#fic: virtues and vices

[raayllum]

Hi! I noticed that most of the Sorpeli content by you and @jelzorz tend to be more from Opeli's perspective than Soren's. I was just curious if you'd say there's some reason for that or if it's just how it happened?

I have a few drabbles (confessions ch1, saint of lost children) and Jelly has a few oneshots from Soren's POV ("the snake" which is multi-pov, "the seed" which is entirely soren's) and I have a multichap I'm working on where it goes back and forth between their POV pretty evenly.

That said: I think you're right that we ultimately do lean more on Opeli's POV, and I think that's for a few reasons. The first is that as High Cleric (depending on headcanons) she has more room to grow/change in falling in love with Soren. It means re-evaluating how he's changed through the years (and sometimes herself) and also her vows and possible crises of faith / politics. She's also the older one and more likely to be in denial about things, whereas Soren tends to be more emotionally aware, less traditional, and would have less barriers around the concept of pursing someone or needing to be 'careful/cautious' in doing so. She's having more of the "newer" experiences than he is with romance/love/feelings, so she gets the focus.

Opeli has more turmoil with it usually, so we lean on her POV, I think. That doesn't mean Soren can't catch up though, I plan on putting him through the wringer too in "Virtues and Vices". some POV from their early early days (aka like 6ish months post-S3 where they're just starting to become friends):

It takes time, but eventually he has a poem he’s decently proud of—it’s pretty, it rhymes, and it took him the better part of two weeks to perfect—and no one to show it to. So he goes to Ezran. “Your Majesty,” he greets when he takes Corvus’ place on morning crownguard shift. Ezran smiles and rolls his eyes from the throne. “Yes, Soren?” “I thought I might ask you a favour.” All his bravado falters, just a bit, even as Ezran perks up more excitedly. “After today’s council meeting, I sort of wrote a poem, and—” “We’d love to hear it!” Soren slowly smiles. “Alright then!” He puffs out his chest, warm confidence spreading through his veins. He can do this. “I’ll perform my poetic debut later today, then.”  He does so with a flourishing bravado and a pleased grin. Ezran claps; Corvus smiles and gives an awkward thumbs up, which is just his way. Callum busies himself with sketching until he can school his expression into something supportive, maybe, but Soren didn’t expect to get much out of him.  (No one really does, these days. Not since Rayla left.) Opeli smiles, hand half hiding the curve of it, but there’s a glimmer of amusement in her eyes he’s never seen before. It distracts him; Opeli is stern and serious, and she smiles when she’s happy, sure (which is already kind of rare) but he’s never even seen her laugh. What about his performance could possibly be amusing? Some spinach from his salad at lunch still stuck in his teeth? She slips out into the hall and he’s so busy talking to Corvus and Ezran he almost doesn’t notice, and then his feet carry him forward before she turns the corner. “Opeli, wait!” She does so, standing with an arched brow and that persisted, bemused little glimmer as he jogs to catch up.