<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fe/Normal_set011_003.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/A5xScp0.png)</div><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><strong>NAME:</strong> Cairon Hildebrondus (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=299655.msg14674976#msg14674976)<br/><strong>HOUSE | YEAR:</strong> Ravenclaw, 7th year<br/><strong>BLOOD STATUS:</strong> Half-blood<br/><strong>WAND:</strong> 10 9/16" | pine | dragon heartstring | inflexible <br/><strong>WEARING:</strong> Ravenclaw hoodie, jeans, checked Vans<br/><strong>DATE | TIME:</strong> October 13, mid morning<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong> Quidditch field<br/><strong>CONTENT:</strong> Tame if awkward<br/><strong>MOOD MUSIC:</strong> Do It Again (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKAC7t0P65o)<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong> Grace, closed</td></tr></tbody></table><br/><hr/><br/>He did not interrupt her as she spoke--not with vocalisations, nor with expressions.  He wasn't an eye-roller, nor one who would punctuate another's words with sighs.  He could handle what someone else said, taking it all in before he replied himself.  But what she said did require a response.  Just how to respond, though?<br/><br/>Cai knew he was closed.  That was a fair and simple word to describe himself.  Gar, he'd had enough other people who were blunt tell him themselves.  And he deserved the descriptor.  He knew it.  Admitting a problem was a first step, true...but it wasn't the solution to the problem.  And he felt like he had such a long way to go.<br/><br/>"It's a fair cop."  He nodded, grimacing, then bit his lip.  Even if their relationship was over, it still hurt to realize just how distant he was towards her.  He valued honesty, even if he was tight-lipped about himself...but to be so hypocritical towards who had then been his girlfriend...  "I'll...yer.  I'll accept that as fair."  He kept his eyes on the distant peaks, watching clouds swirl over them, wondering if anyone lived on them, and what they were thinking or feeling just then, and if they were as uncomfortable as he was.<br/><br/>It was Grace's admission of losing her faith in him that really rattled him.  He hadn't meant that.  He hadn't meant for any of it.  He'd gone into their relationship hoping to be a model boyfriend.  But...he couldn't...<em>yet</em>...escape who he was.  Maybe he wouldn't, ever.<em>That </em>bit of realization really hit it home...enough to turn him towards his ex.<br/><br/><em>Grace nudged Cai, gently. “I’m only telling this to you for… closure, I s’pose. Hope that’s alright. But, I know you can do it. Whatever that’s worth.” She chuckled faintly.</em><br/><br/>His eyes met hers, again, finally.  She was a beautiful, kind woman, really.  But there was nothing there from his side.  No excitement, no arousal, no thrill of being in her presence.  It really was over between them.  All that was left was a wistful sadness, and tatters of guilt fluttering like a battle-ravaged pennant.<br/><br/>"It's all right, from my side.  I wish it could have been less painful for you, though.  I'm truly sorry.  You deserve better than I gave."  Cai said every word with conviction, slowly enough to weight the words with honesty.  Then he raised an eyebrow.  "Friends?"