[ She watches him fold in on himself and she hates it, because she knows what that's like from the inside out. And he was -- okay, if not twelve? Then what? She was 15 when Cody'd happened, and she hadn't known, but she'll blame herself for that forever.
And how much worse if she had known, and done it anyway? Like the other things that she's done which still get her to curl in on herself exactly like that.
She wasn't going back on her assessment of him: He had a loyal heart. Something had turned it, maybe? And then turned it back? It sounded like a whole lot of pain.
And he was so young.
But she wasn't good at gentle. And kindness... kindness was something she was trying, but wasn't particularly good either. The truth? That, she could share, from her point of view. Was the truth kind? Maybe not. But it was all she had to offer. ]
It might not be. [ Quiet, no recrimination in her tone, but no escape either. It might not ever be enough. ] But it's all you can do. And you're doing that. A lotta people don't.
[ She hesitates and then sighs, running a gloved hand through her hair. ] Ya want some more advice from a total stranger? I can tell ya what I'd try to do, if I were you. But you don't need to hear it, if you don't wanna.
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And how much worse if she had known, and done it anyway? Like the other things that she's done which still get her to curl in on herself exactly like that.
She wasn't going back on her assessment of him: He had a loyal heart. Something had turned it, maybe? And then turned it back? It sounded like a whole lot of pain.
And he was so young.
But she wasn't good at gentle. And kindness... kindness was something she was trying, but wasn't particularly good either. The truth? That, she could share, from her point of view. Was the truth kind? Maybe not. But it was all she had to offer. ]
It might not be. [ Quiet, no recrimination in her tone, but no escape either. It might not ever be enough. ] But it's all you can do. And you're doing that. A lotta people don't.
[ She hesitates and then sighs, running a gloved hand through her hair. ] Ya want some more advice from a total stranger? I can tell ya what I'd try to do, if I were you. But you don't need to hear it, if you don't wanna.