There is a deep, fundamental problem, here. Phillip is an Ascian and their stated goals and the continued safety of this world are not things that can coexist. Gustavain has already made the choice on which side of that divide he stands, even though he's deeply conflicted about needing to destroy the Ascians to do it. There's neither victory nor joy in it and hasn't been from the beginning, only a deep, deep sadness, burrowing into his soul, each time one of them falls. He does not want to do this.
Even so, he will do what he can to protect this world, the people he cares about in it. He has made that choice. Phillip... hasn't, at least not to his knowledge. His choice has been, so far, to not really be involved in either, to just be and while there's nothing Gustavain can find to disrespect in that, he also doesn't believe for even a moment that there won't come a point where Phillip will have to chose a side-- where inaction is no longer a place of neutrality, but a choice itself-- all that is needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. And he genuinely doesn't know which side Phillip will choose when that time comes.
And, too, he's enough of a pragmatist to realize that all Phillip would have to do here is lie and Gustavain is much easier pickings. He doesn't think he's lying, not really, but the Ascians are masters of deceit. It would be easy to lie to him, he thinks, when it's one he so desperately wants to believe.
All of that fuels into the kiss, turns it heated and searching and there's something defiant about that, too, as though he's waiting for Hydaelyn to strike him down, or that Ascians to burst in the door for a fight.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-04-11 09:57 pm (UTC)Even so, he will do what he can to protect this world, the people he cares about in it. He has made that choice. Phillip... hasn't, at least not to his knowledge. His choice has been, so far, to not really be involved in either, to just be and while there's nothing Gustavain can find to disrespect in that, he also doesn't believe for even a moment that there won't come a point where Phillip will have to chose a side-- where inaction is no longer a place of neutrality, but a choice itself-- all that is needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. And he genuinely doesn't know which side Phillip will choose when that time comes.
And, too, he's enough of a pragmatist to realize that all Phillip would have to do here is lie and Gustavain is much easier pickings. He doesn't think he's lying, not really, but the Ascians are masters of deceit. It would be easy to lie to him, he thinks, when it's one he so desperately wants to believe.
All of that fuels into the kiss, turns it heated and searching and there's something defiant about that, too, as though he's waiting for Hydaelyn to strike him down, or that Ascians to burst in the door for a fight.