[FIN] Aftershocks

[Blood_Goddess]

The touch on her hand caused her fingers to curl a little, lowering it when he started to speak.
though still clearly putting forth every effort to keep the tears brimming a there eyes from falling. something she failed at as he finished talking.
"How could I do that? how could I not worry? You're the most important person in my life, and you have been for a long time. how can you tell me not to trouble with you, that you're a bother that you're garbage when all I've ever seen you as is amazing! that no matter what I go through I can always count on you to help me back up, but when its my turn all I can do is bring that sad look to you're face." she took in a hard shaking breath, having expended the air from her lungs. "It hurts not to be around you, so you can't tell me not to bother with you. That hurts!"  

[Suudonym]

His eyes fell from her, unwilling to witness her tears, though the knowledge that they were there showed plainly in his own expression. "I don't know where you got your impression of me," he said, shaking his head in a single, small motion. He spared a moment testing his words in search of the ones that most fitted his thoughts before he spoke again, "Maybe I'm the one who's wrong. I only know what I see, and what I feel. But I know that right now you're standing there crying because of things that I've said. It's not your fault. I know what I am, what I'm guilty of. I can't even imagine what you're seeing."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Again, her words meant nothing, all they accomplished was more pain for him.
when bringing up her crying she reached up to rub at her eyes.
"I don't know if you've noticed yet or not, but I'm a crybaby," She told him.
probably true, it didn't take a lot for her to cry,

She didn't stop though, keeping her face turned away and feeling utterly dejected by his words. Her opinion would never matter, her feelings would never matter, for once she didn't know how to break through as much hate at Luke had for himself.
Realizing this was the most degrading thing she could have ever imagined, so why not just give up.
of course not!
"I'm sorry you can't see what I see. But I know I'm not wrong, and I hope someday you can find it in yourself to try and look a little harder, and stop hating yourself. till then I'll love you enough for yourself and me."
she still didn't look up, giving up on brushing away the tears from her eyes.  

[Suudonym]

He inhaled quietly and exhaled a faintly shuddering breath, understanding that his dismal disposition was doing nothing but contributing to the vicious loop of negativity that had been forged between them. He really couldn't understand it, though. How could she still be willing to stand with him through all the things he said? How could she still encourage him as he stood there and hurt her? It wasn't fair to her - it wasn't anywhere close to what she deserved. He felt tears at his eyes and refused them through a grimace, forcing words to an uncooperative voice, "I'm sorry."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Her head inclined up just barely after the pause of silence, emotionally drained she let out a shaking breath, lifting the back of her hand to her eyes again before she stepped toward Luke, closing the distance and bumping her forehead against his shoulder.
"Me too..."  

[Suudonym]

He at least had the sense not to argue any further and let her apology go without comment rather than debating it as he might have preferred. He drew and exhaled a long breath, slowly easing away from despair's strangling grasp - though remaining, despite all efforts, on its short leash. "I should take Anastasia back to Sera," he said at length, speaking faintly.  

[Blood_Goddess]

She straightened back up only after he spoke, so she could nod.
"Do you need a ride? Rodney is picking me up."  

[Suudonym]

His initial reaction was to decline the offer, but he supposed that since Anastasia's pokeball hadn't been returned, it wasn't fair to make a decision that would force her to walk if she didn't feel like it. He turned slightly to address the Umbreon, "What do you want? Would you rather have a ride?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Anastasia had grown progressively more confused the longer the pair continued, and had moved off of Rosie's lap when the girl stood, and hopped onto the floor to wait. At suddenly being addressed, she perked her ears up and blinked up at the two, then tilted her head. She really didn't care either way; whatever got her to Sera faster. "Breon?"  

[Suudonym]

The Umbreon didn't appear to have a firm opinion either way, though Luke was fairly certain that, after being separated from her trainer from a year, quicker was probably better. Going by foot wouldn't necessarily be slow, but he didn't want to walk unguarded with his dominant hand out of commission, and Tartarus, his most capable and intimidating pokemon, would hardly expedite their movement. "I guess so," he finally decided.