[FIN] The Stories

[Tori Honoo]

Dove blinked in surprise when Rosie's expression dropped completely into confusion and hurt, and she tilted her head, her brows furrowed again in concern. "You're not okay with me being this blunt, are you...?" she began to ask quietly, before her attention was pulled to Luke's outburst.

She listened at full attention, her lips parting in surprise at the way he was handling things. "You realize I haven't seen either of you in over a month, and very scarcely any time before that, so I'm not sure how I've been treating anyone any certain way, though I was under the impression we were okay before then," she admitted, her eyes widening and a quiet desperation in her voice. Her own life had been hectic, as well as those she was close to, but as for people like Luke and Rosie, she hadn't even suspected anything might be wrong that she should be invested in. Rosie being unwilling to confront her hadn't helped in the slightest. She shook her head, clearly confused. "And feelings are in your head... that doesn't make them illegitimate, and I wasn't pointing that out to discount them at all! I just wanted to make sure you understood I wasn't offended by anything you had done and that I was sorry you felt as though you did. My actions were rude, and I apologize for that, and I'm sorry they made you feel that way," she attempted again.

She fell silent again as he continued, then shook her head, her blood suddenly boiling again. "I'm not saying the feelings are imagined, but the cause behind them was. Yes, my actions were incorrect, but I had no ill will at all and refused to stand there and break down because you're engagement had been announced. The fact that she believed she had done something wrong was her own interpretation. The fact that I was upset has already been mentioned, but its near ridiculous to blame yourself for it when there's nothing you've done to give even an ounce of reason for me to be upset." Her throat caught, and she fought to stay still. "I wanted to wish you congratulations and go about my own business before you had to suffer watching my breakdown. I apologize for not standing there to explain that as well," she finally bit back, holding Lovey down in her lap, as the eevee started to move under her hand.

"This is the first time you've ever said anything about this, Rosie, and you've always been friendly aside from this, so I'm sorry that I didn't know to apologize sooner. I understand your feelings are real, and I just tried to open up and share my exact feelings as well so we could understand one another better and hopefully sort this out. I'm sorry if that was too blunt for you, but I thought it would be best to be honest and not try to cover anything up... I understand that my actions hurt you, and I'd like to work through it, but until we're on a level field and understand each other a little better, I don't see how that's possible, and I've bared myself completely to you both now with hopes you would do the same, no matter how badly it hurts." A shaky breath in, as her hold on her emotions began to slip away with her organized thoughts. The one time she had chosen to open up and let someone she didn't know so well in, and it had started out like this. Lesson learned. "I'm sitting here waiting for you to tell me what's going on, and I'm sorry I've hurt your feelings, but I don't think you're even aware of what you're doing to my own. I'm willing to set them aside and listen to you, but you've got to talk to me and let me figure things out as we go. I'll stop redirecting blame if you'll do the same if we can all agree that this is one massive misunderstanding and start over."

Rosie's pitiful request to leave was met with a sharp turn of her head toward the blonde and widening eyes as Dove shook her head. "I really don't understand... I am being as open with you as I possibly can...I'm sorry that I've hurt you, and I'd like to actually sort this out... I understand that I've hurt your feelings, but until you understand where I am right now and I'm able to understand where you are in life, you won't understand the way I perceive things, and it's not fair if you're the only one who can speak freely about how she feels now."

Luke's rising from the table drew her head up to him again, and his words felt like a knife in her heart. Her entire body went tense, her eyes wide and damp as her jaw fell open.  

[Suudonym]

"Look, just stop." He raised his forefinger. "One: the phrase 'it's in your head' does not literally mean that feelings exist in the brain. It means that the thing in question isn't real." He raised a second finger. "Two: Rosie assumed that she had done something wrong because generally speaking, people don't treat others badly because of completely unrelated, personal reasons. Behaving rudely towards someone because of something they had nothing to do with is inconsiderate and childish. Three." He raised a third finger and dropped his hand to his side. "The fact that you can't understand how what you've said to us is selfish and accusatory is disgusting. Because you're not being blunt; all intentions aside, words like that are just trying to force her to admit that her feelings are her fault. Rosie's first and foremost responsibility is to herself. If being around you makes her anxious and uncomfortable, then it's going to stop. End of story."

