His smile is a strange thing.

What could be so strange about such a common expression? I hear you ask. 

Whats so special about how the corners of his lips curve gently upwards? 

About how his meticulously manicured facial hair moves to match? 

About how his nose wrinkles just a tiny bit? 

About how his eyes light up and his crows feet deepen? 

Whats so special about how his dully pointed ears rise on the sides of his head, pulling thick side burns with them?

He keeps his thick lips closed, hiding his inhuman teeth. He scorns every part of himself that defies his human heritage. He feels lesser for those aberrations. I wish he knew I didn’t see them that way. That I didn’t care. All those strange alien differences between he and I meant nothing when his smile meant everything. When he meant everything.

His face is so soft and round. So smoothe and delicate to the touch. You wouldn’t expect that from a being made of tentacles would you? 

But that’s still just a smile. What makes it so strange?

Oh the things he does to me with such a simple gesture.

His smile is an oasis in a sea of pain and sorrow. His grin is a beacon of hope for my soul. It lights me on fire. Sends a song soaring through my heart. 

What his smile does to me I truly cannot put into words, but what I can say is that I can no longer live without it. There was barely a life before his lips turned upward at my stupid jokes, but now I’m so alive I can hardly contain myself. I’m addicted to his smile. I’m addicted to him.

What greater thing is there in this world than the smile of a loved one? A truly candid grin? Pure, unadulterated joy washing over the one you love?

His smile gives me life like nothing else ever could. 

And I would do anything to protect it. To make sure that through all the pain and suffering, he can still smile. 

It’s so strange, what Sylus’ smile does to me.