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

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda stiffens.

Because no, she hasn't asked Darin. She hasn't even thought to ask Darin.

And even if she had, how exactly is she supposed to start such a conversation? Because marriage isn't exactly the kind of subject you can discuss casually, even if Zelda wasn't a princess and sovereign ruler of a kingdom. What is she supposed to say? "Hey Darin, how would you feel about being my consort? Hypothetically speaking, of course. Don't read into it."

How could he not read into it?? ]

No, of course not. How is one to ask such a thing? A question like, "What are your feelings about becoming my consort?", is not the sort of thing one asks on the whims of curiosity. That is the kind of question that would portend a marriage proposal!

[indispensable]

But is this person not somebody you desire to pursue a life with together? Then I don't see the reason why its not something to be asked. Better to be clear on expectations rather than make assumptions which will more than likely be untrue.

[Sorry Zelda but Alhaitham is of zero help here... Kaveh asked right on the spot and Alhaitham simply said yes because he saw no reason to say no. He's unfortunately kind of insane like that.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Actually, Alhaitham's bluntness is exactly the kind of help Zelda needs. She needs someone to challenge her, force her to acknowledge her presumptions about Darin and the viability of their relationship in the long term. ]

What does that matter? At the risk of potentially revealing my identity, I need to clarify that he and I come from different worlds. Any relationship we have can only be temporary.

[indispensable]

And yet you willingly pursued this relationship of yours despite knowing of its transience. That in turns begets the question of why this is something that is worth your consideration despite it.

[Just putting it out there, lady.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Ooof, right for the throat on that one.

This is exactly what Zelda told herself over and over again for months, that she shouldn't have a relationship with Darin because it could never be permanent. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop herself from falling for him. ]

I did willingly pursue the relationship, yes. What else was I to do? We discovered that we shared the same feelings for one another; our only choices were to engage with each other or sever all contact entirely. Can you honestly tell me you would have done the same with Kaveh, were the two of you in same situation as my lover and I?

[indispensable]

Of course not.

[Where others may struggle with that kind of decision, it is an easy one for Alhaitham. The future is of course a consideration, but in the end it is simply that—something to consider, and not an inevitability. The future is something that can and should be shaped by the ones who will live in it, not by something or someone else that dictates it for them. That he has always believed.]

But beyond the commitment to each other, it is also the commitment to ensure that we do not lose what we have here, regardless of what happens. Since we both chose this, then it is our responsibility to uphold it. What good is a choice if it is something that does not hold up to the conviction it'd been given?

[He chose Kaveh, and so he will do whatever he needs to do to ensure that he does not lose what he already have, even if it means going against what is regarded as the impossible. For what is choice if he cannot upload it for himself?]