[FIN] Coming Clean-- About Damn Time

[Tori Honoo]

It was over, and knowing she couldn't hide any more, she had tapped out a text, not quiet trusting her voice just yet. She had promised...and though she knew she could leave, just go and never look back, she knew she had to tell him. He deserved to know, even if she absolutely knew beforehand how he might react. Even if it didn't matter, he had the right to know.

Her request sent, she sat at her table, her hands running through her hair, her elbows pressed against the table as she waited, organizing her thoughts and approach.  

[BlackPidgeot]

It would be awhile before Yuri saw the message, because he was useless like that. But eventually he sent a reply. To the effect that it didn't matter to him and that wherever would be fine.  

[Tori Honoo]

When she would finally receive the reply, she would be in her room, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. With a sigh, she would send her message back, then force herself onto her feet and out her front door.

[I'll come to you]

It would be more convenient for him, anyway.

Eventually, she would arrive, knocking on his door, resolved by her own sentence.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Well okay, that was fine.

Expecting her to come, the door would be opened shortly after she knocked.

"Hey," he greeted before letting her inside.

"So what's up?"

Repede reclined in his dog bed at the foot of Yuri's bed. Looking up at Dove boredly as she entered. Astal was sprawled lazily on the rug.  

[Tori Honoo]

When he opened the door, she looked up at him with a small, but sad smile. "Hey," she returned trying to be light.

When he allowed her in, she stepped in carefully unsure exactly of where to go. "Um... remember how I promised I would explain why I've been acting so weird...? I, um... it's time. It's past time," she explained, clearly ashamed of herself.  

[BlackPidgeot]

He had a feeling that's what this was all about. This he didn't really look all that surprised.

"All right," he said then moved to his usual sitting place in the window. Dove being free to sit wherever she wanted. He merely waited patiently for her to start.  

[Tori Honoo]

She watched him cross the room and take his place at the window, then seated herself at the end of his couch after a minute of hesitation, pulling her scarf slowly from her neck. She looked tired, and worn down, but really...it was nothing new, given the past few weeks.

"Do you remember when I got home, the day after my birthday? That night, I mean," she asked, hoping to set the context.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Yeah," Yuri said, remembering that quite well. That's when she had started acting weird. Thus he wondered what had happened during that trip of hers that made her so upset. He waited, looking at her expectantly, for her to go on.  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded at his understanding, then continued. "I finally talked to my parents. Obviously they were... really upset about most of what's happened while I've been away, and... they want me home. Like it was before."

Her eyes stayed low, on the scarf in her hands.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri listened, his expression one of quiet indifference.

"I'm not really sure what that means, but you're a big girl now. If you don't want to go back then why should you?"

Cause to him it sounded like she wasn't all that happy about the idea.  

[Tori Honoo]

"There's more to than just that, as well... but basically if I don't comply with everything they've given me, they've threatened to completely disown me. No more money, no background..." She swallowed tensely. "No family."

She shook her head. "I know that might not seem like such a big deal, especially the way I've behaved about them, but I... I love them. Ignorant as they are. I can't go through with their conditions, but losing them, and.../all/ of my past, is just..."  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Disown you? Man that's tough."

He frowned though as he considered her words. "And what do you mean your past? Your past is your past, that's not something that can be taken away or changed by anyone."  

[Tori Honoo]

She laughed quietly, without any trace of humor. "Yeah..." Tough couldn't even begin to describe it, she thought.

She rubbed her arm. "Sorry... Um... It's just...what I know. A-And what I had worked so hard for, for the past...nineteen, twenty years." The past was the past, and nothing would change that. Not having access to any of it, at least not freely, was an entirely new concept to her, one she very much didn't have a taste for. There were, of course, things she would have liked to be changed or taken away, but shutting the door was terrifying and she didn't, by any means, want to do it. "It's just a lot to shut off, but the consequences of it all are even worse."  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Well... So what? You're grown up and you can take care of yourself. I don't know much about families but if they're going to disown you for making your own decisions then who needs them?"

He then shrugged. "But if it's that important to you then go back home."  

[Tori Honoo]

"I really just want to make them understand... There's so much they could help with, but they just don't even know...I don't even know what would happen to the things I fund if they cut me off. I have my own accounts, when it comes to the money, but that pays for my apartment and some of my living expenses..."

His easy suggestion, made her eyes widen, and she looked to him, wounded. He couldn't say that... He couldn't say that. Not after...

"One of their conditions is I marry Damien as it had been planned before I came here...They still consider us betrothed, and because I did everything I could to hide it over the past few years, they don't believe a word I say when I tell them the truth. They think I'm crazy."