[Now that's another thought he can relate to. It doesn't feel right to try and be positive and tell her she isn't screwed up, not when he feels the exact same way.]
Same here. [His life would have been so vastly different if he had known the people here back in Ooo. It hurts to think about, honestly.] At least we're screw-ups together, here. That's something.
[ Maybe his way of answering it actually helps. Because it's hard to not feel like a screw up, really, like she would've been a much better person if all these terrible things hadn't happened to her. And it's not like she really thinks of Fern as a screw-up in any way.
But the thought is kind of nice at the same time. At least they're screw-ups together. ]
Like our own dumb little club of screw-ups. [ She sniffs, but Ange's tone is changing a little. Something a bit brighter sneaking into it, like she really does like the thought. ]
Merry Christmas, Fern. Thanks for the present. And.. um, maybe even more for the talk. I appreciate it.
[Self-deprecation has one advantage, it makes it easier to talk about being a huge screw-up. He figures it's better to just be honest about that than attempt to offer any hollow kind of hope.]
Exactly. [A club, that's a perfect way of describing it.]
No problem. Merry Christmas to you, too. If... [He hesitates a little, but decides it can't hurt to offer.]
If... if you ever wanna talk about stuff some more, just lemmie know. Okay? You don't have to keep all this stuff locked up.
[He knows from personal experience just how damaging that can be.]
I'll try. [ It's the best she can offer, really, considering Ange isn't exactly used to sharing any of this stuff.
But today didn't feel bad. It felt kind of good - or as good as anything still feels in her life, anyway - to share this with a friend. Someone who understood, even.
So maybe she can at least make some attempts to do it again in the future. ]
I get it. [He does. He really does. Sometimes opening up the metaphorical mental vault is too scary, or too traumatizing. Sometimes it takes months to work up the nerve, sometimes it takes years. Sometimes it isn't something you can do at all.
Which is fine. He'll just be there for when she feels like she can talk.]
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cw: suicidal and child death talk
Same here. [His life would have been so vastly different if he had known the people here back in Ooo. It hurts to think about, honestly.] At least we're screw-ups together, here. That's something.
no subject
[ Maybe his way of answering it actually helps. Because it's hard to not feel like a screw up, really, like she would've been a much better person if all these terrible things hadn't happened to her. And it's not like she really thinks of Fern as a screw-up in any way.
But the thought is kind of nice at the same time. At least they're screw-ups together. ]
Like our own dumb little club of screw-ups. [ She sniffs, but Ange's tone is changing a little. Something a bit brighter sneaking into it, like she really does like the thought. ]
Merry Christmas, Fern. Thanks for the present. And.. um, maybe even more for the talk. I appreciate it.
no subject
Exactly. [A club, that's a perfect way of describing it.]
No problem. Merry Christmas to you, too. If... [He hesitates a little, but decides it can't hurt to offer.]
If... if you ever wanna talk about stuff some more, just lemmie know. Okay? You don't have to keep all this stuff locked up.
[He knows from personal experience just how damaging that can be.]
no subject
But today didn't feel bad. It felt kind of good - or as good as anything still feels in her life, anyway - to share this with a friend. Someone who understood, even.
So maybe she can at least make some attempts to do it again in the future. ]
Thanks. You're.. you're a really good friend.
no subject
Which is fine. He'll just be there for when she feels like she can talk.]
Hah, I try. You're a good friend, too, Ange.