It took a couple of moments for Tzirret to glance up at Ma'tanza and finally take her hand. He stood up and stopped being so withdrawn, but hung his head awkwardly. "Yeah, a bath sounds nice," Tzirret admitted.

Tzirret and Ma'tanza walked hand in hand, trying to find the spot where the clan usually bathes, but Tzirret was quiet and distant for a while. Whenever he thought he should say something, his thoughts went back to being embarrassing himself and he closed his mouth. Perhaps fortunately for the sake of breaking the awkward silence, fears that were not likely rational started to peek up into Tzirret's mind. They became prevalent enough that Tzirret asked about them reluctantly.

"Is there...something else wrong?" Tzirret asked quietly. Predominantly, he was fearing that there was something unattractive about himself, but whatever was in Ma'tanza's reaction could have been just as likely to do with just herself.

[hr]
"Oh, no-no-no, not myself," Gallus said, shaking his head and looking to the floor, "No, me? I just...well, it took my a long time to realise it, but at their age, I was the one hurting people. I went through many girls, and as I became an adult, I went through many women. Still do, despite slowing down. In fact, slowing down just seems to hurt people more. They get more attached, you see."

Gallus narrowed his eyes and put his hand forward. "But, here's my concern; I don't feel like it would be a good thing for the boys to go through the same experience of being torn away like my past partners. I don't necessarily know that it will be because their partners...are unloyal. In fact, I doubt it, but...well, the one in the Senchal clan is going to separate by necessity. Unless she makes the rash decision to move to Bruma with us. I certainly wouldn't allow one of my boys to separate from their pack on the whim of a young romance, much less condone something similar on the other side." Gallus brought his hand up to his temple and sighed, "They're going to get hurt, I know it. I just need to judge whether it would be something permanent, like you say."

Whether Gallus realised it or not, the paradox of having so many relationship experiences come and go while not knowing how easy heartbreak is to get over was somewhat telling of the fears he was projecting on Peiter and Tzirret.