[ khun doesn't particularly mind convincing others, it's just part and parcel to leading. but he does mind being told what to do so blatantly and with the air of superiority. it's one thing convincing someone when they're frightened or looking at with an eye towards equality, but this isn't that.
so khun considers and ultimately decides to tread a somewhat middle ground. ]
And I'm from the West as far as this world goes, so what does that tell you about me? That I'll use my tongue and any other tricks to get what I want? It's not entirely wrong, but it's not right either. I'm a Khun before anything else and part of that is rejecting any other notion that thinks it can define me.
[ head leaned on his palm with a shadow of a smile, he offers a mild shrug of his own. ]
But I'll give you a argument, though it might not be one you're expecting. To put it bluntly, I can take this or leave this just as much as you. I'm here because I prefer to explore my options, not out of necessity or because I seek power to the end of everything else.
I don't know what the spirits told you about me, but I'll tell you what they said about you: [ implied really, but it's so easy for him to read these lines when they're a book he's read, pages weary and worn. ] that among other things, you're someone who has no one they need to prove themself to.
I know how that is, and I don't think I need to tell you why. Nor do I think I need to explain to you what my immediate thoughts were when we exited the elevator.
All that said, don't take this as an appeal to the tune of "like is like" because it's more familiar than a word with a typically positive notion. That's as far as I'll go with "convincing" you, because I don't really see the point beyond that, nor do I allow anyone to dictate my choices.
If I had any notion that you were someone who would simply roll over and indeed allow me to dictate your choices you wouldn't be in this room right now.
[ if khun had begged, beseeched, asked, he'd be gone. robin paces over to the window, coat trailing behind him. ]
I find the dressings they would put around it distasteful. Fate. Bound. A soul that should supposedly understand your own, even if the two might disagree. You say you would reject anything that attempts to define you, yet isn't that what playing into this supposed bond might mean? Still, I will attempt to meet you halfway, given how you have responded...
But perhaps I just wanted to see what your answer would be. [ it's his turn to rest a head on a hand, the mug left on the windowsill as he turns. his smile is kind, and carries with it neither warmth nor coldness. ] The spirits painted you as an old friend, a casual acquaintance, but one who carries his knife with him always, who could just as easily and quickly draw it on one in a flash.
Very Western of you, I suppose, by your own description.
Do you believe there's a difference between foolish speculation and actually giving definition to a notion? For me, it's like that. I don't like it but I also think to dislike it gives credibility where it's not deserved.
How could you know all of me, when I don't know all of myself? [ that is a very genuine admission and robin will be able to tell it is. if this world has taught him anything, it's reinforced what Maria tried to teach him years ago. what "living" actually is. ]
Actually, I think that and the spirits description of me go hand in hand. [ he smiles, amused. ]
When I was young, I betrayed my blood sister for someone else. My reasons for doing so were personal, but of course people speculated—Maria and I must have been in a relationship, Maria used me and then left me behind, that I was a stepping stool for her and nothing more that, and on and on and on. Those whispers followed me and still follow me in my world. Why would I let it bother me when I can use them instead?
This whole spirit thing is in comparison, much more mild. Though thankfully, no one will ever accuse us of dating.
[ a bit of a joke but khun really does find it funny. with all of the couples here, not a single one is "fated". ]
Indeed, I've no intent to steal you from Tatara. Nor to court anyone else here, for the matter.
[ he's old enough to have fathered half of them even before accounting for the idiosyncrasies of his particular situation. it's difficult at times, even knowing only how old this body is, to not see many of the others here as terribly young. ]
In any case ... I'm inclined to believe that anyone who claims to know all of who and what they are is a liar. [ pause. ] Well, perhaps that is a bit too sweeping of a generalization, but I'll align myself with the general sentiment regardless. Still ... I see.
[ he tilts his head, fingers of one hand tapping out a repetitive rhythm on the arm it's supporting. betrayal of that sort should get a stronger reaction from some, probably. robin doesn't; he knows not of what relations did or didn't exist between this Maria and Khun. ]
You are, as you are trying to represent yourself to me at least, someone who utilizes everything at their disposal... which, naturally, includes yourself. More than just using your tongue to get what you want, you will be whatever's needed to accomplish your ends. Whispers, rumours, suppositions, things that have and haven't happened to you; all of those can be turned to your advantage with some thought or creativity.
