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[apatheia]

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[talim]

[ jude can hear her fists clenching, the rough squeak of leather, and he glances down at them and then back up to her face.

he keeps his voice carefully level when he speaks, just a single sentence in response. ]

Do you want be to be angry with you?

[apatheia]

... Yeah.

[It comes out in a soft exhalation, heavy and so tired. Really, what other answer could she have to that?]

I do.

*want me to be...

[talim]

I'm not going to apologize for not being willing to grant that request.

[apatheia]

[She's quiet for a long time after that. Logically, she knows this doesn't really make sense. There's definitely a part of her that's glad for Jude's forgiveness. He's important to her, and she cares about him a lot. It was heartbreaking to think that he wouldn't want to speak to her again.

But even if that hurt her, it didn't matter. That was what she deserved.]

I don't know what you want me to say. [She doesn't even know what she wants to say herself.]

[talim]

... I know things might not be able to go back to the way they used to be; I know life isn't that simple. But above all, we're friends, aren't we? At least tell me that.

[apatheia]

We are. [This, at least, is mercifully easy to answer. There's no hesitation in her answer.] If you still want us to be, then we are.

[talim]

I do.

[ jude breathes out the biggest sigh of relief possible. ]

I really, really do.

[ he wants a lot of things. he wants 2b to stop hurting. but not everything can be fixed with words. maybe she just needs more time. ]

[apatheia]

[She offers a small, tremulous smile, but it's there at least. Even if his wanting to remain friends is beyond her, she would never turn him away.]

Then I guess you're still stuck with me.

[talim]

[ jude wants to hug her. he almost does, until he remembers himself and what boundaries are. ]

There's no other 2B I'd rather be stuck with.

[ jude's smile is soft, both sincere and fond. ]