There ain't nothing that comes close to as good as you
Arguments had been so much easier when it was just some wounded egos on the training mat, easily solved the next day with some bruises and beers after. Parchment whispers are a whole new feature, and the immediacy of them has only been to his benefit until now. He'd have to get used to it one way or another, because yes, Sohalia is Flora's best friend, and he doubts this will be the first time Sohalia writes something into Flora's ear about him. Intended or not, the results are here to stay. Sohalia had told Flora first, which immediately set Flora on Soh's side of events, not even waiting to clear her head about it before firing off the pen. What should have been settled between him and Soh, what he thought was already being reaired and just needed room to breathe, has now expanded and spilled over in the worst ways into his life. It feels intentional, like Sohalia needed to call in backup, and that more than anything irritates him. He'd thought they were friends too, but maybe he mistook her kindness, only ever an extension on Flora's behalf, and thought it genuine for him. Or maybe everyone's just needing to re-learn the shape of how they all fit together now, a reality just as much for him, because however much it feels like the world fades away when he's with Flora, it continues on with countless tangles and strings.
Chewing on his ire while he tugs off and kicks away his other boot, his shoulders rise closer to his ears in a wince at the sharp wield of his name. Alright, fair, he's let himself get dramatic in response, because how did they get here? "Okay, okay," he concedes with a heavy sigh. "I'm not saying she's a shithead or anything, I'm just saying, it feels like she's blown this out of proportion." Despite his present frustration, now aimed at Soh as much as himself, he is not spiteful or angry towards her. She's upset, clearly, he just wishes she'd stayed in the damn shop and talked it out with him then. It felt like she covered it up with unease just to set it all off the moment his back had turned.
Inhaling deeply, he yanks himself back to his feet, turning to face the cross of her arms. That brings a softer edge to his eyes, and his shoulders give way into defeat. He did not need to do wrong by two women tonight. "I know I didn't handle it right," he admits, stepping in closer to her. "I'm not arguing that. She asked to meet because she had a question about this old guy, Jude? And what to do about him. She said she wasn't sure if she should tell her boyfriend, and I just assumed she meant Koa." The flare of happiness he'd felt for them feels like a stone in his gut now.
Still drawing closer, he reaches out to grab her shoulders, palms smoothing down them. He'd not allow this to wedge any distance between them. The heat's all fled, the bluster of it spent now that he sees the shape of what he's walked into, and just how the hurt can intwine into Flora too. "When she revealed she meant Zavien, it took me by surprise. I mean—" his hands leave her, not intentional so much as falling away with a heaviness that feels like too much to keep upright now. "That's his best friend, Ro. He's gonna be hurt by this. Same as I hurt him." His frown returns, deepset and troubled, because it feels like his cousin is drifting further and further away, hurt sending him to a place Kaisel is worried he might eventually not be able to reach him. His jaw flexes as his teeth roll across each other, a different trail of thought that he swallows down. "Zavien is doing to Koa the same things." There's no keeping his distaste from his voice, and surely it's the same look that came through for Soh. All this bad blood between someone he'd once considered a friend, because he hadn't been willing to let Kaisel approach his cousin the way he needed. The irony that now Zavien has found himself in the same position, although lucky for him Koa isn't busy rebuilding a damn region this time.
"So, I said as much to her, and the fact that Zavien and Lena had been in love for as long as they had, that it felt like Zavien moved on fast." One hand tugs on the back of his neck, and he sighs through his nose. "It was shit I never should have said to her, not like that, I know. It upset her." Understandably so, and he knew it immediately. His gaze has traveled, rolling on and off her, but it swings back and stays on the sea of her face now. "I did apologize... but no, I didn't take back the things I said about Zavien." The man doesn't appreciate lying so much, it seemed the best way to do right by him honestly. "She sat back down, explained some of the shitty ways Koa made her feel, which I agreed she didn't deserve, and when she said Zavien made her happy I told her that's what she deserved, and that I get how feelings can take someone by surprise." Meaning how she and Zav fell into each other, despite Lena and Koa.
"If I'd known she was still that upset I woulda tried to talk to her more before we left the shop, but it kinda seemed like she wanted the space." Evidence, almost as soon as he says it, that any time he's given someone the distance he thinks they need, it turns around and bites him. Next person who wants to walk away from him will have to pry his dead body away at this rate.
Chewing on his ire while he tugs off and kicks away his other boot, his shoulders rise closer to his ears in a wince at the sharp wield of his name. Alright, fair, he's let himself get dramatic in response, because how did they get here? "Okay, okay," he concedes with a heavy sigh. "I'm not saying she's a shithead or anything, I'm just saying, it feels like she's blown this out of proportion." Despite his present frustration, now aimed at Soh as much as himself, he is not spiteful or angry towards her. She's upset, clearly, he just wishes she'd stayed in the damn shop and talked it out with him then. It felt like she covered it up with unease just to set it all off the moment his back had turned.
Inhaling deeply, he yanks himself back to his feet, turning to face the cross of her arms. That brings a softer edge to his eyes, and his shoulders give way into defeat. He did not need to do wrong by two women tonight. "I know I didn't handle it right," he admits, stepping in closer to her. "I'm not arguing that. She asked to meet because she had a question about this old guy, Jude? And what to do about him. She said she wasn't sure if she should tell her boyfriend, and I just assumed she meant Koa." The flare of happiness he'd felt for them feels like a stone in his gut now.
Still drawing closer, he reaches out to grab her shoulders, palms smoothing down them. He'd not allow this to wedge any distance between them. The heat's all fled, the bluster of it spent now that he sees the shape of what he's walked into, and just how the hurt can intwine into Flora too. "When she revealed she meant Zavien, it took me by surprise. I mean—" his hands leave her, not intentional so much as falling away with a heaviness that feels like too much to keep upright now. "That's his best friend, Ro. He's gonna be hurt by this. Same as I hurt him." His frown returns, deepset and troubled, because it feels like his cousin is drifting further and further away, hurt sending him to a place Kaisel is worried he might eventually not be able to reach him. His jaw flexes as his teeth roll across each other, a different trail of thought that he swallows down. "Zavien is doing to Koa the same things." There's no keeping his distaste from his voice, and surely it's the same look that came through for Soh. All this bad blood between someone he'd once considered a friend, because he hadn't been willing to let Kaisel approach his cousin the way he needed. The irony that now Zavien has found himself in the same position, although lucky for him Koa isn't busy rebuilding a damn region this time.
"So, I said as much to her, and the fact that Zavien and Lena had been in love for as long as they had, that it felt like Zavien moved on fast." One hand tugs on the back of his neck, and he sighs through his nose. "It was shit I never should have said to her, not like that, I know. It upset her." Understandably so, and he knew it immediately. His gaze has traveled, rolling on and off her, but it swings back and stays on the sea of her face now. "I did apologize... but no, I didn't take back the things I said about Zavien." The man doesn't appreciate lying so much, it seemed the best way to do right by him honestly. "She sat back down, explained some of the shitty ways Koa made her feel, which I agreed she didn't deserve, and when she said Zavien made her happy I told her that's what she deserved, and that I get how feelings can take someone by surprise." Meaning how she and Zav fell into each other, despite Lena and Koa.
"If I'd known she was still that upset I woulda tried to talk to her more before we left the shop, but it kinda seemed like she wanted the space." Evidence, almost as soon as he says it, that any time he's given someone the distance he thinks they need, it turns around and bites him. Next person who wants to walk away from him will have to pry his dead body away at this rate.
Kaisel
There is you, then all the rest, second place is the best they'll get
Wearing a watery blue, faded and stretched-out sparkling hair tie on his left wrist
