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[ That's frightening too, in a way: she hasn't seen Break look this haggard and gaunt since the time she had first found him sprawled outside, looking more dead than alive.

Another breath; she shakes her head, declining the offer. She'll need strength for this. ]

Reim... told me that he knew I was dead. And Gilbert confirmed that I died at your hands.

[ She's marveling at how steady her voice is, for the time being, when she really feels like bursting into tears or screaming. ]

I wanted to hear the rest from you, so I didn't ask for further details.

[ His eyes drift further downward, since he's not sure whether to be grateful or frustrated over that. He had taken the time to explain things to Gilbert in detail, hoping he may pass it along at least in part, but... Perhaps this is part of his punishment. It would be cowardly to avoid it, and really, deep down, Break wants to be cowardly. He's... afraid. He's truly afraid of this conversation, because even if he had claimed that it was the Intention of the Abyss's mission that gave him purpose, that was only a part of it. It was the Rainsworth family just as much, perhaps even more, so to lose that... Losing Shelly had been hard enough. To lose Sharon too, and to his own stupidity, is something he doesn't want to dwell too much on.

So, he doesn't. His voice is soft, not completely his normal tone of of voice for discussing business, but some of that coolness is there. With Gilbert, he could explain all at once and share his own emotions, but for this, it was Sharon's turn. He has to take it more slowly. ]

...That is correct.

[ He won't dodge that. The end of the story would be the same either way, so he confronts that fact first before explaining the events that had led up to it. ]

I signed a contract with the Yao Corporation. I can explain my reasons if you wish, but ultimately, they weren't worth it. I— [ He hesitates, pauses, a rare thing for him ] I did not understand what they were asking of me, at first. They wanted me to steal something from you, but they didn't tell me what it was. [ And his voice grows even softer as he links his hands together in front of his forehead ] Or where.

[ With enough time granted to mull over everything, Sharon had concluded that Break's reasons for telling Gilbert everything could have included the possibility that he'd been banking on Gilbert being the one to fill her in. And he had certainly offered, but this wasn't something she felt she needed to hear from anyone else but Break himself, regardless of whether he truly wished to discuss it or not.

For now, she listens. There are more questions following that, some which she can answer for herself. Of course the Corporation would have known about the chip... what didn't they know? Why they had chosen to send Break... they likely knew about their relationship, but to wait for this point... and to force him into a position where...

And of course she'd told him, and hadn't thought anything strange about how he'd paled at the time. She couldn't have known what she'd told him about was the very thing he'd been ordered to retrieve... and it had been in such a place that to retrieve it without killing her was impossible. ]

... And what would have happened, had you refused?

[ Because she senses there's more to it than that. If nothing else, she wants to believe that Break wouldn't have murdered her if he'd been able to find another option or escape the possibility entirely. ]

Your death.

[ And his own, but he doesn't mention that. It doesn't matter particularly much to him, because if it had just been a matter of his own life, he would have never killed Sharon. He would have fought against it as much as he could, but were it only his life on the line, then he wouldn't be particularly bothered about losing it. ]

They control...whatever it is that revives people after they die here. And if I had failed, you would have not be revived.

[ ... So, in the end, it had been about her. And the reasons he'd mentioned for signing, they're suddenly easier to grasp. He'd had to kill her, or she would have died... permanently?

It's such a twisted form of logic, and yet she can only imagine how Break could have been pushed to that edge rather quickly. ]

Break...

[ But--

A pause, and then, finally, something stronger enters her voice. Weak as it still is, the burn of an additional emotion is a welcome boost. ]

Are you an idiot?

[ There's no grand reaction from Break. He doesn't playfully and clownishly show his fear towards her, but his hands lower from his forehead so that his elbows are set on his knees instead. His head is still bowed, and his voice soft. ]

I am.

[ it would have been better if he had protested. It would have given Sharon a reason to fall back on familiarity, on that almost childish fury she threw at him when he did something idiotic and tried to laugh it off or refer to it as lightly as possible.

