Uh.

Also you don't want to, sorry, being presumptuous about it just being the species thing.

I had. Kinda been operating under the assumption that you were straight and it would be very stupid to nurse a crush on you.

I don't think so? If I were straight I wouldn't be really sad I can't marry you!

That is completely reasonable as a deduction but I didn't even know it was on your mind so I don't, uh, have a reaction prepared to the idea -

It's a good thing I am not very impatient.

I guess it is. I mean, preliminary remarks, I have already said you're gorgeous and sing like the otherworldly demigod you are and I really like your company and I just - was assuming you were not into girls is all -

I think you're the bravest, smartest, most alive, most interesting person I've ever met.

Bella blushes. Thank you.

I want to keep being around you. I want to help you save worlds and things. 

I'd really like to have you along.

Great. Then we'll do that. And I'll probably feel weird when you kiss girls to get things but I won't tell you you're doing something wrong.

I don't plan to make a habit out of that. It had to be really important to get me to do it the once.

I will probably feel weird when you kiss girls even if the reason is just that you like them and they like you.

I mean, how long are you going to take to decide if you would rather kiss me yourself instead.

I would definitely rather kiss you myself but I still don't know if it's against the rules for us for a reason or something and also then I'd probably be in love with you the way my mother's in love with my father where she will still love him the same way in a million years and that's kind of a lot to put on you!

...it kinda is, I'd have to think about that. Especially if it's triggered by kissing instead of happening whether you kiss me or not. Uh, how long will checking the rules question take?

It's not, like, magically triggered by kissing it's just that both kinds of being I am fall in love intensely and forever and that might happen even if we don't kiss but I think it definitely would if we did.

When we get back to our world maybe there'll be someone who wants to wish that they can marry, and then I can have an excuse to ask Mother if there's any reason except 'Eru said so.'

Maybe, if anybody with that problem would, like, tell me that.

Yeah. 

Inconveniently there is a substantial limit to the extent to which I can figure out how I feel about a permanent kissing arrangement without having actual kissing to go on, like, physical compatibility stuff is a thing.

That makes sense. 

When I'm in ugly places I look at you because you're so pretty it makes it okay.

You keep popping up in my dreams. ...It may not given the givens actually be a good idea to flirt.

Because I will fall in love with you and then it'll be sad if you don't like kissing me very much?

Approximately. It would be tragic if it turned out you taste weird or something!