ejoslin wrote...
There are actually two reasons you can use to refuse the earring -- one is because you want the earring to mean something, the other is that you don't want the earring.
And Zevran DOES have a better way to say it. He is choosing not to at that point, for whatever reason. He just isn't being honest there. Again, I find the first offering of the earring hurtful. I totally understand you not seeing it that way and I do understand your point of view on it. It just has a different feel for me. With the first offering of the earring, he goes out of his way to say he's NOT giving it as a commitment, that you should NOT get the wrong idea, it's just his way of saying thank you. Of course I don't believe him, but what does accepting at that point say? That you won't get the wrong idea, that it's ok that a gift like that is a "thank you" and that you really don't expect anything more? It seems that way to me.
He has done his best to that point to make sure things are completely casual (to varying degrees of success depending on how you play it).
See, I don't think he's being honest at quite a few points in the game. The earring is ONE place. But with the earring, my warden has had enough of casual and is not willing to accept a gift that should have a lot of meaning unless that meaning can be spoken aloud. But that's just the way I play it. Your way is totally valid as well!
Edit: *grin* Sannox! We're having a debate among duncan beard comments -- you think it would have been destroyed completely!
I like being in among the Jib-Jabs! I am watching them too!

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'Don't get the wrong idea about it' is the most negative thing he says there, but it depends how you take it. And it maybe depends on the previous dialogue. Given that he may have just made a commitment and you haven't reciprocated, it could be taken as 'Don't worry, I'm not asking anything of you'. I get the impression that he is doing what he feels rather than what he thinks, there. He really wants to give you the earring. Of course he doesn't want you to sell it - but he gives you permission to do so, he's not making you commit to anything by accepting it.
'It's meant a lot to me'. I would love to know more about that. Why has it meant so much to him? What is the symbolism? It was his first job and it's implied that he had sex with the guy. No wonder he is confused. I'd like to know exactly what it meant to him, but maybe he doesn't know himself. But I think it's clear in the conversation that the warden means a lot to him, and even that the gift means a lot.
I just don't see it as dishonesty. I can see how it can be seen that way. But from his voice and expression, I don't feel he's trying to deceive. And also from the conversation later, it becomes clear that he couldn't make the 'love' connection then - not for lack of it, but because of the associations for him.
But ... in real life, I'm pretty gullible. So maybe I'm just really bad at picking up on his dishonesty. With that voice, he could say anything and I'd melt. His soft tone when he says that he has no better way to say it is lovely. I completely believe that he has no better way to say it.
Yes, I do think it's OK to accept it, however it's presented (for my wardens - so far, anyway). Even if he just said that he thought it would suit the warden, that would be fine. Even if it was a 'thank you' - saving him from the Crows
is a big deal. And he has just been given freedom and chosen to stay with the warden anyway. And he still talks about his feelings later, when he's able to.