"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?"
[ 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. ]
[he'll give her all the minutes she needs, really. yuri may be in the game of tough love and trying to push people back to their feet with a dose of reality—but he's not devoid of empathy.
she may be crying, and he may not be good at all with providing comfort for it, but yuri knows that he's getting through to her in some manner. she's not yelling or snapping, or demanding that he leave. instead, he'll do what he hasn't this whole time and actually sit. he can be patient, and this is a time when giving her that space without walking away will probably help.
he's not too big on abandoning people when they need it, after all.]
[ Thanks for that, Yuri. Even if Yang actually does want to curl up and tug the blanket over her head and let the world pass her by, at least until the edge of her pain fades a great amount-- he's still there, and he hasn't delivered some kind of condescending remark or a "you can do it, you're strong, you'll be fine" type of encouragement. Those... hadn't really helped her, either. Because then there was an expectation, and here she was, disappointing them all.
She hates it. But she doesn't know what to do about it, except get over it, and that's... hardly easy.
So she's quiet, when her breathing steadies out again. Because she doesn't actually know what to say yet. ]
[this is fine. yuri doesn't really know what to say either when it omes to this sort of thing. but as yang starts to regain her composure, yuri thinks he should probably say something that will ease the tension hanging in the air.]
Food's not gonna taste as good if you let it get cold. [nailed it.]
Someone wouldn't let me eat. [ THIS WAS ALL YOU, Yuri. But Yang sighs under her breath, and reaches for a slider. Maybe if she eats something, he'll give her a reprieve. ]
Maybe we just gotta work on your multitasking. [it's fairly lighthearted teasing, enough to try and convey that he's letting the harsher topics go for the time being. he said what he needed to say, and that's all he can do for the time being aside from...
[ That's... probably what she needs right now. To be knocked out of her funk, yes, but also to realize that she still has support. And even if it's just Yuri making her food and being a bro...
[she's eating it, which is a good enough outcome considering he's done everything else he can.]
Not gonna sit here and stay in your hair all day unless you want me to. [he'll eventually break the silence with that, but he's also sure she's probably sick of seeing his face after all that.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[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.]
no subject
no subject
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.]
no subject
Why does it matter to you?
no subject
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.]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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.
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
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.]
no subject
So what was even the point? ]
no subject
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.
no subject
[ Thanks, Yuri. ]
no subject
[like catatonic.]
no subject
[ abandoned. ]
no subject
[yeah, he's not following here.]
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
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.]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
she may be crying, and he may not be good at all with providing comfort for it, but yuri knows that he's getting through to her in some manner. she's not yelling or snapping, or demanding that he leave. instead, he'll do what he hasn't this whole time and actually sit. he can be patient, and this is a time when giving her that space without walking away will probably help.
he's not too big on abandoning people when they need it, after all.]
no subject
She hates it. But she doesn't know what to do about it, except get over it, and that's... hardly easy.
So she's quiet, when her breathing steadies out again. Because she doesn't actually know what to say yet. ]
no subject
Food's not gonna taste as good if you let it get cold. [nailed it.]
no subject
no subject
you know, be a bro about things.]
no subject
It'll help. Eventually.
But at least the food is good. ]
no subject
Not gonna sit here and stay in your hair all day unless you want me to. [he'll eventually break the silence with that, but he's also sure she's probably sick of seeing his face after all that.]
I'll clean up in the kitchen before I go, though.
(no subject)
(no subject)