#we 'retconned' them having ever been in a committed relationship. so that there'd be less loose ends or grief on Dal's part

[dalamusrex]

I'm curious, what makes Sin and Dal work? ewe

Good Question!! And an important one!

Considering Dal:

Distrusts/Fears magic

Fears HEALING magic especially

Is usually naturally distrusting of werebeasts, and

Is barely religious at all

How did he come to love a Werelion who's an Agent of Mara and a healer at the Temple of Mara? If I'm completely 100% honest, when Sinbadaen asked Dalamus for permission to court him, Dalamus initially said "yes" because he was desperate for companionship after his divorce. And perhaps Sinbadaen was desperate in his own way, having thought he had found his Mara-Given Partner in another, but it was not to be. But they chose committment, and the love bloomed later.

They were wary of one another at first! Vampire. Werebeast. To each other, they're one of the few things that could be a threat. Sinbadaen was more gracious about it than Dalamus, tending not to jump to conclusions despite his beast blood reacting. Dalamus, while normally fond of jumping to conclusions as a twisted form of self-preservation, was given very little reason to be aggressive or hostile thanks to Sinbadaen's calm demeanor.

They first began getting to know each other while Dalamus was married to E'hla. Specifically, while Dalamus' marriage was rocky with E'hla. He would go to the temple when at rock-bottom and would pray to Mara despite believing she had no reason or desire to help him. He and Sinbadaen spoke many times on this topic as Dalamus attempted to work through his feelings and issues and make his marriage work. Sinbadaen got to see and talk to Dalamus at some of his most vulnerable moments over the years, and therefore know him just as well, if not moreso, than even some other friends or family.

So Sinbadaen saw what was underneath the prickly mask of Grump that Dalamus so often wears, and he starts understanding why Dalamus is that way. And in that time, Dalamus had learned of Sinbadaen's own struggles with his beast blood. Rather than repelling each other, their struggles as "monsters" brought them together. They knew what it was like to be persecuted for it, especially when their "slip-ups" can have deadly consequences, and were able to offer support to one another.

They both grew up with terrible family situations full of abuse. They know what it feels like. They know what it does to a person, and how it can affect a person. They responded to it in different ways--Sinbadaen becoming withdrawn, subdued, and putting others before himself, sometimes to a fault--protecting himself by remaining unobtrusive but helpful. Dalamus became quick to anger and lash out, selfish and aggressive--protecting himself by hurting others before they could hurt him, also to a fault; sometimes innocent well-meaning people get hurt.

In being extremes, when they come together they can offer other perspectives and bring each other closer to a healthier median. From Sinbadaen, Dalamus has learned how to slow down and think about others' perspectives, to have some empathy, and to be more considerate with words. From Sinbadaen, he gets thoughtful patience and clear explanations without making him feel infantilised, offering grace and gentle correction when Dalamus makes mistakes, rather than punishment.

And Dalamus, in turn, tries to help Sinbadaen have more confidence in himself, to put himself first sometimes. He teaches Sinbadaen that selfishness is good sometimes, that taking care of himself before others is not a crime. Dalamus also hopes to help Sinbadaen love himself physically with intimacy.

And they both assure the other that they're worthy of love, despite their past actions. They both encourage each other to speak their feelings rather than keeping it holed inside.

If Sin is the daytime, Dal is the nighttime. If Sin is the warmth of sunlight, Dal is cool rain. If Sin is a cleric, Dal is a dark knight.

The fact that they're so different and yet simultaneously very similar and compliment each other is what makes me love them so much 💖