Whenever he fiddles with his tie, the scraping of her nails cease, mesmerized in the purest of curiosities. She's never seen him without it before. Yet, she's seen him mourn the death of his planet.

Vanessa has already had a thorough taste of his loss and his rage, but she's seen him shape it into something stunning in its beauty, too, and offer it to a burning god in sacrifice. That is where she knows he differs. For all his darkness, he isn't evil. No matter how the Thing in her wants to pervert his soul (any who could serve), she doesn't believe he's capable of the horrors that It wanted to unleash in that moment.

Even so, he suggests he could end all life, he could out-live time, and she knows how haunting that must be. Is this the first time he's considered that to be her fate? Does he know now how much it scares her? Has she ever really confronted it, in such a fashion that anyone else might understand? He speaks to how she's dreamt of others nightmares.

The sound she makes startles her; such a strangled and wretched gasp sounds far away. Just a single sob and it hushes immediately, though her face is wet and she can't stop that. Doesn't think to, when she's too caught in staring at─and through─him.

"But I─" She shouldn't speak, her voice can't remain steady; it wavers and falls and and cracks. Her nails dig. "I don't understand...why."