text; follow up survey

[indispensable]

Type: Text
Sender ID: vulturvolans (Alhaitham)
To: Public
Subject: Follow Up Survey
Warnings: Subtle unsubtle bragging, and Gay

This is Alhaitham.

I have a survey for people to respond to. Those who have filled up my previous survey from last year may consider this as a follow up of sorts to it—those who have not are free to respond to this one all the same. Regardless, there are similarly no restrictions or stipulations to the nature of the responder; the only thing that I request is for honesty when filling this in.

1) Are you currently in any sort of romantic relationship? (Arrangements made purely for physical reasons do not count.)
2) Does an institution of marriage exist in the world that you come from? Does it play any sort of significant cultural role? Feel free to describe as much or as little as you want.
3) Do you consider the idea of marriage important? What is the primary endgoal in any romantic relationship that you pursue?
4) What do you envision as your ideal future with a partner?
5) What does the concept of 'home' mean to you?

You are free to leave your answers in this post or direct them to my inbox. I will follow up on whatever answers that I feel are necessary.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

text; un: vulturvolans

[indispensable]

Kaveh has already explained it, but thank you for your answers, regardless.

I suppose given what you've explained of your culture thus far, something like marriage must seem quite different.

[inherlight]

Yes, your husband explained everything to me. Congratulations to you both.

We don't even have a word for it in my native language. Though I have heard of powerful Martians forming strong alliances between their Houses that would mimic what marriage is.

[indispensable]

Thank you.

Others have stated that marriage is treated as more of an alliance where they're from, so its not too dissimilar in that regard. But based on your answers, that isn't the kind of marriage you're interested in.

[inherlight]

Calling what drow have as an alliance is being generous. To true anyone fully would be foolish. But you're right, its not. I don't want fear and mistrust to always be my bedfellow. It would be nice to be in love, to be able to trust someone so completely. I thought I had that once.

[indispensable]

You don't necessarily need to be romantically involved with somebody to fully trust them, though I won't deny the strong correlation that inevitably exists between the two.

[There's nobody else he would trust as much as he would with Kaveh, after all, but that's not to say there are others he can also trust... its just that none of them are here now, so.]

[inherlight]

No, you're are completely right. I have had allies that I would trust my life to. It's just a deeper intimacy to bare yourself with another person. To feel that love reflected back at you. That's something I'm missing.

Sorry, I don't know if this is making any sense. Maybe I have read one too many love stories.

[indispensable]

It's fine. I do understand what you're trying to get at.

[Alhaitham did read a fair amount of romance novels back in the day to understand the concept of love himself too... and as a man who studies languages he also knows the limitations of them as well. Even knowing twenty languages is hardly enough to express what he feels for Kaveh most of the time.]

I hope that is an experience you will be able to find here, then, if that is what you wish to look for.

[inherlight]

Me? Find love here?

[She was glad this was over text cause she flushed a deep shade of red.]

Oh no, no, no! I hardly think so. First there would have to be an interested party. And second, wouldn't it be a fleeting love? Seeing how we all are hoping to get home.

[indispensable]

[Sorry but also not sorry. Alhaitham just kind of just says things sometimes without realizing the chaos it brings.]

That depends on you. There's nothing stopping you from staying here to make a life of your own if that's what you prefer.

[It's pretty much what Cid and the people from his world are doing, after all. Which is understandable seeing the kind of life that awaits them if they ever were to return.]