" - you do realize that people don't typically end up having sex unless at least one of them wants to have sex, right - "

“I don’t ... think that’s right? Or I think you can start out not wanting to and then suddenly want to at some point, at least.”

"Unless at least one of them is actively weighing the advantages of having sex, then. And if neither of you is a rapist then it takes both of you. I'm - not actually worried about this, here. Unless Osirians are actually bizarrely bad at self-control beyond their usual fences.

"...and I kind of think I wouldn't be very worried even if they were."

“I’d just - feel really stupid if I did exactly the things everyone says you shouldn’t do or you’ll have sex and then that happened and then I tried to be like “but, see, I didn’t mean to”...”

"I'm not gonna have sex with you in this carriage while you don't know what you want. This is - sort of what I was trying to communicate when I apparently made you very sad. I'm really very sure of this."

“Okay. I - that doesn’t make me sad.” Snuggle.

"Oh good." Snuggle.

“You’re very good.”

"So are you. I don't think I have very ridiculous taste at all."

“I was honestly kind of puzzled why Elizabeth and Cecelia loved their mes when you did not love me and I felt like I was a pretty lovable variant of me. ...I know this is not how love works.”

"Pff. Well - I dunno you that well. Also you keep telling me what a terrible idea it is."

“Those are good reasons but I didn’t think of them because I’m very stupid.”

...hug.

“Matt thought it might be their total lack of common sense, actually. He said that I kept trying to hide from you what a disaster I was but that if you couldn’t see what a disaster I was you’d hardly be clear on what I needed you for.”

"I guess I am maybe also unclear on that."

“Wait really? I feel like if nothing else I’ve succeeded at being a disaster in your vicinity and at failing to hide it.”

"You're terrible at talking to me in particular, I acknowledge that. I'm not sure that means I'm any good for you."

"You always come up with good ideas and good - ways of thinking about situations - and priorities and so on -"

"Gosh."

"'s why I keep picking stupid arguments with you - I like understanding how you think -"

Pff. Snuggle. "I see.

" - I keep - trying to just be happy about this and then slipping into worrying that I should be remembering this better because you might never hold me again after this - "

"I want to hold you forever and ever."

" - that sounds nice."

"Even if Elizabeth summons us back in the morning no problem I think I'll just - deal with everyone thinking I'm a horrible person."

"Not everyone. I suppose Fazil and Mahdi would make a lot of disapproving sounds."