[ Nina's gaze drops from his to his hand. This is the first time, she thinks, that he's reached for her -- aside from catching her when she was falling. He hadn't let her fall.
They were both still falling.
She knows what he's been taught, the hatred poured into a druskelle's soul like poison. She knew what he meant when he'd told her that she was not a woman.
He'd pulled her back up. And they were both still falling.
As much as she wants to bulldoze right through, to shout, 'Who decides what is unnatural?', that's not what will work right now, that's not what he needs.
He reached for her because he is falling.
Softly, in Fjerdan: ] I understand.
[ She looks back up at him, holds his gaze as she can not hold his hand. ]
You were taught that we were abominations. Unnatural. Against Djel. It must be so hard for you to even think about it being otherwise, to hear me when I tell you that what I do isn't against life, it's connected to life. You didn't grow up seeing all the good we can do, just hearing of the harm... And I know that there are Grisha who have done horrible things. I know it must be hard for you to consider if there's a difference between stopping a heart with a bullet or a look - to hear of something new now is not joyful for you. I understand. I do.
no subject
They were both still falling.
She knows what he's been taught, the hatred poured into a druskelle's soul like poison. She knew what he meant when he'd told her that she was not a woman.
He'd pulled her back up. And they were both still falling.
As much as she wants to bulldoze right through, to shout, 'Who decides what is unnatural?', that's not what will work right now, that's not what he needs.
He reached for her because he is falling.
Softly, in Fjerdan: ] I understand.
[ She looks back up at him, holds his gaze as she can not hold his hand. ]
You were taught that we were abominations. Unnatural. Against Djel. It must be so hard for you to even think about it being otherwise, to hear me when I tell you that what I do isn't against life, it's connected to life. You didn't grow up seeing all the good we can do, just hearing of the harm... And I know that there are Grisha who have done horrible things. I know it must be hard for you to consider if there's a difference between stopping a heart with a bullet or a look - to hear of something new now is not joyful for you. I understand. I do.