asten’s jaw tightened as his eyes trained onto some space that was neither here nor there. there was an uneasiness in his stomach that made him feel ill – though, that was no an unfamiliar thing to him. however, this was much more forbidding, much more real. he shook his head as their eyes met once again. “loving you is far from a burden, caspian,” he said softly, his hand reaching up to push some stray locks from the other’s face. “quite the contrary. and, i find it hard to believe that the words ‘cursed’ and ‘miserable’ are related to you at all. perhaps, the fault simply lies with me and it is i who should be apologising to you. i am no stranger to bad luck and the sorts. it seems i am simply tainting you with it.”