[ For a moment Alistair's face darkens—not dangerously, probably, because anyone who knows him likely also knows he'd sooner walk away in a sulk than throw a punch in anger. But there's always the danger he'll start yelling. Fortunately Nathaniel catches himself before that point. The darkness subsides. He crosses his arms and keeps his mouth shut to let him finish. ]
It's probably the right outcome, [ he concedes, since Nathaniel gave him one, and because it's true, ] except for how it leaves me alone with you. But it wasn't your call. And if it's what we're doing, we have to tell everyone, not let them whisper about it, and try to let her keep some dignity. [ He gets quieter. ] Maybe she doesn't want to, I don't know, show weakness in front of you. She's just been stabbed in the back by the only people I've ever seen her let her guard down for. And I'm fairly sure my back hurts her more than it hurts me. It's not going to happen again.
[Nathaniel's gaze falls. There is some strain of resentment, even envy, that Alistair has as good a relationship with Teren as anyone. Nathaniel, meanwhile, doesn't get along with either. Out of the three of them, he is the misfit, unliked by the other two and scarcely able to agree on the color of an orange. He never expected Teren would be the one to be asked to step down.
He shakes his head.] If I try and repair matters with her, I'll make it worse. Can you...?
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It's probably the right outcome, [ he concedes, since Nathaniel gave him one, and because it's true, ] except for how it leaves me alone with you. But it wasn't your call. And if it's what we're doing, we have to tell everyone, not let them whisper about it, and try to let her keep some dignity. [ He gets quieter. ] Maybe she doesn't want to, I don't know, show weakness in front of you. She's just been stabbed in the back by the only people I've ever seen her let her guard down for. And I'm fairly sure my back hurts her more than it hurts me. It's not going to happen again.
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He shakes his head.] If I try and repair matters with her, I'll make it worse. Can you...?