But this wasn't at his usual level of idiocy. This wasn't something she could forgive him for so easily, as much as she wanted to, as dearly as she wanted things between them to return to the way they'd been before he'd killed her. ]

I thought you'd learned... I truly thought by now, with the people around you, you'd finally come to accept the fact that you couldn't do everything on your own...

[ Now, her voice breaks under the force of Sharon's anger, the vast amount of emotion a little too much for her throat to handle without lapsing into an almost-whispery scream every so often. She'd decided not to cry, long before she'd called him, but so much for that plan; the tears are spilling forth anyway, because she is scared, that if she can't get through to him, if she can't make him realize, there won't be anything left to salvage. She needs him to try, not to fold so pitifully like this.

And it's why she keeps going, hands now balled into shaking fists at her side, as fiercely as she can manage. ]

But you-- just what is it, Break? What is it that makes you try and do everything on your own when it never works out the way you expected?! Why can't you just-- for once--

[ This is bad, and Sharon knows it; her voice will give out if she keeps yelling like this, but she squeezes the last bit out anyway, because dammit, he is going to listen to her. ]

Why can't you believe in me a little more?!

[ Gilbert, he could yell at. He could fiercely defend his point, because as much as Break knew that his actions were too extreme and that he had gone too far, he would never find fault in his intentions. It was stubborn of him, the ideals of a foolish knight trying to cling to the sense of selflessly protecting others, even if his actions had become twisted from the ideal of the white knight the longer he had lived. Break looks up as she begins to yell at him, but his face is almost expressionless as he listens, because they're criticisms he had already given himself, at least until that last part.

The last part is what makes him frown, and his face finally twists from grief and a dull ache of sadness, but it's into a slight look of irritation. He doesn't yell, but though his voice is soft, there's conviction to his words as well. ]

—It's not that I don't believe in you, Sharon. That is... That could not be further from the truth. [ He pauses, and the expression shifts to a look of bitterness, because he can't explain this well, and he knows it from the start. ] I don't wish to justify what has happened in any way, but I simply could not sit around waiting complacently any longer. The people around us keep disappearing, being tortured, dying, and for what? For another set of people we know to flood in? To watch each other slowly die?

[ He shakes his head ] I believe in you, Sharon. Returning home...truly reminded me of that. You're no longer a little girl any more, and you somehow become a strong, capable woman without me noticing, and that is why I made my choice. I want to see you, Reim, and everyone else return home, safe and free from the whims of God-like men who only seem to want to watch us suffer. I thought—

[ Here, Break pauses, and his voice falters too, because he was so sure that he could secure some kind of benefit. Something more than a cake sent as if some kind of cruel joke to remind him of what a grave mistake he had made. Sharon was right that he tended to want to do everything alone, and while he had made some progress to learning that lesson, things still just tended to turn out well for him. But, finally, it seems that his luck had run out. He ducks his head, because a feeling wells forth that hadn't made an appearance in years, not since Break had watched Sharon's mother slowly slip away until she drew her last breath. Illness had taken Shelly, so there was no one to blame for her death, but for Sharon's? It was only himself. It's a hot, angry grief, and while one eye no longer has the ability to do so, Break can feel the other burn with tears, though he presses a hand to it in shame to hide it. ]

—I thought I could do something to help. But instead I've repeated my mistakes twice-over.

[ She wants to ask, desperately, how, what forming an agreement with the very same people behind the torture of so many of their friends, the permanent loss of numerous residents of the underground bunker, and their captivity could possibly have accomplished. Joining with them wasn't the right path, and just when she thought she could make a difference, fight back in her own way--

There are so many things about his decision that Sharon can't even hope to understand, but she'd known that she and Break weren't always going to view things in the same way. And now, of course, he's trapped in an even worse way, and so is she. Until she finds a way to destroy that contract, she knows he'll keep following their orders. For her. To keep her safe.

