"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"
... [ Not that she's eaten a whole lot lately, but she'll nod. Even with Yuri looking directly at her, like nothing's changed, it's hard to maintain eye contact. Things have changed, and sooner or later, they tend to be remarked upon. Yuri really doesn't seem like the type, but she's not sure if that'll last. ]
[things have changed, but yang is still yang; he's not going to ever treat her like a different person just because of the things that happened.]
I'm gonna just take that as a yes. [since she's not doing too good at the speaking thing here. he'll put the plate down within her reach, so yang can eat at her own pace. but if she keeps up with the total silent treatment, it's just going to give him all the more reason to have the conversation he was beginning to suspect would be necessary much sooner than intended.]
I didn't, but I'm not gonna walk in the door with a million questions sitting on my tongue, either.
[especially when yuri knows that he's probably going to say things she doesn't want to hear. he did it with ruby too, but now that he's seeing the state yang's in... he knows it'll be tougher to get through to her.]
[ So much "YANG WHAT HAPPENED", or they'd asked Ruby, she knows... it's the last question she wants to hear lately, because there's too much to tell and she doesn't really know how much of it matters. ]
You should know by now that I like to go against the grain.
[which is to say that it's obvious he's in the minority. he always is.]
No point in asking what happened or why. [partially because ruby told him, but that's barely even a factor.] Ain't my business. Besides, even I've got a little more tact than that.
[he'll talk about it openly, but he's not going to ask what happened, or if she's okay.
he's not going to ask if she'll be okay, because yuri's making that choice for her on his own. as yuri does.]
[ A part of her is grateful, really. But the rest of her is still so tired. Of what used to come so easily to her. The banter, the socializing. Everything. ]
[ Yang only looks at him, then, leaning back against her propped-up pillows. Zwei will also come trotting in to leap up on the bed, a rather impressive feat for a dog with such stubby legs. ]
[it's impressive, but definitely not something yuri's going to let distract him.]
So. How long you plan on holing yourself up in here and playing the silent game? [well, at least he's not asking if she's okay? he's just going to get to the point here.]
[ ... She's not sure she appreciates this either, granted, from the way her eyebrows snap together. Calling it a 'game'... like it's something she enjoys doing? ]
[he means well, but he's not good at approaching things gently.]
That's like asking anyone else you know why it would matter. We're friends. [yeah—he'll say it. even if it's not a phrase he uses often.] Nobody's really into seeing their friends pull back this much.
[he gave her time—everyone's been giving her time, but he wants to see her pull herself back up to her feet without being coddled the whole way.]
I just wanna know... when you plan on standing on your own again. [as in trying to pick up the pieces and overcome things, rather than locking herself up and not working around the worst of it all.]
[they're worse, but they're necessary. he's not going to pussyfoot what needs to be said like other people might. he knows how people are—how friends and family can be. and he thinks yang is better than being coddled.]
You don't know. You don't have to know. But I'll tell you... it sure as hell ain't gonna get easier any faster this way. [and before she can argue it:] I know you don't wanna hear it.
But sometimes you gotta hear the crap you don't wanna hear when you need it.
[ It's said half-incredulously and half-bitterly, because it really isn't like she hasn't acknowledged it already. Yang's... already aware that things won't get any easier like this. That she can't shut herself off from everything forever, that she's worrying others, that she's worrying Ruby. ]
Thanks for telling me, then. Now that I know, I can just shake off every damn thing that's happened and get over it, right?
[maybe she's aware of it, but her complacency with actually taking any steps to change it is exactly why he's saying she needs it.]
You gonna keep twisting my words? 'Cause I'm sure you know as well as I do that's not what I said. [don't do this, yang. don't twist the narrative on him.]
[ There's no response-- not because she didn't hear him, because of course she did. Not because she's ignoring him, even if she'd like to. But because Yang is honestly trying very hard to rein her temper in. She doesn't want to get angry, because what good did that do? It didn't solve anything. It only made her more frustrated.
[maybe the point, partially is that he'd rather see her get angry and express herself a little more than act so sullen and catatonic.
yuri sure has a strange way of going about things.]
Well, whatever. You can take it how you want, but it probably won't help anything. [he adds it with a casual shrug.
he knows she's pissed, and he knows this probably won't have any immediate positive effects, but that's fine.] You can be pissed at me too, if you want.
I... keep trying-- [ Yang's voice is tight and low, and she's looking down at her stump, eyes burning whenever she blinks. ] I tried, when my dad fell apart, and I tried when my partner almost made the same mistakes I did, and I tried not to think about being abandoned, and then-- some of the most important people just--
[ She can't go on. She can't. She doesn't want to talk about how her own mother had passed on the message not to rely on her kindness. She doesn't want to talk about how most of Remnant thinks she's a savage, cruel brute. She doesn't want to talk about Blake running away.
She's tried, all this time, to stay positive and not feel as though everyone had turned their backs on her, but her next breath sounds like an angry sob and she can't. ]
but all the same—she's actually showing some human emotion instead of completely closing herself off. so even if he's not well-equipped for something, he's not going to back down. he's given her a lot of tough love...
for now though, yuri softens a little. he may not be great at this sort of thing, but he knows when to back off.]
Listen... I can't say I get the full picture about what happened, or what you feel about what's going on where you come from.
[that she feels abandoned by those people—that's not something he has a right to decide.]
But what I'm seein' here are tons of people who aren't doing that. Who don't want to leave you alone, and don't want to see you like this. Ruby's been worried like all hell... I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of letting it alone. [plus she's got naoki, yuri himself—and likely plenty of others, given how sociable she seemed before.]
It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy if you hole yourself up over it. [probably not the best way he could word it, but he's trying here.] You're still alive, so you gotta keep living like you are instead being some kind of ghost of yourself.
