You're going to take it back, Leon. [Look at her trying to be just as intimidating. It's definitely not working but she's a little frustrated with him.] You can't just say things like that to people!
[He's used to people getting irritated and frustrated with him over what he says--at the very least, this is easier to deal with than when she brushes it off and smiles at him anyway. That's just confusing, but this is normal.
And, as per usual, he scoffs.]
Don't tell me what to do. You have no right to do so.
[That's the first thing he addresses.]
I can say whatever I want, and I will do so, regardless of whether I have your permission or not.
Tell me instead, then--for what reason should I be needlessly polite to these people?
[Leon just crosses his arms, meeting Rise's eyes.]
There are too many people who would like nothing more than to be in my good graces for no reason but to get something from me. If someone is going to be put off by some harsh words and a lack of false politeness, then I have no interest in dealing with them anyway.
[It was probably just another person who wanted to use him and his position--that's what he thinks.]
Have you ever considered maybe trying real politeness? [Like she's doing right now, clearly.] And no offense but why would they need to really be in your good graces anyway?
[Rise is clueless, it's fine.] Not everyone is out to get something from you. A lot of people are, sure, but that's why you have people on your side to help you fend off those people.
[She is... but it's not her fault, it's Leon's fault for being a vague little punk.]
You must be joking. That is all anyone has ever wanted from me. [Except...for Stahn and the rest of the party, after awhile.......
But they're exceptions.]
I am the son of a wealthy, influential man, a person of status and a knight of renown. That was all it ever was--the fawning, the faux politeness, the fake kindnesses. They were all attempts to get something from me, and I hate people like that.
[Y'know... Issues.]
I don't have time to waste with people and their self-serving lies.
[Oh. Well that...certainly changes a lot of things. (And kind of sounds like why Lili isn't into the idea of people really befriending her. How does this keep happening?) Most of her anger fizzles out after that and she looks at Leon carefully before she frowns in consideration.]
If there's one thing I've learned about people like that? They give up after the first or second time you shut them down because they don't want to bother wasting their time either. You're right. They're self-serving. [The paparazzi who'd tried to crowd around the tofu shop for a glance at her were all self-serving and she ignored them well enough.] But when people keep trying even after that I don't think it's about wanting something from you. At least not status-based or anything you can heavily influence because of who your family is or what your job is.
[Leon your Issues are bigger than you are, it's so strange to her.] You eventually figure out which people are self-serving and which people actually care.
[This is why the Tsuns are always so Tsun.... eternal Issues. But the things she says are all things he already knows; he crosses his arms simply, huffing.]
Do you think I don't know that? It is simple enough to find out whose intentions are less than sincere.
[The problem is that he's a paranoid kid after all of this, so....well, it's hard to believe that anyone's intentions could be pure.]
Anyone who keeps trying for no apparent good reason is a fool, and nothing more than that. [A fool... but maybe a sincere fool, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He doesn't understand why someone would keep trying, so it's hard for him to feel entirely negative about it despite his words.]
Maybe it's foolish for people to be so trusting, but I don't think it's a bad things to try if the person's proven themselves to be trustworthy. Don't knights value determination and stuff like that?
[This is such a losing battle...but she can't walk away from Leon and let him win!!!]
[It's such a losing battle...her determination really does do her a lot of credit though. Even if Leon won't ever admit that either.]
Do not attempt to tell me what a knight should be focused on. [Though he seems almost amused more than irritated at that. Honestly, Rise, you're an idol. He's hardly the best of knights, but please.]
My rank is one of the reasons people seek me out for those less than genuine purposes. I have the right to protect myself and my reputation.
[And just like that, Leon gets another almost playful smile. She really should be more bothered by him but it's easier these days to let things roll off her back.] Well I wouldn't really know. I've never met a knight before. Maybe the rules are different.
[But she gives him a mildly perplexed look.] Of course you have the right to protect yourself. But like I said, if people are still trying? They're most likely the ones who won't be there to take advantage of you. [A shrug.] Stahn seems nice enough.
