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[flyingsolos]

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[paladorable]

Er, no, nothing like that. It's sort of... well, I'm not really sure where to start, to be honest with you. Could we... meet somewhere, maybe?

[ could he possibly be any more awkward? probably not. ]

[flyingsolos]

[ ... hm. ]

Yeah, sure. Kitchen? Peach trees?

[paladorable]

Out near the peach trees is fine. I’ll see you in a bit?

[flyingsolos]

Sure! Meet you there.

[ off she goes. ]

[paladorable]

[ He’s already there when she arrives, leaning against the trunk of a tree as he watches the sprites engage in a food fight across the way. He’d almost call it a waste of food, but there’s so much. ]

[flyingsolos]

Arenvald!

[ There she goes, brightly trotting towards him. ]

Geez, I feel like everyone's been beating me to meeting spots lately.

[paladorable]

Ah, sorry. I was already out for a bit of a walk when I contacted you.

[flyingsolos]

To sort out your thoughts?

... Speaking of, can I finally ask what this is about?

[paladorable]

Oh, right. Er. I'm really sorry, this probably came out of nowhere, but I didn't know who else I might ask and...

[ Deep breath, Arenvald. Stay on track. ]

Have you ever... I dunno, liked someone before?

[flyingsolos]

...

Let's just say I'm dating someone right now. Does that count?

[paladorable]

Aye, I would say it does.

[ Unless they're dating and don't like each other for some bizarre reason???? ]

I just... I'm a bit at a loss of what to do, I suppose.

[flyingsolos]

Okay.

[ and she's smiling encouragingly now. ]

Tell me a little more about it. I can't help if I don't know the situation.

[paladorable]

It's sort of... uniquely complicated.

[ A pause, as he scrubs at the back of his neck a little awkwardly. He's not sure where to start, but ultimately he figures it would be best to just come out and say it, so... ]

Do you know Connor?

[flyingsolos]

Of course I know Connor. He's awkward, but he means well.

[ a good android. ]

[paladorable]

He is a bit awkward, isn’t he?

[ He laughs, but it’s a terribly fond sound. Someone’s a bit smitten. ]

But, ah, you know he’s an android, right?

[ Connor never made a point to hide that fact – he has it written across his back in giant letters, for the love of the Twelve – but he looks so very human that Arenvald can’t help but ask. ]

[flyingsolos]

... Wait, are you telling me you're crushing on an android?

[ Um? ]

[paladorable]

... Yes.

[ DON'T JUDGE HIM OKAY ]

[flyingsolos]

... Okay.

[ SHE'S DOING HER BEST. ]

Um. How exactly did this...

[ hand circling motion??? ]

[paladorable]

If you want specifics, I don't know if I can give them. We were friends and then I realized it was... more than that, I suppose.

[flyingsolos]

Do you-- I mean, does he even think he's capable? That's your obstacle right there.

[paladorable]

That’s the complicated part.

[ He heaves a sigh, leaning back against the tree again. ]

He swears up and down he doesn’t have feelings, not in his programming and all that but… he does. I’ve seen it.

[flyingsolos]

You've... seen it?

[ Well, she's seen it too, but Connor keeps insisting that this is just a part of his programming to appear approachable. ]

[paladorable]

I have.

[ There's a pause here, because he doesn't think that Connor would like Arenvald going around blabbing about his emotions he swears he totally doesn't have but actually has. ]

And I'm not talking about him just being personable. I mean something far more... raw. And very real.

[ He means fear. ]

[flyingsolos]

[ Rion hums softly, tapping her chin with her eyebrows knitting together. ]

Okay. I'm not going to ask for details, but clearly he's capable of it.

[paladorable]

[ Bless you for not prying, Rion. ]

You can see why I'm at a loss, though. I don't know how to proceed, or if I even should.