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"Where are we going?"

"To seek the answer"

"What was the question?"

"When you see the answer, youslowly through this sacred land, both of us greeting the birds and the bugs as we passed When we came to the border where I left my clothes, the butterfly perched itself on a tree branch

"Why are we here, Mother?"

"Look beyond the answer to find the question, Auress You ask yourself this many times a day, and every visit to this forest has had the one question inthe right question to the answer you give? And what is the answer?"

"Look up, Auress The answer is staring at you"

"Why do you do that?" Jase asked, leaning on a tree nearby with his arms folded

"Oh, shit" I covereddown on the spot to hide the other bits I didn’t want hi his over-shirt around my back "Seriously? Why do you walk naked?"

"It’s" I stood up, closing the shirt across my front "Clothes are a distraction, sort of When I’h so clearly It’s almost like I can hear the whispers of the universe"

"Kind of like why the Walk of Faith was always done naked?"

"Yeah" I nodded, folding over a bit so the shirt covered any hair I wouldn’t normally show "It’s out of respect, really, as if to hide your true for not to laugh "And now you’ve lost your clothes?"

"Shut up, Jase" I slapped his chest

"Relax" He laughed, ju back a few steps "I’ve already seen you naked"

We stood there then, just looking at each other, and the longer we looked, the less naked I felt I stood a little bit taller, letting ed breath as the shirt parted slightly and showed my milky white skin in places he didn’t usually see--just a thin line down the centre ofthe bone between hs And he wasn’t strong and noble and wise to , and so adorably ti to me as it does to you," I said

"What?"

"Nakedness," I said "It’s not sexual for"Can’t say I feel the same way"

I smiled "I’m sorry No one was supposed to be around"

He kept the nod going, clearly suffering under his external cool "You’re right I a under leaves and branches "Let’s just find your clothes"

"Jase?"

He looked up, a little shocked that I was suddenly behind hiht in front of me

"Don’t be nervous aroundto you to be naked right in front of h "But it just makes me wanna hold you, and I can’t I know that I know it’s not right I--"

"You don’t have to explain, Jase" I lay htly capped the shirt closed "I kno you feel about me I’m sorry I don’t want toaway "Like I said, let’s just find your clothes, because I’er I can controlmy head "You don’t need control You have honour"

"Honourwhen I just wanna slideyour soft, naked hips, and pull you in close--hold you until all that pain I know you’re feeling goes away or, at least, doesn’t hurt so bad"

My skin practically left my body then and jumped into his arms I wanted that so badly, too But more than I wanted Jase, for once, I just wanted him to be David

"I see" He nodded, his whole face shadoith a frown "I"

"Jase I’ed, Ara" He held both hands up when I went reached for hi I justit’s never gonna change, is it? Not even now you’re free to be mine?"