Elizabeth
His sudden and sharp departure was like getting caught in the Tundra without so much as her underwear, the shock enough to make her jerk back. The moment gone, Elizabeth was crushed by the look of disappointment on Iskra's face. She knew it wasn't directed at her, but it didn't change the fact that it was now blatantly obvious that she was not the girl in question, and she'd quite nearly made a fool of herself by getting drawn in by his big brown eyes and infectious laughter and kind words and -
Elizabeth looked away to cool the shameful blush on her cheeks, trying to reorient enough to be supportive of the not-so-hypothetical questions. It hurt that she wasn't the girl he was pining after, but there was still some lucky woman out there, just waiting for him to make the move - when he was ready. She tried to put on a brave face, her smile warm despite the bit of tightness around her eyes as she met his gaze. "No. It makes sense. You don't know if you can call the feeling 'love' because you can't compare it to what others have experienced, and until someone confirms your feelings as such, you hesitate to call it 'love.'" Her head nodded, as if it was something she'd heard time and time again. "That's natural, but sadly, there's no textbook on love. People have defined it and tried to describe it in all capacities, but the truth is that it's different for everyone; how it feels, how it develops, how it looks. No amount of reading is going to make it easier to identify." Obviously she'd even misinterpreted the signs.
The thought made her blush again, and she took a deep, stabilizing breath to cool the embarrassment in the light of guidance and advice. "I agree. Changing because of someone is different than changing for someone." Tracing the top of her empty glass with a delicate finger, she continued to settle into her role as faithful confidant. "None of us can help but be influenced by those around us - in both positive and negative ways; having a role model or a bully. But that's usually unconscious, a slow press that shifts the course of your identity and motivations." She looked back up at Iskra, her emotions finally calming as she tilted her head. "It's only when you strive to reforge your entire identity to benefit someone else that it can be problematic." Like building a house on a foundation that may break or shift or disappear entirely. It could form dependency or lost purpose.
However, if change was what he wanted in the end, Elizabeth would fulfill her duty as the willing supporter. "So, as long as the change is as much for you as it is them, then you shouldn't have any issues." Her smile was brighter, hoping to encourage him in whatever endeavors it was he had planned.
Elizabeth looked away to cool the shameful blush on her cheeks, trying to reorient enough to be supportive of the not-so-hypothetical questions. It hurt that she wasn't the girl he was pining after, but there was still some lucky woman out there, just waiting for him to make the move - when he was ready. She tried to put on a brave face, her smile warm despite the bit of tightness around her eyes as she met his gaze. "No. It makes sense. You don't know if you can call the feeling 'love' because you can't compare it to what others have experienced, and until someone confirms your feelings as such, you hesitate to call it 'love.'" Her head nodded, as if it was something she'd heard time and time again. "That's natural, but sadly, there's no textbook on love. People have defined it and tried to describe it in all capacities, but the truth is that it's different for everyone; how it feels, how it develops, how it looks. No amount of reading is going to make it easier to identify." Obviously she'd even misinterpreted the signs.
The thought made her blush again, and she took a deep, stabilizing breath to cool the embarrassment in the light of guidance and advice. "I agree. Changing because of someone is different than changing for someone." Tracing the top of her empty glass with a delicate finger, she continued to settle into her role as faithful confidant. "None of us can help but be influenced by those around us - in both positive and negative ways; having a role model or a bully. But that's usually unconscious, a slow press that shifts the course of your identity and motivations." She looked back up at Iskra, her emotions finally calming as she tilted her head. "It's only when you strive to reforge your entire identity to benefit someone else that it can be problematic." Like building a house on a foundation that may break or shift or disappear entirely. It could form dependency or lost purpose.
However, if change was what he wanted in the end, Elizabeth would fulfill her duty as the willing supporter. "So, as long as the change is as much for you as it is them, then you shouldn't have any issues." Her smile was brighter, hoping to encourage him in whatever endeavors it was he had planned.
Dive into the sea of thought,
and find there pearls beyond price.
and find there pearls beyond price.
