Perhaps it's a bit mild... but it covers most topics, I think.
[now that they're here, he can relax a little more. He never really had to raise his guard too much, to be fair, but still... the younger man is important to him. Perhaps more important than he should be, if he really thinks about it. Setting aside their food and his shield, Gepard moves to find somewhere to sit and join him.]
I never thought it was possible, even on Dahna. But... it suits you, too.
[There was always a consideration that Dohalim might choose to stay - not by nature of his prestige, but because of his personality, really. Gepard had been prepared for this from the time they'd been sent off to Viscint in the first place, but... it sparks some sense of uneasiness in him to hear it so casually. The Crown Contest may feel like a distant goal post, but it marches ever closer. As for him...]
... I... it's a difficult decision for me to make, admittedly.
[He should be comforted by the fact that he has his line, that he is... well, a Landau. His duty is to the leadership, isn't it? Of course, by the end of the Crown Contest, he'll be old enough to have a few options, but...]
I would be lying if I said there was no part of me that upholds the traditions of my family. Unlike Serval, I feel more connected to it... and I'm afraid there may be expectations that pull me away from staying. [He is their son, after all.] were it my choice alone, I would stay without a second thought.
[As his gaze turns back out to Menancia, to the verdant land and all its splendors, he looks... almost lost, in the moment. Serval's sudden departure, the idea of having to leave while Dohalim stays, to give up on this beautiful place... there's so much weighing on his mind in the wake of it. Rarely does his family name feel like a weight placed on his shoulders, but it's clear this particular circumstance causes no small amount of anguish. It's a vulnerability he rarely shows, a testament to his comfort in the other man's presence.]
I suppose... it will ultimately depend on what my sister does. Despite her... creative differences in upholding our name, she still does so. Perhaps if she decides to stay, it would open an opportunity for me, as well. [His smile is wan and wry.] Someone has to keep an eye on you both, lest you end up making very... creative messes.
no subject
[now that they're here, he can relax a little more. He never really had to raise his guard too much, to be fair, but still... the younger man is important to him. Perhaps more important than he should be, if he really thinks about it. Setting aside their food and his shield, Gepard moves to find somewhere to sit and join him.]
I never thought it was possible, even on Dahna. But... it suits you, too.
[There was always a consideration that Dohalim might choose to stay - not by nature of his prestige, but because of his personality, really. Gepard had been prepared for this from the time they'd been sent off to Viscint in the first place, but... it sparks some sense of uneasiness in him to hear it so casually. The Crown Contest may feel like a distant goal post, but it marches ever closer. As for him...]
... I... it's a difficult decision for me to make, admittedly.
[He should be comforted by the fact that he has his line, that he is... well, a Landau. His duty is to the leadership, isn't it? Of course, by the end of the Crown Contest, he'll be old enough to have a few options, but...]
I would be lying if I said there was no part of me that upholds the traditions of my family. Unlike Serval, I feel more connected to it... and I'm afraid there may be expectations that pull me away from staying. [He is their son, after all.] were it my choice alone, I would stay without a second thought.
[As his gaze turns back out to Menancia, to the verdant land and all its splendors, he looks... almost lost, in the moment. Serval's sudden departure, the idea of having to leave while Dohalim stays, to give up on this beautiful place... there's so much weighing on his mind in the wake of it. Rarely does his family name feel like a weight placed on his shoulders, but it's clear this particular circumstance causes no small amount of anguish. It's a vulnerability he rarely shows, a testament to his comfort in the other man's presence.]
I suppose... it will ultimately depend on what my sister does. Despite her... creative differences in upholding our name, she still does so. Perhaps if she decides to stay, it would open an opportunity for me, as well. [His smile is wan and wry.] Someone has to keep an eye on you both, lest you end up making very... creative messes.