exsilium | [Video; backdated a week to September 3]

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[Video; backdated a week to September 3]

[Filtered FROM Symphonia castmates and all occupants of Unit 103]
[The video opens to a teenage boy; those familiar with Aster/

ainsophaured may notice that he looks just about identical to Aster save for his clothing. Currently he looks hesitant, not quite sure this is actually a good idea.]

Hey, um, I'm sorry to bother everyone, but I have a problem. Sort of.

[He looks to the side briefly.]

What do you do if...if there's someone you think likes you, like a crush or something, but you don't like them the same way? But you don't want them to feel sad, and - well, making them sad might get you in trouble too. Not that it's the only reason you don't want them to be sad! But...

[He sighs.]

I know it's not most people's problems, but I don't know what to do. This is something I can't talk to some of my friends about. I was wondering if anyone else knew.

Um...thank you.

[The video cuts out quickly after that. Time to see whether or not this was actually a good idea.]

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[In Asbel's experience so far, it's rare for Emil to talk about his problems, so this must be a VERY serious situation. Asbel also happens to be completely out of his league with this particular variety of crisis.]

Um. Well, I suppose you could always start by talking to this person and trying to find out for certain how they feel.

[Just in case they don't? But okay, he knows he'd probably be too nervous to take a direct approach like that himself, particularly if he didn't want to hurt someone.]

So the problem here is finding a way to tell this person you only think of them as a friend without making them and everyone else upset, right?

Right. I...think I'm right, because I had a friend who used to do act a little like she did. But I don't know how to ask without making things worse for sure.

[So having Emil ask is out of the question, then.]

[Hmmm.] You could always get someone else to talk to her, I guess?

But finding a good solution might depend on the person. Some girls are really sensitive, you know? Or they get angry easily...

[Asbel scratches the back of his head.]

Mind if I ask who it is?

Edited 2013-09-12 14:37 (UTC)

Um...have you ever met Seles?

[He's not sure how much Asbel knows about her and Kaneis/Zelos, but just her first name should be safe. There can't be too many people with that name here.]

Yeah, I know Seles.

Isn't she Kaneis' sister? He mentioned that his sister was here, and she was staying in his room back when she got sick that time, so I thought that might be her.

[~~He's just going to ignore all that harem crap from earlier. Kaneis wouldn't do anything to a defenseless young girl! Besides, they look a bit alike, too.~~ In any case, if this is the same Seles, then Asbel definitely knows who they're talking about. Actually, the particles that form an idea are beginning to align...]

Yeah, that's her.

[Okay, so that's a safe topic. Sort of.]

Please don't tell either of them about this. They're both my friends, and Kaneis is...well, scary when it comes to his sister.

[Somehow a scary Kaneis isn't hard to imagine. But after a moment, he nods.]

All right, I won't. Come to think of it, you might not want to mention it around Cheria either... [For reasons.]

[But hmm. Thinking.]

Seles seems very particular about things. Like, I don't know, her tastes are kind of refined? And she has strong opinions. So maybe there's a specific reason why she started to like you.

I'm pretty sure it's because I helped her once, when the United Earth attacked the city. Kaneis told me she said I saved her, and then she started acting, um...

[Yeah. Emil scratches his head, looking embarrassed again.]

Like I said, I know someone who used to do something like that.

Then maybe she feels indebted. It sounds like you saved her life, right? Or at least she believes you did.

[At least he has experience dealing with something like that as opposed to people crushing on him. ~~Or so he thinks.~~]

Um. Something like what? Besides acting weird, I mean. Can you be a little more specific?

[What is girls. What is things girls do. What is suspicious things girls do when they like boys.]

Well, she kept asking all these questions about me. That wasn't bad, but then she'd say something about me, like I was this great person, and with everything else it reminded me a lot of the friend I was talking about.

[And there Emil starts to turn a bit red.]

At first, Marta always said she loved me because of a rescue I didn't even remember. I guess...I'm afraid Seles is doing the same thing, and I don't know what to do.

