I do not know how to be anything less than direct. [In fact, it can get very confusing when mortals insist on not being direct themselves. How is he supposed to understand them if they won't make themselves easily understood?
Although Isabela is right to be concerned. Justice doesn't understand how quickly his mannerisms will have him ostracized from the native population.
Justice softens at her description of the ocean.] I have only ever seen the ocean from the shore. It is indeed beautiful.
[He probably could have spent all day staring at it if he didn't have work to do.
He cocks his head at the smile comment, his brow furrowing ever so slightly.] Do you believe that smiling would put more mortals at ease? It does not come naturally to me. [Beat.] Wait, does this body qualify as handsome? I cannot tell.
[That seems like the kind of thing that might be useful to know about this new form.]
Nothing wrong with direct if that works for you, just maybe ease on it a little here and there. You'll find most people don't like hearing the truth.
[Pot meet kettle, but it's a general fact she figures it might help him to know so less interactions like the shopkeeper happen less. She just shrugs knowing that she's the last person to ever be open and direct but being a people person enough to be able talk her way out of most things gives her some standing on advice.
She laughs, smile on her lips wistful and longing as she thinks of being out beyond the horizon. Someday soon, she'll make sure of it.]
Wait until you've had a chance to actually be out on it. It'll ruin you for land travel, there's nothing else quite like it.
[She looks at him with a look of disbelief when he mentions his looks. Did he really not know? Had he even seen himself since he'd woken up here? And here she'd thought it had been obvious.]
You really aren't aware then? [She's a little surprised even though the obvious 'well of course he doesn't know, he was a corpse before' thought rings in her head. She'd seen first hand what demons could look like, so then what did spirits look like in the Fade? She feels a little embarrassed at first for once in her blatant flirtations, but she just laughs it off. How to explain, how to explain...] You've certainly got a bit of charm to you. A little on the the scruffy side sure, but it works for you. People do generally like it when others smile though, so it might help if you practice. That serious look of yours might do it for some people too, now that I think about it. Makes you look mysterious.
If someone does not like to hear the truth, is that not greater evidence that they must?
[Justice dips his head. He has tried rowing across a body of water, but maybe that's not the same as sailing across the ocean.
She seems surprised that he hasn't noticed the quality of his appearance. He has trouble telling human faces apart sometimes, and still hasn't quite grasped what makes one aesthetically pleasing and another disturbing.] Spirits do not pay attention to appearance because ours can always change. I do not know what constitutes a conventionally attractive mortal.
If you believe that smiling would put mortals at ease, I suppose I can attempt it. [And what follows is most decidedly not a smile, though he tries to make one. What he ends up with is more of a tense grimace.]
Usually, but that doesn't mean they want to hear it any more than they need to. You've got to be careful with your wording there, make it sound a little nicer when you call someone out on their problems.
[Well, that definitely answers her question. Of course they could change, she hadn't even thought of that. If demons could do it why not spirits after all? She at least figures with Justice being well, Justice it was for a good cause or whatever they did in the Fade. She makes a note to ask him about it sometime, he knew more of the Fade than she'd ever know in her lifetime.]
Some would say that I count as one If you want an example. [Others well...she isn't phased much by the terms slattern or pirate whore from those that disagreed with her appearance.] The body you woke up in certainly counts as one if you ask me. Of course, being who you are I'm not worried about it getting to your head with how humble and focused you are on other things. But you look good! The not rotting bit is really doing wonders for you.
[She tries really, really hard not to laugh. He's trying his best and she knows that, and it's as adorable as a baby animal learning to walk for the first time. She does end up laughing just a little though, patting his shoulder in a mix of sympathy and apology.] Sorry, sorry. It's certainly a good start though, but definitely keep practicing at it. Really give those muscles a nice break from frowning all the time.
How do I make it sound nicer while remaining honest?
[Justice would love to learn how to say things in a way that mortals won't take badly, but he finds that a lot of mortals lie to smooth out social situations and he can't do that.
Justice looks Isabela up and down, but there's none of the lasciviousness that Isabela may associate with the gesture. It's more like a person studying a textbook, trying to understand important bits of information.] I am uncertain what physical features we have uncommon, beyond dark hair.
