ι'м ησт qυιтє нυмαη, вυт ι'м ησт qυιтє α мα¢нιηє {Rue}

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn stepped closer. "You really don't have to do this. Your life isn't over yet. Bad things happen, and we start over. Believe me, I know."

[assassinrue]

Valerie sighed. It was so much that bad things happened that bothered her as much as it was good things never seemed to. She looked up at Burn, cocked her head then turned away and lay flat at her side looking at nothing

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Damn you, Aron, Burn thought. You never deserved this girl, but the least you could have done was not ruin her. He walked over to the tree and leaned against it, not wanting to sit in the mud. "Things do get better, you know."

[assassinrue]

Valerie let out a grumble so he knew just what he thought of that. Life just went on. There never any REAL change as far as she could tell.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Please come inside," Burn said. "I imagine you could use a shower and some breakfast."

[assassinrue]

Valerie looked at him. The food was seriously tempting, but if she went inside she felt like that would be giving in to her new, unwanted watchman. She continued to look at him but didn't move.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn seriously wanted to go back to Noxton and knock some sense into Aron. Maybe he'd found his 'father,' but some things were more important than his history. This was the present, and Valerie was suffering because of him. If he knew, would he stay with the Legion? He loves her, he thought. It wasn't his job to save romances, though. Still, looking at the pitiful creature in front of him, he found that he wanted to. Making up his mind, he turned his back on her. "I'll be back," he said before disappearing inside.

[assassinrue]

Valerie sent a low growl after him then put her head back between her paws.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn didn't return for over four hours. Sounds of people moving around inside signaled his arrival, but he didn't come outside. Voices conversed quietly inside, their tones furious. Eventually, Burn's voice rose to a shout, "Don't be an idiot! I know that's hard for you, but..." The rest of the sentences was lost as his voice dropped again.

[assassinrue]

Valerie shifted so that her resting face in her paws looked towards the house but she didn't get up at all and she knew if anyone looked out, she probably wouldn't even appear interested.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Then another voice rose loud enough to be recognized. "Send me back, Burn. Now. I'm not going to talk to her."

"Damn you, Aron!" Burn roared. "Just take one look at her and I think you'll change your mind."

[assassinrue]

Valerie whimpered at the sound of Aron's voice and curled into herself, her limbs trembling. She didn't know if she wanted Aron to come running to her, or for him to go and she never see him again.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

There were the sounds of a brief struggle and a thud as something was knocked to the floor. Burn dragged Aron to the window and pulled aside the curtains, showing Valerie outside. Aron thought that maybe his heart stopped for a second. Had he done this to her? He never would have thought... he wanted her to be happy without him. He'd never wanted to ruin her.

[assassinrue]

Valerie could hear inside, she had a good guess what was going on, but she didn't look at the window. She didn't need to see Aron's face.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I can't," Aron whispered. "What even makes you think she'll accept me? I broke her. I can't be the one to fix her."

"You could at least try," Burn scoffed. "I never took you for a coward."

[assassinrue]

Valerie groaned and lay flat, trying to meld into the earth. He wasn't coming out, so clearly he REALLY didn't want her.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Silence fell as the conversation dropped off. A minute later, the door open and the slammed shut again. A person slowly approached her, footsteps hesitant. "Val?" Her name came out as a whisper.

[assassinrue]

Valerie jumped up with a snarl, she stood, hackles raised, teeth bared.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron flinched and took a step back, his hands raised. "Val, it's me," he said. "Can we talk?"

[assassinrue]

Valerie snapped at him then sat down but kept her hackles raised and continued to growl.