[ It's difficult to balance absolute nonchalance with the intensity of interest Paul shows as Daniel explains. He pivots on his heel to face him, but tries to look casual about doing so. If he had something to lean on, he would.
The idea of creating a family without formalities is what seems to catch him up most, his brows furrowing faintly as he considers it. A family where certain members are subject to the whims of another family with rights in the law over them has an inherent uncertainty to it that he doesn't quite understand how anyone could tolerate.
But then again, Daniel and Johnny's world also seems to lack formalized blood feuds, so Paul has long since accepted that the way they handle interpersonal affairs is much more ad hoc than he's used to. It's a funny way to organize a society, but it's not his place to pass judgment.
(And perhaps there's something there, in the inverse: that a family can be nurtured in the wild, not cultivated to a form. A kind of poetry whose rhythm he doesn't know.) ]
It does make sense.
[ A slight softness has entered his tone, and it's as if, at least for now, that he's forgotten Daniel is supposed to be a rival to his teacher. ]
So how do you decide that? Or - how do you know, if they feel that way about you, too? Do you just...ask?
no subject
The idea of creating a family without formalities is what seems to catch him up most, his brows furrowing faintly as he considers it. A family where certain members are subject to the whims of another family with rights in the law over them has an inherent uncertainty to it that he doesn't quite understand how anyone could tolerate.
But then again, Daniel and Johnny's world also seems to lack formalized blood feuds, so Paul has long since accepted that the way they handle interpersonal affairs is much more ad hoc than he's used to. It's a funny way to organize a society, but it's not his place to pass judgment.
(And perhaps there's something there, in the inverse: that a family can be nurtured in the wild, not cultivated to a form. A kind of poetry whose rhythm he doesn't know.) ]
It does make sense.
[ A slight softness has entered his tone, and it's as if, at least for now, that he's forgotten Daniel is supposed to be a rival to his teacher. ]
So how do you decide that? Or - how do you know, if they feel that way about you, too? Do you just...ask?
[ A dubious, exotic concept, clearly. ]