Answers #1 and #2.5
Aug. 25th, 2003 03:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
joiedecombatFrom the previously-explained meme. Both of these questions are for my Marvel Unlimited version of Squall Leonhart, angstpuppy hero of Final Fantasy VIII. Both of them include the character's more-or-less IC reply and my objective explanations, because Squall filters everything he says so much.
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thenowhere: What are your opinions on Rogue?
Squall is being very cautious about Rogue, partly because of her connection with Remy, but mostly because, on some level, her behavior reminds him of himself. He hasn't really consciously made that connection yet, but it makes him a little uneasy about her. After all, he doesn't particularly like himself. He tends not to like people who remind him of himself much, either.
The other aspect of that is that, since she holds back so much of herself, he's watching very carefully to try and figure out what it is she's hiding. That's not really suspicion, it's just Squall's driving need to make everything fit together into something he can understand. He tends to gain an understanding of most people pretty quickly, at least enough to satisfy him, but Rogue has been difficult. So he's watching her very carefully, trying to figure out what's underneath her shell.
Fromfireworkjubilee: Why am I not allowed to mention the whole boyfriend thing? Even to you?
In Squall's perception of the world, not only is caring strongly about someone dangerous, it's also a weakness that can be exploited by others. He's rigidly schooled himself not to show it when he's affected by something in a way that could be turned against him - pleasure, sympathy, sadness, love. The stronger the emotion, the more important it is to him that people not know about it. This is at least as much an instinctive compulsion as it is a rational consideration, maybe moreso, and is the root of some of his more erratic behavior.
Because he feels very strongly about Remy, he is compelled very strongly to keep what's between them private. As long as nobody knows about it, nobody can use it to get to him; it's safe from interference by others. Nobody can point out to Remy that he might be making a mistake. As long as it's a completely private matter, it has a level of security.
With Jubilee in particular, the situation is a little different. It's not that he thinks she'd interfere, it's just that, as he says, it's really not her business. It's not Squall's nature to talk about his feelings; the only one he's at all comfortable doing so with is, obviously, Remy. He's happier so long as he can pretend she doesn't know, but the truth is, he can accept her knowing about it, at least to a point. He just can't and won't accept it as a topic of conversation.
For a little context, observe that he's told Remy almost nothing about Rinoa - has said her name to him only once, and that was while extremely drunk - although he's opened up somewhat on other subjects.
From
thenowhere: What are your opinions on Rogue?I'm still not sure about that, really.
I don't hate her. She doesn't threaten me the way Jubilee seems to think she does. Not really. But there's a lot about her I still don't understand. The way she acts sometimes reminds me a little of Irvine, when he first joined our team in Galbadia. Playing it easy, making jokes, saying things that I don't think she really means - and I'm not sure what she does mean. She holds back, and I want to know why.
Of course, it could just be me. I don't exactly bring out the best in people.
There's another side to it, too. There've been times when she's kind of... nudged, at just the right moment, and I've given away more to her than I intended. Not often, but more than I'd like. And I don't know why. Either it's something in her... or it's something in me. And either way, I have no idea what it is, and that's dangerous. It's something I have to guard against, and I can't do that if I don't understand it.
Squall is being very cautious about Rogue, partly because of her connection with Remy, but mostly because, on some level, her behavior reminds him of himself. He hasn't really consciously made that connection yet, but it makes him a little uneasy about her. After all, he doesn't particularly like himself. He tends not to like people who remind him of himself much, either.
The other aspect of that is that, since she holds back so much of herself, he's watching very carefully to try and figure out what it is she's hiding. That's not really suspicion, it's just Squall's driving need to make everything fit together into something he can understand. He tends to gain an understanding of most people pretty quickly, at least enough to satisfy him, but Rogue has been difficult. So he's watching her very carefully, trying to figure out what's underneath her shell.
From
fireworkjubilee: Why am I not allowed to mention the whole boyfriend thing? Even to you?Because it's none of your business.
In Squall's perception of the world, not only is caring strongly about someone dangerous, it's also a weakness that can be exploited by others. He's rigidly schooled himself not to show it when he's affected by something in a way that could be turned against him - pleasure, sympathy, sadness, love. The stronger the emotion, the more important it is to him that people not know about it. This is at least as much an instinctive compulsion as it is a rational consideration, maybe moreso, and is the root of some of his more erratic behavior.
Because he feels very strongly about Remy, he is compelled very strongly to keep what's between them private. As long as nobody knows about it, nobody can use it to get to him; it's safe from interference by others. Nobody can point out to Remy that he might be making a mistake. As long as it's a completely private matter, it has a level of security.
With Jubilee in particular, the situation is a little different. It's not that he thinks she'd interfere, it's just that, as he says, it's really not her business. It's not Squall's nature to talk about his feelings; the only one he's at all comfortable doing so with is, obviously, Remy. He's happier so long as he can pretend she doesn't know, but the truth is, he can accept her knowing about it, at least to a point. He just can't and won't accept it as a topic of conversation.
For a little context, observe that he's told Remy almost nothing about Rinoa - has said her name to him only once, and that was while extremely drunk - although he's opened up somewhat on other subjects.
