When he knelt before her, Zen slowly shifted her weight more onto one hip, tail coiling off to one side as she leaned on her hand. His touch, though dry, was not exactly unpleasant, and being that he was the overseer of her well-being she did well to at least tolerate his touch, and betimes even enjoy it - at least, until he spoke, and her insides twisted. She hadn't been trying to escape! She had the niggling feeling, rather, that she had been looking for someone, though she couldn't remember who and it certainly hadn't been him.<br/><br/>His hand curled in her hair to jerk back and she let out a formless cry of surprise, followed by another one of protest as she felt his finger slipping up into the soft slit of her gills. "Paige - Mr. Paige - I wasn't trying to get away, I swear! I was just... just looking for... that tank is so SMALL!" she finally cried out, and pressed her eyes closed, recalling sweeping vistas of an underwater paradise in which she'd swum freely in all directions, and sung to her heart's delight for her own amusement.<br/><br/>Despite her efforts, a tear seeped our from beneath one closed and glimmering lid, sliding across the high bone of her cheek and falling to the floor, where it hit with an audible tinkle even upon the carpet and bounced away. Somehow, the droplet had hardened to a diamond.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Accustomed to flight though she was, it was always forward, upright, and very much under her own power. Taken by surprise, the angel flew back onto the bed with barely a sound of protest until she hit the post with a thud, and leaned back against it for support as he approached, a bit stunned. She was genuinely surprised by his refusal of her advances - and  her eyes widened a little as he made his own.<br/><br/>"Yours? I am not yours, and never could be," she declared without a hint of pride. "I am a creature of he who is called I AM. For his sake you have felt torment, just as it was felt by His only begotten son - and now that you have, you can join with us, and find an eternity of love and peace instead of the terrible agonies of the nine hells!" The shine seemed to brighten upon her skin as she expounded upon the glories that would await him if he would only listen to what was right.<br/><br/>That smile though... were she a merely mortal girl, already she would be frightened, and searching for a way to avoid the weird glow of his dark hands. Instead she reached out for them, offering him her hands in guidance and acceptance.