@Hector

[secondthoughts]

@Hector

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Message(s) Received;

@ Punisher - "Saw your post.I will drop by, ..."
@ Faunus - "yaoi dungeon. quest thing. you..."
@ Mr_Misteaks - "Mine was Lilith. She would hav..."
@ Anonymous - "Congratulations. You have unlo..."
@ Yael - "Δ Hidden Forbidden Bulwark. Me..."
@ KaraBear - "Hi Hector!I have a question fo..."
@ Mr_Misteaks - "Do you watch much TV?"
@ hana - "(555)123-4567 -Hana"
@ KaraBear - "Hey. Are you around right now?..."
@ zelkova - "Hello, Hector! :-)I'd like you..."
@ Mr_Misteaks - "HectorI fucked upSomeone's rea..."
@ mithrun1 - "How are you feeling?"
@ FlameMane - "hector i need a healer in lumi..."
@ oriade - "how do you feel about zelkova ..."
@ bigkitty - "He's alive."
@ Vogel - "Hi Hector,Do you happen to hav..."
@ Faunus - "Hey, Hector.I was wondering if..."
@ Owen - "i'm sorry.i was just surprised..."

Comments

[secondthoughts]

[ He has so many emotions right now, and Hector doesn't know if he wants to laugh, cry, or scream. ]

Good. Take care of him.

How are you doing?

[fluorite]

Reeling.

[ He considers leaving it at that, but after being so brutally (and, honestly, rudely and unfairly) honest to Hector, he feels like he owes him more than just a one word answer to that question. ]

It's weird to have the future I thought was ripped from me placed back in my hands again. I keep expecting to wake up from a dream, or to look over and he's gone.

[secondthoughts]

Hold him close and keep him there. I'd hate for you to lose him again, considering everything that's been going on.

I really hope you told him what you told me.

[fluorite]

He's well aware that he fucked up, and I don't mean that solely in regards to the feelings between the two of you.

[ He likes to think that Yael learned his lesson in not considering the way his actions impact the people he cares about. A good uppercut to the jaw will do that, after all.

It's a matter of time before Fai can see if he did learn that lesson, but... he'll wait.

A few minutes pass before Fai sends another email: ]

I apologize for how harsh I was with you. We're similar in a lot of ways, and I think that made me feel even worse. I shouldn't have taken out my feelings of inadequacy on you.

[ Part of him is still incredibly bitter, but he'll allow that feeling to run its course without taking it out on anyone. ]

[secondthoughts]

Good.

And no, it's okay. I was out of line, and you were right. I think I kind of deserved it anyway. In hindsight I'm not sure why I felt so guilty about it. You're good.

[ He's forgotten why it was such an emotional trigger for him, and so he decides to wave it away. It's probably fine, right? ]

I want to sock him in the jaw though lol. Only when you're ready to let him see me, and only with your permission, though. I can wait.

[fluorite]

[ Huh. That feels... weird? He furrows his brows at that email, stuck on it for a minute or so. ]

I think you knew what you were guilty over, Hector. I couldn't tell you what it was, but I know it from your face.

[ He knows the look of deep, deep guilt. After all, Fai has seen it on his own face plenty of times. ]

You're free to punch him in the jaw. I already did. :)

For what it's worth, I'd like for the two of you to remain friends. Though if you think that's not possible because of your feelings, I understand.

[secondthoughts]

[ Well... Hector can't put his finger on it. He remembers how viscerally awful and guilty he felt, but he can't explain why. Bad day, maybe?

Anyway. ]

Lol thanks :)

We'll talk about it. Like real adults this time, I promise.

[fluorite]

Please do. I think this has been a long time coming.

But I really don't need to tell you that, do I?

[ Or that they need to set boundaries to have a real, honest friendship. The jealous side of Fai wants to include it, but he manages not to. He'll likely always hold some sort of bitter jealousy towards Hector, but he needs to follow his own advice and act his age. So... he leaves it at that. ]

[secondthoughts]

No, of course not. But I think you probably should, just in case. :-)

[ It really has been a long time coming.

He's angry at Yael, of course, but more than anything...he's tired. Emotionally. No guarantees it won't all start up again when he sees Yael in the flesh (?), but he doesn't know if he can take the heartbreak all over again.

We'll see. ]

Thanks, Fai. I mean it.

[fluorite]

[ Then he'll take this as an opening— ]

Set boundaries so you can move on. If not for your sake, then do it for mine.

[secondthoughts]

Yeah. I know.

[ It's a sincere "I know," not a flippant one. That probably doesn't come across in text, though. ]

My original idea of a boundary was blocking him and leaving Fine Wine altogether in hopes of just getting over him. I don't think that would've worked on the long run.

I'll be clear with him. Don't worry.

[fluorite]

[ At least the rest of the message makes that sincerity come across. ]

You know him well enough to realize that it would have the opposite effect on him, I'm sure.

Don't let him omit any piece of the truth from you.

[ Clear and effective communication... who knew Fai would be advocating for that? ]

[secondthoughts]

In hindsight? Yeah, I realize that. But I was upset in the moment, so I wasn't really thinking.

[ Is he ever? ]

But I won't. I'll try and keep my cool, too.

[fluorite]

[ Honestly, Fai is beginning to wonder what thoughts even go through Hector's head. In other circumstances, he'd find it a charm point. ]

Good luck. Call me if you need a mediator.

[secondthoughts]

Lol, thanks. Can't wait to use "I'm telling Fai" as a serious threat.

[ He means that. ]

[fluorite]

He'll know the gravity of those words, trust me.

[secondthoughts]

I'd be more surprised if he didn't :-)

Take it easy, man.