Fuck, she has a good arm. He tastes copper in his mouth and raises a hand to gently work his jaw. Yeah. Fuck, that hurt.
But a part of him can't help but feel like he deserved it.
Traitor.
He swallows that down.
He doesn't hit her back. He doesn't even get mad. He understands her anger better than she knows. He'd gotten complacent over the last few months - he hadn't gotten in a fight about dating 622 since November - and he'd forgotten just how convinced he'd be that everyone would hate him for it.
That conviction had a basis, apparently.
He srubs a little blood off his lip - it must have gotten cut in the force, and finally looks at her.
"I know." His voice is just a little too quiet. "I know, okay? But this place isn't home, Jess. It can't be. I nearly destroyed myself here trying to make it be. And I know what you must be thinking of me right now but I'm not - this isn't a joke, and it's not to tarnish anyone's memories." Not L'ulo. Not his parents. No matter how much that sometimes kept him up at night. "I just had to adapt. We all did."
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But a part of him can't help but feel like he deserved it.
Traitor.
He swallows that down.
He doesn't hit her back. He doesn't even get mad. He understands her anger better than she knows. He'd gotten complacent over the last few months - he hadn't gotten in a fight about dating 622 since November - and he'd forgotten just how convinced he'd be that everyone would hate him for it.
That conviction had a basis, apparently.
He srubs a little blood off his lip - it must have gotten cut in the force, and finally looks at her.
"I know." His voice is just a little too quiet. "I know, okay? But this place isn't home, Jess. It can't be. I nearly destroyed myself here trying to make it be. And I know what you must be thinking of me right now but I'm not - this isn't a joke, and it's not to tarnish anyone's memories." Not L'ulo. Not his parents. No matter how much that sometimes kept him up at night. "I just had to adapt. We all did."