Seeing her alarm, her careful study of him in search of warning signs, he catches her hand a squeezes it gently. "I'm all right, Sheska, really. I promised, remember?"
Then his words sink in, and he can all but see her retreating from the very thought - and in an instant, he can see what his words and actions have done to her, this past year. He can see very clearly how Sheska finds herself unfit for a relationship, how she's positive she'll always screw it up and it will only make things worse. Asking her out, then saying he couldn't date her. That awful night when he turned her, and the casually possessive way he'd acted as a vampire. The near-kiss under the mistletoe. The dreams they'd shared, months later. What had happened that night at the club, and how she might have perceived the morning after - that was probably the worst offense. And most recently, his feelings toward Lin, and how he'd reacted when she left. There was more, of course, so much more. Looking back, he can see each step clearly, every one a blow to her image and her self-worth. He's been hurting her all this time, when all he's wanted is to do the right thing.
It's hard to understand how he never saw this before - this slow progression. Well, maybe he can't make up for what he's done, but the path ends here. His voice is gentle and compassionate, now. "I'd like to talk about us, Sheska. Is that all right?"
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Then his words sink in, and he can all but see her retreating from the very thought - and in an instant, he can see what his words and actions have done to her, this past year. He can see very clearly how Sheska finds herself unfit for a relationship, how she's positive she'll always screw it up and it will only make things worse. Asking her out, then saying he couldn't date her. That awful night when he turned her, and the casually possessive way he'd acted as a vampire. The near-kiss under the mistletoe. The dreams they'd shared, months later. What had happened that night at the club, and how she might have perceived the morning after - that was probably the worst offense. And most recently, his feelings toward Lin, and how he'd reacted when she left. There was more, of course, so much more. Looking back, he can see each step clearly, every one a blow to her image and her self-worth. He's been hurting her all this time, when all he's wanted is to do the right thing.
It's hard to understand how he never saw this before - this slow progression. Well, maybe he can't make up for what he's done, but the path ends here. His voice is gentle and compassionate, now. "I'd like to talk about us, Sheska. Is that all right?"