The two sat in silence, the air heavy with the weight of everything Jaeger had confessed to Alisaie. He had finally opened up to her about his past: his childhood; his parents; his sins; the years before becoming a Scion. He was sure it painted him in an entirely new light to her, and yet she was still here. She'd even gingerly placed a hand on his at some point. Still, he was too afraid to look at her. He had only known how to bottle up the bad his entire life, only showing the emotions he thought people wanted to see; the side of him that he knew people would like. Yet after months of a strained relationship, both upset with the other for reasons even they weren't entirely sure of, tonight of all nights she had wittled him down. He'd started talking and found that he couldn't stop. Maybe he'd just wanted to give her what she wanted, tired of the tension between them. She'd told him that she missed him...*them.* The way things used to be. And he missed her too. So he opened up...and up...and up. And still, it seemed, he wasn't done. Jaeger balled his hands into fists, gritting his teeth at the thoughts bubbling to his mind. Talking about his father had reopened the wounds all over again, and now all of the "what ifs" and "whys" were flowing off his tongue like a waterfall. "Is it wrong..." he started, "...that I still care about what he would think? All that I've done as the Warrior of Light...would it be enough to earn his approval? To earn his...his love?" The Hrothgar swallowed thickly, a lump forming in his throat. "He was an awful father. I shouldn't care. I should be glad he's gone. But that's what makes it worse; the fact that I'll never get the chance to know. And it's because of me." Jaeger's vision was starting to blur, and his breaths were becoming quick and shallow. "Mother's death wasn't my fault," he rasped out, barely above a whisper," So why? Why wasn't I good enough?"
Drops of something wet splashed against the backs of his hands. Jaeger blinked, seemingly noticing for the first time how blurry his vision had become. Another drop. And another. He swipes the heels of his palms against his eyes and his cheeks, finding them now very wet. "What...what is...I can't...they won't stop..." There was swift movement at his side; the next moment, Alisaie was standing in front of him. She placed her hands on his cheeks, gently tilting his head to force him to look at her whilst brushing away the tears with her thumbs. "I can't even begin to fathom everything that you've been through," she began softly." But I can say that the way that you feel now is completely valid. It's okay to question, to wonder. Anyone would." Alisaie paused, searching for the right words. "So cry. Scream. Let everything out. Just do not forget that you are not alone anymore." She swallows, her sapphire eyes sparkling with tears of her own. "You can let go without fear. Because I'll be right here to catch you and lift you up again. I will *always* be here to catch you."
It was too much. The dam broke. Every raw, negative emotion that Jaeger had been holding onto for the last decade came forth like a flood. All of the sorrow, the grief, the loneliness, the anger. He threw his arms around the Elezen, burying his face in her chest and *sobbed.* Sobbed like he never had. He felt like a child again; the child that he never got to be. The one that was forced to grow up far, far too quickly. Alisaie cradled his head against her, gently running her fingers through the shaved part of his mane. Her other arm was wrapped around his back, rubbing it reassuringly. She was here. She was still here, in spite of everything. Gods, what a fool he had been. He had kept her at arms length for so long. And for what? It had accomplished nothing but to hurt them both. But no longer. He would tell her how he felt. She deserved that much. Even if she did not feel the same. He would spend the rest of his life making her happy; making up for lost time if she would have him. She was everything. There was no one else, and he was sure there would never *be* anyone else. His life was hers. Yes, he would tell her. He just had to stop crying first.
#TwinwolWeek2025 prompt day 5: Anguish
Jaeger has finally fully opened up to Alisaie. It's not pretty. (ALT lore text)
I haven't caught up as quickly as I would like....the week is over and I still have two more prompts left. 😭
| #Twinwol #Wolisaie #TwinwolWeek #Jaelisaie |