Except for an example of being foolish? [Leon, you're not making your case well. She doesn't think Stahn's foolish at all.] He hasn't run into real trouble with you has he?
... Except. Well. Rise's probably going to regret asking that question because... well, it could be argued that Stahn has run into nothing but trouble since meeting Leon. Aside from the fact that Leon was the one to capture and imprison him in the first place, Stahn has only ever been hurt for Leon's sake. Pushing him aside to protect him from basilisks when he'd done nothing to deserve that sort of loyalty, putting his fate into Leon's hands when....well, Leon had never made it anything but clear that the only thing that mattered was the mission...
... But most of all, once they had finally begun to get along, once they had finally maybe actually become-- well, friends, not that Leon could ever admit that... that had been when Leon had done the worst of all, and had betrayed them all. He'd betrayed Stahn, he'd tried to kill Stahn, and the fact that he'd known he couldn't possibly have won against the entire party didn't count for anything. He'd still tried.
If anything, meeting Leon had to have been one of the worst things to ever happen to Stahn. His breath hitches despite himself, though he just ducks his head to hide his face.]
... You don't know anything. Stop making assumptions as though you do. He--
[He, like Marian, like Chaltier, like all of the others, would have been so much better off if he'd never met Leon at all.]
--he is a fool who doesn't realize that opening himself up to the worst of people [to people like Leon] will only hurt him in the end.
[…oh. Oh no…what the hell did she just do? She's not sure what she's said or what Leon's thinking but she can recognize that as something almost like defeat, or at the very least that she needs to let this go.
She doesn't try to get him to look up but she does take a step back to give him some space, hands folding behind her back as her lips turn down in a small frown.]
…maybe I don't know anything. [She doesn't know what the hell happened, that's for sure.] But I do know that maybe you should still leave that choice up to him. You can't change how people think of you, Leon…you can only try to be better.
[But she's not forcing advice on him. Not when he's…well, Leon. So instead she bows her own head.] Thank you for telling off the vendor. We should keep going so we're not crowding the area, don't you think?
[Try to be better... it's almost laughable, really. Lili had said something like that too, if harsher. Why don't you try to be better. Why don't you improve.
He's dead.
There's no improving left for him. It's just a bitter murmur at that.]
It's too late for that.
[... But, well. She changes the subject, and he'll roll with that--it's less emotionally charged, and a way for both of them to recover.]
... Yes, this way. [May as well go...SOMEWHERE. Whatever is this way, Leon doesn't know, he's just trying to be anywhere but here, talking about this.]
[...she wants to argue. She wants to tell him it's not too late since he's here and there's always room to be better for people and for himself, but she knows she has to try another day. She doesn't think Leon would do more than snarl at her, but she also wouldn't entirely bet on it just yet. They still don't know each other that well.
What more can she say? So instead...she wordlessly follows in the same direction to walk off and leave the conversation behind. She can give him that much.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
And, as per usual, he scoffs.]
Don't tell me what to do. You have no right to do so.
[That's the first thing he addresses.]
I can say whatever I want, and I will do so, regardless of whether I have your permission or not.
no subject
no subject
[Leon just crosses his arms, meeting Rise's eyes.]
There are too many people who would like nothing more than to be in my good graces for no reason but to get something from me. If someone is going to be put off by some harsh words and a lack of false politeness, then I have no interest in dealing with them anyway.
[It was probably just another person who wanted to use him and his position--that's what he thinks.]
no subject
[Rise is clueless, it's fine.] Not everyone is out to get something from you. A lot of people are, sure, but that's why you have people on your side to help you fend off those people.
no subject
You must be joking. That is all anyone has ever wanted from me. [Except...for Stahn and the rest of the party, after awhile.......
But they're exceptions.]
I am the son of a wealthy, influential man, a person of status and a knight of renown. That was all it ever was--the fawning, the faux politeness, the fake kindnesses. They were all attempts to get something from me, and I hate people like that.
[Y'know... Issues.]