... What a stupid, idiotic, utterly hopeless brother. It's a thought only cemented when she stares up at him, only to realize why he's hunched like that with one hand protectively over his eye.

It's an impulsive movement, the way she reaches out to grasp that hand, to tug it away. ]

Then amend them. Stop shutting people out.

[ The yelling has certainly taken its toll, as she'd expected. Her voice is all too quiet and fragmented, made even worse by the burning thickness in her throat. ]

It's going to take my idiot of a brother the rest of his life to make this up to me, so don't you dare think you can shake me off so easily. You're still my responsibility, after all.

[ Strong words for someone who was still crying, but she'd ignore that much for now. ]

[ There's a moment where he instinctually resists Sharon pulling his hand away, because he's stubborn and so guarded with his emotions, but... It's Sharon. It's with reluctance, but he relaxes, and Sharon is able to pull his hand away, only to see something that she hadn't seen in an even longer time, if she had seen it at all. Break could count the amount of times he'd cried since he had left his birth name behind on one hand, so he stares back at Sharon with a bewildered, almost frightened sort of expression. It's partially out of a sense of embarrassment that anyone else would see that sign of weakness, because he can't help of think of it as such for himself, but it's mostly because of what she says. ]

...Make... it up? [ He repeats that phrase softly, like he can't believe that she's said it. He'd still very much like to hide his eye, but he doesn't pull against her. ]

You would still keep me at your side?

[ Sharon nods, doing her best not to stare, to stay firm-- because she needs to be. Right now, when Break is crying... she needs to stand strong. ]

That's the only way I'll forgive you. You need to stay right where you are. Do you understand?

[ It's shocking to him, because even if he had hoped for this, he had never expected it. He thought himself undeserving of such forgiveness, so in the face of it... He's humbled. His head droops, but it's not to hide his face so much as his head just suddenly feels heavy. ]

I— [ He hesitates with a rueful smile, because he's finds himself so undeserving of such grace. ] I understand, milady.

[ And with that, Sharon releases his hand to wipe almost defiantly at her own watering eyes. This much is fine. She's still hurting, and so is Break, in his own way, but they've reached the point she'd been fighting for.

The rest can come later. ]

Good. S-see to it that you don't forget.

[ His head droops again with a small, defeated little laugh, but truly, he's only grateful. ]

I will never forget it. I don't deserve it, so I could never forget it.

You can dwell on what you do or don't deserve later, unless you'd prefer I leave you be for now.

[ that kind of wore her out. ]

[ She shakes his head ]

...If it is not too selfish to ask, I'd like you to stay, actually.

... Temporarily. If it doesn't trouble Reim, of course.

I think that just this once, he'll be lenient.

[ Break looks up to Sharon, and he still looks tired, but better. Marginally. ]

I asked Gilbert and Reim to give you a message, but I'd also like to give it myself. I'm sorry, Sharon. More sorry than I can say.

[ She's glad they hadn't said it. It wouldn't have meant as much, coming from a messenger, no matter how close she was to them.

And now-- she nods, mutely, before the tears get the better of her and she has to hide her face in her hands. ]

Sharon...

[ It breaks his heart to see this, and he wants nothing more than to stand up and come to her side. He wants to wrap his arms around her and hug her, like a big brother is supposed to, but he's not sure if it's a gesture that would be appreciated or accepted. He pauses awkwardly, but then pats the seat next to him on the couch. She won't be able to see it, but she'll at least hear it, hopefully. ]

Come sit with me. [ er... ] If that's alright.

[ She will, even though it takes her a minute to compose herself, safe within the darkness of her palms before she lowers them and moves over to seat herself beside him. ]

I-it's acceptable right now.

[ He hesitates, his hand faltering, but then he reaches around to put his arm around her shoulders. He wants to comfort her, but at the moment, he's unsure how. ]

Then stay here for a while. If you want to, you can rely on your useless older brother for a while. [ He pauses, then adds: ] And I'll rely on you.

Then at least you've improved in one respect...

[ but she sighs, leaning a little more against him. ]

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