Reflection
#1
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((485)) I suck at topic titles oh dear ono

Thankfully times had managed to settle down soon enough. The storm was intense, and without a doubt frightening, but thanks to the build of the sturdy abode, it had faired, for now, with very little damage. Most repair needed was cosmetic, and Harvey saw little sense in worrying too much over something so comparatively insignificant. It wasn't that looks didn't matter, as even one who claims that they don't can admit to having a preference that, if it isn't met, leaves them disappointed if replaced. No, it was more that for now, the red merle found himself preoccupied with keeping food in stock and clean water present in the tub.

Aoves had been staying with him now, making the overall feeling of the house much brighter. Something about her just being there seemed to relieve the Brit somehow, probably thanks to knowing there was another living entity in the house. If he heard a noise, he wasn't in panic, driven by old memories. If he needed comfort, he'd listen out for her light footsteps, or singing if she'd felt obliged to do so.

Nightmares threatened his sleep still, and as he shot up, waking in a frenzy, he'd occasionally walk about, standing outside the wolfdog's door in a way he'd only hope wouldn't be considered creepy if he was ever found out, but protective; he was making sure she was safe, and reassuring himself that nothing was going to steal him away from this new, better life he'd been given.

Chores and upkeep were less of a strain (not that they were too much to begin with), but the gentleman always tried to make sure he wasn't leaving Aoves feeling obligated to do too much about the living space. He would often try and clean what he could, looking almost obsessively for things that needed to be done so that when the female wandered within, she wouldn't notice something and have to fix it herself. Call it paranoid, he simply wished to keep his guest happy, and without anything much more to do, it really didn't hurt.

Now, he'd taken the day to rest. There would be no traveling around, unless he felt the need to do so, such as an emergency occurring, or suddenly remembering something that needed to be recovered. Having cleaned what he fancied already, the red merle aussie dog slowly made his way down the flight of stairs, the couch in the living room his new destination. After reaching said sofa, the male had himself a seat, plopping himself down rather lazily and ending the action with a contented, but heavy sigh.

He was happy with how life had treated him this far, and life with another being present only made things more enjoyable. If ever she had to leave, he figured that he would, just like he had with Rio, manage, but for the time being, the company was nice.

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#2
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It's fine! And sorry about the length, don't even worry about matching D:


The day found Aoves resting in the solitude of her adopted first room, its scenery tailored to her liking as much as resources allowed. The portrait depicting crimson tears was propped against the darker corner of the room, the shadow accompanied its ominous message quiet well, and artful eyes found it to be a fitting space. Almost all of her time had been spent indoors; even now her eyes trailed over the lines in the ceiling, counting out the marks in mumbled French.

It was a poor excuse for an activity, and her mind swiftly realized this and began to wander to other thoughts: she wondered how thoroughly she was adopting the scents of the house and Harvey, and if traces of her own natural perfume had yet woven her identity throughout the dwelling. Working hands certainly had; human household artifacts had been wiped, dusted, and aesthetically rearranged to the full extent of her allowance to do so.

The care she took in doing so only increased after noticing Harvey’s involvement, she assuming that by him participating, the male must have been dissatisfied with her work. And so, through their combined efforts, she found herself with little left to do. The woman tried to avoid going up stairs, she had made a note to repay him in the future, but there few other luxuries she could offer him in her current state.

For that exact reason had she taken the 1st floor bedroom, and spent much her time in it as she did in that moment - light eyes rolling lazily as her bored mind traced the lines above. She didn’t even need to hear the rain to know that the skies were still weeping buckets of their frigid tears. The tapping of the water had long since become a monotonous entity, a numbing drone that luckily could be blocked with a flick of a mental switch. Mental focus diverted to a different channel, instead focusing the sound that drummed in the intricate chambers within her ears. Hardly a surprise, it was still raining.

The delicate cartilage also detected another sound though, and one far more welcome - the familiar footsteps of her housemate heading down the stairs. She rolled out of bed and snuck to the door, and, still trying to remain in secrecy, poked her head past the frame just in time to see him descend to the couch. Even in the shade of the unlit room, she could see his slightly less-than-energetic expression.

The woman left the seclusion of her room to sidle gingerly towards him, lowering to her knees at the arm of the couch once she was there. She crossed her arms over the plush outer cushion, head lowering to rest upon crossed arms whilst smiling endearingly at the male, her teasing murmur soft as though not to shatter the peace of a sleeper at rest. “Tsk tsk tsk, the king of ‘is domain should not sound like ‘e is so drained. What could be the cause of this, I wonder? All that energy spent ruling over your tenants with a ‘eavy ‘and, per’aps?”

