Hawk stood up to his full height then, stretching his wings and arms and tail feathers in turn. "So," he said lightly, "what do you wanna do?"

Numair flushed, but said with exasperation, "Hawk, I just said, didn't I. It doesn't matter what I want--"

Hawk reached out and grabbed his hand, bringing it to his lips. He had to stoop to look Numair in the eyes, but he did, murmuring, "But it matters to me."

Numair didn't have an immediate response to that. He just let Hawk hold his hand dumbly, caught in Hawk's gaze.

"I cain't pretend I know what's gonna happen in a year, in ten years," Hawk told him. "But what you just said was how bad you wanted what we had. So then let's have it for as long as we can."