"Dance go all right?"

"The dance was good." He switches to Mindspeech. :I...do kind of want your advice on a social thing, though: 

:I'll do my best!:

:So, Eliana asked me if I could walk home with her because she was scared of a dog, it seemed sort of weird since I don't think I told her I was a mage...: He briefly describes the rest of the interaction. :...Oh, and come to think of it, she sort of hung around after dancing the other night too, but I guess I wasn't paying enough attention. I can't tell if she, I don't know, actually wanted something other than what she said...?: 

:She might figure you're Gifted just because you go to school with me, but maybe she just has a crush on you:

:- Huh? Why would she have a crush on me? I don't even live here: 

:What does that have to do with anything?:

:Just, wouldn't it make more sense to pick someone to have a crush on who'll still be around next week?:

:I don't think people normally pick them:

:Really? That sounds so inconvenient!:

:I... guess? I think it's like any other emotion and for most people most of the time it happens in response to circumstances but not the circumstance of convenience:

:Huh. What sort of circumstances usually make crushes happen?: 

:I'm not really sure, it probably varies person to person anyway:

Ma'ar nods, still looking kind of amused. :How do... Er, how do people usually - tell - if they have a crush?: 

:Um, finding themselves dwelling on the person's virtues and fantasizing about kissing them or whatever, I guess?:

:....Hmm: He looks thoughtful. 

:Hm?:

:Just thinking: 

Ma'ar glances away, almost self-consciously. Paces back and forth for a few moments. 

:...I don't think I have a crush on her: he admits finally. :I have no idea what her virtues are, I guess other than being friendly and decent at dancing. Uh, is there a thing I'm supposed to - do - if I think someone might have a crush on me and I don't have one on them?: 

:Uh, I wasn't exactly so delighted with the results of the one time I have tried this that I want to recommend it and also I actually went on a date with him first. It's an inherently awkward situation:

Ma'ar sighs. :...Well, I don't know for sure that she does, anyway. I guess I'll just...keep being friendly, but if she asks me on a date I'll say no: 

:Not one of the things you wanna practice?:

Ma'ar winces slightly. :It - seems deceptive and kind of mean to go on a date with someone I'm pretty sure I don't feel that way about?: 

:I mean, she knows you don't live here and aren't going to be around next week: Aza points out.

:...I think it's still not a kind of practice I want to do. It - feels like it wouldn't even be practicing the right thing, if I don't like her that way? ...I guess it's hard to tell for sure if I would mind her kissing me, since I have no idea what kissing is like: Ma'ar is looking thoughtfully at Azabel again. 

:Well, up to you, obviously. I'm just guessing in the first place, it could be you merely present an excuse to get out of doing laundry or something: