"It feels neat though, doesn't it? When your hair floats like you're in water but you're dry as ever and can breathe? Mac told me about mermaids. I bed this is what mermaids are like," he mused, letting go of one hands and turning Aoba upside down while keeping himself right side up.

"I think it's beautiful," he shrugged, not the least embarrassed to say so. "The color is lovely enough but...it's more how it's cut and how fluffy it is. Makes me think of paintings I saw on Mars in one of the hotels. There were these big birds. Pheasants or peacocks--"

"Phoenixes," Ghost corrected, Declan nodding.

"Chinese phoenixes, right. They weren't like big firebirds or anything, and usually in muted colors. Big sleek brown ones with long green and red feathers, or fluffy white ones. You remind me of those paintings."