[A small, sheepish smile, and Adora dips her head and...]
This week's task is to take someone on a date, right? Buuut... I, um. I can't figure out how to ask Ca-- ssssomeone on that date. And, um. How to make sure it'll be a date she likes.
[... Adora groans a little, burying her face in her hands.]
... I made things really complicated for her back home. And even when we go back, I don't know that I... [That she can put aside She-ra, even for Catra.]
... It's really complicated and I'm really bad at this. But I still want to anyway.
Is... that okay, do you think?
tags bc i can finally give you a memshare from my laptop
Yes. I do. I think that when you really care for someone, and you want to make it work, you... are able to withstand anything. As long as you know love is not simple, and it is not easy - it may still be worth your investment, for shining people like you.
[but is it a wonder why iris never dated? at least not in a conventional sense -
You love your brother - he is flesh and blood, he is next in line to the dukedom, and he is changing for the better. You tell yourself that over the past few years, he’s grown up well, and has even taken moments to express care and concern for you. You tell him that he’s allowed to make mistakes, just as any good elder sister would, and that enjoying his youth is also one of his duties.
You’re startled when he brings up the fact that he contributed to the most scarring day in your life.
It’s one that you remember clearly - the day that your fiance, who you had loved since you were but a little girl, publicly cast you aside in front of a crowd he’d personally gathered. Your crimes? Harassing the girl that was now at his side, his new love, who he clearly adored far more than you. And at their side? None other than your brother, sneering when you call yourself weak, helping to smear your name and your reputation.
Two who you love so dearly, more than than this world can even begin to recognize, casting you aside.
You feel your heart breaking again, the injury so raw that it never healed over.
You want to move past the conversation, you don’t want to talk about it, you think it’d be easier to continue this amiable sibling relationship where you don’t acknowledge the incident. You think that it’s easier, if you assume blame and consequence for your own jealous fit after your fiance, was stolen from you. You think that if you call it youth, it will be dismissed.
You don’t know what to do when you receive an apology for something that haunts you even now.
You don’t believe in love. You don’t believe in loyalty. Not to you, pathetic Lady Iris. You don’t trust anyone, for if even your own flesh and blood can decide that infatuation matters more than your dignity or well-being, how can anyone make promises that mean anything at all?
. . .
You watch him leave the room after his apology is accepted, even if it is not forgiven, and you cannot help the knot of guilt that sits in your stomach.
If you were better, could you have given a kinder answer? If you were like her - like the very person that everyone left you for - could you give and receive love?
And why bother thinking of those things, when you will never be anyone but this scarred, jealous you? ]
It's like a punch to the solar plexus. Iris--went through something like this? Iris was cast aside like this? Iris was expelled, was tossed away, was treated that way by the people she loves?
"That is why I swore never to fall in love" rings in Adora's head, and the almost panicked look on Iris' face when she asked for her advice clicks into place.
Adora bites her lip.]
Iris, I--
[... Adora's never been good at hiding her emotions. Emotion share week certainly doesn't help, but her panic and worry and upset is obvious on her face regardless.]
I'm so sorry...! You should've never had to go through something like that!
[ - ah. she lets her, and pauses as she blinks a few times.]
.... you're very kind, Adora. And I appreciate it.
[ . . . ]
But you're right that I made it through, one way or another. If that didn't happen to me, I wouldn't be who I am today... and even if that person is imperfect -
I like who you are too. And it's true that I guess sometimes you have to go through tough things to become who you are, but...
[... She just shakes her head a bit, closing her eyes.]
Well. I think you're amazing, you know? Knowing you've gone through that stuff and still hold your head high and look out for all of Winter just makes that even more true!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Then please - feel free to ask and I can do my best to help.
And if I can't assist, hopefully I can point you to someone who can.
no subject
[A small, sheepish smile, and Adora dips her head and...]
This week's task is to take someone on a date, right? Buuut... I, um. I can't figure out how to ask Ca-- ssssomeone on that date. And, um. How to make sure it'll be a date she likes.
[subtle!!!]
no subject
... be yourself.
