If that's what you'd prefer... Give me twenty minutes.
[ okay, now he's really curious. he has to wonder if it's something so incredibly important that it has to be communicated in person, or if it's just weiss' extra-ness.
either way, he'll arrive at the cafe at the time he promised. he looks much more emotionally put-together from the last time she saw him. ]
[ well, he'll be glad to help her with that too! leave it to not!dad, weiss.
he offers her a bemused smile, pulling a chair out for her at a nearby table before taking his own. he'll treat her to a drink if this ends up being a lengthy conversation, but he's much more concerned with what she has to say than an order. ]
[ oh! that makes his shoulders relax some - not that he isn't going to take this seriously, but "advice on people" is fairly lax as far as topics to meet in person for go. his lips turn up into a small smirk at her slight outburst, but he's not laughing! his promise is still intact. ]
So, I don't know if you know Yang. But she's been a friend of mine since I went to Beacon. We're even teammates. We've been doing a lot of things together since she got here, and there was one time that I fell in love with her because I was under a spell. But it wasn't serious or anything—I mean, Yang is pretty and she's an amazing friend. I have nothing against her, but I just don't like her that way.
And then there was another instance where I talked to her about my situation back at home. We haven't seen each other in close to a year, so she doesn't know about what happened to me and my father. It's complicated. [ A pause, because she also needs to breath. ] We hugged and it was really nice.
Then she signed me up for a blind date and she ended up being my date. I know, it's really weird, right? And it was actually kind of fun.
[ She's going to keep rambling if Steven doesn't stop her... ]
[ he stays silent as weiss talks, choosing to listen rather than to interject. the longer she goes on, the more steven realizes that she's looking for relationship advice. it isn't the first time that he's been approached for that kind of subject; he's beginning to wonder just what it is that brings him to mind.
his smile takes a more understanding tone, making sure he understands every detail. when he spots a pause in her train of thought, he jumps in. ]
It sounds to me like you two are getting closer, intentional or not.
[ In Weiss' case, she's approaching Steven because she knows he has some experience. And also, she doesn't want to talk to Pyrrha or Nora about it. She's already spoken to Jaune about it and Jaune was very adamant about Weiss talking to Yang... eugh. Communication. ]
We are.
[ Why does it sound like a bad thing? ]
We went to Briarlan together when the crystal went missing, and we talked about going to a bar again to have some fun. Like a girl's night out. And she was really happy that I was keen on the idea, and she... [ The eye contact she's been giving to Steven is gone now, with her eyes focusing on the table, instead. Two fingers slide against her lips as she tries to remember the incident, and slowly, she utters: ] kissed me.
[ she might not like what he has to say in that case... but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. he's a little more preoccupied with how quickly her story escalated, and it prompts him to raise an eyebrow. ]
That's quite a step forward.
[ to say the least, but he doesn't want to freak her out. if she wants advice, he wants to understand the situation completely. ]
[ There's a lot of emotion in her tone: confusion and irritation, mostly. She really has no idea what to think of it, and until she told Jaune about it, she wouldn't have thought anything of it. ]
Yang's been pretending it never happened, so I've been doing the same. But Jaune said that you can't just kiss a teammate and not talk about it for weeks.
[ Weiss should honestly be listening to Jaune more. ]
... I'd honestly just want to continue pretending it never happened, but it's been on my mind since after my talk with Jaune.
[ sound the alarms, jaune arc was actually right about something! though he's careful not to sound preachy or self-righteous - from the sound of her tone, that isn't what weiss needs at the moment. ]
From what you've told me, it isn't healthy for either of you to keep this to yourselves. I'm almost certain she feels the same way that you do.
[ This is where things get awkward for Weiss. She looks away, placing both hands on her lap. Weiss speaks very confidently, majority of the time, accompanying her words with hand gestures to get her points across. She's minimised her movements now, though, which is a contrast from how she usually does things. ]
After she kissed me, I was so surprised and I asked if she was okay. She said she was just excited. And after that, it was like it didn't happen.
So why would I think that it meant something when she's not making a big deal about it? I don't want to talk to her about it when I could just be misinterpreting things.
[ She is so done assuming things when it comes to relationships. Being humiliated once is enough. ]
[ the more that weiss parts the curtain on this encounter, the more it sounds impeccably familiar to steven. in fact, this is almost exactly how his and ignis' relationship had begun to change - he had been kissed in a moment of emotional intensity. where the situations differ is that steven very much did not ignore it, and both of them were forthright about talking about it shortly afterwards.
he doesn't particularly want to disclose that much to weiss - neither he nor ignis are fond of kissing and telling. at the same time, he wants to help weiss and communicate that he understands the situation. ]
Does Yang make a habit of kissing other people when she gets "excited"?
