★・・・・・・★ ⊱♥⊱ ★・・・・・・★
★・・・・・・★ ⊱♥⊱ ★・・・・・・★
Ayla sighed but pressed on. “I get it. People can be a disaster sometimes, but it’s just a party. It’s not like he’ll be waiting to ambush you with a sword and shield.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. “And look, I brought everything we could possibly need!” She said, eyeing her basket, before looking back at Tae. “Getting ready is like, the best part of goi g out!”
“Renlin almost killed me and I don’t have a death wish.” Ayla didn’t miss a beat. She hated to admit it, but these kind of things kept her going. “Fck Renlin. I swear, if he even thinks about coming after you tonight, I will kick his ass myself—Not that you’d need me to step in, but still—I’m not letting him make you feel like you’re the villain here.” A moment of silence passed as her fierce protectiveness washed over them. She had never met Renlin, but the idea of him coming after Tae ignited a fire within her. “He doesn’t get to define your worth or your happiness, Tae.”
Ayla wasn’t one for heartfelt conversation with just anyone, but tonight it felt necessary. Not just to get Tae to some stupid party, but to prove she cared. Something she felt she didn’t tell people often enough. “You…” She hesitated, not sure how to approach this. “I know what it’s like to lose a brother, too. I get that you’re carrying this weight, and it’s not something you should have to shoulder indefinitely. Renlin may blame you for what happened, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep dragging those feelings back up just because he’s still chained to them. It’s like he has the emotional capacity of a toddler, no offense to toddlers.” She smiled, thin and strained, but there nonetheless.
“You have every right to feel your feelings, Tae. Anger, sadness, confusion—whatever it is. But you don’t have to take Renlin’s emotions and make them yours. He’s processing grief in the only way he knows how, and that doesn’t involve looking at the facts. You shouldn’t have to bear the burden of his broken heart too. You’re not his emotional punching bag.” She winced, “or… ya know,” she rotated her wrist trying to convey ‘his literal punching bag’ without actually saying it.
★・★ @Caticorn | Tae ★・★
★・★ @Madilfill | Ren | Mentioned… threatened? ★・★