Re: log: adrian and ren - in the cottage
Adrian sniffed harshly. "Being back there made me feel like I was a kid again. There was nothing I could do. I still feel that. But there are things. I'm going to do them." And he would not be pathetic. And he would forge a path forward.
Ren felt warm and comforting. He didn't know there might be a touch of magic involved, but that didn't matter - he was close and nonjudgmental, and he was still a little embarrassed and a lot pathetic, of course he was, but Ren didn't make him feel it. "That's true." He'd been told recently that he needed someone in his corner, who was on his side. He still felt what he'd said then, that he shouldn't have people like that if he had done something truly reprehensible. That didn't make it any less comforting.
His face broke into a twisted smile when Ren echoed his thoughts. No judgment, being honest with himself, that was sensible. "Okay." He looked back at Ren. "I can do that. I need to be honest. Things won't change, otherwise." He blinked. "Thank you." He blinked again, and the corners of his mouth turned up. His voice teetered somewhere between laughing and crying. "Do you still want your tea?'