She'll like it, because it's you. And she'll say yes, because it'll be a date with you.
Please don't overthink it. I think - when someone has given their heart away... anything can make them happy, as long as they feel cared for.
no subject
That's...
[... Adora groans a little, burying her face in her hands.]
... I made things really complicated for her back home. And even when we go back, I don't know that I... [That she can put aside She-ra, even for Catra.]
... It's really complicated and I'm really bad at this. But I still want to anyway.
Is... that okay, do you think?
tags bc i can finally give you a memshare from my laptop
Yes. I do. I think that when you really care for someone, and you want to make it work, you... are able to withstand anything. As long as you know love is not simple, and it is not easy - it may still be worth your investment, for shining people like you.
[but is it a wonder why iris never dated? at least not in a conventional sense -
“There are some things you can only experience as a student.”
You love your brother - he is flesh and blood, he is next in line to the dukedom, and he is changing for the better. You tell yourself that over the past few years, he’s grown up well, and has even taken moments to express care and concern for you. You tell him that he’s allowed to make mistakes, just as any good elder sister would, and that enjoying his youth is also one of his duties.
You’re startled when he brings up the fact that he contributed to the most scarring day in your life.
It’s one that you remember clearly - the day that your fiance, who you had loved since you were but a little girl, publicly cast you aside in front of a crowd he’d personally gathered. Your crimes? Harassing the girl that was now at his side, his new love, who he clearly adored far more than you. And at their side? None other than your brother, sneering when you call yourself weak, helping to smear your name and your reputation.
Two who you love so dearly, more than than this world can even begin to recognize, casting you aside.
You feel your heart breaking again, the injury so raw that it never healed over.
You want to move past the conversation, you don’t want to talk about it, you think it’d be easier to continue this amiable sibling relationship where you don’t acknowledge the incident. You think that it’s easier, if you assume blame and consequence for your own jealous fit after your fiance, was stolen from you. You think that if you call it youth, it will be dismissed.
You don’t know what to do when you receive an apology for something that haunts you even now.
You don’t believe in love. You don’t believe in loyalty. Not to you, pathetic Lady Iris. You don’t trust anyone, for if even your own flesh and blood can decide that infatuation matters more than your dignity or well-being, how can anyone make promises that mean anything at all?
. . .
You watch him leave the room after his apology is accepted, even if it is not forgiven, and you cannot help the knot of guilt that sits in your stomach.
If you were better, could you have given a kinder answer? If you were like her - like the very person that everyone left you for - could you give and receive love?
And why bother thinking of those things, when you will never be anyone but this scarred, jealous you? ]
i am so blessed rn
It's like a punch to the solar plexus. Iris--went through something like this? Iris was cast aside like this? Iris was expelled, was tossed away, was treated that way by the people she loves?
"That is why I swore never to fall in love" rings in Adora's head, and the almost panicked look on Iris' face when she asked for her advice clicks into place.
Adora bites her lip.]
Iris, I--
[... Adora's never been good at hiding her emotions. Emotion share week certainly doesn't help, but her panic and worry and upset is obvious on her face regardless.]
I'm so sorry...! You should've never had to go through something like that!
no subject
It's...
It's fine.
[it's really not, but she's clearly trying to retreat a bit]
Every life comes with struggles.
no subject
Adora's not very good at not just going with her emotions.
So she is pretty much closing the space between them immediately, reaching for Iris' hand to hold between her two hands if she lets her.]
Even if that's true, that doesn't mean your struggles weren't really difficult to go through.
I'm... not surprised you got through them. Because you're a really strong person.
But I still--! I'm still sad that you had to.
no subject
.... you're very kind, Adora. And I appreciate it.
[ . . . ]
But you're right that I made it through, one way or another. If that didn't happen to me, I wouldn't be who I am today... and even if that person is imperfect -
I like being who I am now.
no subject
[... She just shakes her head a bit, closing her eyes.]
Well. I think you're amazing, you know? Knowing you've gone through that stuff and still hold your head high and look out for all of Winter just makes that even more true!