I don't have time to waste with people and their self-serving lies.
no subject
If there's one thing I've learned about people like that? They give up after the first or second time you shut them down because they don't want to bother wasting their time either. You're right. They're self-serving. [The paparazzi who'd tried to crowd around the tofu shop for a glance at her were all self-serving and she ignored them well enough.] But when people keep trying even after that I don't think it's about wanting something from you. At least not status-based or anything you can heavily influence because of who your family is or what your job is.
[Leon your Issues are bigger than you are, it's so strange to her.] You eventually figure out which people are self-serving and which people actually care.
no subject
Do you think I don't know that? It is simple enough to find out whose intentions are less than sincere.
[The problem is that he's a paranoid kid after all of this, so....well, it's hard to believe that anyone's intentions could be pure.]
Anyone who keeps trying for no apparent good reason is a fool, and nothing more than that. [A fool... but maybe a sincere fool, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He doesn't understand why someone would keep trying, so it's hard for him to feel entirely negative about it despite his words.]
no subject
[This is such a losing battle...but she can't walk away from Leon and let him win!!!]
no subject
Do not attempt to tell me what a knight should be focused on. [Though he seems almost amused more than irritated at that. Honestly, Rise, you're an idol. He's hardly the best of knights, but please.]
My rank is one of the reasons people seek me out for those less than genuine purposes. I have the right to protect myself and my reputation.
no subject
[But she gives him a mildly perplexed look.] Of course you have the right to protect yourself. But like I said, if people are still trying? They're most likely the ones who won't be there to take advantage of you. [A shrug.] Stahn seems nice enough.
no subject
Why.
Leon immediately tenses, scoffing.]
He is a buffoon who does not realize that being so open and friendly is only asking for trouble. He should not be used as an example of anything.
[Because Leon's pretty sure he's one of a kind.]
no subject
Except for an example of being foolish? [Leon, you're not making your case well. She doesn't think Stahn's foolish at all.] He hasn't run into real trouble with you has he?
no subject
... Except. Well. Rise's probably going to regret asking that question because... well, it could be argued that Stahn has run into nothing but trouble since meeting Leon. Aside from the fact that Leon was the one to capture and imprison him in the first place, Stahn has only ever been hurt for Leon's sake. Pushing him aside to protect him from basilisks when he'd done nothing to deserve that sort of loyalty, putting his fate into Leon's hands when....well, Leon had never made it anything but clear that the only thing that mattered was the mission...
... But most of all, once they had finally begun to get along, once they had finally maybe actually become-- well, friends, not that Leon could ever admit that... that had been when Leon had done the worst of all, and had betrayed them all. He'd betrayed Stahn, he'd tried to kill Stahn, and the fact that he'd known he couldn't possibly have won against the entire party didn't count for anything. He'd still tried.
If anything, meeting Leon had to have been one of the worst things to ever happen to Stahn. His breath hitches despite himself, though he just ducks his head to hide his face.]
... You don't know anything. Stop making assumptions as though you do. He--
[He, like Marian, like Chaltier, like all of the others, would have been so much better off if he'd never met Leon at all.]
--he is a fool who doesn't realize that opening himself up to the worst of people [to people like Leon] will only hurt him in the end.
no subject
She doesn't try to get him to look up but she does take a step back to give him some space, hands folding behind her back as her lips turn down in a small frown.]
…maybe I don't know anything. [She doesn't know what the hell happened, that's for sure.] But I do know that maybe you should still leave that choice up to him. You can't change how people think of you, Leon…you can only try to be better.
[But she's not forcing advice on him. Not when he's…well, Leon. So instead she bows her own head.] Thank you for telling off the vendor. We should keep going so we're not crowding the area, don't you think?
no subject
He's dead.
There's no improving left for him. It's just a bitter murmur at that.]
It's too late for that.
[... But, well. She changes the subject, and he'll roll with that--it's less emotionally charged, and a way for both of them to recover.]
... Yes, this way. [May as well go...SOMEWHERE. Whatever is this way, Leon doesn't know, he's just trying to be anywhere but here, talking about this.]
no subject
What more can she say? So instead...she wordlessly follows in the same direction to walk off and leave the conversation behind. She can give him that much.]