#rivervale_lodge

A blink. "Uh...Dagmar? I don't think Adam is gonna try to kiss anybody he doesn't want to kiss."

Purple.

"No. That he had to ask, and always... I mean... that I don't act normal."

"Ohh....you mean, that you were reluctant? Um...not interested?"

She looks distressed, expression taut. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore."

"I...I'm not judging or anything," Sylvi frowns, looking concerned. "But...yeah, okay. Sorry."

"Really. I'm sorry." Quieter.

"I can't explain it right. It's stupid."

A pause. "It's not." Quiet. True.

"I can't explain it right!"

"...can you keep explaining it wrong, until maybe you come around to getting it right?"

"It... I don't... I don't like it when people are too nice. Especially boys. When things seem too good."

"It's.. it's like.. it's... there's something you're missing."

"Like...it's a trick? A trap?"

"....yeah..."

"But...you're Gwydion. Doesn't that help know when they mean what they say?"

"No."

"Oh." She thinks about that. "I always thought it would."

"I didn't... I dunno, it was lots of things."

A pause. "Someday...there's probably going to be a person who it doesn't feel like a trap with."

"I dunno. I might just be broken."

"I think...you might be dented," A gentle joke.

A soft chuff.

"But not broken."

"Maybe just this one part is?"

"This one part....?"

"The dating part."

Sylvi looks at her thoughtfully. "Well...what about...." She stops.

"About?"

"Well...I don't want to jinx it...."

"I don't want to date anyone."

"...not even somebody who makes you feel comfortable and...happy?"

"Definitely not that."

"Because then it'll get weird and scary."

"Well...yeah...." Sylvi sighs. "But...seelie code, right? Love conquers all?"

Sigh.

"It's scary, but...it's real. When it happens. And pretending it isn't would be like...well, lying to the Dreaming."

"Well, there's other kinds of love, too."

"Totally." Sylvi's found her appetite for her cookie again.

"So...okay...you love your folks...and you love the animals around here...and you love your duty...and....?"

She nods. "I love it here, yeah."

"And friends, right?"

She nods. "And friends, yeah."

Sylvi grins a bit...that don't want to jinx it look again.

"This is the longest I've been anywhere, except from when I was too little to remember."

"Well, if you can't remember, then it doesn't really count."

"Guess not."

Then a blink. "Oh...so, if a relationship goes bad, you're afraid you wouldn't be able to stay here?"

"I mean... not... not me dating, no. But, I mean, if something happens with Tove and Jaymes, probably."

"I...don't see how....?"