At least, I don't think so. But.... But! [ Somehow, Weiss is very driven to prove that This is Nothing. ] She also knows I don't like it when people don't confront others about how they feel.
[ yeah, he... definitely catches on that hypocrisy. he doesn't want to be rude, but with the way things seem to be going, these girls are going to be miserable. ]
You asked me here because you wanted my advice. I intend to be honest with you - is that what you want?
[ because he can also give her what she wants to hear, but that just seems counterproductive. ]
[ he pauses for a moment, thinking about what he's going to say. it isn't that his opinion changed while she was talking, but it's the choice of words that's more important. ]
I think that before you proceed any further, you're going to have to do some self-reflection. You said that you weren't sure how all of this made you feel... if you're uncertain of the situation yourself, you aren't going to be satisfied, no matter what the outcome.
[ his words are confident. he's speaking from experience. ]
Once you've come to terms with your own emotions, you can start thinking about what to do next.
[ When Jaune asked her if she was going to date someone again, Weiss said yes, but she doesn't want anything serious. What... exactly is being serious? When you date someone, you still put some effort into it, even before the "I love yous". Maybe it's just the attention that she likes, because she certainly received a lot of it from Jean.
She looks heavily conflicted with her own emotions regarding all this, and it shows by how the air around them begins to cool. ]
... Steven, [ She finally looks up and at him in the eye. ] have you ever felt like you've spent so much time and effort with a person, only for your efforts to be wasted because they went away?
I've had my fair share of friendships cut short due to their departures.
[ a significant number of them were from his world, at that. though he hasn't felt heartache in the way that a romantic interest's disappearance would incite (though he feels a twinge of pain in his chest at the very thought of ignis disappearing permanently), he can at least begin to understand the sentiment.
he recalls weiss' date from hellisium, along with the fact that she hasn't spoken of him since. he can put two and two together from that much; it certainly explains her apprehension towards all of this. he returns her gaze, light blue eyes meeting one another. ]
However, I wouldn't consider them "wasted efforts".
[ The way Weiss thinks is immature, if anything else. It's like a kid playing with a toy, only for it to be taken away from her, and she can't hate the person who takes it away. Instead, she hates the toy instead, pushing it away and saying she doesn't like it anymore.
Her hands are still on her lap, but they grip onto the edge of her dress, looking for something to do. She can't keep looking at Steven, either, eyes filled with shame and sadness. And for a moment, it seems like she's going to cry, but she doesn't. Instead, she shakes her head, waking herself up from this spell of weakness. She's not supposed to let go like this. Not to anyone, especially not in public. ]
I liked it? I mean— I think Yang is... She's really great. She's such a good big sister, and she cares so much for her friends. I'm not worried that things could get weird between us if... her kissing me actually meant nothing to her. I think our bond is stronger than that.
But... [ She sighs, resigning herself to the main problem here. ] I just don't want her to leave.
[ he'll wait until she does - he's patient, and he won't stand for not having her full attention. this has to be faced head-on, but he also wants her to know that he isn't judging her in the slightest. his tone is reflective of that - it's am imperative rather than a question, but said softly. ]
You and I both know that this world can be cruel, especially when it comes to who stays and who leaves. It's a harsh reality that we have no choice but to accept.
[ he seems a bit cold as he utters those words - he has to be. still, he isn't finished: ]
That being said, it shouldn't be used as an excuse to live in fear of creating bonds. The nature of our time here is to live in the moment, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future... as difficult as that can be to learn, I've found that taking every opportunity that I can to forge something new has left me with the least amount of regrets.
[ he pauses. ]
Do you regret any of the relationships you've forged here, be they past or present?
[ It's still so strange to have a friend speak to her this way. To speak to her honestly, without letting her hear what she wants to hear. It's strange in a jarring way because she was once surrounded by people whom she thought were her friends. They only fed her ego, and in the end, it did nothing good.
The honesty hurts, but she's learned this the hard way. Being told by a professor that she wasn't leader material and that she was a brat was. . . a wake up call. This is kind of like that conversation, except this time, she asked for it. She asked for help from Steven.
She shakes her head slowly, feeling a bit bad for herself. Being told she's wrong is still unpleasant, but it's good thing someone is telling her to be more open minded, because she'll continue shutting people away if no one did. ]
No, I don't.
[ It's weak, but it answers his question. It's all she has, after all. With no family but her sister, and with no money and material objects, she has nothing else but the bonds she's made with the people here. The way she clings to it is a bit too much, and it's probably why her heart sinks every time a familiar name is written on the wall. ]
What lies in front of you is the potential to foster a new connection. Whether or not you take that opportunity is your decision, but you shouldn't rule it out completely due to fear of loss. If we followed that logic, we would all be isolating ourselves from one another.
