[i]'He is smiling. I suppose I can take that as a good sign that he will be able to explain all of this. . .'[/i] Rei muses, watching the prince closely as he waits to hear what the man has to say to sate his curiosity. E listens silently, nodding as the prince assures him that he's been correct in his assessment of the people he likes most  in the world. He feels a small hint of comfort that he was able to do so without any help and waits patiently to hear more. He blinks slowly as Alessandro flat out says that yes, indeed, he has affection for him too, and waits to hear his reasoning behind it. He is neither a father, nor family of any kind, nor has he – in his opinion at least – risked himself for the man. He can't even claim what Peter has aside from the rough upbringing. Smiles are not a think for little Rei, and he knows it. Nor has he, as far as he can tell, ever really had a kind word for anyone.

He nods in agreement, about his lack of desire to kill, and thinks back to those he grew up with. Those who came out of training with a lust for blood. They had seemed a little mad to Rei, but it had never been his business to judge. He blinks slowly as Alessandro calls his pursuit of knowledge a beautiful thing and wonders is something as silly as that can really be considered for such a thing as beauty. He's come to understand, though perhaps not recognize, beauty in the physical world. Metaphorical beauty is completely lost on him.

His head tilts slowly to the side as he begins describing attributes Rei isn't quite sure he has. [i]'Well, I do get angry about the injustice around him, and I am honest with him. However, other than that, I do not see how how I could be considered a good companion for company. I lurk. I slink about. I stand around looking frightening. I scurry about like a child hunting down candy on occasion. . .Unless of course that is what he enjoys in a companion. . .'[/i] He doesn't feel particularly noble, thinking that all people should act as he does in the fact of such cruel and selfish things at the prince has to put up with, but before he can voice this the man goes on to call him physically attractive, or at least pretty to look at.

Glancing down at himself he think about it for a moment before dismissing the thought. [i]'People either look at my with terror, or disgust, or simply look disturbed around me. . .'[/i] He pauses in thought, looking up at the prince. [i]'Well, I suppose, those people he has mentioned have looked at me differently, however I have not seen that expression on their faces that I have come to recognize mean someone is attracted to another person'[/i] In all his people watching, he's learned a few things, and so far, he's never seen anyone looking attracted to him. He[i]has[/i] seen some interesting expressions on the prince's face, but he's yet to place them in his mind, and doesn't think about them.

The prince then goes on to tell him that he, Rei, has been expression affection completely without realizing it. His brow furrows and he feels the urge to disagree. He knows he doesn't feel these things. He knows what each of those feelings are, and they are [b]not[/b] affection. He hesitates however, reminding himself that he's the one who asked Alessandro to teach him about such things. That the prince himself has these feelings and always has and would be more well equipped to recognize them. Blinking slowly he tilts his head to the other side, his face pressing softly into that hand as it caresses his face and hair.

He feels the familiar feeling of warmth and calm trickling through him at the touch and lets it dance around his veins, trying to get a good feel for it in his need to understand what it really is he's feeling. His eyes go to the prince as he nods, willing to give anything a shot at this point. He wants to know, to understand. [i]'He is right, I can heal, and I was told I would never be able to. . .If an elder can be wrong about something so important, perhaps I too can be wrong about what I can and cannot feel. . .'[/i] Keeping his eyes on the prince as he moves closer, guessing moments before it happens what he's going to do.

A spark strikes him making him shiver slightly. Starting from the place where their lips meet it seems to trace along where Alessandro is touching him before slipping down over his heart and ending as a coiled knot around his spine. His body feels warmer and his eyes alight at the unfamiliar feeling, a strange feeling of something alive in his stomach making him wonder if Alessandro had used some kind of magic on him. [i]'No, no, I would be able to tell if this was magic. . .'[/i] The flesh upon his own lingers, and another shot runs through him, making his fingers twitch as it rushes about his extremities.

When Alessandro pulls back Rei's breathing has become slightly irregular and his skin stills seems to dance from the strange energy given off by the kiss. His tongue comes out to cross his slightly dry lips. The feeling of that slick muscle running over them produces and odd sensation and he's not quite sure he likes this lack of understanding and control of his own body. Then, he firmly reminds himself that learning is sometimes uncomfortable, and he does his best to give the prince his attention, wanting desperately to be given [i]some[/i] understanding of what's happening to him.

Blinking slowly he shakes his head. “No, not my stomach. . .” He reaches up, brushing his lips with his fingertips. “Here. . .As if it was passed from you, to me. . .” He shivers, his fingers eliciting some pleasant feelings before he drops them to his lap once more. “It felt like. . .Energy, warmth, racing through my body, making it tingle.” He blinks again. “It was not unpleasant. . .Is it what you thought would happen?” His hands come up to rest on the prince's wrists, gripping them softly. “Can you tell me what it is?” He wants now more than ever to understand things, to understand himself, and his fingers moving of their own accord seem to be trying to encourage Alessandro to respond. “You can do that again, if you think it will help.” He knows that experimentation is many times the best way to learn, and he doesn't really mind trying that particular experiment again.