[Atem will never say it, but he doesn't believe their relationship is a subversion of what Ryslig wants.
He knows the secret behind the coins, now.
The coins are to incentivize opening avenues for you to be hurt, by bonding with others.
It's a balancing act, isn't it...? Drawing comfort and support from others, to keep you from being entirely hopeless, on the non-Fog days...and then, suffering along with them, for them, from watching them, when the Fog comes in.
But maybe he's not the only one doing a balancing act. He's had duplicate memories before, known that two impossible things have both happened. And, if their relationship is something Ryslig wants to remain in place...
...that train of thought is shelved immediately when he feels moisture on his shoulder. Atem holds Ryou tighter, as he tries to talk...as he asserts that his choices are important, too.]
Yes. Even if I want to protect you...even if it's hard to accept it, that I can't...it would be wrong to take your choices away, in any case. I won't.
[Ryou has to choose what he wants. He has the right. And, they both have to live with the consequences, however they shake out...it's frightening, but it's the reality Atem has to accept.
Even if a very real part of him wants to retreat, and cut off everyone he knows, and dull the pain of his awareness of what they're going through however he has to, until his time here is over.]
cw mention of substance use
He knows the secret behind the coins, now.
The coins are to incentivize opening avenues for you to be hurt, by bonding with others.
It's a balancing act, isn't it...? Drawing comfort and support from others, to keep you from being entirely hopeless, on the non-Fog days...and then, suffering along with them, for them, from watching them, when the Fog comes in.
But maybe he's not the only one doing a balancing act. He's had duplicate memories before, known that two impossible things have both happened. And, if their relationship is something Ryslig wants to remain in place...
...that train of thought is shelved immediately when he feels moisture on his shoulder. Atem holds Ryou tighter, as he tries to talk...as he asserts that his choices are important, too.]
Yes. Even if I want to protect you...even if it's hard to accept it, that I can't...it would be wrong to take your choices away, in any case. I won't.
[Ryou has to choose what he wants. He has the right. And, they both have to live with the consequences, however they shake out...it's frightening, but it's the reality Atem has to accept.
Even if a very real part of him wants to retreat, and cut off everyone he knows, and dull the pain of his awareness of what they're going through however he has to, until his time here is over.]