that's the difference between you and me. i don't think you'd be the same person if you weren't important.
but me? keramzin or some other obscure place, i don't think i'm different either way. i'm just that peasant girl given too much power, trying to figure out how to make it all right.
i'd be very sad and alone with no audience. i might be in need of comfort just from thinking about it.
do you think you might be selling yourself a bit short there? i think just the right amount of power was given to just the right person. imagine if the sun summoner ended up being someone who wasn't interested in making anything right. things would be much worse than they are now. and that's saying something, because things are quite bad as it is.
maybe a bit more than slightly. there's no harm in overstating yourself a bit, as long as you don't disappoint. you should try it sometime. see how it rolls off the tongue. you might find that you enjoy it.
we could just do the longing stares, if you'd like.
it helps to assert true statements. you've got to start sounding like you believe these things. which you should, because i am handsome. but even if you don't believe them, the trick is convincing everyone else that you do.
you don't say? i'll admit i'm not one for being overly truthful, but sometimes it can be refreshing. besides being "not unattractive" what else do you think about me?
i think it's weird, the way you wear a different face for every person. i think you've had to, though. i don't think you mean to. i think you just learned to.
i think you care a lot more than you want anyone to know, but it's hard not to see if you look carefully enough. i think you're doing better than most anyone i know. which shouldn't be so hard, but it is. yet you still do it.
and all of that matters much more to me than the fact that you're actually nice to look at.
[ he very much....... does not like to be read like this. ]
all of my faces are quite charming, though.
[ a beat, and then — ]
i did mean to, at the start. it was a way to get what i wanted when i couldn't just wave my fingers like the rest of my family. i had to be important. and now i suppose old habits die hard.
getting beyond the surface level can be quite intimidating, but you seem to have it down to an art.
i don't know. i think i just have more reason to watch you when others are too busy to. or when they think they know all they need to at just a glance.
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no subject
that's the difference between you and me. i don't think you'd be the same person if you weren't important.
but me? keramzin or some other obscure place, i don't think i'm different either way. i'm just that peasant girl given too much power, trying to figure out how to make it all right.
no subject
i might be in need of comfort just from thinking about it.
do you think you might be selling yourself a bit short there?
i think just the right amount of power was given to just the right person.
imagine if the sun summoner ended up being someone who wasn't interested in making anything right.
things would be much worse than they are now. and that's saying something, because things are quite bad as it is.
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all right i'm slightly better than the worst option.
that's as good as i'm going.
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maybe a bit more than slightly.
there's no harm in overstating yourself a bit, as long as you don't disappoint.
you should try it sometime. see how it rolls off the tongue.
you might find that you enjoy it.
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...
nope i physically can't do it.
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oh, come now. that can hardly be called trying.
just try saying these in a very posh and factual way.
"i am the savior of ravka."
"i will destroy the fold."
"nikolai lantsov is the most handsome man i've ever met."
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how does that last one help me?
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it helps to assert true statements. you've got to start sounding like you believe these things.
which you should, because i am handsome.
but even if you don't believe them, the trick is convincing everyone else that you do.
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please don't make me regret admitting that.
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you don't say?
i'll admit i'm not one for being overly truthful, but sometimes it can be refreshing.
besides being "not unattractive" what else do you think about me?
no subject
i think it's weird, the way you wear a different face for every person.
i think you've had to, though. i don't think you mean to. i think you just learned to.
i think you care a lot more than you want anyone to know, but it's hard not to see if you look carefully enough.
i think you're doing better than most anyone i know. which shouldn't be so hard, but it is. yet you still do it.
and all of that matters much more to me than the fact that you're actually nice to look at.
no subject
all of my faces are quite charming, though.
[ a beat, and then — ]
i did mean to, at the start. it was a way to get what i wanted when i couldn't just wave my fingers like the rest of my family. i had to be important.
and now i suppose old habits die hard.
getting beyond the surface level can be quite intimidating, but you seem to have it down to an art.
no subject
i don't know. i think i just have more reason to watch you when others are too busy to. or when they think they know all they need to at just a glance.
no subject
maybe it's the way you say it.
and what might those reasons be?
are you still wondering if you can trust me or not?
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i'm not sure if i should be glad or apprehensive.
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i've decided i can trust you.