#initially. it's because tirazel found someone trying to actively seduce her and put in effort scary. red flag boyfriend astarion was FAR

[danse--macabre]

thinking about Tirazel as a romancable companion has made me a little ill.... she has a history of manipulative people dating her and using her for her father's connections/money/to further their own interests and she's often agreed despite knowing they're manipulating her because 1. she wants to spite her dad 2. she hates herself and unrequited desire feels 'normal' and 'what she deserves'

like for Tirazel, a relationship in which you lie about your feelings and manipulate is just. normal. "this is all just a silly act. ha ha. flirt flirt flirt. promises we won't fulfil. honeyed words. sweet words. false words. this is how it goes." if you try and go off-script in act 1, she'll correct you / bicker with you, will tell you not to pretend you're interested in anything else, won't even hear otherwise. in act 2, she'll outright confront you about exactly what you want off her because it's been 'too nice' / she's worried, because you've not tried to get one over on her yet.

but the thing is, Tirazel desperately wants to love someone genuinely and openly. She will give you her heart fully if you are patient with her and consistently demonstrate that your feelings are genuine. It takes her time to come around to this, but she will bare that part of her soul. And she will be sweet and loyal and protective to you too. She's a closet romantic and really desires something equally romantic - but private. She'll go from showy flirtation in act 1 that she'll tell you 'is just for show, is part of the game darling' to private, intimate, meaningful gestures in act 3.

girl just wants to love! but doesn't believe it's possible!