The words could have broken him. They might have had this conversation taken place in his bedroom rather in the middle of Paris. He might have shed a tear, might have stood up and immediately gone to Greengrass' side to hug him or offer words of comfort. But Valerian was hurt and confused and frustrated. It had been months since announcing the baby, and in that time Greengrass had admitted he'd loved him—gotten him to admit he loved Greengrass in return—and was now hitting him with this?
"Because I fully intend to abandon my love life simply because I had a child," he said dryly. It was easier to mask the pain than show it. He felt himself withdrawing into himself; he was still looking at Greengrass but he wasn't really looking at him, his gaze more of a blank stare than anything. There was an edge of bitterness to his words, but he refused to allow the depths of his feelings show. "Imagine if all men did that when they had a child. Nobody would have more than one child." They'd had this conversation before, back when he told Greengrass he was to be married. He wasn't going to resign himself to a loveless marriage. He'd never intended to. That's why Tatiana was the perfect choice, right?
"Because I fully intend to abandon my love life simply because I had a child," he said dryly. It was easier to mask the pain than show it. He felt himself withdrawing into himself; he was still looking at Greengrass but he wasn't really looking at him, his gaze more of a blank stare than anything. There was an edge of bitterness to his words, but he refused to allow the depths of his feelings show. "Imagine if all men did that when they had a child. Nobody would have more than one child." They'd had this conversation before, back when he told Greengrass he was to be married. He wasn't going to resign himself to a loveless marriage. He'd never intended to. That's why Tatiana was the perfect choice, right?
