I can handle it. I've got it all under control. I know what I'm doing. You remember saying that a few minutes ago, and you are already regretting it. You have no idea how romance works, you don't even know how other people work, you just wanted to try to do something else for once instead of being the brawn of this operation. And, like you had guessed immediately after you accepted the 'quest' and read what you had to do, you are failing miserably.
The guy─his name is like, Briceus or something─he's obviously very nervous, and you're kind of intimidating appearance probably isn't helping the poor guy calm his nerves. You were half-tempted to just say screw it and have one of the more emotional and tactful members of your party deal with this, but the other half told you to prove your worth, show them you could do this just as much as they could or even better. That part is the part that wins, because you kind of really don't want to be just be the easily replaced member of this little triad you have going on. Not that Maggie would do that, but.. You're not so sure that other kalon is as fond as you as Maggie is.
You breathe in and sit yourself down across from him, trying to think of a good way to make this work. You just gotta boost the guy's confidence, you don't have to like... Hug him or pat him on the back and say 'Good job!' and everyone's smiles all around. You just gotta give him some reassurance, that's all.
Yeah... Yeah. You can do this. You can do this! You can't do this.
"SO, who is it you like again?" You ask, not really forgetting, but just trying to start a conversation so this doesn't become more awkward than it already is.
He points once again to a somewhat hidden kalon tucked in the back, and you're kind of glad for that because at least when you embarrass yourself you won't be doing it in the middle of the inn.
The kalon themself is, to you, not particularly special. From how he'd looked at them, you would have figured they were some kind of rarity or treasure among others, but in reality, they're.. Honestly kind of average. They've got a pretty normal brown shade of fur, with some stripey markings, and their eyes are somewhat hidden but they're a pretty average shade of forest green, if you're seeing that right. Their hair is a little long, kind of falls in their eyes, and their clothes were okay, but again, nothing special. You'd seen plenty of people with a similar style. So what was so intriguing to your 'friend' was beyond you, but you weren't about to question it. Beauty was, after all, in the eye of the beholder.
"Okay, so what do you like about them?" You lean on your hand a little, trying to figure out how to give someone with no spine a literal backbone. If you could take off your own feeble confidence and give it to the guy like a cape to wear for a few minutes, you would, but nothing is ever that easy.
"Well..." He starts, everything about him screaming insecure, nervous, afraid. Kind of reminds you of Maggie. Well, how do you cheer her up? Give her confidence?
I tell her what I like about her, and what others like about her, and then I.. Yeah.
"Well... I like... I like their hair.. And-and their fur looks pretty!.. And they have the most beautiful eyes! The deepest green I've ever seen!" He says dreamily, almost as if entranced by the images going through his head. You scoff a little, but nod nonetheless. Okay, that's a start. He's got something to compliment them on, which means that's taken care of.
"Okay, and they clearly like being here, because I'm willing to bet they come here a lot." You say, probably with more confidence than you have considering you don't actually know that at all.
"Y-Yes... I just! I'm just an innkeeper..." He trails off, looking very dejected all of the sudden.
"Hey, hey. Listen. You might 'just' be an innkeeper, but I'm willing to bet my whole life's savings you're one of the best darn inn keeps this town has ever seen. And you virtually run this place all by yourself! That's amazing, dude. You're doing all this by yourself, you gotta give yourself more credit than that!" While your speech seems to have had some effect, you can tell it's not enough. You need to go farther. Good thing your dad had a way with words, or else you'd have failed at this even worse than you have.
"And listen, you're a great guy. You've got a job, nice place, nice clothes, you look great, objectively speaking, and you've got pretty much everything people want in a guy. You've got this, you just gotta ask. You'll never know if you don't take the first step and reach out to them, Briceus." You use his full name at the end for more impact, and it looks like it helped significantly, because he's perked up and listening, looking like he's clinging to your every word. When you're done, you stand up abruptly and offer him your hand to help him out of his seat. Not that he needs it, but it's the nice thing to do.
Quietly, you whisper, "Now go get 'em tiger." and give him a nudge towards the mystery kalon. You turn your back and walk back to your party members, both of whom look varying levels of impressed. Hmmph. You knew you could do it.
"Quite the show, Miss Hofferson! You are indeed quite the Love Expert." She smiles slightly, not a very big smile, but it's one of the first times she's genuinely smiled at you, and you'll take it over her usual grimace or frown.
You grab yourself a rootbeer, plop down on a chair, and enjoy the rest of your evening, smiling to yourself at the sounds of eager chatter from a familiar inn keeper and the sound of soft, quiet footsteps moving back and fourth. Not to pat yourself on the back or anything but...
Yeah, you did good.
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