You use people as tools, and you, as a person as well, are not exempt from that. To that end, why confine yourself? If you can make plausible as many of the things said about you as possible, the harder you'll be to predict for others, for the truth becomes that much harder to pin down. You, yourself, in the end, are the piece on the board you have the most control over. That is your logic, yes?
Correct me if I have misrepresented how you want to portray yourself.
[ of course it is not the entirety of him. people are complicated, faceted messes of personality, reflections of who they interact with. lovers are hardly likely to face them as despised enemies; dearest friends are unlikely to receive them as cold and aloof figures.
if portray is not the correct word, then perhaps they'll stick with representation in the end.
but all that— tangential. robin smiles again, friendly, genuine-seeming, gesturing casually with his free hand. ]
Then from one piece on the board to another, shall we see what comes of this?
[ khun returns the smile, his with a note of curiosity. he hasn't seen that face from robin before and he briefly wonders if this is how people see some of his own smiles. well, he may never know and that's fine. ]
Yes, let's see. But I'm taking no blame if it's a fire and ice sort of deal—I mainly use ice as an element, but my true nature is lightning.
[ are the spirits listening? that's a free answer for them if they are. ]
Funny. I'm well practiced with most of the conventional elements and then some less so, but lightning is my favored element if I had to name one in specific.
Though very many would likely rather ascribe darkness to me.
[ nevermind the necromancy thing. there's your funny free answer for the day, spirits. if you give them a snowstorm like itha and solomon then he'll really know this pair bond thing is a sham. ]
In that case I have to be light, given that it's in my class name. Though I'll give a little more credit if it's that considering lighthouses do provide illumination.
[ not that he's being really serious because he acknowledges the other things they've spoken about, but it would still be funny. ]
Maybe we'll be showered with confetti next we wake.
[ he figures it'll be obvious one way or another.
it's late and he assumes they both have things to do (his are very important cuddle times). but he's fine with finishing this line of talking out, stretching. ]
At least magic makes such things easier to clean up than without it.
[ no one introduce the ye oldes to the concept of glitterbombs. now i'm wondering if robin squints and unfocuses his gaze a bit whether he can see the support ranks of the manor. hmm.
but anyway. yeah, yeah, they probably both have things to attend to; there was a journal he set aside when khun came in, after all. ]
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no subject
so khun considers and ultimately decides to tread a somewhat middle ground. ]
And I'm from the West as far as this world goes, so what does that tell you about me? That I'll use my tongue and any other tricks to get what I want? It's not entirely wrong, but it's not right either. I'm a Khun before anything else and part of that is rejecting any other notion that thinks it can define me.
[ head leaned on his palm with a shadow of a smile, he offers a mild shrug of his own. ]
But I'll give you a argument, though it might not be one you're expecting. To put it bluntly, I can take this or leave this just as much as you. I'm here because I prefer to explore my options, not out of necessity or because I seek power to the end of everything else.
I don't know what the spirits told you about me, but I'll tell you what they said about you: [ implied really, but it's so easy for him to read these lines when they're a book he's read, pages weary and worn. ] that among other things, you're someone who has no one they need to prove themself to.
I know how that is, and I don't think I need to tell you why. Nor do I think I need to explain to you what my immediate thoughts were when we exited the elevator.
All that said, don't take this as an appeal to the tune of "like is like" because it's more familiar than a word with a typically positive notion. That's as far as I'll go with "convincing" you, because I don't really see the point beyond that, nor do I allow anyone to dictate my choices.
no subject
If I had any notion that you were someone who would simply roll over and indeed allow me to dictate your choices you wouldn't be in this room right now.
[ if khun had begged, beseeched, asked, he'd be gone. robin paces over to the window, coat trailing behind him. ]
I find the dressings they would put around it distasteful. Fate. Bound. A soul that should supposedly understand your own, even if the two might disagree. You say you would reject anything that attempts to define you, yet isn't that what playing into this supposed bond might mean? Still, I will attempt to meet you halfway, given how you have responded...
But perhaps I just wanted to see what your answer would be. [ it's his turn to rest a head on a hand, the mug left on the windowsill as he turns. his smile is kind, and carries with it neither warmth nor coldness. ] The spirits painted you as an old friend, a casual acquaintance, but one who carries his knife with him always, who could just as easily and quickly draw it on one in a flash.