It seemed to Luke that she was scrambling to redact the offense she had committed and salvage the interaction, covering up insulting words with good intentions. He had no doubt that she hadn't meant any harm, but at the end of the day, a wound dealt with good intentions would hurt no less than any other. The fact that she, who had by now spoken more than the both of them combined, claimed that she wasn't being allowed to speak only solidified his conclusion that they wouldn't be able to reach a solution through dialogue; if she wasn't listening to herself, there was no way she was listening to them. It seemed best to him that they just go their separate paths and be done with it, but that was Rosie's own decision - all he knew right now was that she didn't want to be here anymore, and he would facilitate that wish.  

[Blood_Goddess]

There was a moment, within the flood of words from Dove that Rosie wished she could considered sitting back down and giving this another shot, but that flood of words continued, repeating the same things, and just how disjointed and unstable it all felt to listen to.
The blond rose to her feet by Luke's gesture, stepping back with her eyes turned to the ground as she lifted her shaking hands to coil the scarf back around her neck, lifting one end to half hide her face in them.

Rosie blinked, startled at the language Luke was using, though it wasn't hard to tell that he was getting more upset, something she never wanted for him, especially not after what he just went thought.
Gently she touched Luke's wrist, speaking quietly through a shaking voice. "Its okay, lets just go." She said quietly to him. "I just want to go home."

She took a step to the side, watching Luke as he spoke, but as she made more of a move to leave, hesitating only enough to wait for Luke her glossy blue eyes finally managed to will themselves up to look at Dove.
"I wish you the best, I do. And I'm sorry."
The gaze was not held long before they were moved quickly to her fiance so they could leave.  

[Tori Honoo]

Dove, after a few minutes of just staring, gathered her pokemon close to her chest, hoping to stop the little eevee from shaking. Her gaze she kept turned away from them, refusing to let them see the tears in her eyes. She should have known better than to think they would even attempt to understand her position... this was why she didn't trust many people. It was always those who were kind.

Dove watched Luke's display of irritation by number in silence. "I'm not saying the feelings are her fault and I don't expect her to think so," she countered softly. "I'm blaming misunderstanding for making her think she had done something to offend me. I don't enjoy having the blame forced on me when it wasn't at all my intention...I'm sorry I ever made you feel like that, Rosie. I never meant any of it..."

Lifting a hand, she brushed away a tear with the back of her finger, her gaze toward the window again until Rosie spoke. Every emotion she had held back pooled in her eyes, hurt, confusion, fear, and regret as she met the blonde's gaze. Swallowing, she nodded, then gave her own shaky parting words, her throat too tight. "Me too. And congratulations again...I wish you both every happiness."  

[Suudonym]

Luke saw no need to counter the words; he had already explained his thoughts on that excuse. All he heard was an open admission that she had treated Rosie poorly for reasons that Rosie herself had nothing to do with - yet in the same breath she refused any blame for having acted in such a way, as though intentions redeemed results. He was certain that the apology was sincere insomuch as she wanted to be forgiven, but he had little doubt that any feelings of remorse ran much more deeply than that.

It was all well and truly baffling. He'd known and accepted that they had different perspectives and minorly disagreed on matters from time to time, but he never would have expected this kind of display from Dove. Maybe this too was a misunderstanding, but the fact that she couldn't see any fault in her words - that she could only repeatedly deflect all responsibility, as though the very idea of having a hand in the way things had turned out was so vile and intolerable - told him all he needed to know about her. The way she used her words was unacceptable, and it was sickening to think that someone he had for so long considered a friend would think otherwise. He could only hope she would find the maturity to face herself someday.

He ushered Rosie ahead of him, subconsciously creating a barrier between the two as they parted ways.