Well. That certainly would explain why she has not herself picked up on it.

"...Would you like to talk about it?", she asks softly.

"...about... not having insight into this? I don't really know what I'd say."

"Sometimes people find themselves confused about such things in a way where a conversation with someone who has relevant experience such matters might be able to help, which I think I do-" 

(several mental voices raise objections in her head simultaneously)

"- though, uh, in this situation in particular it would be irresponsible for me to do that without disclosing my own bias on the subject," she finishes awkwardly, and if he can't pick it up from that and asks for clarification she will in fact just have to tell him.

Yeah no he is expecting another clause in that sentence and awaits it patiently.

"which is that given the option I would very much be interested in having a romantic relationship with you," she finishes more quietly, after a pause, and she's good at facial expressions but she can't stop her cheeks from turning red.

He needs water. He fumbles for his mug and makes some water and drinks it. "Of the - occasional involvement - sort -" He doesn't actually prounounce a question mark but it's grammatically implied.

occasional involvement?? Her eyes widen as she processes this properly. "...as opposed to something more committed? I, uh, would be fine with either but would prefer the latter."

"I asked because you mentioned - having in the past - occasionally, uh - I -"

Right yes she did mention that she sometimes sleeps around

...She's not actually sure what he's getting at here, so she will give him a please continue, this is important and I would like to know how that sentence ends look of encouragement. 

oh no there wasn't actually a whole sentence under there

uh

"I apologize, I'm not very coherent about this." That's a real sentence that comes to a conclusion like sentences ought to.

"That's okay, it is often a hard thing to talk about." - she wants to give him a hug but this does not quite seem like the right circumstance to offer this. (She wants a hug but this is definitely not the right circumstance to request this) - "...I can try and guess what you were getting at with that if that would be easier?" 

"...that could work."

Okay. Um. Where to start. Her head won't stop buzzing. "Plenty of people are unwilling to enter a romantic relationship with someone who has in the past been romantically involved with and/or had sex with other people - well, no, that probably isn't it, we've already talked about  - " Smooth, Venn.

"Uh - if we entered a romantic relationship the default assumptions I am used to would be that neither of us would have sex with nor kiss nor be otherwise intimate with other people for as long as we were still in such a relationship and I would be fine with that, if that's the concern?"

"Oh - uh - is it material that back in seminary once -"

She shakes her head quickly. "No, I am not one of the people who cares if the people I get involved with have had sex before. ...It would be rather hypocritical, for one thing,"

Oh thank goodness he doesn't have to figure out how to finish that while beating back flashbacks with a mental broom. "I am at least not obviously one of those people either."

She was pretty sure, yeah. "...Was it that second thing or should I keep guessing?"

"...there is probably more than one thing."

"That makes sense. Um..."

...she is failing to generate more guesses with the information she has. 

"I am failing to generate more guesses with the information I have."

Words. There are words somewhere in the world and some of them are probably good enough. "...I don't know what my present religious obligations are exactly, I'd be guessing."

"...I am pretty sure Iomedaeans are not forbidden from being in romantic relationships." She grins. "...If nothing else, it's a good way to ensure you're getting your monthly fun."

Oh that's distracting why did she say that - "It's not that I think it's forbidden altogether, but there are probably - specifics - that I am unaccustomed to even by rumor -"

She tilts her head. "I'm not... super familiar with specific rules beyond the ones about relationships inside of a chain of command? ...I could write Marit about it, mail to the garrison doesn't take too long." 

She will NEVER LIVE IT DOWN if he tells the others but it's even odds that he won't, and she knows how important the rules are to Blai.