[It's almost strange, isn't it? Both of them feeling selfish for wanting something they both want. Romantic inclinations aside, Ion wants nothing more than to be close to Anise to again. She has always been his best friend. And he hates that things were still like this between them. If only he hadn't told her-- ...but there was no reason to think like that, now, was there?]
[But this... perhaps this was something they needed. Ion hated keeping secrets from Anise. He kept so many from her for so long, and it was never until he told those secrets that he realized how badly he wanted to say something. Even now, he was keeping secrets... and he knew she was as well. Secrets he already knew about. Secrets that only served to draw them further apart. And he hated it.]
[He can hear that pain in her voice, and he can't stand it. It was pain she was feeling for his sake, a pain he's been trying so hard to hold back ever since she arrived. The scars of that draft ran far deeper than what could be seen on his skin. But despite that pain, and seeing Anise taking part in that pain for him... it felt good. Sharing some of that heavy burden with someone he cared about so much...]
[And it was just enough for him to throw aside any concerns for how awkward things might still be between them, how awkward things could still become between them, and finally reach up and pull Anise into an honest-to-goodness hug.]
no subject
[But this... perhaps this was something they needed. Ion hated keeping secrets from Anise. He kept so many from her for so long, and it was never until he told those secrets that he realized how badly he wanted to say something. Even now, he was keeping secrets... and he knew she was as well. Secrets he already knew about. Secrets that only served to draw them further apart. And he hated it.]
[He can hear that pain in her voice, and he can't stand it. It was pain she was feeling for his sake, a pain he's been trying so hard to hold back ever since she arrived. The scars of that draft ran far deeper than what could be seen on his skin. But despite that pain, and seeing Anise taking part in that pain for him... it felt good. Sharing some of that heavy burden with someone he cared about so much...]
[And it was just enough for him to throw aside any concerns for how awkward things might still be between them, how awkward things could still become between them, and finally reach up and pull Anise into an honest-to-goodness hug.]