The silence between them lingered, thick with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Mahnoor, feeling the weight of Daemond's vulnerability, saw an opportunity—perhaps the only one she had left to sway him in her favor.
She gently pulled back from their embrace, her brown eyes locking onto his grey ones. "Daemond," she said softly, but her words carried an edge of urgency. "I know you're hurting, and I know you're missing him. But maybe... maybe there's more to this than what you're letting yourself see."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing, unsure of what she meant. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice low and filled with hesitation.
Mahnoor took a breath, carefully choosing her words. "You say you miss him, that you're looking for that connection again. But have you ever thought... maybe you're not entirely gay? Maybe you haven't explored everything yet. You and I—we have something, Daemond. You feel it too, I know you do. Maybe if you give me a chance as the woman I am, you'll realize that there's more to you, to us, than just what you had before."
Daemond's expression shifted, his confusion deepening. He sat back slightly, his hands resting on his knees as he stared at her, trying to process what she was saying. "Mahnoor... I don't know. I've never felt that way about a woman. I'm not sure I can. I don't want to hurt you or lead you on."
Mahnoor reached out, placing her hand gently on his. "I'm not asking you to suddenly change everything about yourself," she reasoned, her voice soft but persuasive. "I just want you to try. Let me in. Let me show you what this could be. Maybe you're not entirely gay—maybe you're bi, or maybe you're just scared to let yourself feel anything for me because it's not what you're used to."
Daemond remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor. He was torn between the comfort of the identity he had always known and the confusion that Mahnoor's words stirred within him. She was offering him something, something real and present, but it wasn't the connection he had with his late boyfriend. It felt different, unfamiliar.
Mahnoor pressed on, her tone becoming more insistent. "You're lost, Daemond. I can see it. I'm not asking you to forget him or to replace what you had with him. I just want you to see me, to see this for what it is. Maybe, if you give it a chance, you'll realize that there's more to you than you thought."
Daemond sighed, rubbing his hands together as he tried to make sense of his feelings. He was desperate for some kind of connection, something to hold onto in the wake of his loss. The idea of finding solace with Mahnoor felt wrong and yet, in his confusion and grief, he found himself contemplating it.
"Okay," he said at last, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll try. I don't know what this means, but... I'll give it a chance. I just don't want to lose you too."
Mahnoor's heart swelled with a mix of triumph and hope. She smiled softly, her hand squeezing his reassuringly. "That's all I'm asking. Just give me a chance, Daemond. Let me show you that there's more to this, more to us."
Though hesitant, Daemond nodded, the desperation in his heart pushing him to agree, even if uncertainty still clouded his mind. He was willing to try—if only because he couldn't bear the thought of being alone any longer.
In that moment, Mahnoor knew she had a foothold in his heart. Now, it was only a matter of time before she could pull him further, slowly dismantling the barriers he had built around himself, one piece at a time.