((My apologies for the delay, K))
Marcello did not speak a word until he'd caught up with Kiskla. Standing a comfortable distance away from her, he shrugged his shoulders. "As much as I would love for life to be as easy explaining away stupid decisions on some inescapable fault of personality, I don't. Further more, in the interest of both our time, I'm perfectly happy to keep this brief." There he was, the real Marcello. A being of uncompromising certainty, brevity, and cold reality. "I like you Kiskla, and I have precisely no idea why. You're almost impossible to please. You're stubborn to a fault, and I'm fairly certain you smile more in a vain attempt to maintain appearances or convey your cynicism than anything else."
Shifting his gaze briefly off to the horizon, he considered something before looking back at Kiskla. "I can relate." Simple, quick admission of similar traits that polite society would deem unfit...mostly. Still...when did the jock-turned patriot-turned rogue-turned Jedi-turned nerf herder-turned repentant actually concern himself with the greater perceptions of society? Never. Kiskla, however, managed to crack the mold of society and become someone that mattered. "Historically any personal relationship I'm in...be it family or friend is destroyed by some manner of my being. I choose to be largely independent and away from society. My master had always said it was the one trait holding me back...but of course I never listened. He made up for my shortcomings, so I never had to worry...until he was gone. Still it never seemed to be a big problem. Then...I met you."
Briefly, Marcello's darted up and to the side as if he were attempting to recall something. "Again. You were as irritating as I ever remembered, but you were different." Shrugging again, Marcello continued his thoughts. "Maybe I was different... Whatever. It was different. Months later, I'm taking personal leave to check on you simply because of a series of messages I'd been unable to receive ending in a statement that you were at the Hall of Healers. A trip I made simply because I care about you...and conversely care what you think about me."
Clapping his hands together, Marcello managed one of the false smiles he'd just accused her of using routinely, go figure. "So there you have it Kiskla. I do things to purposefully push people away when they get too close. It's usually never intelligent or clean, but it works and I continue life. At the expense of sounding like a teenager, I'd much rather be miserable with you in my life then blissfully unbothered without you." The smirk that managed to creep it's way into Marcello's features clearly indicated his last statement contained...perhaps a hint of jest. He wasn't ever really miserable around her. At least now, he had done what was necessary. Whether they remained friends...well that remained to be seen, but it would not be for lack of effort on his part.
A grumble of his stomach reminded Marcello that he really did want something delicious and greasy to eat. That was happening regardless of the outcome of this little chat.
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
