The Heartwood decorate this silence

Dash hung his head in mock-dejection at his twice-failed attempt to woo the dark lady. Him, a lost cause? She didn't even know the half of it. "My parents certainly thought so," he quipped, the corner of his mouth twisting up wryly. Perhaps there was a little more truth than he cared to admit behind that particular joke. 

"I'm Dash," he returned, "..and kinda surprised," he added. "See, I've never actually passed a test before," he explained, voice sincere but expression still amused. He would leave it up to her to decide if her was kidding about that one or not. "You must have pretty lax criteria in Flying Colors, or whatever you decide to call it, if you're inviting the likes of me." Hippies? Free love? Gods, the world was a weirder place than he had ever imagined, wasn't it? But, to be honest.. so far he didn't hate it.