[ yet, midnight says, and kaveh knows the gravity of that word. all rivers flow to the sea, and the sea on terra is one where unimaginable terrors live. it's a metaphor that struggles to get away from him, and kaveh is inclined to let it because midnight is warm - and kaveh is warmer, and the pain is exhausting. of course it is. midnight kisses him, and kaveh closes his eyes. he takes the time to breathe.

'why would new wounds haunt me in places where old ones have already dulled the pain'? ]

You're an old silly. [ kaveh informs midnight with a little laugh, ] New wounds hardly take over old ones - but they have different ways of hurting. That's all.

[ just one bit left. it ought to be comforting. slowly, kaveh shakes his head. his headfeathers flicker, much in the way of ruffled wings. he can still feel the long trail of a tail feather gently brushing the concrete floor, dust to dust - fascinating, what these new appendages mean. fascinating, what it does to biology. ]

I take it back, you know. I'd like to stay here for a bit longer. Not in this form not as something you must carry. [ quietly, quiet as dust: ] You don't have Oripathy here.