â€œWell sometimes we do not see how special we are until we are seen through the eyes of another..."<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">That thought alone had her hooked, her mind forming pictures before she knew what to do with them. All the while her eyes held his own, the blue in them like the sea after a storm...Pulling her in by the undertow. No warning. Had he not turned his gaze away, she'd have been hooked as her mind wandered, moving over the different scenes that played out, though each had one constancy:<br/><br/>Him.<br/><br/>Each time her thoughts shifted, it was another era, another time. Scenes she'd read over and over in her favorite books suddenly coming to fruition as she wondered over his words. <span style="font-style: italic">How do you see me...?</span> she wondered, eyes still on him while he focused elsewhere. Different story lines playing out behind her eyes, though their appearances remained the same. In one instance, he was a count, and she a penniless maid. Another, he was an adventurer, on the search for treasure and she was a damsel in distress.<br/><br/>Each time she tried to figure out how he felt, based on visual cues...But never had anything concrete. Not until later in the story, anyway. Her own had only just begun. She'd only just escaped her captors, fled to an unfamiliar place...And met the man that could presumably be the equivalent of her knight in shining armor. <span style="font-style: italic">Not that I could ever really have a knight...But it's a nice thought,</span> she told herself again. <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">How do you see me...?</span></span><br/><br/>â€œSo, what do you think of the pizza? Best you ever had, right?â€ he asked with a smile.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">After her long pause, the image stirring up more questions than it answered, her eyes widened in embarrassment. Having only just realized he'd been staring at her, waiting for an answer, she flushed a vibrant hue of red as she struggled to form the words. "By far, the best pizza I ever had!" Lily replied hastily, fairly tripping over the words. Laughing a shy smile, she looked down pulling off a piece of her crust. "So, what's your favorite all time food?"</span><br/><br/>Her blush made him smile and drew attention to how pale she was, leading him to think maybe she was like sensitive to the sun? That would explain why she was all covered up despite how hot it was. Setting that thought aside for the moment he thought about her question, surprising himself that it was not something he could answer right off the bat.<br/><br/>â€œHmm...well I would have to say it would be my mother's meatloaf. Have yet to find anything that comes close to how could that tastedâ€ he smiled and nodded as if to add more of a confirmation to his own statement. â€œWhat about you?â€ he asked, taking another bite of his pizza while he waited for her answer.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">Pretending he hadn't just seen her momentary lapse, she thought about something else, not understanding why she was blushing so much around him, or why she was so nervous. Shrugging, she just shook her head for a moment, before responding. "...I don't have one." Her eyes looked back up to his own, almost as if questioning if that was the wrong response or not, worry flashing in their gray depths.</span><br/><br/>Tobias smiled, hoping to reassure her, â€œWell you are young yet and have yet to try all of the different foods there are out there. I, on the other hand, have done a bit of traveling so I am able to know what my favorite is. So, no worries. Ok?â€ he smiled reaching across the table as if to lay his hand on top of hers, seeking to reassure her.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">Her eyes didn't leave his, but this time she was focused on his hand. She wanted his touch, just to feel what it was like...just once...to not be hustled around by her guards and instead just to feel a gentle touch. One that wouldn't mean to control her, but instead just be a friend, comforting. As it inched closer, she made a split second decision to instead pick up her pizza to take another small bite. A small, almost sad smile flickered across her lips as she ate, eyes having dropped from his own to focus on the slice, before she replaced it on her plate and looked up at him curiously.<br/><br/>"So...If you've done some traveling," she started, her tone still ringing of sadness, though it was only an overtone, overtaken by her curiosity. "...And you say I'm young yet...as well as your comment in the alley...How old <span style="font-style: italic">are</span> you? If you don't mind my asking, that is."</span>