"No, no, no. Not horrible, Ocarern. Not at all," he insisted, his heart breaking to hear the way he continued to berate himself. A few words had caught his attention more than the rest, though, sending a feeling of absolute despair tearing through his heart and down through his stomach. "What? A slave? ...Oca. Is that where you were all this time?" Aren dreaded to know the answer, as important as it was to know the truth.
Trying to gather himself and blink back tears he pulled away slightly to hold him at arm's length so he could look him in the eye. "I want you here because this is your home as much as it is mine. I was so very wrong to turn you out like I did. I was angry and grieving, but I should have treated you better, it was no excuse. I'm the disgrace because I let the wrong emotions lead me." Aren hung his head slightly, his cheeks flushing with deep embarrassment and regret over his behavior.
Not knowing what else to do to convince him, Aren loosened his arms around the elf and lowered himself to kneel in front of him and hug him around his legs instead. "I'm the pathetic one," he insisted, pressing his head to the elf's thighs as he failed to fight back tears from finally flowing. "I pushed you away. I never should have done that to you and I'm so sorry, Oca.
"Please. Stay," he begged, his voice shaking as he tried to hold himself together. He was certain he would break if Ocarern left him then. "I love you, and I'm so lost when you aren't here."