[she can't stop trying just because things got shitty. she can't live like this, and yuri's probably the least qualified to say any of this, but if he doesn't... will anyone else do it? he's always been about taking matters into his own hands.]
[ Logically... she knows. Of course she does. She's seen it all, from the edge of a bed, watching her father become more and more broken. And she knows holing herself up won't help. Just as she knows the only way things will get better is if she forces herself to keep moving.
But that doesn't make it any easier, especially when every little thing just seems to make her feel more tired. Even crying like this feels like she just ran a heartwrenching marathon.
So give her a minute. She heard, and maybe it's promising that she's not snapping at him for his advice. But it's still a lot. ]
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I'm gonna just take that as a yes. [since she's not doing too good at the speaking thing here. he'll put the plate down within her reach, so yang can eat at her own pace. but if she keeps up with the total silent treatment, it's just going to give him all the more reason to have the conversation he was beginning to suspect would be necessary much sooner than intended.]
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[ It's not a question. Look, Yuri, if you've got something to say... she can't exactly kick you out right now. ]
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[especially when yuri knows that he's probably going to say things she doesn't want to hear. he did it with ruby too, but now that he's seeing the state yang's in... he knows it'll be tougher to get through to her.]
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[ So much "YANG WHAT HAPPENED", or they'd asked Ruby, she knows... it's the last question she wants to hear lately, because there's too much to tell and she doesn't really know how much of it matters. ]
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[which is to say that it's obvious he's in the minority. he always is.]
No point in asking what happened or why. [partially because ruby told him, but that's barely even a factor.] Ain't my business. Besides, even I've got a little more tact than that.
[he'll talk about it openly, but he's not going to ask what happened, or if she's okay.
he's not going to ask if she'll be okay, because yuri's making that choice for her on his own. as yuri does.]
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[ A part of her is grateful, really. But the rest of her is still so tired. Of what used to come so easily to her. The banter, the socializing. Everything. ]
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[tired or not, he won't let it go. really, they're things to be asked, but it's not the same old.
not like yuri's gonna say that part, though. he'll at least keep his word to not chomp at the bit with his questions.]
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So. How long you plan on holing yourself up in here and playing the silent game? [well, at least he's not asking if she's okay? he's just going to get to the point here.]
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Why does it matter to you?
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That's like asking anyone else you know why it would matter. We're friends. [yeah—he'll say it. even if it's not a phrase he uses often.] Nobody's really into seeing their friends pull back this much.
[he gave her time—everyone's been giving her time, but he wants to see her pull herself back up to her feet without being coddled the whole way.]
I just wanna know... when you plan on standing on your own again. [as in trying to pick up the pieces and overcome things, rather than locking herself up and not working around the worst of it all.]
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You say that like I can plan that. Like I know when it's going to stop-- [ hurting. but every time she thinks it might be better, it's a lie. ]
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You don't know. You don't have to know. But I'll tell you... it sure as hell ain't gonna get easier any faster this way. [and before she can argue it:] I know you don't wanna hear it.
But sometimes you gotta hear the crap you don't wanna hear when you need it.
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[ It's said half-incredulously and half-bitterly, because it really isn't like she hasn't acknowledged it already. Yang's... already aware that things won't get any easier like this. That she can't shut herself off from everything forever, that she's worrying others, that she's worrying Ruby. ]
Thanks for telling me, then. Now that I know, I can just shake off every damn thing that's happened and get over it, right?
[ Sorry, Yuri. ]
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You gonna keep twisting my words? 'Cause I'm sure you know as well as I do that's not what I said. [don't do this, yang. don't twist the narrative on him.]
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So what was even the point? ]
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yuri sure has a strange way of going about things.]
Well, whatever. You can take it how you want, but it probably won't help anything. [he adds it with a casual shrug.
he knows she's pissed, and he knows this probably won't have any immediate positive effects, but that's fine.] You can be pissed at me too, if you want.
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[ Thanks, Yuri. ]
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[like catatonic.]
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[ abandoned. ]
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[yeah, he's not following here.]
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[ She can't go on. She can't. She doesn't want to talk about how her own mother had passed on the message not to rely on her kindness. She doesn't want to talk about how most of Remnant thinks she's a savage, cruel brute. She doesn't want to talk about Blake running away.
She's tried, all this time, to stay positive and not feel as though everyone had turned their backs on her, but her next breath sounds like an angry sob and she can't. ]
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but all the same—she's actually showing some human emotion instead of completely closing herself off. so even if he's not well-equipped for something, he's not going to back down. he's given her a lot of tough love...
for now though, yuri softens a little. he may not be great at this sort of thing, but he knows when to back off.]
Listen... I can't say I get the full picture about what happened, or what you feel about what's going on where you come from.
[that she feels abandoned by those people—that's not something he has a right to decide.]
But what I'm seein' here are tons of people who aren't doing that. Who don't want to leave you alone, and don't want to see you like this. Ruby's been worried like all hell... I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of letting it alone. [plus she's got naoki, yuri himself—and likely plenty of others, given how sociable she seemed before.]
It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy if you hole yourself up over it. [probably not the best way he could word it, but he's trying here.] You're still alive, so you gotta keep living like you are instead being some kind of ghost of yourself.
[she can't stop trying just because things got shitty. she can't live like this, and yuri's probably the least qualified to say any of this, but if he doesn't... will anyone else do it? he's always been about taking matters into his own hands.]
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But that doesn't make it any easier, especially when every little thing just seems to make her feel more tired. Even crying like this feels like she just ran a heartwrenching marathon.
So give her a minute. She heard, and maybe it's promising that she's not snapping at him for his advice. But it's still a lot. ]
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