Sunbeam Lair Huntin' Fer Rabbits

The boy's eyes lit up when Korei giggled, and then softened with affection. He smiled and leaned in to lick her cheek.
You're so pretty when you laugh. He murmured-- then he looked away, embarrassed. I mean, ummm...
This was a different feeling than with Lennon, but he was nonetheless tongue-tied. Perhaps more so; Alarian had no idea what to say to cover that up. It had been a little too bold, a little too blatant. He swallowed hard and decided to go with it.
You know you'll always be special to me, right? Ali made eye contact again as he said it, tail waving a little nervously. He wasn't quite sure if he meant special in... the same way he thought Lennon was special. Women weren't, usually, but-- he couldn't deny the heat rising in his cheeks.
After the cougar incident, and her success in finding them help, Alarian had started to see that she wasn't actually a child. When the alabaster stranger had tried to take her... it had made the boy realize a few things. Things he thought he might tell Korei.