[FIN] Finding a Foothold

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri's hand tightened on his sword as she said that. His jaw clenching as he again closed his eyes to hold back any biting words he might have in mind.

Instead, the man just turned and proceeded to walk off. He was done here.

Without bating an eye Repede got up and proceeded to follow.  

[Tori Honoo]

She stood her ground, refusing to mourn her lost attempt to fix things with the man. Her eye glinted as she watched his jaw tighten. "If you've got something to say, please go ahead. Really, at this point, I think I can take it."  

[BlackPidgeot]

But Yuri didn't say anything, he just kept walking.  

[Tori Honoo]

When he continued to walk, she didn't even try to bite back a laugh. "Didn't think so. If it's any consolation, Luke isn't the only one I'm worried about, though I doubt the thought even crossed your mind as you were accusing me of thinking only of myself."  

[BlackPidgeot]

Well if Dove was going to keep talking she would have to follow him cause Yuri just kept going.

He still gave her no response. Seemingly uncaring about what she had to say at this point.  

[Tori Honoo]

Rolling her eyes, she followed him, stepping up to walk beside him. "So really that's it. You're just going to walk away without saying anything at all? There's no way to fix this in the slightest, then?"  

[BlackPidgeot]

Okay this was really getting stupid. She sure was damn persistent. Didn't she know when to quit? Yuri really wasn't sure what she wanted from him at this point, but he stopped and turned to face her with a serious frown.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you. But I'm not gonna stand here and lie to you either."  

[Tori Honoo]

"I don't want to fight with you either. I stopped you wanting to make amends. You were the first person I met and befriended in Kodo, and I'd like to stay friends, but it's like you're expecting me to know how to cope with all of this and I've no idea how to do that."

She stopped with him, looking him squarely in the eye. "Then don't lie to me," she said, swallowing hard, ".....help me. Where I'm from, these things don't happen. I lucked out being sheltered from all of this, and I've no idea where to start in figuring all of this out, so maybe in reality it wasn't luck at all. I can't stop taking on other people's emotions, because that's what I've been trained to do all my life. I'm fighting it, but it's so hard."

She forced her breaths to stay deep as the words welled up.

"I was on my way to town today to find something for Luke, because I want to see him again and don't even have the slightest idea how to approach him after reading his brother's letter to him. I'm done with grieving alone, but I don't know how to fix any of this and join in and it's killing me. I know you don't have to help me at all, but I am... I'm literally begging at this point. And it's pathetic, but I've hit another wall."  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri's brows furrowed as he listened to Dove pour out her long speech. Having to resist tuning it out because he was seriously starting to get pissed off here.

"I am trying to help you, dammit!" Yuri said at last, his voice starting to raise now as he really was just getting tired of this whole conversation. If you could call it that.

"If you'd stop making excuses for yourself and just listen, maybe we could make amends! The only one who can tear down those "walls" is you. I told you, its a choice."  

[Tori Honoo]

She drew back, still, her eyes wide. "I am all ears."  

[BlackPidgeot]

"I'm not saying it a second time," Yuri said impatiently, rather annoyed that he had to yell at her to get her attention.

"If you didn't get it the first time then forget it." With a wave of his hand he continued on his way.

"Talk to me later when you've thought about it."  

[Tori Honoo]

This time when he continued on, the girl stayed still, letting him go on his way, and as Lovey cautiously made her way closer, she turned to head in the opposite direction, her eyes blank and focused only on the path ahead.

She would not break again...She would not break again...

She wasn't that weak.

And with that, she disappeared into the town.