[It's not a surprise to him. Bruno isn't a selfish person in the slightest. He's just a bit of a coward.]
If you want to work things out with Khun and express what's important to you, you need to give him that ultimatum and let him decide how to answer. A dialogue first, action second.
Otherwise... I'm sure there are others who will gladly respect your wishes. At bare minimum, Bruno, you deserve to expect that.
Nnno. I. Well, maybe? I don't know? I've... sort of been doing all the avoiding for him.
[ It's a little embarrassing to admit and he's back to looking away and fidgeting with his ruana, trying to sink far enough back into the chair that maybe, just maybe, he'll disappear. ]
Which, I know, I shouldn't be. I'm supposed to be the adult here and I'm not really acting like it.
[Like yeah, it's a bad habit, but also he gets it. Sometimes running away is its own problem fixer by tanking your problems so hard they become black holes.]
It's not like I was any better a couple of weeks ago, Bruno. I'm in no place to judge.
What are you afraid will happen, if you speak to him again?
That he won't want anything to do with me? That we won't understand each other? That our magic won't work anymore because of our differences? I mean, you know me, I'm going to be afraid of every little possible thing.
Bruno, he stood up to me directly because of you. He's done so a couple times now, in fact. Regardless of where you might be at, he's not going to drop that relationship he's built just because of one day of bittered feelings between you both.
If anything, I have to wonder if he feels guilty. He may not want to put the pressure on you, and fears to confide in you, because he wants you to see him as someone strong.
Mm. Well, you saw how he was in the jail. When he feels very strongly about something, he doesn't try to hide it. It's nothing to do with whether you could confront me on your own, even though we both know you're more than capable.
[They're adults, and can speak to each other like adults. Usually. Don't look at Solomon.]
...You said Urianger and Ithaqua's disagreement was bothering you as well?
I mean, does he know that? It's not like I've told him about punching you or tracking you or any of that...
[ Plus if Akira had let him deal with it on his own, there definitely would have been less beating up of a tired old man out there. Oh well. ]
Mm, yeah, that was... I don't want to make things tough for Urianger, y'know? But I think he feels the need to protect me, too, but it's not like Ithaqua shouldn't be unhappy with what I saw. We put in all that work and for what? We still have to do the fighting in the end.
I've told him upfront that I trust you to work things out with me, and I've left it at that. Whether he's believed me or not, I'm not entirely sure. But I sincerely think that's a matter of his trust in my word, not your capabilities.
[Akira better know that much, man, or he's gonna be REALLY disappointed in Akira smh]
You're right. Ithaqua has every right to be upset if he took your information and came to a negative conclusion about it. It's fine to be frustrated. It's fine to be angry, even.
How he chooses to react, though? That is on him. He chose to lash out and make a decision based on his feelings, and he has to deal with the ripple effect of that.
You can feel empathy for Urianger's situation, Bruno, but you can't control where the ripples of your choices go.
Mm. I imagine it becomes easier to expect the poor reactions, even if it negates the positive ones.
...
[He sighs quietly.]
You know... what I say, and what others are saying to help you... it can apply to your family too, Bruno. Maybe not as easily, if things have been this way for decades, but it's still no less true.
Yeah, that's... the thing is, uhh, when I ended up here, my vision of our home and the valley all being torn apart was in the middle of happening?
[ Which is bad! Bruno can't do much more than offer a meek shrug to go with that. ]
Sooo, when I go back, I'll be making sure everyone knows it's all my fault and. Then. I don't know. I have no idea what happens after that. Kinda ruins my chances of applying anything to my family, y'know?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
[It's not a surprise to him. Bruno isn't a selfish person in the slightest. He's just a bit of a coward.]
If you want to work things out with Khun and express what's important to you, you need to give him that ultimatum and let him decide how to answer. A dialogue first, action second.
Otherwise... I'm sure there are others who will gladly respect your wishes. At bare minimum, Bruno, you deserve to expect that.
no subject
no subject
He nods, before shifting back into his chair with a sigh.]
Akira's a different story, but not exactly a different approach. He's a pretty intense kid, isn't he?
Has he been avoiding you at all? [God knows he was avoiding Solomon as hard as possible when he felt guilty and upset!]
no subject
[ It's a little embarrassing to admit and he's back to looking away and fidgeting with his ruana, trying to sink far enough back into the chair that maybe, just maybe, he'll disappear. ]
Which, I know, I shouldn't be. I'm supposed to be the adult here and I'm not really acting like it.
no subject
[Like yeah, it's a bad habit, but also he gets it. Sometimes running away is its own problem fixer by tanking your problems so hard they become black holes.]
It's not like I was any better a couple of weeks ago, Bruno. I'm in no place to judge.
What are you afraid will happen, if you speak to him again?
no subject
no subject
[Please, girl.]
Bruno, he stood up to me directly because of you. He's done so a couple times now, in fact. Regardless of where you might be at, he's not going to drop that relationship he's built just because of one day of bittered feelings between you both.
If anything, I have to wonder if he feels guilty. He may not want to put the pressure on you, and fears to confide in you, because he wants you to see him as someone strong.
no subject
[ Wait, back up a second there. Bruno blinks, surprised. ]
W-wait, what do you mean he stood up to you because of me? Why?
no subject
[There is only maybe one other person here he thinks Akira may care more about than Bruno and it's the dude he dropped multiple promises on.]
You should probably ask him yourself, though. I don't want to guess any further on his reasoning.
no subject
[ Solomon is just That Guy. ]
But I guess Akira wouldn't know that... hm. I. I guess I'll have to ask, then.
no subject
[They're adults, and can speak to each other like adults. Usually. Don't look at Solomon.]
...You said Urianger and Ithaqua's disagreement was bothering you as well?
no subject
[ Plus if Akira had let him deal with it on his own, there definitely would have been less beating up of a tired old man out there. Oh well. ]
Mm, yeah, that was... I don't want to make things tough for Urianger, y'know? But I think he feels the need to protect me, too, but it's not like Ithaqua shouldn't be unhappy with what I saw. We put in all that work and for what? We still have to do the fighting in the end.
no subject
[Akira better know that much, man, or he's gonna be REALLY disappointed in Akira smh]
You're right. Ithaqua has every right to be upset if he took your information and came to a negative conclusion about it. It's fine to be frustrated. It's fine to be angry, even.
How he chooses to react, though? That is on him. He chose to lash out and make a decision based on his feelings, and he has to deal with the ripple effect of that.
You can feel empathy for Urianger's situation, Bruno, but you can't control where the ripples of your choices go.
no subject
I... yeah, I know that, I guess. It's just hard to see those reactions and not blame myself. It's always been like that for me.
[ Everything is his fault, always. Fun times. ]
And I know it'll be like that again once I go home. I should learn to enjoy how it is here while I can, huh?
no subject
...
[He sighs quietly.]
You know... what I say, and what others are saying to help you... it can apply to your family too, Bruno. Maybe not as easily, if things have been this way for decades, but it's still no less true.
no subject
[ Which is bad! Bruno can't do much more than offer a meek shrug to go with that. ]
Sooo, when I go back, I'll be making sure everyone knows it's all my fault and. Then. I don't know. I have no idea what happens after that. Kinda ruins my chances of applying anything to my family, y'know?