The awkwardness is reciprocated, and she can see it in the suddenly sheepish way that Stephen averts his gaze for a moment, glancing off to the side as if there’s something terrifically interesting on the wall of the infirmary (oh, look at that poster, is it a little askew? does he need to straighten it?). He’s an arrogant man, confident and self-assured, but there’s something about this topic in particular which strikes him off-balance, fueled further by her own embarrassment.
He’d very specifically said to Gwenaëlle that he didn’t want kids. It had been a whole conversation. Funny, how he winds up here anyway—
“It does happen,” Stephen says slowly, cagily. It’s a handy excuse, but he’s also seen Vazeiros — or at least a dreamed-up version of him — and knows that they don’t look much alike, between the purple skin and white hair and height.
So eventually, he adds: “Freudian slips— that is, slips of the tongue happen. It’s fine. I mean, frankly I’m surprised I haven’t accidentally called you America yet.”
This isn't fair, her inner teenager whines, to lose him to awkwardness in the same conversation in which she'd just won him back. How can she possibly explain that whatever she, in her deepest and most self-indulgent of thoughts, may want, she knows what the boundaries of their relationship are? She'd never ask for more, she's lucky enough to have what she does, he doesn't need to give her any more—
"America?" She pounces eagerly on the change in focus, happy not to linger on her unknowing mistake. "That's where you lived before this, isn't it?"
He's mentioned his former country in passing, sometimes, explained the basics of it, its name and the major cities he's made reference to. Her curiosity has induced him, even, to explain if there is a New York, is there an Old York? But that doesn't explain how a slip of the tongue could have had him calling her—oh!
"Wait, America Chavez was one of the witches from that dream! You..."
are using her to get a re-do on mistakes made with America and Wanda. Right.
Ness slumps in her seat a little, disheartened at the reminder, but she doesn't allow herself to mope.
"Are we very alike? America and I, I mean."
Edited (it's not perfect but IT'S DONE) 2025-08-19 18:40 (UTC)
“No,” is the automatic answer, without even having to stop to think about it, almost smiling in the response. Stephen hasn’t mentioned the girl much to anyone in detail, besides marvelling at America’s abilities and their implications, what it might mean to be able to open your own personal rifts in Thedas or be able to go home, but— there’s still a fondness in his voice when he speaks of her.
“Dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, the two of you don’t look at all alike. And in personality, she’s… well, ruder. Impatient. Punchy, literally and figuratively. But in other ways…”
He trails off, trying to figure out what drew the line between them besides the fact that they’re his mentees. There had to be something else which didn’t have anything to do with him.
In the end, he settles on: “She was initially afraid of her powers, too. And she’s curious and determined and independent. So, in some ways, I suppose you’re alike.”
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no subject
He’d very specifically said to Gwenaëlle that he didn’t want kids. It had been a whole conversation. Funny, how he winds up here anyway—
“It does happen,” Stephen says slowly, cagily. It’s a handy excuse, but he’s also seen Vazeiros — or at least a dreamed-up version of him — and knows that they don’t look much alike, between the purple skin and white hair and height.
So eventually, he adds: “Freudian slips— that is, slips of the tongue happen. It’s fine. I mean, frankly I’m surprised I haven’t accidentally called you America yet.”
no subject
"America?" She pounces eagerly on the change in focus, happy not to linger on her unknowing mistake. "That's where you lived before this, isn't it?"
He's mentioned his former country in passing, sometimes, explained the basics of it, its name and the major cities he's made reference to. Her curiosity has induced him, even, to explain if there is a New York, is there an Old York? But that doesn't explain how a slip of the tongue could have had him calling her—oh!
"Wait, America Chavez was one of the witches from that dream! You..."
are using her to get a re-do on mistakes made with America and Wanda. Right.
Ness slumps in her seat a little, disheartened at the reminder, but she doesn't allow herself to mope.
"Are we very alike? America and I, I mean."
no subject
“Dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, the two of you don’t look at all alike. And in personality, she’s… well, ruder. Impatient. Punchy, literally and figuratively. But in other ways…”
He trails off, trying to figure out what drew the line between them besides the fact that they’re his mentees. There had to be something else which didn’t have anything to do with him.
In the end, he settles on: “She was initially afraid of her powers, too. And she’s curious and determined and independent. So, in some ways, I suppose you’re alike.”