[He nods. Yeah, he definitely wasn't exaggerating. There's a reason humans were afraid of him -- even when he wasn't using them, it was still common knowledge that he could. And that alone could trigger a certain reaction in the humans who encountered him.]

You think so? [The hand on his cheek is nice. Somehow it felt so easy to slide into this casual intimacy with Chuuya -- hell, with anyone here, really. This gentle, softer side of himself he never thought he'd be able to show so openly...]

You know, back home... the way I looked when I was using my pheromone... that's the only "me" anyone ever saw. Even Reign thought that was the real me for a long time.

[He takes in a deep breath, calming down in tune with Chuuya, until he can manages a far more genuine smile.]

I'm glad I don't have to pretend to be like that anymore.