K: [I don’t want to annoy you by asking the same thing again when you are likely preparing for tomorrow. That’s why I’d like to propose something else. Instead of meeting somewhere for dinner, can I order something for you tonight from the same place that I will eat? You won’t have to go out that way and I’ll still get to feel like we’ve shared a meal.]
My thumb hovered over the keyboard while considering how and whether to reply right away. Vrika sends me warm impressions of approval, but I ignore the wolf in favor of reading the message again.
It’s a slow step forward for her, but there’s something almost clever about that kind of compromise. Saying no to it... and not feeling like I’m being harsh for no reason would require me to come up with extenuating circumstances.
Essentially, she dismantled all of the viable routes of refusal without ever making an actual demand! My fingers start typing before I’ve fully decided whether to compliment that tactical sort of psychology or not.
C: [That’s... actually quite thoughtful. Yes, you can arrange that.]
C: [But I choose what we eat.]
K: [Of course. Whatever you’d like.]
> As expected she agrees. She probably would have agreed to anything that meant I said yes. Should we have asked for more... more what? Most of this is common sense. Stand straight, make eye contact with the lens, don’t fidget. Things any royal learns before they can properly walk. Which I should be excellent at, considering how much of my life had been performance. Playing the dutiful princess, the gracious host to ambassadors, the political asset scaring away suitors... Sounds like an awful life. Dealing with being her Beta and Claire’s... hm. Eventuality? <
While I nip and fight with Vrika when it brings up the similarity between our circumstances, he raises out his hand that held some sort of large thermally sealed container. I take it without much thought, even though it’s probably heavy.
"I’m not convinced that the different ways both of them are enamored with you are justified, but that’s not the point. Kyrie would never calm down if someone else had been here."
As he attempts to offer me the other box after saying this, I raise my chin and squint. It wasn’t really an insult, what he just said, but I can hardly let that slide as it is... can I?