[FIN] Wilted Emotions

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded against his shoulder at his words, though whether or not she fully understood them or took them to heart couldn't be said. She did, however, seem to be calming a little as he stroked her hair, the violent shaking of her shoulders falling to a softer trembling.

"I just....I don't know anything anymore...a-and I shouldn't....I j-just made things worse...I-I can't do anything f-for anyone, a-and I don't even kn-know what to say to--to Yuri i-if I see h-him again, 'c-cause..."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

A nod was the most he could ask for, so he remained silent while she tried to speak more. He was at the very least thankful that she seemed to be calming down, but he was content to stay there to comfort her as long as she needed. The fact that he'd only met her once before didn't even register as a thing to worry about. "Being in a situation like that is awful, and I know you're floundering right now but you'll feel better soon, I promise. You just need some time, that's all." Time healed all wounds, as the story went, although he was still waiting on some of his biggest ones.

"Nope, don't say that," he said gently but firmly as he squeezed her shoulder, and moved his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear before he ran his fingers through her hair. "You didn't make things worse, and you can do stuff for people," although he had no idea what she thought she made worse, "you can. But before you can help anyone else, you have to help yourself first." A small frown and a brief pause, then, "What about Yuri?" Because that was by far the name that cropped up most often in her ramblings.  

[Tori Honoo]

She shook her head at his question, unable to bring herself to discuss the conversation she had just attempted to pursue with her first friend from Kodo. She was surprised she had even been able to explain the events of the morning, let alone survive them, and while getting the knowledge of Yuri's association with Asch's suicide and Luke's grief off of her chest would lighten her burden, she knew it would do no good in the long run, for him or her or Luke.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He wasn't quite sure what part of what he'd said she was shaking her head to, and he absentmindedly ran his thumb over her shoulder as he tried to figure out what, if anything, he should say next. While he didn't want to upset her further, it was important, in his opinion, to confront a problem before it could be overcome. Whether or not he confronted his own problems remained to be seen, of course. "Was it because of what happened..?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded again, still hiding her face, her resolve to keep Yuri's secret dissolving quickly. Inigo isn't know him anyway, so what harm was there in saying it now, if only to share the weight of the secret with someone.

"He didn't stop him...Y-Yuri c-could have stopped A-Asch but he...he didn't," she sniffled brokenly, trying her best to calm down with his help. "And now h-he's gone, and L-Luke blames himself because h-he gets to live, b-but h-he had to live...h-he had to..."

Her mind flew through the contents of the letter yet again, this time focused on Asch's reasoning, her heart hurting as she realized how desperate his situation really had been. Though it wasn't her place to know the workings of the family, she desperately fought to understand it all, the knowledge too much.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Inigo exhaled slowly and continued to stroke her hair. Sounded like Asch killed himself so Luke could live, Luke who needed a new heart cuz he got shot... So then, did Asch kill himself to ensure Luke would get the new heart he needed? And then Luke found out and he couldn't imagine anybody taking that news well. Eesh, these friends of hers... "Well, it sounds like Asch had made up his mind to save his brother," they were the brothers right? He thought so but this was a lot of complicated stuff, "and usually people with that level of resolve can't be swayed in their decisions, especially when it comes to helping family." He would have gladly done the same if need be to save his own little sister, but knew he'd never even get the chance to now.

"I'm glad Luke is alive though. Glad for him and for you - a friend dying is one of the hardest things to have to deal with. I know this seems really hard right now, but trust me, a friend dying would make it a hundred times worse," he said softly, his tones tinged with sorrow and regret. Poor Aila..  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded weakly in agreement--if Luke had died... She didn't even want to think about how much worse things could have been. But then, Asch had died, and while she couldn't truly consider him a friend, the fact still made her chest clench painfully.

She said nothing more, finally working her sobs under her control and falling to a soft crying instead. Lovey pawed at the Inhaler on the ground anxiously, glad Dove hadn't had to resort to its use, but worried all the same. Sparky continued to watch carefully, his gaze switching between the young man comforting his charge and the unfamiliar Pokemon.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

It was hard to know what to say when you weren't getting any verbal responses, but it was enough to know she understood, so Inigo continued to hug her and stroke her hair until she calmed enough.

Nerius blinked down at the Eevee and the strange device she had pulled out, seemingly unaware of the fire type's observance. The striped Vaporeon asked of Lovey.  

[Tori Honoo]

Dove finally quieted, her cries now softer from exhaustion. Hesitantly, she began to draw back to sink back into the grass once more, hoping the world wouldn't crash in on her, that she wouldn't fall apart again as she left his comforting hold. Trembling, her face turned to the ground in shame, she wiped her fingertips below her eyes, nodding timidly in tired thanks to Lovey as the eevee again nosed her way into the girl's bag to emerge with a few folded tissues between her teeth.

After the girl was taken care of, the little eevee turned back to the larger eeveelution to answer. She settled and looked to the girl again, curling her tail beside her tiny form.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

When Dove pulled away, Inigo posed no opposition, though one hand followed her to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear before it hesitantly and very carefully wiped a few tears from her cheek. "It'll be okay," he said softly, giving her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

The Vaporeon blinked at the device and the tissues, wondering just how much these pokemon did for their trainer. Inigo always did everything for himself, although in times of sorrow, he would accept comfort only from his Meganium. he replied, his dark eyes shifting from the device back to the Eevee, who looked distressed herself to see her trainer so upset, so he lowered his head to nudge the top of her head with his nose.  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded, willing herself to believe the words he spoke and accepting the small, gentle gestures of comfort with grace. After a moment of gathering a little more composure and cleaning herself up with the tissues the eevee had given her, she thanked him almost silently, her voice scratchy.

Lovey blinked at the strange Vaporeon's friendly nuzzling, then accepted it, an ear flipping once as she sat her head atop her tiny paws. Her tail flipped anxiously. she told him, feeling rude for not having addressed an introduction sooner.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He smiled and nodded slightly as he leaned back to sit more normally. "Feeling a little better?"

The Vaporeon lifted his head slightly before he laid down next to Lovey. he responded, then added warmly,  

[Tori Honoo]

For a moment she stayed still, offering only a small scratchy 'a little' in response. When she finally raised her eyes to his, she simply looked, finally noticing the lightly off colored ring aroun his eye. With a few soft sniffles, she asked, "I'm sorry....A-Are you okay...?"

Lovey nodded, her tail wagging once to return the sentiment. Sparky looked them over quietly, pleased with the outcome of stranger's presence.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He had been so distracted by and wrapped up in her problems and trying to help her through them, that he'd completely forgotten about his own. Her vague question left him a little bewildered as to its origins, so he simply replied, "Yeah, why?" He'd forgotten all about his black eye, faded as it was.

When Lovey didn't speak, Nerius chose to remain silent as well and to just watch their humans interact.  

[Tori Honoo]

The girl seemed to shrink a little when he realized he didn't understand what she was talking about. "Your...your eye..." she explained quietly, embarrassed and afraid she had brought something up he wouldn't want to discuss.