[ He wouldn't have ever thought of that word for her, no. Maybe she's just having as difficult a time respecting her own boundaries as he is. It's a nice thought to have, for a moment. To think that she wants to be near him so much that she doesn't even care about the reasonable boundaries she tried to establish herself. ]

I want you to stay. [ Forever? Forever sounds good. It sounds amazing. He feels horribly selfish the moment he says it, but his fingers still curl firmly over her arm, his head turning so he can nuzzle into her hair. ]

If you want to go... that's fine. I just want you to do whatever you want, Persephone. But know that I'll never want you to leave, and I'll never want to send you away. No matter what.