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At least things are mostly calmer now. I had fun fighting monsters, but I'm glad we're not stuck fighting them all the time!

I'm more concerned about the sudden displacement in location, to be blunt - hopefully that isn't something that can just occur at random.

Mm, no that is a large concern. Winding up somewhere at random again certainly would be a problem, but hopefully that isn't something that can or will happen again.

...We'll have to see, I suppose.

Unfortunately that seems to be all we can do in that sort of situation! Here's hoping it doesn't happen again.

[That just gets a quiet noise out of him - well, that and another line of text.

Hopefully we'll both manage slightly better if it does.]

[Jaeger opens his mouth to respond, then thinks better of it. The thought gets across anyway.

I'm so sorry about that. I shouldn't have sent you those texts. I never wanted anyone to see me like that.]

[...That. Hm.

Do you believe that I think less of you for it?]

[I don't think so? You don't treat me any differently. But I should have held it together better. I shouldn't have dumped all of that onto you; I shouldn't have been that weak in the first place.

Jaeger shifts a bit where he's sitting, glancing away but not speaking up.]

[I did the same thing to Elda.

...He never did tell you who he did that to, did he. Well, there we have it, he supposes.]

[Of course it isn't long before he looks up and some part of him isn't really surprised by the words he finds there.

I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you when you needed it. I think it's good you didn't send me those texts, though. I don't know how I would have handled them.]

[It's hardly your fault we were sent to separate locations like that. And I doubt I would have told you any of that even if we were in the same place besides.]

[I know, but... I want to feel like there was something I could have done. I know there wasn't.]

[The text that happens after that is immediate.

Stop trying to take responsibility for me.]

[I'm not trying to take responsibility for you, I just want to help.]

[You don't have to. If you have so much confidence in my ability to handle things, it's not necessary.]

[I do, but I don't know what else to do with myself. I didn't realize it would bother you. I can try to tone it down.]

[I don't know why it's bothering me in the first place.]

[I've been told I can be a little smothering at times, so perhaps that's it? It hasn't been a concern in quite some time so I haven't really given it much thought, but the last thing I want to do is drive you away when I'm just trying to help.]

[There are several reasons why I don't tell you everything, and that sort of reaction is one of them.

Again, it's unbelievably blunt, and he shifts a bit as the thought becomes visible, though at least he doesn't seem overly agitated.]

[I'm still not sure I understand why, if you want me to be honest.

This is probably the longest Jaeger's ever gone without breaking the silence, but this method of communication is actually forcing him to talk about things he wouldn't normally talk about, so there's that?]

[Because you don't seem to understand that I don't want you to do anything about it. I don't need constant reassurances or attempts to take care of me or insisting that there must be something you can do - I don't want that sort of thing, and bluntly put I don't ever know what to do with it because no one has ever treated me like that before - and that's probably not something you needed to know because that's the sort of thing that tends to make people upset for whatever godforsaken reason, but it isn't like I can do anything about it now.

Either way, I've remembered some particularly disturbing things and I don't really care to have to deal with you lamenting the fact that you can't make my life better for me on top of everything else. I don't want sympathy, I don't want assertions that you would fix everything if you could or that you feel sorry for me - honestly, I don't know what I do want, outside of perhaps for you to believe me and leave it alone when I tell you that you're doing enough for me.

I can take care of myself. I'm not a child, and I don't need anyone else looking after me. I'll be fine.]

[Okay. I'll do my best not to express anything like that to you from now on. I can't say that I'll stop because I know I won't. But I can at least keep that to myself. I didn't realize it was bothering you this much. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to irritate you with it.]

[I understand that some of the things I tell you worry you. And that you seem to think that I'm not telling you something important today - I noticed some of your thoughts to that effect earlier.

I really will be all right, however.]

[I know you will. Regardless of what you're dealing with, you'll be fine. I really do believe that, even if it doesn't seem like it at times.]

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