The thing we tried for Anders backfired, again. I suppose you know how that goes. [ He sounds pleased about that. He knows her secret. Her singy secret. ] None of us can lie anymore. I'm hiding from—everyone.
[ He's keeping as many secrets from the Wardens as he's keeping about the Wardens. Or maybe not as many, but more important ones. ]
Ah, I see. ( serenely, because clearly it Does Not Bother Her at all. She certainly didn't spend a day in silence, no. )
You'll be able to go back to lying soon enough. ( dry? No, never. )
And yes, it certainly would be. ( Some things she simply isn't sure she wants to know. Some things might be better left as they are.
Ten years ago she might have let him be, or asked the silliest questions, or prodded him about his love life. Now she is less certain if she wants to grant her brother some dignity, or if she wants to relish the chance to dissect his intentions. )
But somehow that's the worst question he's ever been asked. If it's mercy, he doesn't deserve it; if she's biding her time, he's scared. There's a quiet pause filled with nearly palpable misery, and then he brightens, straight past friendly and into the tone that marks his most cheerfully self-aware, drawling silliness. ]
Ask me if I missed you.
[ It's the same voice he uses to flirt, 90% of the time, but that says more about how insincere 90% of his flirting is than it does about any designs on Leliana. ]
You can't do what you do and be trusted easily, either.
[ He winces as he says it. Maybe he would have said it without any magic forcing him to do so--he's a very honest person, generally--but maybe not. Or maybe not like that. He finds a softer truth: ]
( That's a lie, if not mostly than at least 50/50, because she has not carved away what she feels near as well as she'd like to, and her feelings have always informed what she does and who she is. It's... inconvenient, shall we say. )
I have work to get to. Goodbye, Alistair.
( Not a lie, but again - she had found a way to put it off and has sharply decided she has no interest in continuing to delegate things away if this is how thjngs will be. He can have his truth and some reprieve from her. That will do. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Are they going to war?
no subject
( Somwhow she says this entirely seriously. )
no subject
[ He doesn't laugh, but the smile is probably audible. ]
Is everything all right?
no subject
( And that is how she has decided to gloss over that entire conversation. )
I thought I might extend the offer to you now you are not out of your mind.
no subject
[ THE TRUTH. ]
no subject
( 8| you know she could just use persuade but she won't because she is SUCH a good friend.
why did she decide to do this, why did she think a friendly chat was either a good idea, or something she could even manage, any more? foolishness. )
How have you been, at any rate? Other than stubborn.
no subject
[ Dammit. ]
The thing we tried for Anders backfired, again. I suppose you know how that goes. [ He sounds pleased about that. He knows her secret. Her singy secret. ] None of us can lie anymore. I'm hiding from—everyone.
[ He's keeping as many secrets from the Wardens as he's keeping about the Wardens. Or maybe not as many, but more important ones. ]
I suppose this would be a good time for revenge.
no subject
You'll be able to go back to lying soon enough. ( dry? No, never. )
And yes, it certainly would be. ( Some things she simply isn't sure she wants to know. Some things might be better left as they are.
Ten years ago she might have let him be, or asked the silliest questions, or prodded him about his love life. Now she is less certain if she wants to grant her brother some dignity, or if she wants to relish the chance to dissect his intentions. )
What's your favourite colour?
( She still hasn't decided. )
no subject
[ Obviously.
But somehow that's the worst question he's ever been asked. If it's mercy, he doesn't deserve it; if she's biding her time, he's scared. There's a quiet pause filled with nearly palpable misery, and then he brightens, straight past friendly and into the tone that marks his most cheerfully self-aware, drawling silliness. ]
Ask me if I missed you.
[ It's the same voice he uses to flirt, 90% of the time, but that says more about how insincere 90% of his flirting is than it does about any designs on Leliana. ]
no subject
Quietly; )
Did you miss me?
no subject
no subject
( What. )
no subject
no subject
One cannot do what I do and trust easily, Alistair.
no subject
[ He winces as he says it. Maybe he would have said it without any magic forcing him to do so--he's a very honest person, generally--but maybe not. Or maybe not like that. He finds a softer truth: ]
I do want to. And I'm sorry I hurt you.
no subject
( That's a lie, if not mostly than at least 50/50, because she has not carved away what she feels near as well as she'd like to, and her feelings have always informed what she does and who she is. It's... inconvenient, shall we say. )
I have work to get to. Goodbye, Alistair.
( Not a lie, but again - she had found a way to put it off and has sharply decided she has no interest in continuing to delegate things away if this is how thjngs will be. He can have his truth and some reprieve from her. That will do. )
no subject
[ It may not be firm or fast enough to stop her, but his tone vaguely threatens a willingness to march back up to Skyhold otherwise. ]
no subject
except like not exactly but whatever SHE'S BUSY pls leave a message with baron plucky godspeed )