It does come off a certain way, surely. Enough so that by the time he's done her lips are parted, eyes wide, and face warm. But still she knows the truth, that even through the surface his jealousy is not typical. It's clear in the tears he's shed in her arms, in the nightmares overcome at her side. She wonders if that makes it more or less dangerous.
Either way, he's never exhibited such emotion around her before. Not like this, with a loss of control and a passion he can hardly hold in, so that when he's silent she has nothing. Only a stunned stillness. A boyfriend. That was his fear, was that she might fall prone to some stranger's wiles someday and gradually shut Albedo away. It was insulting on some level, that he should fear her to be so shallow, so ready to be whisked away by the one thing that always, without a doubt, caused trouble. Men.
"It's too late for that, isn't it?" Max finally sputtered. "I never heard you complaining that day on the docks, or any time afterwards, so now you've got me, and I'm not leaving, you're not leaving, and I sure as hell am not ditching you for some bundle of trouble with nice hair and a cute smile!"
Albedo may have been shocked by his outburst, but Max felt no shame in yelling. It was almost a habit after so many years of browbeating the younger ones, but now her voice grew steadily louder, eyes wilder, stance more imposing. One thing was certain, and that was that she had no shortage of feelings when it came to this subject.
"When have you ever seen me bat my eyes at some guy on the street? I've come back to this house, to you, every day, because I choose to! Don't you get it?"
The words were choked down. She seemed to realize the extent to which her voice had been raised. It would have been too easy to let it all spill out, to scream and beat it into him, that he was precious, important, that she took for granted that he would always be there and didn't know what she would do if someday he wasn't. So with some difficulty Max straightened and turned her face to the ceiling, eyes closed while she counted to ten. The need in his eyes had become too much. Emotions, feelings, none of it was her strongpoint, and the look on Albedo's face stirred something she couldn't put eloquently. It was too hard. She wanted to give into base comfort, to wrap him in her arms and push away the doubt, but he had to understand. He had to carry the words with him when she couldn't be there to offer some sort of touch.
"No matter what world we're in," Max said, as slowly she opened her eyes again to return his gaze, "I'll find you. I'll track you down, and don't you ever doubt that. Don't you ever doubt me."
no subject
Either way, he's never exhibited such emotion around her before. Not like this, with a loss of control and a passion he can hardly hold in, so that when he's silent she has nothing. Only a stunned stillness. A boyfriend. That was his fear, was that she might fall prone to some stranger's wiles someday and gradually shut Albedo away. It was insulting on some level, that he should fear her to be so shallow, so ready to be whisked away by the one thing that always, without a doubt, caused trouble. Men.
"It's too late for that, isn't it?" Max finally sputtered. "I never heard you complaining that day on the docks, or any time afterwards, so now you've got me, and I'm not leaving, you're not leaving, and I sure as hell am not ditching you for some bundle of trouble with nice hair and a cute smile!"
Albedo may have been shocked by his outburst, but Max felt no shame in yelling. It was almost a habit after so many years of browbeating the younger ones, but now her voice grew steadily louder, eyes wilder, stance more imposing. One thing was certain, and that was that she had no shortage of feelings when it came to this subject.
"When have you ever seen me bat my eyes at some guy on the street? I've come back to this house, to you, every day, because I choose to! Don't you get it?"
The words were choked down. She seemed to realize the extent to which her voice had been raised. It would have been too easy to let it all spill out, to scream and beat it into him, that he was precious, important, that she took for granted that he would always be there and didn't know what she would do if someday he wasn't. So with some difficulty Max straightened and turned her face to the ceiling, eyes closed while she counted to ten. The need in his eyes had become too much. Emotions, feelings, none of it was her strongpoint, and the look on Albedo's face stirred something she couldn't put eloquently. It was too hard. She wanted to give into base comfort, to wrap him in her arms and push away the doubt, but he had to understand. He had to carry the words with him when she couldn't be there to offer some sort of touch.
"No matter what world we're in," Max said, as slowly she opened her eyes again to return his gaze, "I'll find you. I'll track you down, and don't you ever doubt that. Don't you ever doubt me."