept under the stars when she was in Ebonfort. Nor had she come so close to sharing a bed with a man. But his bed was still taken by his wife. It seemed anyone could see that. 

She'd have to leave at some point it seemed. There was no room for her in his life. Rolling over and cuddling Remilia, she let the silent tears flow, not sure if they were for him or for herself.