Relief washed over his features when Alairia didn't question his story. He knew he was an awful liar, but that wasn't his fault. And she seemed kind, at least if her gentle features were anything to go by. His admiration only increased when she offered seed to Kassia. The bird chirped and wasted no time in flitting over to the bowl. A small laugh left his lips, and he thought to himself that, yes, she was indeed his companion– not a pet. "Go easy there, Kass. Don't wanna eat too fast." His soft chides were deliberately ignored.
Turning his attention back to the healer, he lightly traced the runes decorating his injured forearm. A sincere smile lit up his face. "Oh! I got these a few years back, in Itjivut," he explained, thinking back on the memory fondly. It had been when he'd first struck off on his own. Back then, he hadn't realized just how big of a problem his anxiety would be out in the world. He was a generally more optimistic person, and he missed being able to think like that. To think that, no matter what, everything would be okay. "There was an elf there who specialized in these sorts of tattoos, and I thought– and this is ridiculous, I know– but I thought that the words would ward of sickness, or… evil, or whatever, I don't know." Aarek moved his free hand to scratch at his collarbone, a bad habit he had yet to break.
When she stated her skill in setting bones, his eyes widened in excitement and curiosity. She looked… well, simply put, she looked young. At least, too young to have all of this knowledge of healing. He was impressed. Copper eyes floated over her a bit more carefully, now, as he answered her questions.
"My body handles magical healing well, so there shouldn't be any problems there. Don't worry about being, er, forceful? If you have to be." He winced a bit at his own bumbling speech, though he continued to observe her through the cracked lens of his glasses. There were plenty of his own questions he wanted to ask.
"Um, miss, if you don't mind me asking, how is it you're so skilled at healing?" After a moment, he tried again to rephrase the question. "I– uhm, well, what I mean to say is, er, wh-who taught you? I think I've heard this is a family-run store, yes? Do you like doing this sort of thing? Were you taught from a young age, or did you just recently–"
Aarek cut his rambling off abruptly, his newly embarrassed gaze floating down to his broken forearm. He was sure his face was red as a ruby now, but he pressed on, unwilling to give up. "Uhm, well, maybe you could just tell me who taught you, if that's okay."