He listened to her and watched the way she held herself, looking as though she wanted to disappear. He had seen that look on her before, but what was important was that she knew he wasn’t leaving. He was stubborn like that. Once his mind was made up... Well, good luck to anyone who wanted to change it.
His mind was made up now. It had been the first time he removed his mask for her in this new world. There had been no going back then, and he wasn’t going back now, ever. Fuck anything and anyone who tried to make him.
He had been around the whole time in Northaven. He knew her life, how people spoke to her and let her get away with not talking about anything difficult. He wasn’t there for every conversation, but he could guess she hadn’t had a real, true conversation about anything directing her life since they were in the Guild. Unfortunately for her, she would have to unlearn that habit pretty damned fast because he never allowed it. She knew he didn’t allow it, but two years was a long time to avoid feelings.
Drawing a slow breath, he let silence linger between them for a moment, as his eyes narrowed at her, lips not even hinting at a grin. ”Don’t deflect,” he said plainly. The last time she did, he let it go and simply circled back to what they had they had been talking about. This time? No. He wasn’t going to sit there and dance around a conversation while she avoided talking about what was really haunting her.
Kalt feathered his jaw, sighing softly. ”You don’t have to be strong all the time, Ashe,” he said quietly. ”It’s impossible to always be strong without breaking down after a while. You just need to be around the right people when you break down.”
He flashed her a small grin, which disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared. She was right, she wasn’t strong, not now at least. But that was okay, and he needed her to know that she would be strong again. If she needed to be broken down for a little while, it was fine, it was part of the process of healing. Regardless, he was going to be there. He hadn’t been there for her in the right way in two years, but he wouldn’t let that kind of thing happen again. Ever.
”I’ll give you a choice,” he said with a smirk, extending his hand to her. ”Come here. Sit with me like you would have two years ago. Let me show you that you aren’t alone; that letting yourself be vulnerable and weak is a way of being strong; that it’s really okay not to be at full strength, and I won’t press you for anything conversationally. We can sit in silence, or I’ll answer whatever you want me to answer. Or stay where you are and don’t try to avoid the subject we’ve been talking about. And secret option three where you run doesn’t exist because you know I can catch you when you’re like this.” He grinned at her. She would know he was serious, but it wasn’t like he was looking forward to chasing after her in the rain. Still, his hand remained outstretched to her.
Ashetta
kalt
give into the night.
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