"You're supposed to eat it with cream, or paired with another fruit. Like this." Ezra reached for the offensive fruit Andras seemed to dislike and for another; this one Yhet had diced, as the fruit was firm and made a snapping sound when bitten into. Ezra placed the soft<i>oluna </i>on top, then popped both fruits into his mouth, smiling. "The different flavors come together to make one new flavor. It is pleasant, and the juices mix in your mouth and dance along your tongue. No one eats<i>oluna</i>on its own unless you want to have an unhappy tongue," Ezra explained, pleased to be answering questions for his master. For the first time, Reis seemed to be amused by Ezra, and the Asha was reveling in his Master's momentarily gifted attention.<i>If only Master always looked at me like this</i>, Ezra thought as he swallowed down his fruit, shifting next to Andras, soaking up the heat from the stranger's body.<br/><br/>Ezra stayed quiet throughout the rest of Reis and Andras' conversation unless one of the men addressed him specifically. He was simply happy to be in his master's company and listen to him prattle on, even about things he didn't know or care about. Ezra was fond of his master's voice, however monotonous it was sometimes, and he found he learned about Reis' life, his estate, his pets through the conversation he engaged in while the Asha sat silently, listening. The keepers had always told Ezra it was important to listen, not just when he was being spoken to, but all times. A good pet learned everything he could about his master: his likes, his dislikes, how to please him, how to stay interesting to prevent being sold. Although reselling Asha was a fairly common practice, it was a shameful thing to the smarter ones, like Ezra. Maybe even to the dull Belmiran Asha, too, as they still had a clear understanding of who their master was and that they were bred to satisfy.<br/><br/>When Reis stood, Ezra instinctively did as well, but he was prevented from following his master by the gentle fingers that had wrapped themselves around his wrist. Ezra was confused by Andras' desire to keep him, but Reis did not seem to be worried. The Asha pouted slightly, wanting to be with Reis, but he perked up at the man's suggestion that Andras take him to the garden. If he couldn't be with his master, the garden was the next best place, so Ezra considered this a decent compromise.<br/><br/>The two males made their way out, and Andras followed Ezra as the Asha made his way to the plots of dirt that had the most space. Ezra removed his shirt and placed it carefully on a stone bench near Andras before making his way to the dirt. He knelt down, slowly opening the packet of seeds given to him by Hildy, deciding which he should plant first while only giving a portion of his attention to Andras.<br/><br/>"Of course I like my master," the Asha replied, not untruthfully. Andras' next question was curious, and Ezra paused before answering, not wanting to speak ill of Master Reis. "My master is... unusual," he began, speaking slowly, deliberately. "He is not what I was prepared for. I was trained to please a very different kind of man, I am coming to see this now. But I don't think that means that I can't make him happy. It will just take time to realize what makes Master smile. But I am a good Asha, and I will learn."<br/><br/>He picked out three fat, reddish seeds and took his time closing the wax packet once more. He began digging a hole in the soft dirt with his hands, fingers tightly pressed together to create an organic trowel as he scooped out rich earth. Andras kept speaking, tearing Ezra's attention away from his task. "Sell me?" Ezra repeated, his voice obviously conveying his disdain for the idea. "I do not know if Master Reis sells his pets so easily. I would much rather not be sold. I like Master, and Mister Yhet, and Miss Ita, and Miss Hildy. And the gardens, where I can plant my seedlings. How can I make sure my seedlings are taken care of if Master sells me? They would be very sad without me, I am sure of this."<br/><br/>The seeds were deposited in the hole Ezra had created, then quickly covered. He was uncomfortable with Mister Andras' line of questioning, though he didn't have the words to explain why. "I'm sure your estate is very nice, Mister Andras. Maybe Master and I can visit sometime?"