[ if rand looked confused before, he's flabbergasted now. he cants his head, finally letting his hand drop from his neck, and gives astarion a long look.
the newfound seriousness just makes it odder, really. that's quite the burden; we're all lucky it's you; should i keep that information to myself. has anyone ever looked at him and wondered what it's like for him, instead of considering the ramifications for the world, even rightfully for themselves? someone had told him, not long ago, that she was the only person in the world who cared for him. she was wrong, of course; but she'd asserted that everyone else cares about what he can do, not about him. it's proved hard to deny.
(is that a fair assessment of his friends? he's run and run to avoid finding out how they'd respond to the revelation. and, anyway, reactions from people who knew him from the cradle and reactions from people who haven't known him half a year are — bound to differ.)
it's proved hard to deny, except right now. he looks at astarion like he's never seen him before; almost like he's never seen anyone before. ]
You really don't think it matters, [ he says wonderingly, half-unaware he'd done so aloud.
or, more to the point, astarion clearly thinks that it matters to him. and he's right on that count. but aside from that...light, how bizarre. every reaction he'd been braced for, and instead there's this. even lanfear had pretended to flinch from him at first, aware that was the most ordinary response. ]
he is trying so haRD
the newfound seriousness just makes it odder, really. that's quite the burden; we're all lucky it's you; should i keep that information to myself. has anyone ever looked at him and wondered what it's like for him, instead of considering the ramifications for the world, even rightfully for themselves? someone had told him, not long ago, that she was the only person in the world who cared for him. she was wrong, of course; but she'd asserted that everyone else cares about what he can do, not about him. it's proved hard to deny.
(is that a fair assessment of his friends? he's run and run to avoid finding out how they'd respond to the revelation. and, anyway, reactions from people who knew him from the cradle and reactions from people who haven't known him half a year are — bound to differ.)
it's proved hard to deny, except right now. he looks at astarion like he's never seen him before; almost like he's never seen anyone before. ]
You really don't think it matters, [ he says wonderingly, half-unaware he'd done so aloud.
or, more to the point, astarion clearly thinks that it matters to him. and he's right on that count. but aside from that...light, how bizarre. every reaction he'd been braced for, and instead there's this. even lanfear had pretended to flinch from him at first, aware that was the most ordinary response. ]