I'm glad it does. I wish to return to you the happiness you've given me, after all.
[He paused, his gaze shifting to the corner of the table in what was quickly becoming an indicator for "I am trying to think of words", absentmindedly fidgeting with Clauddles in his lap.]
Because... I sympathise. I know how it feels to be judged based on nothing but rumours or assumptions: that I'm a heartless demon, or a half-feral freak that Jeralt had picked up off the side of the road one day.
[A few times some brave mercs had 'jokingly' questioned Byleth's parentage - though the joke was never appreciated by Byleth or Jeralt both. He understood how that suspicion cropped up, though: physically, there were few similarities, they didn't share the same Crest, and Byleth never called him 'Father'. It had drawn more than a few curious side-eyes.]
And here, I was worried that I'd be judged based on yours and Dimitri's perception of who 'Byleth' is meant to be. Whatever comparisons you may've drawn between me and him, though, you've politely kept to yourself. So, it's only right that I should do the same. That, though I had an preconception of you, I discarded it once it was clear how wrong it was.
Which means that we've become true friends, no? And we've done it, simply by being ourselves.
no subject
[He paused, his gaze shifting to the corner of the table in what was quickly becoming an indicator for "I am trying to think of words", absentmindedly fidgeting with Clauddles in his lap.]
Because... I sympathise. I know how it feels to be judged based on nothing but rumours or assumptions: that I'm a heartless demon, or a half-feral freak that Jeralt had picked up off the side of the road one day.
[A few times some brave mercs had 'jokingly' questioned Byleth's parentage - though the joke was never appreciated by Byleth or Jeralt both. He understood how that suspicion cropped up, though: physically, there were few similarities, they didn't share the same Crest, and Byleth never called him 'Father'. It had drawn more than a few curious side-eyes.]
And here, I was worried that I'd be judged based on yours and Dimitri's perception of who 'Byleth' is meant to be. Whatever comparisons you may've drawn between me and him, though, you've politely kept to yourself. So, it's only right that I should do the same. That, though I had an preconception of you, I discarded it once it was clear how wrong it was.
Which means that we've become true friends, no? And we've done it, simply by being ourselves.
[An achievement for Byleth!]