[A lot's happened since their last conversation, but it's one that's been weighing heavily on Amelia for the past month. Painting one's self into a corner with labels, belief in who one is, the choices one makes... She could talk to her partners about all this, but she could use the perspective of someone who doesn't feel the need to accept her flaws when looking at her.]
Charles, do you have time to speak on a more private matter? It pertains to our conversation last November. I've had time to reflect on it and related subjects, and I could use someone to speak to about all of it.
I'll offer more context when we meet, but it was about how we describe ourselves and the effects that can have on how we interact with the world.
The Neptune Lounge is perfect. I'll see you then.
[She'll be at the bar already when he arrives, a glass of water in front of her. Right now, she's not certain if she'll drink anything alcoholic, but she'll decide for certain later. It's best to start this conversation with a clear head.]
[Charles can imagine a few reasons for Amelia revisiting the conversation they had, but he hopes it isn't because she learned a lesson about it. In the time since they spoke happened, he's experienced more than enough of the extent the city will go to force LIERs into sex, or to confront them with terrible truths about their lives. Amelia's existence in the city already sounded difficult enough as it is, without another burden being piled upon that.
Time will tell, but by the time he's arrived, he's prepared himself to hear whatever she might be about to reveal to him.
When he spots Amelia, Charles joins her at the bar and takes the seat beside her. As per his usual, he's dressed in a tidy, but simple, fashion.]
It's been a moment. [He decides not to spend much time on pleasantries - the tone of her message sounded needful.] And it sounds like you have a lot on your mind.
[If he can help, which she seems to think he can, he wants to try.]
It has, and I do. [She offers a small, friendly smile before looking to the bartender. Whatever Charles wants will be on her tab this evening. Time will tell if she adds anything to it herself.
As he's skipping small talk, she chooses to do the same. Her brow furrows as she turns her glass between her hands.]
When we spoke last, you said people can choose how to define themselves, for better and for worse. But you also said you make the choice to label yourself as something dark for your own sake because of the responsibility that comes with it, one you're taking back from the city. [Or so she understood what he said, but if that's wrong, she'll leave it to him to correct her. It won't bother her at all to have been wrong.]
I'm struggling of late with the conflict of who and what I know myself to be and the actions that prove I'm not those same things. Or worse, that I'm failing to be those things because of my actions. [She's hardly been a good partner or friend of late when she's followed her anger over all else.] I don't know how to find the balance between the two, and I was hoping you might have a perspective that could help me sort my thoughts.
[Because she can't ask those she loves when they'll simply tell her to keep trying and that they'll support her until things work themselves out. She needs more to make this work, and she doesn't know where to get it. He gave her so much to think about before, so maybe, just maybe, he'll have something again now.]
[Initially, he's confused by what she took away from their conversation, his lips pulling into a soft line. He doesn't remember saying anything about calling himself something dark for the sake of the responsibility that came with that (nothing could be more dangerous and damaging) but that she took away that understanding, may mean it was how she heard it at the time - or even how she may have wanted, or needed to hear it. Rather than correct her, Charles merely nods to encourage her to keep going.
This meeting is about hearing her, not correcting ideas about himself.]
I'll do my best, with the caveat that I've only come as far on the subject as I have. [Her perspective, values, and life, are also completely different to his - but maybe that's the point? It could be why she asked him about this, and not the people around her. He doesn't know, and reasons privately that it's not important that he does, right now.] Can you give me more detail? What happened that brought you to this sea change?
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mattersofscience) wrote2016-05-31 10:57 pm
Text | un: LadyRogue
Charles, do you have time to speak on a more private matter? It pertains to our conversation last November. I've had time to reflect on it and related subjects, and I could use someone to speak to about all of it.
text; @C. Saville
Neptune Lounge at 8, if that works for you?
text --> action
The Neptune Lounge is perfect. I'll see you then.
[She'll be at the bar already when he arrives, a glass of water in front of her. Right now, she's not certain if she'll drink anything alcoholic, but she'll decide for certain later. It's best to start this conversation with a clear head.]
no subject
Time will tell, but by the time he's arrived, he's prepared himself to hear whatever she might be about to reveal to him.
When he spots Amelia, Charles joins her at the bar and takes the seat beside her. As per his usual, he's dressed in a tidy, but simple, fashion.]
It's been a moment. [He decides not to spend much time on pleasantries - the tone of her message sounded needful.] And it sounds like you have a lot on your mind.
[If he can help, which she seems to think he can, he wants to try.]
no subject
As he's skipping small talk, she chooses to do the same. Her brow furrows as she turns her glass between her hands.]
When we spoke last, you said people can choose how to define themselves, for better and for worse. But you also said you make the choice to label yourself as something dark for your own sake because of the responsibility that comes with it, one you're taking back from the city. [Or so she understood what he said, but if that's wrong, she'll leave it to him to correct her. It won't bother her at all to have been wrong.]
I'm struggling of late with the conflict of who and what I know myself to be and the actions that prove I'm not those same things. Or worse, that I'm failing to be those things because of my actions. [She's hardly been a good partner or friend of late when she's followed her anger over all else.] I don't know how to find the balance between the two, and I was hoping you might have a perspective that could help me sort my thoughts.
[Because she can't ask those she loves when they'll simply tell her to keep trying and that they'll support her until things work themselves out. She needs more to make this work, and she doesn't know where to get it. He gave her so much to think about before, so maybe, just maybe, he'll have something again now.]
no subject
This meeting is about hearing her, not correcting ideas about himself.]
I'll do my best, with the caveat that I've only come as far on the subject as I have. [Her perspective, values, and life, are also completely different to his - but maybe that's the point? It could be why she asked him about this, and not the people around her. He doesn't know, and reasons privately that it's not important that he does, right now.] Can you give me more detail? What happened that brought you to this sea change?
no subject