The smile chases away the last of his fears for the moment, and Finel smiles back himself, warmer, broader, covering up the way that fluster had sent something flurrying pleasurably through his chest. Endearing seems a mild way to describe the effect it has.
"There is no fault in it. But you aren't alone."
With a final, gentle squeeze of his hand he releases his hold slowly, letting his arm settle against his side again as he leans away slightly.
"It does." Perhaps he has been too hasty himself, already reaching for such a word with a man he still, technically, hardly knows. Had another Dalish been within earshot, they likely would have had strong words for him using it to describe a human, no less. But Finel has never been particularly good at displaying his elven pride by keeping humans at arm's length.
"Lethallin is generally for men, lethallan for women, and lethallen can be used for anyone. It means friend, but many Dalish use it for those they consider good friends."
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"There is no fault in it. But you aren't alone."
With a final, gentle squeeze of his hand he releases his hold slowly, letting his arm settle against his side again as he leans away slightly.
"It does." Perhaps he has been too hasty himself, already reaching for such a word with a man he still, technically, hardly knows. Had another Dalish been within earshot, they likely would have had strong words for him using it to describe a human, no less. But Finel has never been particularly good at displaying his elven pride by keeping humans at arm's length.
"Lethallin is generally for men, lethallan for women, and lethallen can be used for anyone. It means friend, but many Dalish use it for those they consider good friends."