It’s reassuring to have his words understood, especially by someone who could paint his words into a beautiful visual. It’s like Louis’ ever-complicated explanations were simplified, conformed into colors and lines that just made sense.
It’s what their relationship can be simplified into: making sense. What Zyre lacked in verbal expression he made up for with symbols, art, and gestures that seemed to always make sense, resonate with Louis in such a way that he was never left confused or trying to figure out the deeper meanings. Louis had the red thread that wrapped around his fingers, Zyre had the tools to weave it all into a wonderful blanket that enveloped them both.
It’s like those threads have intertwined, kept their limbs together despite the various blades they’ve used to cut down the Lost. It’s those threads that made Louis feel a specific yearning, a desire deep within the pit of his stomach that tightened and constricted around his throat. Yearning, desire, want, need– they’re all selfish desires, something Louis desperately tried to throw away when he accepted his role as a martyr. Yet Zyre was a match that ignited something within him, pulled him in, interested him, scared him, made him feel so many emotions Louis thought he lost during his revival.
It’s scary. Too scary. Perhaps it’s just the overwhelming feeling of having someone who understood him and enjoyed his presence, even asked him to be close. That was the more logical conclusion, not anything else. ( Even if Louis, deep down within the darkness of his heart, wanted so badly for it to be something else. But this man, Zyre, he was far out of his reach, his thread is too far for Louis to grab onto, much like everything else in his life. )
‘ Right. Okay, ‘ he finally speaks up, throat now clear.
‘ Basically, the synopsis of this novel is about a young prince who was hailed as a hero because of his efforts in the bloody war. He cut down monsters by the dozen then brought them home as trophies, but he never expected that one day, a thief would come and steal his trophies for himself. The thief needed the money to survive this cruel, monster-ridden world. What a better way to make a profit than steal from royalty itself? ‘ he glances at Zyre expectantly, expecting him to be distracted, but– what a silly thought. Zyre always seemed intrigued, no matter how much Louis spent just giving summaries about his latest novel, no matter how convoluted.
‘ Do you want me to keep going? ‘ please let me keep going.
it was much, much easier to listen rather than contribute. not out of a lack of desire to contribute, to have a CONVERSATION ( something rare ), than to simply listen & nod along. but because he enjoyed it so very much. louis’ voice, no matter what he spoke or the words that left him, flowed out gently & concisely. easy, smooth, gentle. something he, despite the mountainous energy that caused his legs to jitter; that caused his foot to tap on the floor; or the relentless tap-tap-tap-tap of his fingers on the nearest surface; always found he could sit & listen to for many long minutes. hours. perhaps even days if the option was there.
he could not understand a single goddamn THING & he’d still sit there happily.
those times were far & few between, when he had trouble grasping exactly what louis was explaining ( normally, it was because the subject matter was a book of science or such, & he’d blank on some of the longer words that were used -- he’s guessing he wasn’t exactly a bookworm as a human, either -- making it difficult to follow so closely ). either way, it was always enjoyable, even if his body still ached to move & the over abundance of energy he possessed would seep through in small actions.
zyre slightly nods along as louis talks, making sure not to allow his thoughts to run from him again, even if they always tend to be praises or adoration for louis. he’d noticed, rather early on actually, that his thoughts would get away from him quickly, almost running from the subject they’d been focused on before & pounce onto anything louis related, & then onto the revenant himself. at first, he’d try to pull his mind back to whatever it was, in hopes of avoiding embarrassment or shyness that would happen around him, but soon enough... he gave up.
thankfully, he’s yet to feel the overwhelming shyness around him ( it’s only a matter of time, a voice says in his head ). zyre gives one last nod, more firm & pointed, for louis to know it’s a response to his question -- a yes, of course -- than the previous ‘i’m listening’ ones.