What is, exactly, so important about these two more than Io and the rest of the relationships he has established—all equally unique and endearing? Io's first friend was Pipa, which made her betrayal all the more heartbreaking for the sparrow but what sort of relationship does Io and Luka have, as the former's...5th, 6th friend?
We are here to learn that numbers do not matter, and that the time one spends with another human being can be a single minute—but goes a mile.
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What can we understand of Io and Luka's relationship? Well, we could always look at them as individuals first.
Io loves every shit on earth. While this is typically characteristic of naive and unrealistic characters, Io's reason for Love is unthinkable and a little too abstract for the rest of the characters around him to understand. Io loves on the basis of existence. He loves things for their being, whether or not it is a choice. For existing, they make up his world (independent or not), and thus, him.
Io loves Luka because he exists—meaning, Luka doesn't need to do a thing and he will still love him. If Luka chooses to reveal a side of him he has never revealed before, Io will still love him; but if it so happens to spark hatred as well, Io will understand and accept that hatred. He will (both) love and hate Luka if he has to. The core of it all is that Love is fundamental. It is Io's core and that will never die.
This is what Io has come to acknowledge and realize when he witnesses Luka's aggression and predatory behavior during his time of heat; that despite the revelation, he will still continue to love. It isn't really a choice though. Io knows he will continue to love Luka and he cannot help it.
This Love, is, again, a love based on existence. Nothing like romantic/true love, nothing like that at all but something bigger, something that rests on life itself.
Modern literature and media tends to glorify and bring to light only one type of love and that is "True Love". Although familial and friendship-love is not too far behind, we see a rare portrayal of that in media and it is, as a matter of fact, not as popular as the first. Why does mainstream media always deem it impossible for a boy and girl to be best friends? It circles around the fact that friendship-love is inferior or loses to "True Love", going as far to paint a common mistake: that "True Love" is the only love that exists.
Whether or not it is romantic love, we have yet to understand the highest form of love, the most unconditional and beautiful, most miraculous form of love and that is love on the basis of existence.
While "True Love" requires romance;
While Familial Love requires a family;
While Friendship Love requires a friend;
Existential Love requires nothing at all—just, existence.
It is the most unconditional, and for all intents and purposes, highest form of love. This is Io's form of love to Luka, and him realizing this has led him to confess, or at least reassure the latter his love for him.
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Flight School: Predator
Fantasy[Second book of the Flight Series] "More than anything, the sky was red. It wasn't dark, no. Just red." Iolani Tori learns about the part of him that isn't human; and sees the line between animal and himself thin to something less than a thread. If...
