Artemis pulled back from the kiss to meet Azrael's eyes once more. "To be truthful, the most shocking part is trying to envision myself in a relationship for so long," he found himself admitting. It was not that he had never wanted such a thing; it was simply the way things had worked out in his life thusfar. He had never had the chance to get close to someone and remain that way for any extended period of time, with the exception of family.

"You were not... insufferable. I would not have spent so much time around you if you were."