(01-25-2018, 03:00 PM)PhantomUnderYourDesk Wrote: [ -> ]W...Why was he saying 'stick close together'?! Eeeeeeeehhhhkkkk! Practically staring at Ventus in an expression of suprise and a feeling like being busted for a few moments, she now vigorously faced away to investigate the floor again - something about the dorm floor must be very interesting, indeed! - but it all was not enough to hide that coy but definitely present blush than now came.
Go on, my dear.
Nooooope!
You don't want to?
..........
See? Do it, he's not biting.
..................
She'de definitely meek and still facing away when she FINALLY spoke up again, but...she has made up her mind. There's no denying it anymore. Either now, or never. "Ehm.... Proposal, alright. You can tell me about it...on the way too Shelter, thanks for...hehe, accompanying me... So, eh, listen.........you once said the...age gap between us is worrisome for you. I personally...dont mind it... But....can I, well, do anything thatÄd make you feel better...about it...about, you know..."
(Dinner calls! I'll be back in a little.)
The sudden but not quite inexplicit and mildy embarrassed bashfulness had a mixed reactions of sorts with Ventus. On one hand, he was quite startled by this flare of uneasy emotional response from his dearest friend, and was wondering/worried about what he just said that provoked it, and if it could pose any additional problems for her. On the other one, however, he couldn't deny his amusement at seeing her become so very,
very flustered by such simple words, and it clearly showed him that her near abduction at the hands of those
fiends had not rendered her totally shocked and/or tormented. Their was also the re-emergence of that curious and strange twin tailed thought/emotional pattern he found so baffling about her; he honestly needed to ask about that at some point, but now is not the time for that line of discussion....
Her next timid response, though, caused Ven to freeze. His eyes were widened, his eyebrows were raised in shock, and an unreadable yet still....worried frown appeared on his face soon after. Silence stretched on between him and her for a few minutes, before he finally dean to respond in an calm....hesitate tone of voice.
"........It is. Perhaps its not a concern for you, but.......I am worried about this, among other things. I'm older than you, and with that age gap comes expectations that could lead to.......unfortunate consequences, with the public and your family's reactions being my chief concerns. To my knowledge, you also haven't been engaged in other romantic relationships, while I am......
knowledgable in that field, to be succient. That adds more wrinkles into this, as combined with my....life experiences it stand to reason that I have a greater chance of hurting you with any advances, or that I could invariably take advantage of you even on complete accident. Such things have happened before, to my deep sorrow.... I also do not wish to burden you with the ornerous task of being my......partner, as I am a
very flawed man despite my usual demeanor. You already are aware of some of what I'm alluding to, but their are......other parts of my life.......that are unsavory too, and I don't want you to suffer those moments too......or think less of me. "
A heavy sigh escaped the empath as he said this, chock full of bitterness and a bone aching weariness that was distinctly uncharacteristic of the normally kind hearted and generals man.
"......I do not think now is an ideal time for us to start a relationship as well. You are still recovering from the Scimitar attacks, and our enemies could possibly use such bonds against us, and I the very last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of me.... If such an occurence came to pass.....I honestly can't imagine the full ramifications....though I don't long for the answer to that quandary regardless."
More Silence as he stops talking, letting his most blessed friend react to what basically amounted to gently refusing her advances with 'Its not you, its me' argument. Wonder how that will go down with her.....
(Remember, Ven's deeply insecure about himself as a romantic partner for Shiva, due to how fucked up he and his entire life is, so him turning her down right now is not outside the realms of reasoning....)