"I don't want to have to say no to Master Wizeman," Reala said from across the room, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. Everyone had taken to the idea so well, far better than he would have liked. They had so much faith he would do what was needed; it was officially a Plot Point now, wasn't it? An uncomfortable doubt slithered in his chest. He looked up from an indeterminate point on the office floor to his mun, who lounged on her aristacouch as she toyed with her phone, relaying information to the others.

She at last looked over at her muse with an expression that said, /still?/ His frown deepened, but her expression cleared as she set down her phone and swung her legs so she sat in a sitting postion. With open arms, she beckoned. "Come here, Reala."

With a few long strides, he obeyed, and as soon as he was in reach, she pulled him into a hug. She actually managed to be taller than him when she sat up there on her couch like this, and with a soft sigh, he let his head fall on her chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. Carefully, gently, she cradled his head under his sensors, unable to reach any lower than that. He listened as she spoke.

"You know what I realized? It's almost been a year since this all began. I checked the other day. You left in January." His arms tightened slightly. It still hurt to think about, and he protested internally, /I didn't leave, not willingly./ She stroked the back of his head, understanding through their three long years together as mun and muse, and the office to melted away as they moved from the public space of the stage to the private domain of her mind. Their surroundings became a whiteness with a single feature: Before him, Reala's history stretched out, a long series of snapshots to represent everything that's gone on in the roleplay and beyond.

Again, she spoke, the smile in her voice: "Look how far you've come. I'm so proud of you."

Turning his gaze away from the sight, he rested his weight on her, closed his eyes, and sighed.

That doesn't make it any easier.