[Not to mention the other reasons falling in love with a summon spirit is a bad idea, but that's a conversation for another time!]

[Okay, well that's something he's seen before. In fact, Raymond comes to mind. (Ever since a particular incident, he's been acting seriously weird around Cheria. Weirder.) Is that how people normally behave when they like someone?]

It'd be hard not to make a comparison. But Seles and your friend Marta are different, so there isn't any guarantee things will turn out the way they did before, right?

Maybe you could downplay the rescue or something, show her that you're just like any other person. Give her an opportunity to repay the favor?

[Man, this is a tough problem.] I dunno. The more I think about it, the more talking just seems like it'd be best.

[He pauses, and his next words are a bit awkward, as if he's speaking from experience.]

I...realize that's way easier said than done, but... Well, at least then you'd have a chance to be honest with her about your concerns. I'm sure she'd understand if you explained to her that you still value her friendship.

Do you think that would work?

[Well, even Marta understood after a while. The two of them had a rocky path, but they got there. So maybe Asbel's right.]

Maybe...that won't be so bad.

[He hopes.]

Well, um. You're kind of asking the wrong person here... I usually don't spend a whole lot of time wondering whether something will work out or not.

[But.]

I think you should go with what you feel is the right thing to do. Even if it's not the easiest one.

The right thing?

[If only he knew which that was. This is a step, at least.]

All right. Thank you, Asbel.

[A nod.] The thing that feels right.

[But what can you expect from this guy, really?]

Anytime. Good luck, Emil.

[You wanted Jade's help, right? We know you did.]

My, Emil. I hope you're certain this won't get back to the individual in question. It can be very hurtful to hear that someone you care for is seeking outside help to 'deal with' you.

[Jade gets a lot of stammering for his help.]

Th-that's not what I meant!

[Getting relationship advice from Korra is totally what you needed.]

Did they say they like you? What's making you think they do?

[Advice is advice, right? Maybe.]

Well, I helped her out once and after that her brother said she talked a lot about me. Then we went out to lunch a while ago and she kept asking all these questions...

[Emil looks very embarrassed by now.]

She reminds me of someone I knew back home, and that person was definitely in love. But I still don't know what to do about it.

If she hasn't said anything yet, then just try not to lead her on for now. But something to think about: communicating directly is going to help out everyone involved in the long run, even if it's kind of sucky at first.

[SHE SHOULD KNOW...]

Edited 2013-09-13 03:20 (UTC)

I know I have to do something, but I don't know what to say that won't hurt her. I don't even know how not to lead her on.

[Whatever that means. Is that like the time Seles told him to pick where they ate for lunch?]

The fact that you consciously don't want to is probably a good place to start. The best you can do is direct your actions honestly, you know? As for what to say... I'm not sure you can really get out of this without breaking her heart, to be honest with you.

[That really isn't what he was hoping to hear! His next statement is quiet, more to himself than anyone.]

...I'm screwed.

[He quickly corrects himself after that, though.]

Um, never mind. Thank you.

Don't you worry. Evvvverybody goes through it, and everyone comes out of it all just fine. I promise.

I don't know...I'm not sure there's any way I'm not going to get into a lot of trouble.

At least the upside is that trouble builds character. Something like that, anyhow.

I'd rather go without it. Se - um, my friend is going to be bad enough...

So it's other people you're worried about.

Well, I'm worried about how my friend is going to feel if I tell her. But...yes. If I hurt her, then another friend of mine is probably going to find out and then things will get even worse.

[Emil looks pretty bothered by the prospect.]

Then again, if I do that to begin with, maybe I'll deserve whatever happens.

Hey now, breaking someone's heart doesn't necessarily mean you're doing a bad thing. You don't deserve anything less for not reciprocating someone's feelings. The only way you could be doing something wrong is if you were dishonest with them, and it doesn't sound like your heart is anywhere near that bad place.

[:( this coming from someone whose last experience in a relationship led to her being dumped, but she totally gets you bro.]

Don't beat yourself up about it.

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