[Bren's expression brightened, a night-blooming flower unfolding in front of this creature of starlight and evening sky. Knowing that Essek had wanted to come back to him, to come back home set a rush of some unnamable glow of warmth spreading through his body. Bren had not had a home in years either, but now, well, this place did feel exactly like that.

He moved closer, reaching a hand out towards Essek.]

Then, welcome home.

[The lack of other people -- though Bren had some suspicion that they were likely being watched by several nosy sets of eyes -- was clearly a coincidence, and not because Bren had told them his plans of meeting Essek when he returned.]

I did, ja. It was wonderful, really, all that steam. But I did find myself feeling lonely and my thoughts straying...

[He trailed off with a soft hum, as if appreciating anew what his mind had strayed to at the time.]