[It doesn't quite occur to Justice that there may be different beauty standards between men and women, and that attractiveness isn't necessarily a collection of universally enjoyed facial features.
Justice is already back to his usual neutral frown, like he can only stand trying to smile for so long.] My muscles do not feel tired from frowning.
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Although Isabela is right to be concerned. Justice doesn't understand how quickly his mannerisms will have him ostracized from the native population.
Justice softens at her description of the ocean.] I have only ever seen the ocean from the shore. It is indeed beautiful.
[He probably could have spent all day staring at it if he didn't have work to do.
He cocks his head at the smile comment, his brow furrowing ever so slightly.] Do you believe that smiling would put more mortals at ease? It does not come naturally to me. [Beat.] Wait, does this body qualify as handsome? I cannot tell.
[That seems like the kind of thing that might be useful to know about this new form.]
no subject
[Pot meet kettle, but it's a general fact she figures it might help him to know so less interactions like the shopkeeper happen less. She just shrugs knowing that she's the last person to ever be open and direct but being a people person enough to be able talk her way out of most things gives her some standing on advice.
She laughs, smile on her lips wistful and longing as she thinks of being out beyond the horizon. Someday soon, she'll make sure of it.]
Wait until you've had a chance to actually be out on it. It'll ruin you for land travel, there's nothing else quite like it.
[She looks at him with a look of disbelief when he mentions his looks. Did he really not know? Had he even seen himself since he'd woken up here? And here she'd thought it had been obvious.]
You really aren't aware then? [She's a little surprised even though the obvious 'well of course he doesn't know, he was a corpse before' thought rings in her head. She'd seen first hand what demons could look like, so then what did spirits look like in the Fade? She feels a little embarrassed at first for once in her blatant flirtations, but she just laughs it off. How to explain, how to explain...] You've certainly got a bit of charm to you. A little on the the scruffy side sure, but it works for you. People do generally like it when others smile though, so it might help if you practice. That serious look of yours might do it for some people too, now that I think about it. Makes you look mysterious.
no subject
[Justice dips his head. He has tried rowing across a body of water, but maybe that's not the same as sailing across the ocean.
She seems surprised that he hasn't noticed the quality of his appearance. He has trouble telling human faces apart sometimes, and still hasn't quite grasped what makes one aesthetically pleasing and another disturbing.] Spirits do not pay attention to appearance because ours can always change. I do not know what constitutes a conventionally attractive mortal.
If you believe that smiling would put mortals at ease, I suppose I can attempt it. [And what follows is most decidedly not a smile, though he tries to make one. What he ends up with is more of a tense grimace.]
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[Well, that definitely answers her question. Of course they could change, she hadn't even thought of that. If demons could do it why not spirits after all? She at least figures with Justice being well, Justice it was for a good cause or whatever they did in the Fade. She makes a note to ask him about it sometime, he knew more of the Fade than she'd ever know in her lifetime.]
Some would say that I count as one If you want an example. [Others well...she isn't phased much by the terms slattern or pirate whore from those that disagreed with her appearance.] The body you woke up in certainly counts as one if you ask me. Of course, being who you are I'm not worried about it getting to your head with how humble and focused you are on other things. But you look good! The not rotting bit is really doing wonders for you.
[She tries really, really hard not to laugh. He's trying his best and she knows that, and it's as adorable as a baby animal learning to walk for the first time. She does end up laughing just a little though, patting his shoulder in a mix of sympathy and apology.] Sorry, sorry. It's certainly a good start though, but definitely keep practicing at it. Really give those muscles a nice break from frowning all the time.
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[Justice would love to learn how to say things in a way that mortals won't take badly, but he finds that a lot of mortals lie to smooth out social situations and he can't do that.
Justice looks Isabela up and down, but there's none of the lasciviousness that Isabela may associate with the gesture. It's more like a person studying a textbook, trying to understand important bits of information.] I am uncertain what physical features we have uncommon, beyond dark hair.
[It doesn't quite occur to Justice that there may be different beauty standards between men and women, and that attractiveness isn't necessarily a collection of universally enjoyed facial features.
Justice is already back to his usual neutral frown, like he can only stand trying to smile for so long.] My muscles do not feel tired from frowning.