Zavien
Still recalling the drama of their disagreement from months ago, Zavien nodded his head. It seemed so insignificant now, so stupid and meaningless, and yet it had carried into their relationship now, dividing the couples over some dramatic reaction when he's refused to lie. That had been a niche, partially fictitious scenario that had Flora and Kai jumping at his throat, but if they turned down this very real offer, Zavien was afraid of the message it would send and the unbridgeable chasm that might form.
As reluctant as he was to agree with the invitation, he refused to risk being the cause for that chasm, willing to sacrifice his own feelings if it meant salvaging what relationship Soh had with her best friend. And as easy as it would be to take the ignorant way out, he gave her joke a rueful smile. "You might not know this, but I'm pretty bad at lying. I'm not sure I could pull that off." Or that he wanted to. Lying had always been a boundary he wouldn't cross, and it would feel cowardly to ignore the letter, like he needed to run from the confrontation.
Still, it begged the question of how and where they would meet - if they did. Soh brought up good points that Zavien agreed with. It was a fine balance between staying amicable and letting Kai walk all over them, and he wasn't about to be a doormat when his pregnant girlfriend was involved.
Straightening his shoulders like a warrior preparing for battle, he laid out the strategy that came to mind. "Then we turn the offer around. We tell them they're welcome to join us in King's End for dinner if Kai plans on making amends - not just 'making sure you're good,' but putting in the effort to prove he's sorry." Narrowing his eyes, Zavien explained, "If he doesn't care or doesn't think he did anything wrong then it's not on us, and we get to avoid an uncomfortable dinner." And they'd have their final answer about what kind of person Kai was while making their own stance clear.
As reluctant as he was to agree with the invitation, he refused to risk being the cause for that chasm, willing to sacrifice his own feelings if it meant salvaging what relationship Soh had with her best friend. And as easy as it would be to take the ignorant way out, he gave her joke a rueful smile. "You might not know this, but I'm pretty bad at lying. I'm not sure I could pull that off." Or that he wanted to. Lying had always been a boundary he wouldn't cross, and it would feel cowardly to ignore the letter, like he needed to run from the confrontation.
Still, it begged the question of how and where they would meet - if they did. Soh brought up good points that Zavien agreed with. It was a fine balance between staying amicable and letting Kai walk all over them, and he wasn't about to be a doormat when his pregnant girlfriend was involved.
Straightening his shoulders like a warrior preparing for battle, he laid out the strategy that came to mind. "Then we turn the offer around. We tell them they're welcome to join us in King's End for dinner if Kai plans on making amends - not just 'making sure you're good,' but putting in the effort to prove he's sorry." Narrowing his eyes, Zavien explained, "If he doesn't care or doesn't think he did anything wrong then it's not on us, and we get to avoid an uncomfortable dinner." And they'd have their final answer about what kind of person Kai was while making their own stance clear.
I love you with everything I am,
everything I've been,
and everything I hope to be.
everything I've been,
and everything I hope to be.
