Alden shook his head, as if he found the notion of being called 'cute' or 'silly' absolutely ridiculous. When Abir rhetorically asked why he shouldn't pursue someone who makes him feel like he's in a fairy tale, he could only think, 'Because life doesn't work like that.'<br/><br/>Still, he quickly found himself put in the spotlight when Abir asked about what he thought what love was. He shifted on the pillow he was given for a seat, silently mulling it over as he glanced down at the floor. He eventually glanced towards the tent flap, either to avoid eye contact or because he was thinking about something that was out there.<br/><br/>"...it's honestly not something I think about. The only love I have is for my collection. They are everything to me. I've never felt romantic love for a single person. I'm not even sure if it's for me. But... I'll humor you."<br/><br/>He then shut his eyes, turning his head up so that when he opened them, he was gazing up at the ceiling of the tent.<br/><br/>"If I were to love someone... it would be someone who I could trust. Someone who would not try to keep me from my collection. If I were to be romantically involved with someone... I would hope they would care about my monsters as much as I do."<br/><br/>He seemed to stop himself, as if catching himself daydreaming about having such a thing.<br/><br/>A romantic partner? For him?<br/><br/>He scoffed, letting out an exhale as he finally looked back towards the prince. Of course Alden thought Abir was good-looking, but that didn't mean he could trust him. A man with as much power and status as Abir did could easily make his life an absolute mess, and possibly take everything he ever cared about away from him. Just because things were going smoothly now didn't mean things would stay that way.<br/><br/>"Whatever romantic love is...it's not something I require, nor is it something I'm looking for. Not that it matters. My line of work has always been a solitary one. I'm used to it."