[ Her confusion's mirrored in his face when she says his name. It's an almost distant sound, detached, and until she explains, he can't quite figure out why. It still takes him a few seconds to make sense of it, even after she does, like his brain lags when trying to process that information.
He's never lived here. She moved... because she moved out. She's right, he had no idea, and he had no way of knowing. He did cut off all communication with her for a while there, and even when he got back in touch, it was just short and inane messages, things with little substance or meaning. Trying to distance himself while being unable to completely let go.
That's been his pattern with her for years now. A whole decade, and then some. And the farther away he's been from her, the more he realizes he can't truly leave, and she can't truly leave his heart or his mind.
He's silent for a moment, her question going unanswered for a couple of seconds until he finally nods. ]
Yes. Yes, I... I know. I know. [ A pause, ] Betty... I'm sorry.
[ No, he's not. That's a lie and he's always been horrible at lying to her, so she probably can tell. He is sorry if she suffered during that breakup, but he's not sorry that she's not with him anymore. He's not sorry that he didn't come back to find her and Leonard settling into a new life together, in a new home, painting their walls together in new colors, smiling and laughing while getting each other covered in blotches of begonia or baby blue.
In fact, he's immensely relieved. He'd been feeling a constant tightness in his chest ever since he started on his journey home, and he almost buckles when that pressure is gone in but an instant. It's selfish of him and he knows it, but he's never claimed to be perfect. Far from it, really. ]
no subject
He's never lived here. She moved... because she moved out. She's right, he had no idea, and he had no way of knowing. He did cut off all communication with her for a while there, and even when he got back in touch, it was just short and inane messages, things with little substance or meaning. Trying to distance himself while being unable to completely let go.
That's been his pattern with her for years now. A whole decade, and then some. And the farther away he's been from her, the more he realizes he can't truly leave, and she can't truly leave his heart or his mind.
He's silent for a moment, her question going unanswered for a couple of seconds until he finally nods. ]
Yes. Yes, I... I know. I know. [ A pause, ] Betty... I'm sorry.
[ No, he's not. That's a lie and he's always been horrible at lying to her, so she probably can tell. He is sorry if she suffered during that breakup, but he's not sorry that she's not with him anymore. He's not sorry that he didn't come back to find her and Leonard settling into a new life together, in a new home, painting their walls together in new colors, smiling and laughing while getting each other covered in blotches of begonia or baby blue.
In fact, he's immensely relieved. He'd been feeling a constant tightness in his chest ever since he started on his journey home, and he almost buckles when that pressure is gone in but an instant. It's selfish of him and he knows it, but he's never claimed to be perfect. Far from it, really. ]
Are you alright?