The sound of the word pierces Sina to the heart, and she feels a tear well up and drip onto his shirt before she can stop it. Her hand tightens against his chest.
"By," she begins, and-- how is it this difficult, to say this sort of thing, when it's not even about herself and she'll hardly be around for the consequences? Wishful thinking, of a truth past being worth telling?
"...being... who you are," she concludes in a whisper, and smiles faintly despite the tears. "And... loving who you'll love." She angles her head up toward him now, seeking to meet his eyes. He knows what she means, and she has to make sure he understands.