you're falling further down
Aurelia takes the biting remark as it comes, can see that he's holding back more of it. Her eyes narrow and her head tilts a little, but she makes no complaints for or against the mercy he seems to have for her in that moment. Because, oh, she knows what it's like to hold back anger - and she's sure it's not the worst that he could come up with. Anything he could say to her, though, it.. it just wouldn't hit as hard as he might want it to, but maybe that's a good thing.She nods at the mention of other work put in. She can see the sharp sting of Sunjata's name as it rings through his eardrums. "Might as well..." she agrees stonily, eyeing this expression of his.
He follows after her and she leads the way, turning her shoulders back in the direction of her workspace and preparing herself for the backlash she does, indeed, receive. At first, she doesn't respond, just lets the ambience of the crashing waves and distant cries of jungle creatures fill the gaps.
"Nate," she finally speaks, gathering a large metal piece and hoisting it into his arms. She does wait for him to grab it before releasing it, her gaze finding his then, "does this look like a pity party to you?" Her voice doesn't contain the same snap as his, but it is firm in its meaning. She pauses to maintain the eye contact (if he will), "I'm not here to judge what you've gone through, whether it makes you weak or strong; whether it's enough to make you or break you. You can decide that yourself... Now, hold this in place for me," it's then that she crouches down to move another piece of metal in front of him.
Together, they can set the piece he's holding into this other one so that they can form together into the beginnings of that first star-shaped anchor. She'll use the gathered tools to lock the pieces together.
but I've got you by a thread
Aurelia
code credits go to Skylark!<3
