tidalwaves | [Phone post]

[Ordinarily, Marie's expression might have softened when he saw how hurt Vinnie looked. At that moment, though, it just made the Wartortle more irritated. He had a lot of nerve looking hurt, considering what he'd done.]

Why? If I'm not gonna forgive you, then why does it even matter if you get to say what you want to say?

You can't have everything you want. Go ahead and talk, but I really don't want to listen.

Because... Because I need to know I at least said it t'you, even if you decide I'm lying.

[Vinnie's shoulders drooped, and his hands fell lamely at his sides. Butterflies made of razor blades were trying to fly their way out of his stomach, and cutting up everything on the way.]

Even if I'm not part've the team, I still care 'bout you.

And even if I go my own way, I'll always think of you as my little brother.

And even if Red doesn't want me anymore, I'll still love you.

[His voice had started to crack, but it didn't matter anymore. It took everything he had, but he said his piece - and now he waited in dread for Marie to throw it back in his face.]

Edited 2013-07-22 23:01 (UTC)

[As much as Marie didn't want to listen, he did. He paid attention closely, letting every word sink in. That he thought he was still his brother, and that he loved him. Cared about him. If all of that was true, then why was he doing this to him?

Marie wanted to scream at him. Cry and yell that he was not his brother. That he didn't get to leave his family and still think of them like that. That he was selfish, that he was stupid. That it wasn't fair. That he hated him so much right then.

Instead, he looked away from Vinnie. His angry expression looking much more troubled- more sad. He blinked hard, trying not to cry.]

... Is that all?

[Vinnie had been bracing himself for screaming, so when it didn't come, he was visibly taken aback. He hadn't mentally prepared to say anything else, so his mouth just hung open for a second, before he remembered to close it. Swallowing nervously, he balled his hands into fists and just let his mouth run away with everything on his chest.]

I thought... once, I thought I just needed to be strong enough to protect everyone. But I couldn't protect Sis, and I couldn't protect you from yourself, and... blaming myself only made me weaker.

I'm still not strong enough. I need to figure out what it means for myself. But I know... part of it means being strong enough to trust you. So I will.

Because you can be so much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Marie. And...

And if you want, if you stay angry at me, then... I won't come near you if you don't want me to. I don't have that right, I know.

Just because I left doesn't change what we've been through together. Or what you mean to me. So... to me, you're still my brother. Even if I'm not yours.

And...

And I'm sorry. That's all.

[Slowly, Marie brought his arms up and hugged himself, trying to feel as small as possible. He briefly thought about how nice it would be if he could make himself so small he'd simply disappear, but his loud and angry thoughts took over.

His name sounded wrong on Vinnie's tongue. But he wasn't M anymore. No matter how much Vinnie wanted to insist, Marie knew he wasn't the Venusaur's brother anymore. He had other brothers. Real brothers. Brothers who could understand him and comfort him on a level that Marie would never have been able to compare to. No matter how many years he spent pretending they were actually brothers.

His throat burned, his head ached. Marie told himself Vinnie wasn't worth the tears. He could tell himself that all he wanted, though, it didn't stop Marie from choking out a sob and crying. For a split second, he imagined how nice it would feel to have Vinnie hug him. Thinking that just made him angrier, and made him cry harder.

And I'm sorry. ...]

Yeah. You should be.

[Vinnie bowed his head, and his gaze fell down onto the grass. He didn't have words to express how sorry he was right now, that he was the one responsible for Marie's tears. That being close to him right now would only make things worse.

But he steeled his gut and held back, forcing himself to hold fast onto the conviction that brought him to this point. Leaving the team was something he had to do. He had to keep moving forward, or he'd just keep falling down the same pitfalls over and over.

It was a long and hard journey to overcome the pitfall of misunderstanding strength. Maybe... in time, Marie would grow to understand him.

He could only hope - though right now, it was not a strong one.]

I really am.

[Recognizing the stinging feeling in his eyes, Vinnie took a step backwards and blinked, hard. In a gesture that was not nearly as inconspicuous as he would've liked, he sniffed and rubbed his runny nose with the back of his wrist.

Another step, and then another, he backed away. Then, after a small glimmer of hesitation, the Venusaur ran off - desperately trying to keep his eyes from watering.]

Edited 2013-07-23 03:37 (UTC)

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