your l.o.v.e. is MINE for the tAkInG! (Echo)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rhea stopped as soon as they walked up the stairs, turning slightly to look at him. "Thank you. For saving me."

----

He just nodded slightly and didn't respond. There was nothing he could say. He couldn't even explain why he was doing this.

[~echo~]

Rhea didn't have much to say to the man, merely gazing down and averting his eyes. Finally, she looked up. "I can't keep calling you what isn't your name."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

His lips quirked into a smile beneath his mask. "Call me John," he said.

[~echo~]

Rhea chuckled. "Okay," she said. "Nice to meet you, John."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"They're going to keep hunting you," he said, sobering. "Maybe not that guy, but someone."

[~echo~]

(Could have sworn I had replied to this xD)

Rhea blinked and rubbed her eyes with her palm, tired of all of this. She sighed softly. "Why can't they worry about something else for once?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

He shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't tell me anything."

[~echo~]

She gazed at him. "Then you're somebody who might be in a position to know?" she asked shrewdly.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

His eyes widened. "I just... well, obviously not," he said. "I tried to find out, but you're top secret."

[~echo~]

Rhea blew out a breath. "You are difficult, John," she said with a smile.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I know," he said, sounding amused.

[~echo~]

She looked serious again and looked at him. "What am I supposed to do now?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"You can stay here," he said. "It's a safehouse. They won't think to look here. I'll bring you food and water, and whatever else you need." He spoke calmly, his voice flat, like he didn't care that he was basically telling her she was stuck there.

[~echo~]

"I can't just stay here! I need to fly, be outside in the semi-fresh air," she said, upset creeding into her voice.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Do you want to be caught?" he demanded. "If they find you, they'll probably execute you on sight rather than bringing you in."

[~echo~]

She grit her teeth with frustration. "No," she said, sounding like a small child being scolded. "No, I don't want to get caught. But I also don't want my wings to wither and die."

[~echo~]

(Bump)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"It's your choice, then," he said, sounding a bit resigned. "You can stay here if you wish. It's here for you. If you want to risk your fate, that's your choice."

[~echo~]

Rhea sat down on the floor and put her chin in her hand. "Thank you," she said glumly.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

He was silent for awhile, not looking at her. Not really looking at anything at all. His eyes were emotionless. "I'm sorry," he said finally.