He grits his teeth for a moment, trying to recapture that sense of calm that had existed as they walked back from the baths. This conversation has intensified in ways he wasn't expecting, for reasons he can't explain.
"I don't." While poverty has been true of him for years now, making an ass of himself in front of women hasn't, and he feels it. When Percy forces honesty out of his mouth this time, it's harder than it was in the prison. Having a tooth pulled would be pleasant by comparison. "I'm...embarrassed, all right? I misread the situation, and I'd love it if we could talk about anything else in the world besides that fact."
Please, save him from the agony of looking too eager in the face of affection.
Vex makes a sound at that, not quite scoffing. There's the sense she'll say something else. That she'll argue—Vex has rarely been the kind of person to shy away from an argument.
Percy's tensed, waiting for things to take a turn for the worse, watching her with a wary sidelong gaze. She resents, though, and he breathes out, his shoulders sagging forward.
"Thank you." Honesty saves his life once more, it seems. However much he might regret the way this night has ended up, Vex'ahlia is nothing if not merciful in the face of the truth. He resolves here not to lie to her - or to minimize the lies he tells her, at least. He'll avoid everything he can't let her know, focus on the things he can, and hope she'll still be interested after a week or two out in the wild. "I, er - I think I've taken enough advantage of your friendship for one night. If you'll excuse me -"
He begins to stand up, his final pint still only half-drunk.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pathography) wrote2004-12-29 06:14 pm
no subject
"I don't." While poverty has been true of him for years now, making an ass of himself in front of women hasn't, and he feels it. When Percy forces honesty out of his mouth this time, it's harder than it was in the prison. Having a tooth pulled would be pleasant by comparison. "I'm...embarrassed, all right? I misread the situation, and I'd love it if we could talk about anything else in the world besides that fact."
Please, save him from the agony of looking too eager in the face of affection.
no subject
Instead she leans back then, shrugging.
"Very well, darling. I'll leave you be."
no subject
"Thank you." Honesty saves his life once more, it seems. However much he might regret the way this night has ended up, Vex'ahlia is nothing if not merciful in the face of the truth. He resolves here not to lie to her - or to minimize the lies he tells her, at least. He'll avoid everything he can't let her know, focus on the things he can, and hope she'll still be interested after a week or two out in the wild. "I, er - I think I've taken enough advantage of your friendship for one night. If you'll excuse me -"
He begins to stand up, his final pint still only half-drunk.