Very Western of you, I suppose, by your own description.
no subject
How could you know all of me, when I don't know all of myself? [ that is a very genuine admission and robin will be able to tell it is. if this world has taught him anything, it's reinforced what Maria tried to teach him years ago. what "living" actually is. ]
Actually, I think that and the spirits description of me go hand in hand. [ he smiles, amused. ]
When I was young, I betrayed my blood sister for someone else. My reasons for doing so were personal, but of course people speculated—Maria and I must have been in a relationship, Maria used me and then left me behind, that I was a stepping stool for her and nothing more that, and on and on and on. Those whispers followed me and still follow me in my world. Why would I let it bother me when I can use them instead?
This whole spirit thing is in comparison, much more mild. Though thankfully, no one will ever accuse us of dating.
[ a bit of a joke but khun really does find it funny. with all of the couples here, not a single one is "fated". ]
no subject
Indeed, I've no intent to steal you from Tatara. Nor to court anyone else here, for the matter.
[ he's old enough to have fathered half of them even before accounting for the idiosyncrasies of his particular situation. it's difficult at times, even knowing only how old this body is, to not see many of the others here as terribly young. ]
In any case ... I'm inclined to believe that anyone who claims to know all of who and what they are is a liar. [ pause. ] Well, perhaps that is a bit too sweeping of a generalization, but I'll align myself with the general sentiment regardless. Still ... I see.
[ he tilts his head, fingers of one hand tapping out a repetitive rhythm on the arm it's supporting. betrayal of that sort should get a stronger reaction from some, probably. robin doesn't; he knows not of what relations did or didn't exist between this Maria and Khun. ]
You are, as you are trying to represent yourself to me at least, someone who utilizes everything at their disposal... which, naturally, includes yourself. More than just using your tongue to get what you want, you will be whatever's needed to accomplish your ends. Whispers, rumours, suppositions, things that have and haven't happened to you; all of those can be turned to your advantage with some thought or creativity.
You use people as tools, and you, as a person as well, are not exempt from that. To that end, why confine yourself? If you can make plausible as many of the things said about you as possible, the harder you'll be to predict for others, for the truth becomes that much harder to pin down. You, yourself, in the end, are the piece on the board you have the most control over. That is your logic, yes?
Correct me if I have misrepresented how you want to portray yourself.
no subject
Yeah, that's the general sense of it.
[ of course that's not all of him, and he takes a bit of an issue with portray, but it doesn't really matter in the end. ]
no subject
if portray is not the correct word, then perhaps they'll stick with representation in the end.
but all that— tangential. robin smiles again, friendly, genuine-seeming, gesturing casually with his free hand. ]
Then from one piece on the board to another, shall we see what comes of this?
no subject
Yes, let's see. But I'm taking no blame if it's a fire and ice sort of deal—I mainly use ice as an element, but my true nature is lightning.
[ are the spirits listening? that's a free answer for them if they are. ]
no subject
Though very many would likely rather ascribe darkness to me.
[ nevermind the necromancy thing. there's your funny free answer for the day, spirits. if you give them a snowstorm like itha and solomon then he'll really know this pair bond thing is a sham. ]
no subject
[ not that he's being really serious because he acknowledges the other things they've spoken about, but it would still be funny. ]
no subject
[ yeah, neither of them are being serious anymore, probably. ]
no subject
Anyway, I won't keep you. We can discuss strategy when we're proven right. [ khun stands, smile still on his face. ]
no subject
[ or are they going to see yet another elaborate show of petals and swirling magic to commemorate the spirits' approval?
but anyway if khun wants to leave, robin's not going to keep him. he's not going to shoo him towards the door, though. ]
no subject
[ he figures it'll be obvious one way or another.
it's late and he assumes they both have things to do (his are very important cuddle times). but he's fine with finishing this line of talking out, stretching. ]
no subject
[ no one introduce the ye oldes to the concept of glitterbombs. now i'm wondering if robin squints and unfocuses his gaze a bit whether he can see the support ranks of the manor. hmm.
but anyway. yeah, yeah, they probably both have things to attend to; there was a journal he set aside when khun came in, after all. ]
no subject
[ probably not worth looking into but... hm.
he waves before making his way towards the door. ]
I'll see you later Robin if the spirits have any sense at all.