"If only you could erase my fears from existence with the ease that you calm my nerves," Carlisle replies, the corner of his mouth quirked by a rueful smile. He cannot begin to describe how much more at peace he feels already, listening to the gentle sounds of his partner's gills as air flutters through them, the light of the Mote holding all that would terrify him from the dark at bay.

That rueful smile gives way to a sad chuckle next, one born out of some desperate need to feel better about the grim situation he'd long-ago accepted; it's harder to do that now that he has someone he'll be leaving behind, someone who will truly miss him. "You know, I'd thought for a while there that perhaps you'd cured me of the linguistic problems related to my curse. It hasn't happened since I've been with you."

It's not really funny, but he has another laugh anyway.