“That sounds wonderful.” Alcuin smiled effusively and reached out to take his hand once more, grateful for the warmth and companionship of the cunning little fae. The preserve was overwhelmingly beautiful and silent – the perfect place to relax and gather his thoughts when need be – but to say that he was not lonesome at times would have been a lie. It was true what they said about absence; his master's absence for much of the day combined with their occasionally conflicting schedules made him yearn in the worst of ways. It never used to be that way. Before, he would have spent hours in the library poring over textbook after textbook until his master came to fetch him, hopefully before the ink transferred to his cheek.
Now, all he wanted to do was lose himself in the garden for a while and soak in the attentions of his current master like an indolent house cat before their time together ran out. In those quiet moments where he could do neither, his thoughts turned dark and desolate. It was good to have someone to hold hands with, someone to talk to that neither questioned him too much nor too little. It was good to be with someone who understood what it was to be lonely. Perhaps Elua would understand, too.