Mateo's eyes light up bright green with pleasure. He grins and his tail feathers wiggle back and forth in joy. "I hope I never have to use it, but thank you." With his telepathy he reaches out to gently take the bee balm and tie it behind his ears with a few messy knots of his mane. It might just be a handful of dried plants you could find anywhere, but he still treasures it. "Thank you Pan." It is a gift and when he breathes in, that summery smell surrounds him like a warm memory.
When the conversation continues, the pegasus is impressed by how simply Pan says "I don't have parents." He doesn't even think to respond "I'm sorry," because the way the boy says it, it doesn't sound like a loss. It is as straightforward as "my name is Pan," and "this is bee balm," a fact with no emotion tied to it. Nothing to be sorry for, or happy, or anything at all. Mateo does not understand. He accepts it anyway.
"If I could do it all over again..." He repeats the question as though he's thinking of the answer. The truth is that he knew how he would respond as soon as the question was asked. Before it, even-- he knew as soon as he spoke of starting over. He's pictured it a hundred times, the way he would want his story to go if only he had the power to re-write it. He just doesn't know if he wants to say it out loud.
"If I could do it all over again, I would find my dad, and he would teach me the secret to singing without fear." The truth burns in his cheeks (I'm too old for dreams like this) and he looks away in shame. He couldn't lie to Pan after the boy had been so honest with him, but still... the truth hurts, even shared among friends.
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@Pan that's fine with me! and I'd love another thread with them <3 in the mean time, have an unexpectedly sad boy :3
