[Nero wants him to swear that he won't lie to himself... because he's the sort of person who doesn't seem like he would in the first place? Estinien feels his own sort of exhaustion at this conceptually. He doesn't see what part of him would ever give the impression that he needed to make deceitful excuses and doesn't feel that Nero's immediate accusation was earned. He isn't going to apologize for what, to him, seemed to be an unreasonable assumption.
He doesn't know where Nero would get off demanding manners and respect from anyone, anyway, considering the way he acts. Even this barkeep doesn't want to serve him - though, through some mercy, he hasn't yet kicked him out of the establishment entirely. The things Nero said in their first meeting would warrant a duel in Ishgard, he's fairly certain.
It doesn't matter anyway, he decides. He'd wanted to see if Nero's boasts were true, to see if his own magic was just that much weaker Thorne's, but Nero's caution regarding the issue is its own kind of answer. As is all the latent nihilism that spilled out when agitated. He doesn't find it shocking or subversive, but it does give him an idea of what to expect from the man.
Both of the threats Nero has made thus far seem to be based on misunderstandings, but someday that may not be the case.
He stays at the counter, and only watches out of the corner of his eye as Nero heads back to his table. For the moment, all Estinien wants to do is eat his goddamn borscht and get out of here. ]
no subject
He doesn't know where Nero would get off demanding manners and respect from anyone, anyway, considering the way he acts. Even this barkeep doesn't want to serve him - though, through some mercy, he hasn't yet kicked him out of the establishment entirely. The things Nero said in their first meeting would warrant a duel in Ishgard, he's fairly certain.
It doesn't matter anyway, he decides. He'd wanted to see if Nero's boasts were true, to see if his own magic was just that much weaker Thorne's, but Nero's caution regarding the issue is its own kind of answer. As is all the latent nihilism that spilled out when agitated. He doesn't find it shocking or subversive, but it does give him an idea of what to expect from the man.
Both of the threats Nero has made thus far seem to be based on misunderstandings, but someday that may not be the case.
He stays at the counter, and only watches out of the corner of his eye as Nero heads back to his table. For the moment, all Estinien wants to do is eat his goddamn borscht and get out of here. ]