It might, perhaps, have been unexpected--but at James' words, Pride also snapped into anger. Nostrils flared, eyes blazed. For a moment, fury took him. He had to take a breath, slowly exhale, force the tension that had shot through his body to fade.

The white stag shook his head.

"I should have insisted," he began quietly, and now guilt for this failing struck him. Why hadn't he-? "I should have insisted that you take me to meet that one. I'd wanted to--I had offered, you remember. I knew something was... wrong. It sounds as though he was abusive, and I am glad that you can recognize that," Pride added, but his brows were knitted down in anger. How dare he-? How dare this stranger treat someone this way--force them to make a family, manipulate them into a life they did not want, and then blame them for it all-? "You deserve better than that. Say that, please. Aloud," Pride added, seriously, almost intensely. "You deserve better. And tell yourself: none of that was your fault, James." He meant that, too.

Pride was normally a controlled being--graceful to the point of seeming cold, as stoic and glittering and empty as his diamond. But right now there was heat, a sort that rose at times like fire, burning: anger, outrage.

Nothing infuriated him more than injustice, let alone that dealt to those he cared for.

Aristotle, Pride decided, was an asshole.

@James

James blinked and shifted uneasily at the sudden anger, and only felt relief that it was at Aristotle.

"... It's in the past," he mumbled, "What's done is done, and we're dealing with the consequences now, right?"

He blinked as Pride told him to say it aloud. That he deserved better. He hesitated, but he did it.

"I-I deserve better," he whispered, and cleared his throat, "I-I deserve better! A-and it wasn't my fault."

James couldn't help but let a few tears roll down his face at the words. It wasn't his fault. Aristotle was an abusive prick. It wasn't his fault.

"... Can I have a hug? O-or just an astral hug or something?", he asked through snot and tears, his vision blurry as he continued to wipe his nose and eyes, sniffling and crying softly.

It wasn't his fault! He'd finally acknowledged it and it didn't feel like there was a lump of lead in his chest anymore.

@Pride

Pride nodded his approval, a quiet "It was not your fault," murmured in agreement. In reinforcement. "You deserve better." James's request he nodded to--he did not particularly like physical touch, and he was fairly sure that James knew this but the horse did, and in a moment like this he did not mind offering his support, at least.

The stag pushed up, stepping over, and spoke with gentle amusement. "An astral hug-? Now that would be a spell worth mastering, I think," he said, but he was offering his pristine white flank for contact.

"As far as Jampa goes, I'd like her to have the support of as much family as she can. Will you be raising yours in Orion-?" he added, glancing to the gemstone there. "I'd welcome your presence, naturally. And Comet's, if she likes, but I think you have a conversation to have with her first..?" he went on. "Please, let me know how it goes," he added. He hoped that it would help, but only time would tell.

@James

James sniffled and leaned into Pride a little bit, setting his head down and looking toward the pink chrysalis, a perfect little star on the front.

"... I was thinking about raising them in Pegasus," he mumbled, "You know, big fields, forests, plenty of space and places to run and play. But... maybe it can just be a vacation home or something."

He sighed and stood up, shaking himself out. He walked forward and pressed his nose to the chrysalis.

"I'll talk to Comet," he said, "And I'll let you know how it goes."

He looked over at Pride and walked towards him, laying down again, "... How do you feel about being called Grandpa?"

His eyes sparkled just a little bit as he snickered, wiping his wet eyes, "I'd love it if Comet had more friends, and Jampa too. And of course, the little one on the way would have siblings to look up to."

@Pride

Pride thought about this, quiet, accepting--and not even really minding--James's leaning on him. (The horse, he noticed, had gotten very, very large, and his weight was enough to push Pride a little, enough that he had to strain against it--not a lot; James wasn't pushing, but it was noticeable.) "Do, yes--let me know. I was actually thinking of taking Jampa to Pegasus, but I'd want to ask Tenzin, first. It is quite the distance, if I'm not mistaken-? And I want her to be able to visit him. But you paint a very pretty picture of it. Tell me more about it?" he asked.

And then, after a pause, and a sharp laugh, "I do not mind Grandpa. But I think just 'Pride' would also do." He thought, for a moment. "You both ought to meet Thalia before we go, if we do. She is a daughter of mine--I did not know, at first, that she had hatched. But I will tell you the story some time. She is half elf, and so stands on two legs. She sings, creates light--a very bright and enthusiastic child. I think you would all get along," Pride added, smiling.

@James

James perked up a bit, "I would love to meet her! She sounds wonderful."

He sniffed and moved off of Pride just a bit, shifting so that they were touching instead of James pressing against him, "Pegasus is absolutely massive! So large that it takes at least a day to fly across it, and I don't doubt it takes multiple on foot. I ran until my lungs hurt the first time I saw it. It's all open fields, flowers, and green grass as far as you can see. There's forest, too, full of animals and life, with delicious berries and apple trees. There are mountains and rivers and streams, and just so much to explore and traverse. It's amazing!"

The stallion was in love with Pegasus, and it sounded like a true home, "I think I was the first person to step foot in Pegasus. I thought it funny, the first person inside being an actual pegasus."

He laughed gently and brushed his forelock away from his face, a smile stretching across it.

"I'm building a house there. It'll be beautiful, with more than enough room for both of my children and myself. I intent to invite people over, you see, and I have plenty of people to invite. Kaimana, Leviathan, Carja- though she might not fit no matter what I do, unfortunately. She's a dragon, you see. And then Tahi-shei," he said, and his tail suddenly went up in an accidental display as his expression became absolutely dopey, "Have I told you about him?"

