You know, I'm starting to think part of the reason for Julien being such a jerk to people is because if he has non-hostile interactions with anyone for a too long, they get automatically added to his mental list of people he needs to protect. 😂 He's just one non-magical knight in a dangerous world--he cannot let this list get out of hand; he's already overextended as it is.
(The Barrowguard is the exception where he can be friendly to people, because they are collaboratively protecting the rest of Araman against the threats of the Barrowdell via methods he understands, so Barrowguard friends are perceived as sharing the protection burden rather than being part of an expanding list of responsibilities.)
Recent evidence including:
In general, immediately becoming much more collaborative in combat even if still bickering with the same people outside combat.
Joined Team Knife & Palette specifically because Tyranny and Wick requested protection.
Had to justify to himself (either inner monologue or literally talking to himself) why he wasn't going to risk his neck going to help Cyd, a guy he barely knows, whose immediate reaction to Julien when he was unpetrified was hostility, and who is surrounded by shadows.
Insisted on not fleeing without getting Occtis out first, to the point of tossing Occtis over his shoulder to get him out, on the grounds that Occtis was hurt, despite Occtis being 1) less injured than Julien (and entirely with self-inflicted wounds), 2) resistant to some of the threats of this fight, and 3) in a location where his family connection and magical expertise given him advantages none of the rest of them have.
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