[Gale of Waterdeep is still, in many ways, a broken man. He has yet to fully reconcile what happened with Mystra, heartache finding him at his worst moments; it reminds him that she's only interested in how useful he can be, whether as a prodigy, as her Chosen, or as an explosive means to an end. Maybe she's always been that way, and he was just too blinded by his devotion for her to see it; maybe his transgression against her really did cause her to lose all faith in him. He's not sure he'll ever know.
Regardless of whether or not she ever felt anything for him as he did for her, her spurning has colored his perception of what it means to truly connect to people. Their leader talked him out of obliterating himself once, but when this was all over, and they went their separate ways, who would he have? If he can't do anything for others, why would they keep him around? And if he couldn't get rid of the orb, what would happen then?
He asks himself that in the moment Astarion seems to offer him a connection, and he finds himself afraid to take it. It's flirtatious, licentious, and he's not sure entirely sincere, but it's still something Gale didn't expect, even teasingly. He laughs quietly with a sober smile, just enough of a chuckle to push the air out of him.]
It's tempting, I'll admit...
[And yet, he turns it down - not because he doesn't trust Astarion, but because he doesn't want the vampire to realize he has nothing to offer. He manages to keep his tone light, though the somber look in his eyes likely speaks volumes.]
But this is probably best saved for when I'm not going to face my mother later in the evening.
Whoops, sorry that got long!
Regardless of whether or not she ever felt anything for him as he did for her, her spurning has colored his perception of what it means to truly connect to people. Their leader talked him out of obliterating himself once, but when this was all over, and they went their separate ways, who would he have? If he can't do anything for others, why would they keep him around? And if he couldn't get rid of the orb, what would happen then?
He asks himself that in the moment Astarion seems to offer him a connection, and he finds himself afraid to take it. It's flirtatious, licentious, and he's not sure entirely sincere, but it's still something Gale didn't expect, even teasingly. He laughs quietly with a sober smile, just enough of a chuckle to push the air out of him.]
It's tempting, I'll admit...
[And yet, he turns it down - not because he doesn't trust Astarion, but because he doesn't want the vampire to realize he has nothing to offer. He manages to keep his tone light, though the somber look in his eyes likely speaks volumes.]
But this is probably best saved for when I'm not going to face my mother later in the evening.