#darkgatefortress

"If I say no, do we get to take our clothes off?" Deadpan

She smiles. "Tempting!" Then the smile fades. "But really...I've got to talk with you about something."

"About what?"

His eyebrows go up "this sounds serious"

A deep breath, and she bites her lip before saying, "Can we sit down...?"

"holy crap... " He moves to the edgge of the bed in his room "Look, if you need my support, I will. It's your body, your choice" he has turned a paler shade of blue but seems to be trying draw resolve

A wide-eyed blink. "Oh! Oh! No, Colton, no, it's not THAT!"

"No! It's not...I'm not...."

"Oh.. oh THANK Odin" A sigh of relief

She stares at him for a moment...then grins. "Can I just say...if it were that...that was the perfect response. Good job," she says with a nervous little laugh.

"Thanks, may I say that I'm so glad it wasn'tt that I want to give you another set of flowers or maybe a dinner. I'm sorry, it's just, lately it seems every hold has someone expecting a kid.. One of the local pooka calls it kidrona"

"Wow. Well...if it happens here, it's not you and me."

She gets her breath again, then lets out a "Whewwww. Okay. So...." Refocusing. "I've just asked Chieftain Hewitt for something, and he said yes, and you definitely need to know about it." It's pretty easy to tell that she's not sure how to just come out and say it.

"Sylvi... I can honestly say I've heard the drums for a bit now, perhaps march a little closer with the point?"

She blinks. "Um. Yeah." A deep breath. "I think I screwed up, badly. No...I know I did. When Chieftain Hewitt asked me to be Bridge here, I wasn't looking for it, but it seemed like it was something I ought to do. And...I know I've been doing good work, I know it. But...I also was dealing with distance school and all that, and...well...it seemed like a good idea at the time, but...." She takes another deep breath. "I wasn't really thinking about how things were going to be, especially when the world opened up again."

"So...what I'm trying to say is..." Apologetic. "I wasn't really ready for this, I think. And...school's opening again. And...I want my senior year." A bit petulant there.

"So...I asked Chieftain Hewitt...and he's going to let me split up my weeks so I can attend school back home while doing my Bridge duties here."

"We.. we have public high schools here" He looks..stunned

She looks back at him directly. "I know. But I want to go to school back home."

"I thought, this was your home now?" A pause "I mean, you created the Bridge position. You are amazingg at it. I.." A look at her "i thought ... I thought we were enough?"

She swallows and looks down. "I'm sorry. I've been doing what I can...but...it's not home. And...I've been doing what Chieftain Hewitt asked me to do. I didn't create the position. And I am good at it. And...I'm going to find an apprentice to train who will also be really good at it. But...I need to be home. And based on what I'm hearing...home needs me there, too."

The stunned look fades and he withdraws without taking a single step "I am sorry you feel that way. And it is unfortunate Rivervale is in need"

She looks at him as he withdraws. "I'm sorry," she repeats. "I don't mean to hurt you."

"I want to support you, but you can't possibly expect me to... to be happy that our relationship is regressing, that you will be spending less time near me?"

"It's selfish of me, but please don't ask me to fake happiness"

She swallows, and shakes her head. "No. That wouldn't be fair, to expect that." She seems to be seeking something else to say, but instead just looks away again.

A pained look "how... how can I help? "

She looks up again, hopeful. "You...want to help?"

"No. I hate to help. But I LOVE you. And I want to support you. So I will help. Furniture lifting or whatever it takes" he looks miserable but resolved.

She bites her lip. "I don't deserve you."

"Don't say that. You have no idea the mean things I'm going to think while I trash a fighting dummy later"

"That's fair," she says quietly. "I'll still be here. Just...away for school, then back. So...no furniture moving."

He takes her hands, his metal one feeling heavier than this glass one ever did. Life has brought some weight on him "If you're sure. " A thought "Oh dear. Nadeen maybe irked. I she enjoyed your company"

She lets him take her hands. "She won't mind. She gets more time with the house to herself. Probably invite Aiden over."

She doesn't quite meet his eyes.

"mm." he still looks a bit sad but he nods, then he notices her evading his gaze "Would it make this easier if I started on some angry selfish rant?"

"Not really, no," she says. "You're being...amazing."

"I 'm puttingg on a brave face, I assure you"

Her brow furrows a bit. "I just realized...did you finish school? You had a different kind of upbringing...."

"I have school up here. Moved everything. Use it for.. Liam stuff"

"I guess I never.. had your sense of school spirit"he admits

"Yeah. I figure it's different for you. But for me...not having that whole thing...I figured it wouldn't be so bad because nobody had that the past year. But...it's coming back...and the idea of not being there...hurts."

He gives a squeeze "I realize, loggically, this is not about me, or even us, but .. the non logic part, I feel like I let you down by not being enough."

She shakes her head emphatically and squeezes back. "It's not your job to 'be enough' for me, and you didn't let me down...you're you, and you're wonderful. I just thought I was ready for all this...and I wasn't. That's not your fault."

"Well, either way, it's nnot the focus. So part time Bridge. Who are you going to get to take up the slack?"

"I don't know yet. I hadn't been thinking about it, but I need to find somebody. I don't know if maybe I should recruit from Rivervale, or stay local."

"Not surre who fits locally" he ponders "At least out of the trolls"

She blinks. "I just realized...I didn't ask the Chieftain if it needs to be a troll."

"Well, I would think the ACTUAL Bridgge would be.. but the assitant could probably be another kith"

"Yessss..." she says slowly. "But...the assistant may take over for me. Eventually."