[FIN] Freeze

[BlackPidgeot]

"Even so... I have the feeling that it wasn't enough."

Flynn was at a loss of what to do. It would have been nice if she was more open and direct about what she needed. But she was dancing around the subject even though she obviously needed something.  

[Tori Honoo]

Arceus...

The guilt bubbled even more. He was still worried he hadn't done enough, though he had done so much more than she had ever deserved. Her gaze still turned away, she bit her tongue, refusing to give him anymore false reassurance, and after a tense moment of hesitation, she turned back to him, wrapped her arms around his middle, and buried her face in his unharmed shoulder to hide at least a little emotion, her body trembling as if she expected him to shove her away. "Please don't think of my weakness as your own," she whispered, almost pleading. It wasn't his fault she was so dramatic and tired, and she hated that he thought he hadn't done enough.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Flynn blinked in mild surprise as she embraced him, but also put his one good arm around her in a comforting gesture. Her words puzzled him.

"No it's not like that," he assured her. "I'm just concerned about your well being. You're trying so hard to be strong for everyone else but you need to take care of yourself as well."  

[Tori Honoo]

When he didn't push her away, she stayed still, relaxing just the slightest bit as his arm came around her. Tears slowly worked their way out from the corners of her eyes, but she didn't lift her head. "Someone has to, right?" She had always grown up with someone there to help her through things-- the small things, she realized now, but still. Someone had to be strong for the others. Two of them were children--one much less so-- and Yuri... Yuri was strong, and she knew it, but there was only so much he could do from his place in the hospital.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"If you don't take care if yourself then you can't help anyone else," he told her. "And it's okay to let others take some of the burden. You're not alone in this."

So really she had little excuse.

"You're just punishing yourself like this. You feel bad about what happened so now you feel that you need to run yourself down to make up for it. That's not right."  

[Tori Honoo]

Damn it... He was right. She was still blind.

For a while longer, she remained still, the only sound she offered her sniffling. When she finally moved, it was to let him go, slowly. "I'm sorry.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Flynn let her go as well.

"There's no need to apologize. Everything will be all right in due time."  

[Tori Honoo]

Another apology already pressed at her lips, but she held back, instead nodding at his words. "There's an end to this... Thank you, Flynn."  

[BlackPidgeot]

He nodded with a smile. "Of course, it's the least I could do since you helped Yuri."

Without her, his best friend would be dead right now.  

[Tori Honoo]

"I couldn't let anyone die, Flynn. Especially not Yuri," she told him, returning a teary smile. Flynn knew how she felts or at leaatC how she had said she felt.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"I know, but I'm still grateful," he countered.  

[Tori Honoo]

She gave him another half smile, then nodded her acceptance. It had been a while since she had actually done something of merit like this, and though she hadn't been able to do much... Flynn had convinced her it had been enough.  

[BlackPidgeot]

There was a bit of a pause as Flynn was unsure what to say next, but he tried anyway.

"Um, well... I suppose I will see you tomorrow."  

[Tori Honoo]

Her cheeks flushed a little as she realized she was sapping his time, and she nodded again, moving toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again, Flynn..." she repeated, finally meeting his eyes before slipping through the frame.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"You're welcome," Flynn told her, his smile unfailing. The man standing in the doorway and watching her go.