[ and in a world run by emotions, where apathy can be equated to destruction and rot, that is definitely not a path that steven wants to see a dear friend take. ]
Of course, there are some who prefer to live in such a way... But I don't think you're that kind of person.
[ She closes her eyes and take a deep breath. She shouldn't rule things out completely due to fear of loss. These are words Weiss repeats in her head for a while as she lets silence linger between the two of them.
While she's not fully convinced that this is what she should do, it's definitely something she's considering now. It's a thought that she will likely continue thinking about until she speaks with Yang about all this. If she manages to do so, anyway.
(Weiss is going to want to talk to Yang the moment she gets back, but chicken out immediately upon seeing her and instead focus on Ruby's birthday!!) ]
No, I don't think I'm that kind of person, either.
[ She might be the type to push people away, but it's not mostly out of fear of loss. She's just been moulded to look like she's so well put-together that any sign of emotion is embarrassing for her. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
voice.
[ This is not something she can just ask about telepathically. Also if he laughs, then she has no proof of it! ]
I'm at Sweetie Pie's, Snow White's cafe.
voice.
[ okay, now he's really curious. he has to wonder if it's something so incredibly important that it has to be communicated in person, or if it's just weiss' extra-ness.
either way, he'll arrive at the cafe at the time he promised. he looks much more emotionally put-together from the last time she saw him. ]
voice.
Okay, maybe it is a big deal. Weiss is so emotionally constipated.
When she sees Steven, she immediately lowers her head and whispers an "I'm so sorry". ]
voice.
he offers her a bemused smile, pulling a chair out for her at a nearby table before taking his own. he'll treat her to a drink if this ends up being a lengthy conversation, but he's much more concerned with what she has to say than an order. ]
Is everything all right?
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[ Oops, she said that a bit too loudly.
She shrinks in her seat immediately, cheeks turning red. ]
I just— Need some advice. On... people.
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I'm listening.
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So, I don't know if you know Yang. But she's been a friend of mine since I went to Beacon. We're even teammates. We've been doing a lot of things together since she got here, and there was one time that I fell in love with her because I was under a spell. But it wasn't serious or anything—I mean, Yang is pretty and she's an amazing friend. I have nothing against her, but I just don't like her that way.
And then there was another instance where I talked to her about my situation back at home. We haven't seen each other in close to a year, so she doesn't know about what happened to me and my father. It's complicated. [ A pause, because she also needs to breath. ] We hugged and it was really nice.
Then she signed me up for a blind date and she ended up being my date. I know, it's really weird, right? And it was actually kind of fun.
[ She's going to keep rambling if Steven doesn't stop her... ]
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his smile takes a more understanding tone, making sure he understands every detail. when he spots a pause in her train of thought, he jumps in. ]
It sounds to me like you two are getting closer, intentional or not.
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We are.
[ Why does it sound like a bad thing? ]
We went to Briarlan together when the crystal went missing, and we talked about going to a bar again to have some fun. Like a girl's night out. And she was really happy that I was keen on the idea, and she... [ The eye contact she's been giving to Steven is gone now, with her eyes focusing on the table, instead. Two fingers slide against her lips as she tries to remember the incident, and slowly, she utters: ] kissed me.
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That's quite a step forward.
[ to say the least, but he doesn't want to freak her out. if she wants advice, he wants to understand the situation completely. ]
How did you feel about it?
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[ There's a lot of emotion in her tone: confusion and irritation, mostly. She really has no idea what to think of it, and until she told Jaune about it, she wouldn't have thought anything of it. ]
Yang's been pretending it never happened, so I've been doing the same. But Jaune said that you can't just kiss a teammate and not talk about it for weeks.
[ Weiss should honestly be listening to Jaune more. ]
... I'd honestly just want to continue pretending it never happened, but it's been on my mind since after my talk with Jaune.
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[ sound the alarms, jaune arc was actually right about something! though he's careful not to sound preachy or self-righteous - from the sound of her tone, that isn't what weiss needs at the moment. ]
From what you've told me, it isn't healthy for either of you to keep this to yourselves. I'm almost certain she feels the same way that you do.
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After she kissed me, I was so surprised and I asked if she was okay. She said she was just excited. And after that, it was like it didn't happen.
So why would I think that it meant something when she's not making a big deal about it? I don't want to talk to her about it when I could just be misinterpreting things.
[ She is so done assuming things when it comes to relationships. Being humiliated once is enough. ]
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he doesn't particularly want to disclose that much to weiss - neither he nor ignis are fond of kissing and telling. at the same time, he wants to help weiss and communicate that he understands the situation. ]
Does Yang make a habit of kissing other people when she gets "excited"?
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[ A quick pause. ]
At least, I don't think so. But.... But! [ Somehow, Weiss is very driven to prove that This is Nothing. ] She also knows I don't like it when people don't confront others about how they feel.
