[No hesitation. Just complete faith. The funny thing about being that young is... it's easier to make things happen simply because one believes in them. Amal isn't so old that he's out of touch, but he fell into the trap of becoming jaded, and wasted a few opportunities by doing so.]
Wow, really? A renowned thief! It's good to hear that he was able to turn everything around. Rapunzel must be truly special if she was able to do that for him and for you. [If Varian had decided to blame Rapunzel for everything, this might be a very different conversation.]
You—what. [His brain shorts out a little. Good person? Him? He turns a little red, his cheeks darkening and also the tips of his ears, which is a funny sight.] I-I'm not a good person, not really. I just... I've been through a lot, that's all.
[He pauses, then he holds out the arm that isn't involved in supporting Varian right now.]
If you look closely, you can see the scars underneath my tattoos. [Pale scarred skin from deep gashes, stab wounds, swords... even something like old shackle wounds around his wrists. They don't line up with the swirly tribal markings on top. Some of them are close, but the vast majority exist on their own, as if covering them was a concept he got bored of.] Every single one of these is a story. A lesson. I've been fighting like hell my whole life and it shows.
If I can keep someone else from going through this, it means I've done something with what I've been given. It won't make up for all the things I've done... but it makes it easier to sleep at night.
no subject
[No hesitation. Just complete faith. The funny thing about being that young is... it's easier to make things happen simply because one believes in them. Amal isn't so old that he's out of touch, but he fell into the trap of becoming jaded, and wasted a few opportunities by doing so.]
Wow, really? A renowned thief! It's good to hear that he was able to turn everything around. Rapunzel must be truly special if she was able to do that for him and for you. [If Varian had decided to blame Rapunzel for everything, this might be a very different conversation.]
You—what. [His brain shorts out a little. Good person? Him? He turns a little red, his cheeks darkening and also the tips of his ears, which is a funny sight.] I-I'm not a good person, not really. I just... I've been through a lot, that's all.
[He pauses, then he holds out the arm that isn't involved in supporting Varian right now.]
If you look closely, you can see the scars underneath my tattoos. [Pale scarred skin from deep gashes, stab wounds, swords... even something like old shackle wounds around his wrists. They don't line up with the swirly tribal markings on top. Some of them are close, but the vast majority exist on their own, as if covering them was a concept he got bored of.] Every single one of these is a story. A lesson. I've been fighting like hell my whole life and it shows.
If I can keep someone else from going through this, it means I've done something with what I've been given. It won't make up for all the things I've done... but it makes it easier to sleep at night.