@Pride

Pride listened with warm friendliness, turning to face the horse as he pulled away. "It sounds wonderful. I ought to come visit it at least--see it for myself." James sounded as though he were in love with it, and truth be told it did sound amazing. "Ahh, congratulations on being its discoverer," he added. "May I ask how you are, ah, 'building a house?' And what sort?" Pride was curious--he assumed telekinesis to move objects, but what kind, and how? Was James imitating the Orion homes, or making something new, something different?

"Ahh, Tahi-shei!" Pride exclaimed. "I know him. I was present for his hatching, actually! Do you know if his issue with the Collector has been sorted out-?" he added, head tilting a little. "I went to him, with Tahi-shei--he had agreed to a deal with him. Don't do that, incidentally. I do not think that he can really be trusted, but in any case, he was trying to find a way to back out of it."

His tone was easygoing, though a little worried--he didn't know what had happened since then, or if Tahi-shei had found another way out of it all.

@James

James winced and looked away, "... I may have gone to him. I need a sling in order to comfortably transport the new one to Pegasus, and I don't know anyone with such an item nor can I make one myself. Thankfully the only task he gave me was to spread the word that Ari was horrible, and I demanded that he give me a normal sling with nothing extra about it. So far it's proven to be just that."

But he hadn't tested it out after then, of course.

"But... I haven't seen Tahi in a while," he said softly, "But we met in Leo a bit ago. That was nice. We put together a broken mural together, and we met someone called the Blacksmith. He taught me to enchant things, so I'll never have to go to the Collector ever again if I'm in need of an item imbued with a spell."

He offered Pride a soft smile and hummed thoughtfully, fluffing up his feathers again.

"I'm building it out of wood, mud, and stone. I've got a plan in mind. I'll make the frame out of wood and the walls out of mud and stone, and thatch the roof with reeds and use wood too," he said, sounding just a bit far off.

"... Do you think if I asked, that Tahi might um...", he looked down, a bit flustered, "I um... oh gosh- I like him. A lot. But um- do you think he likes me back? If I told him that I fancy him, would he say the same?"

James scrunched his nose and flopped his head down, hiding his face under his feathers, "Goodness- I neer thought I'd admit it aloud."

@Pride

'I may have gone to him-'

Ahh. A wince.

'...The only task he gave me was to spread the word that Ari was horrible.'

...Oh? Perhaps he isn't as bad as I had thought. Strange, that he would do something seemingly so selfless. Pride tucked this information away, somewhat thoughtfully, and turned his attention to the rest of what James was saying. "Leo?" he echoed, unfamiliar with the name. "The Blacksmith, that sounds familiar." Mud, stone, wood, thatch--"It does sound as though you have a plan. If you wish any of it reinforced or decorated with gemstone, you know who to ask, hm?" Pride's offer was gentle. "But you can light that yourself, I know." And this was kind.

James' blurted admission regarding Tahi-shei took Pride rather by surprise. He didn't know what James meant, at first, so unused was he to romance in the caves, and it took him a moment to process it. "Oh--ahh? Oh! Err." Such eloquence. Such grace. "Well--have you asked him? I find that honesty is the best policy for any relationship, really, romantic or otherwise--assuming that's what you meant?" Pride added, as tactfully as he could.

A pause, and then an admission: "That being said, I have never been in--that sort of relationship myself; perhaps your experience will soon outstrip my own in that regard." Mercurius and Envy were the closest friends he'd had--Nassir, for a time, as well (a twinge of pain at that thought). But neither had been romantic--only close confidants. He felt comfortable with Mercy--he trusted him. Relied on him, felt safe in the lion's grove, felt content with even physical contact, there. Leaning flank to back with Mercurius felt like home, not unwelcome, but there was no romance there, no swooning or awed admiration or desperate homesickness whenever they were apart. Pride knew nothing of these things.

"Do be certain that you are happy on your own, however--I will say that--ensure you do not join with someone to rely on them. If you are happy with yourself--that is good. But if you aren't, then I think it might be hard to have any healthy relationship." This advice was a warning, really, because Pride knew James had had something with Aristotle. What that something had been, he didn't know; friendship, or something more, or even romance? But he knew that if the horse was still trying to figure himself out, to come to terms with trauma, then jumping into something more--before he was ready--could do more harm than good. "Whether you are ready for such things is something only you can decide, I think. But I hope this conversation has helped, at least a little-?" he added, head tilting.

@James

James nodded and wiped away the last of the tears, his eyes puffy from crying, "Perhaps... perhaps I ought to talk to him about that. Such a thing might not be good for either of us right now, what with the drama I think we're both going through. But once we've both settled down, then we can question ourselves."

He flopped his head down and moved away a bit, still wanting the contact but not wanting to push Pride into discomfort. He felt emotionally exhausted from the entire thing, and looked up at Pride, tilting his head to see the stag.

"I'll call on you if I ever need help," he said softly, "Thank you. Hopefully soon you can bring Jampa over to my house for a play date or something. I'll make some treats, you can bring Thalia too if you want."

He raised his wings up and stretched them before folding them on top of himself like a blanket, careful to not accidentally shove or bump Pride with them. He lifted his head as some feathers fell out, frowning a bit. The stress was causing them to come out, and he nudged at one gently, his breath lifting it up and off the bed.

"... I might make something out of these," he mumbled, "Necklaces, earrings, maybe. Would you like one, should I ever do such a thing?"

James nudged the fallen feathers off the bed. He'd clean them up later.

@Pride