[ hey how many times can Weiss be a hypocrite ]
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You asked me here because you wanted my advice. I intend to be honest with you - is that what you want?
[ because he can also give her what she wants to hear, but that just seems counterproductive. ]
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She fidgets in her seat, shifting a bit. ]
Yes. I'm sorry. [ She lowers her head again, bangs covering most of her face. ]
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[ he pauses for a moment, thinking about what he's going to say. it isn't that his opinion changed while she was talking, but it's the choice of words that's more important. ]
I think that before you proceed any further, you're going to have to do some self-reflection. You said that you weren't sure how all of this made you feel... if you're uncertain of the situation yourself, you aren't going to be satisfied, no matter what the outcome.
[ his words are confident. he's speaking from experience. ]
Once you've come to terms with your own emotions, you can start thinking about what to do next.
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[ When Jaune asked her if she was going to date someone again, Weiss said yes, but she doesn't want anything serious. What... exactly is being serious? When you date someone, you still put some effort into it, even before the "I love yous". Maybe it's just the attention that she likes, because she certainly received a lot of it from Jean.
She looks heavily conflicted with her own emotions regarding all this, and it shows by how the air around them begins to cool. ]
... Steven, [ She finally looks up and at him in the eye. ] have you ever felt like you've spent so much time and effort with a person, only for your efforts to be wasted because they went away?
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[ a significant number of them were from his world, at that. though he hasn't felt heartache in the way that a romantic interest's disappearance would incite (though he feels a twinge of pain in his chest at the very thought of ignis disappearing permanently), he can at least begin to understand the sentiment.
he recalls weiss' date from hellisium, along with the fact that she hasn't spoken of him since. he can put two and two together from that much; it certainly explains her apprehension towards all of this. he returns her gaze, light blue eyes meeting one another. ]
However, I wouldn't consider them "wasted efforts".
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Her hands are still on her lap, but they grip onto the edge of her dress, looking for something to do. She can't keep looking at Steven, either, eyes filled with shame and sadness. And for a moment, it seems like she's going to cry, but she doesn't. Instead, she shakes her head, waking herself up from this spell of weakness. She's not supposed to let go like this. Not to anyone, especially not in public. ]
I liked it? I mean— I think Yang is... She's really great. She's such a good big sister, and she cares so much for her friends. I'm not worried that things could get weird between us if... her kissing me actually meant nothing to her. I think our bond is stronger than that.
But... [ She sighs, resigning herself to the main problem here. ] I just don't want her to leave.
no subject
[ he'll wait until she does - he's patient, and he won't stand for not having her full attention. this has to be faced head-on, but he also wants her to know that he isn't judging her in the slightest. his tone is reflective of that - it's am imperative rather than a question, but said softly. ]
You and I both know that this world can be cruel, especially when it comes to who stays and who leaves. It's a harsh reality that we have no choice but to accept.
[ he seems a bit cold as he utters those words - he has to be. still, he isn't finished: ]
That being said, it shouldn't be used as an excuse to live in fear of creating bonds. The nature of our time here is to live in the moment, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future... as difficult as that can be to learn, I've found that taking every opportunity that I can to forge something new has left me with the least amount of regrets.
[ he pauses. ]
Do you regret any of the relationships you've forged here, be they past or present?
no subject
The honesty hurts, but she's learned this the hard way. Being told by a professor that she wasn't leader material and that she was a brat was. . . a wake up call. This is kind of like that conversation, except this time, she asked for it. She asked for help from Steven.
She shakes her head slowly, feeling a bit bad for herself. Being told she's wrong is still unpleasant, but it's good thing someone is telling her to be more open minded, because she'll continue shutting people away if no one did. ]
No, I don't.
[ It's weak, but it answers his question. It's all she has, after all. With no family but her sister, and with no money and material objects, she has nothing else but the bonds she's made with the people here. The way she clings to it is a bit too much, and it's probably why her heart sinks every time a familiar name is written on the wall. ]
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[ and in a world run by emotions, where apathy can be equated to destruction and rot, that is definitely not a path that steven wants to see a dear friend take. ]
Of course, there are some who prefer to live in such a way... But I don't think you're that kind of person.
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While she's not fully convinced that this is what she should do, it's definitely something she's considering now. It's a thought that she will likely continue thinking about until she speaks with Yang about all this. If she manages to do so, anyway.
(Weiss is going to want to talk to Yang the moment she gets back, but chicken out immediately upon seeing her and instead focus on Ruby's birthday!!) ]
No, I don't think I'm that kind of person, either.
[ She might be the type to push people away, but it's not mostly out of fear of loss. She's just been moulded to look like she's so well put-together that any sign of emotion is embarrassing for her. ]
Thank you for your honesty.
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