Ah-

[ For a second, that prey animal panic returns to her eyes, the fear of a tiny, trembling creature of the verge of being eaten alive. She's tense under his touch and though she manages to hold his gaze for admirably long, her eyes finally drop from his and look down and away.

She really can't bear having him see her right now. ]

Sorry. [ Her smile turns thin and brittle. ] But it's all true, isn't it?

[ She's a handful. She's an idol. She's an underwhelming Master. She's an intolerably, unforgivably filthy human. ]

I know how things are supposed to go here. Somebody's supposed to win and get their wish, right? Anything they want. But I...

[ Her fragile smile cracks open and when she looks back up at him, her expression can really only be called wounded. ]

It's not like I was ever going to win. I just wanted to stay here a little longer. That's all.