And there it was, the confirmation of everything Chulane had seen, had suspected, but hadn't wanted to recognise, or believe. The boy didn't want him, or any other Outlander, or Outsider, near him or his village. And little would ever change his mind.
Chulane didn't want to be a part of a place where he wasn't wanted, not by any member of the region he was trying to help. He wanted to belong, to contribute, and to feel like he was welcome to do so.
Korbin had never hinted at anything different. Why did it hurt so much now?
"I'm sorry."
Was all he said, with honesty, with conviction.
"They are only ideas. I have tried, to fit in, to find a place. But it is in my nature to always seek a better way, if one is possible. I see now the arrogance in my assumptions." He looked again to the boy, his gaze having drifted after his apology.
"I'd like to earn your trust, but you've made it clear you do not seek to let me, to know me, to judge me further than lumping me in with all the others you've known." He sighed, letting the wave of guilt, of weariness, of fatigue and listlessness consume him - he was done, done arguing, done with this conversation. He was hurt, battered and bruised, though no injury was visible, he felt fractured, broken, like someone had snuffed out the last candle in the room, leaving him cold and empty.
"I'll speak with Morgan, I'll rescind my plans and I'll step down. I'll leave here as soon as the portal is available. You were right, and I was wrong." Is that what the boy wanted? He didn't know. He rose from his chair, turning his back to the boy as he made to exit, a man defeated.
"It is possible to depend on others without losing yourself in the process. But what do I know? I'm just another Outsider." He offered, not knowing what else to say, not knowing if there was any point to it at all anymore. Korbin had made himself quite clear - in his eyes, Chulane was nothing, less than nothing, and he had been saying it all along, though the vet and the farmer simply did not wish to believe it.
He made to leave, not even wondering if Korbin would say anything else - this is what the boy had wanted all along.
--
Fin for Chuy
Chulane didn't want to be a part of a place where he wasn't wanted, not by any member of the region he was trying to help. He wanted to belong, to contribute, and to feel like he was welcome to do so.
Korbin had never hinted at anything different. Why did it hurt so much now?
"I'm sorry."
Was all he said, with honesty, with conviction.
"They are only ideas. I have tried, to fit in, to find a place. But it is in my nature to always seek a better way, if one is possible. I see now the arrogance in my assumptions." He looked again to the boy, his gaze having drifted after his apology.
"I'd like to earn your trust, but you've made it clear you do not seek to let me, to know me, to judge me further than lumping me in with all the others you've known." He sighed, letting the wave of guilt, of weariness, of fatigue and listlessness consume him - he was done, done arguing, done with this conversation. He was hurt, battered and bruised, though no injury was visible, he felt fractured, broken, like someone had snuffed out the last candle in the room, leaving him cold and empty.
"I'll speak with Morgan, I'll rescind my plans and I'll step down. I'll leave here as soon as the portal is available. You were right, and I was wrong." Is that what the boy wanted? He didn't know. He rose from his chair, turning his back to the boy as he made to exit, a man defeated.
"It is possible to depend on others without losing yourself in the process. But what do I know? I'm just another Outsider." He offered, not knowing what else to say, not knowing if there was any point to it at all anymore. Korbin had made himself quite clear - in his eyes, Chulane was nothing, less than nothing, and he had been saying it all along, though the vet and the farmer simply did not wish to believe it.
He made to leave, not even wondering if Korbin would say anything else - this is what the boy had wanted all along.
--
Fin for Chuy
CHULANE
No one's ever gonna stop us now
