And I would have been able to tell you it'd be a poor match for both of you, yes.
[ For so many reasons, honestly. What is charming in the first few weeks becomes grating, something to be accepted with resignation or to be ignored. Alistair blaming himself, Beleth blaming herself- sometimes people simply do not click.
It is not the end of the world. Of course knowing how to say that with any kind of tact is...not Zevran's bag, so to speak. ]
He would be equally terrible for you, but I must confess I am curious about this letter. Do you have it?
...He made me happy. I liked being around him. H-He always made me feel better, no matter what was wrong, and--
[ For Zevran's trouble, he's rewarded with tears starting up all over again. She's still pretty sure they would have been perfect. She thought he was great, and--well, she could just start acting however Alistair found most interesting. Personalities?? Who needs those when you can switch them out like shoes.
Still, she emerges out of the mass of blankets to locate a box with a stack of papers in it. After shuffling them around, she pulls out a sheet of paper, glancing over it, before handing it over to him, and retreating back into her pile to sniffle. ]
That's the third draft, I think.
[ The paper is indeed a slightly-rambling letter that details exactly why Zevran should, if not bless Beleth and Alistair being together, at least allow it. It touches on how Beleth knows that Zevran is aware of all of her various faults, and admitting that she can see why he might deem her unsuitable for Alistair, but does touch on various reasons why she thinks that she would be a good match. This section is smaller, and includes noting that she's good at adapting herself to other people, that she was perfectly happy with sappy romantic things, and that she and Alistair both enjoyed late night talks about random topics.
A helpful comment is scribbled on the side stating 'add more stuff???'
There's also a section about why she likes Alistair, and it is quite frankly ridiculously sappy, and includes 'I rarely like myself, but when I'm with him, I don't feel like that. I like the person I am when I'm around him.' And ends with the conclusion that while there were probably better people, she was a quick learner and a good listener and would be able to support Alistair in whatever ways he needed.
It's also checkered with notes, crossouts, and various editing. ]
And he looks at you as he would a friend. Sometimes they are more valuable than a romantic partner. More lasting, more worthwhile, more rare.
[ Oh lovely. She's leaking. At least she's someone that, while weeping, will explain why she is weeping with words he can understand, so that's a step up from dealing with a fussy Lucci. He takes the letter in one hand and loops his other arm around her shoulders, tugging her in gently. Reading while murmuring random soft comforts in Antivan (habit, now, from having the aforementioned fussy son) the furrow in his brow grows deeper and deeper. ]
There's a word Alistair has for when I change how I am to suit any one person or situation in particular. 'Crowing', because he knows it is something I learned while with the Crows. You, well. You learned bits of it on your own and the rest has come from me. Believe me when I say that it would cause nothing but mutual disappointment and distress were you to go through an entire relationship 'Crowing' with Alistair- or with anyone.
R-Really? Because. I've got a good amount of friends. And I've never had a romantic partner.
[ But the attempts at comforting, while kind of demeaning, does help. It's not like Beleth ever had her dad do it for her within her memory. So it's nice that Zevran is at least feigning caring. It beats nothing--which is, incidentally, is also how she feels about romantic partners. Surely the happiness from having someone care about you in such a way is worth having to put on an act.
She doesn't bother to point that out, or that most of her friendships have been formed through similar actions. ]
So that makes my recommendable traits...roughly nothing. I'm going to die alone.
[ That last part is at least said in the dry tone of someone who knows that they are being melodramatic. Truthful, but melodramatic. ]
A romantic relationship based on a lie will only end in pain.
[ More lies, more pain, a struggle for survival- how, precisely, he knows this so well he does not wish to go into. It isn't something to be shared lightly, let alone when neither party is feeling particularly braced for such a talk. ]
Let us go over your traits, mm? You are capable, you are healthy, you are clever, loyal to the point of pain when you decide someone is worth your time, perhaps a bit more curious than is wise for an elf of your age, let alone an elf but so long as you are careful it probably will not get you killed.
[ She wonders briefly if ending in pain is better than not starting at all, and decides that this isn't the time nor the place to wonder such a thing. It might stop Zevran from saying nice things about her, and Beleth would prefer that to not happen. She's not sure she believes them--no, Zevran wouldn't lie to her. Probably? It's not so bad, to be stupidly loyal. ]
...Thank you.
