"RGB…?" Her small voice rose out from within the silence.
For a single, fleeting moment, RGB could almost swear he could feel the vocal hesitation laced behind the curious phrase. But when she didn't continue, he turned his head and prompted with a sigh.
"Whatever is the matter?"
He tried to feign his nonchalance as he continued walking forward, but he'd be lying to himself if he didn't admit he was the least bit curious as to why she didn't continue her thought. Normally, he couldn't get her to zip her lips. All she ever did was spout gibberish nonsense; yet now, for whatever reason, there she sat, twiddling her thumbs, eyes glued to the ground.
"Well?" His patience was wearing somewhat thin as he turned to look at her.
"I… have a question."
"Obviously. What is it?"
"Miss Cell said that my clothes - my amour," the girl illustrated by lifting an arm that bore a sleeve too long for it, "helps protect me from doubts and griefs because it is infused with love and affection."
"Yes. Yes. Jovial nonsense. Now what is your question?" He returned his gaze to the horizon.
The girl tapped her sleeve-covered knuckles together, staring at the ground as she walked beside her towering companion (who was relatively short in this world, she had gathered).
"RGB, what is love?" She glanced up.
RGB froze in his tracks. Had he heard that right?
"Pardon?" He stared at her.
"What is love?"
RGB suddenly felt an unnatural wave of panic hit him, his fight or flight response threatening to kick in. But despite his stupor, her question was asked with all due innocence. She genuinely wanted to know.
Relax, old boy. She's not asking the other "love" question, so we are safe. Everything's going to be just fine!
"Erm…" RGB attempted to clear whatever existed of a throat, attempting a grin as muddled thoughts raced through his telly head. "Love is - well - very many things!"
He held his arms out and shrugged, cane dangling from the crook of his elbow. Hero rubbed her chin, pondering.
"But what is love, really? I always hear people say, 'I love you,' or 'I love daisies'; stuff like that. I don't understand what they mean when they say it, though. Are there different kinds of love, or just one?"
RGB scratched his head, placing the opposite hand on his hip. Perhaps he wasn't suited to answer this question. After all, his imagery of love was rather convoluted, anyway.
"Suited…" Bloody ha.
He shook the irrelevant pun from his thoughts.
"Love is… Well, complicated, to say the least. People often use it - rather carelessly really - to describe how they're feeling in a fleeting moment."
"So, love is a feeling?" Hero's eyes widened. "Because I think I've felt love before, but I don't know."
"Ah, well, yes and no. You see, the feeling of love is more of an affectionate type of love. That, I suppose, is the explanation most people attach to the term. However, love itself is an action, and if I love something, I feel affection for that something that prompts an action to express that affection. Do you understand?"
"I think so." She kicked a nearby pebble with her foot.
The two continued to walk in silence for a few more moments, RGB hoping that his explanation had quelled any further desire to elaborate on the topic.
"RGB? Do you love Madras? Like, do you feel love for her, or do you act out love for her because you feel it?"
RGB nearly tripped, jerking his head to look down at the girl, once again innocent with her question. Just the way it was phrased made his head spin, the fight or flight response returning aggressively as colored liquids dripped from the bottom of his screen.
"W-wh- I-" He stammered, pulling at his bowtie as he suddenly felt an unnatural heat rise to his neck. Actually, no. Make that all throughout his body.
"What kind of question is that?!" He straightened up, trying his best to regain his faltering composure.
"I dunno." Hero stared at the ground, suddenly interested in the dirt that surrounded her shoes. "You just always act different around her, that's all."
Just peachy.
RGB would never openly admit it, but he couldn't deny that he felt more then one types of love for the short, snarky, salmon haired cyclops. In fact, he was pretty sure she returned the sentiments, too, and that made things even worse, because then he knew she'd return the affections if he chose to act regarding to what Madras often coined as "romantic."
However, the small little girl currently rubbing her shoes in the dirt didn't need to know any of that. At least not yet. Those were all adult things she'd learn later in life.
"The woman would rob me blind if I didn't have a telly on my shoulder half the time." He scoffed, trying to redirect the girl's attention from his fidgeting.
Oh, how I wish she would, though. I'd gladly find a way to return the favor. His mind wondered to lustful thoughts before being snapped back to reality.
"Er- Besides, Madras' and my relationship is strictly business, understand?" He pointed at her, frowning.
"I guess."
"Good." RGB nodded, content that the discussion was closed and continued walking forward, while Hero followed at a slower pace, though somehow still managing to keep up.
She thought about how Madras had been nice enough to give her the House of Paint after they had visited and after RGB had gotten his gift (which she reminded herself was still a secret). Did that mean Madras liked him? After all, he had liked Madras enough to give her a kiss (though she wondered how it could have a flavor) and had acted really weird before Madras had pushed him to step back.
Either way, Madras was a really nice lady, and even if RGB didn't admit it to Hero or himself, she was almost certain Madras loved him. In action or in feeling, she wasn't too sure, but one way or another, RGB also loved Madras.