[ She stares at her hands for a moment, contemplating what kind of person would find being stupidly loyal, healthy, and possibly likely to die from curiosity all attractive traits in a potential relationship. ]
I tried to do that whole. Finding something you want, and going for it. And he just--he told me that I sounded like I was at a job interview.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
arlathvhen) wrote2015-02-18 01:05 am
no subject
[ For so many reasons, honestly. What is charming in the first few weeks becomes grating, something to be accepted with resignation or to be ignored. Alistair blaming himself, Beleth blaming herself- sometimes people simply do not click.
It is not the end of the world. Of course knowing how to say that with any kind of tact is...not Zevran's bag, so to speak. ]
He would be equally terrible for you, but I must confess I am curious about this letter. Do you have it?
no subject
[ For Zevran's trouble, he's rewarded with tears starting up all over again. She's still pretty sure they would have been perfect. She thought he was great, and--well, she could just start acting however Alistair found most interesting. Personalities?? Who needs those when you can switch them out like shoes.
Still, she emerges out of the mass of blankets to locate a box with a stack of papers in it. After shuffling them around, she pulls out a sheet of paper, glancing over it, before handing it over to him, and retreating back into her pile to sniffle. ]
That's the third draft, I think.
[ The paper is indeed a slightly-rambling letter that details exactly why Zevran should, if not bless Beleth and Alistair being together, at least allow it. It touches on how Beleth knows that Zevran is aware of all of her various faults, and admitting that she can see why he might deem her unsuitable for Alistair, but does touch on various reasons why she thinks that she would be a good match. This section is smaller, and includes noting that she's good at adapting herself to other people, that she was perfectly happy with sappy romantic things, and that she and Alistair both enjoyed late night talks about random topics.
A helpful comment is scribbled on the side stating 'add more stuff???'
There's also a section about why she likes Alistair, and it is quite frankly ridiculously sappy, and includes 'I rarely like myself, but when I'm with him, I don't feel like that. I like the person I am when I'm around him.' And ends with the conclusion that while there were probably better people, she was a quick learner and a good listener and would be able to support Alistair in whatever ways he needed.
It's also checkered with notes, crossouts, and various editing. ]
no subject
[ Oh lovely. She's leaking. At least she's someone that, while weeping, will explain why she is weeping with words he can understand, so that's a step up from dealing with a fussy Lucci. He takes the letter in one hand and loops his other arm around her shoulders, tugging her in gently. Reading while murmuring random soft comforts in Antivan (habit, now, from having the aforementioned fussy son) the furrow in his brow grows deeper and deeper. ]
There's a word Alistair has for when I change how I am to suit any one person or situation in particular. 'Crowing', because he knows it is something I learned while with the Crows. You, well. You learned bits of it on your own and the rest has come from me. Believe me when I say that it would cause nothing but mutual disappointment and distress were you to go through an entire relationship 'Crowing' with Alistair- or with anyone.
no subject
[ But the attempts at comforting, while kind of demeaning, does help. It's not like Beleth ever had her dad do it for her within her memory. So it's nice that Zevran is at least feigning caring. It beats nothing--which is, incidentally, is also how she feels about romantic partners. Surely the happiness from having someone care about you in such a way is worth having to put on an act.
She doesn't bother to point that out, or that most of her friendships have been formed through similar actions. ]
So that makes my recommendable traits...roughly nothing. I'm going to die alone.
[ That last part is at least said in the dry tone of someone who knows that they are being melodramatic. Truthful, but melodramatic. ]
no subject
[ More lies, more pain, a struggle for survival- how, precisely, he knows this so well he does not wish to go into. It isn't something to be shared lightly, let alone when neither party is feeling particularly braced for such a talk. ]
Let us go over your traits, mm? You are capable, you are healthy, you are clever, loyal to the point of pain when you decide someone is worth your time, perhaps a bit more curious than is wise for an elf of your age, let alone an elf but so long as you are careful it probably will not get you killed.
no subject
...Thank you.
[ She stares at her hands for a moment, contemplating what kind of person would find being stupidly loyal, healthy, and possibly likely to die from curiosity all attractive traits in a potential relationship. ]
I tried to do that whole. Finding something you want, and going for it. And he just--he told me that I sounded like I was at a job interview.
[ Which, she did, but still. But still!! ]