A muted chuckle accompanied the joke; in fact, the dame felt that she had put more strain on him with her presence, instead of it being the other way around. The ‘tenants’ was a bit of a stretch too she supposed, besides her, their company was shared maybe by a few spiders and their insect prey. Despite this, she presented him the most sympathetic expression her canid face could muster, theatrically wide eyes peering through the roots her lashes, and eyebrows pricked gently in mock distress. An amused grin overcame what was supposed to be a frown though, and she was clearly pleased with the jest.

Company always inspired her to sharpen her wit, and she was simply grateful for an excuse to leave the dull solitude of her room. Though she may have questioned the scarred fellow teasingly, it was her full intent to know what was going on in his head, she just hoped she'd voiced her curiosity without alluding to the fact. He always seemed willing to talk, a trait that she greatly appreciated, and besides that, she simply enjoyed the foreign tones of his voice. Aoves likely would have lost her mind in company like her own; frustratingly veiled confessions hidden behind quiet thought. No, those who had the courtesy to speak their mind were far better company, at least to her.




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#3
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((1173)) No no! I love it! Kinda took the opportunity to reveal a bit more about the Harvster. ;u;

Harvey was happy that Aoves seemed pleased with her space. She often spent time in her room, or at least in the home, which made the red merle dog feel that he'd succeeded in making the space tolerable, or even, dare he say, pleasant. He hoped he wasn't making her feel too obligated to stay, though, keeping her from going out when she wished simply to show that she appreciate the place. He knew quite well what fun there was in getting out and about, so he only imagined Aoves could enjoy the same pleasure.

Though, unintentionally, he'd sheltered himself more than usual as well.

The wolfdog's presence had not only its affect on Harvey, but the house in general. Its set up wasn't just purely by the Brit's liking (or, rather, preference, as he didn't mind the setting arranged by the female's actions), and was officially a shared space. The scent of Rio and the other beings that roamed the house previously still lingered some (mostly of the dark shewolf, though, thanks to her still visiting her old home and former tenant at times), but the trace of them only seemed to grow weaker and weaker thanks to the two now residing there dominating the place.

He, too, wondered if one could tell that he was accompanied by a woman within the abode, even if they were not that often particularly physically close. Would that affect their opinion of him? He thought of it no more, simply shrugging it off with the idea that it shouldn't matter, as he was helping a now dear friend of him. Aoves' being safe and content was far more important than if others wrongly judged him based on assumptions of his promiscuity (especially seeing as the Londoner was anything but an easy fellow).

Worried over the adjustments she made, Harvey wondered if his upkeep was sufficient or not. Perhaps he was simply being too paranoid, but that, added with the fact that she seemed to avoid coming to him, as he invited her to do at any time, for any reason, even simply for comfort, made the blotched luperci think about his actions. Had he done something wrong? Was he coming off as too strong? He certainly hoped not. He was known (by those who knew him well enough) to be quickly comfortable in being at times touchy with acquaintances, appreciating giving an embrace before departure or pats to the shoulder when one is playful, no matter the gender or age. Maybe she was one to keep to herself? No... He didn't see it, remembering her subtle, but physical gestures of thanks, but maybe he had reached some sort of boundary that let him too close. The thought of invading her privacy or comfortability level made him grimace.

He sighed heavily as he listened to the soft plit plat of the rain drops on the roof. It was as sound that was actually quite lovely to the British gentleman, growing up where he had. Grey skies and dreary weather were common occurrences in his hometown.

Harv closed his eyes, visions of his old life becoming clearer as he let the sounds take him back. Towering buildings, red double decker buses pulled over to the side of crumbling roads. Ports with a strong, distinct smell of fish and salt, along with the musky dogs that hung about, scruffy in both looks and personality...

The old gang, a collection of ruthless hounds with scars covering their fit bodies, cold and apathetic looks upon their faces, blood stained on their pasts. Harvey was no exception. Innocence was a lost quality amongst these boys, snarling and ravaging near constantly to get what they wanted; power. Money, fame, sexual appeal... If they gained that, they were on top. It didn't matter if you were loved for good deeds and a strong heart, or feared for inhumane treatment of the innocent citizens and sickening thoughts conceived within their devious minds, as long as you were somebody in that place.

Most were granted a reputation for the latter (including the shamed blotched Brit), and it was nothing to be proud of... And nothing one wanted to die being remembered for, Mr. Butler later came to realize, as he lay violated and bleeding. Crimson fluid decorated his pelt and the icy concrete under his tortured body. His thighs burned, cuts dug deep by the nails of his attacker, who forced his yellowed talons into the shepherd's flesh in order to spread his legs apart, for easier access. He'd pulled himself into a ball, laying on his side as his heart pounded, his breathing laboured. He could have blacked out at that moment, but he would have only been lucky to attain an escape from the pain, even if only temporarily. No, he rested there, unable to think clearly, yet his mind raced. That's when it all changed.

Tha' voice...? He jumped, brought back to present time and location through the French accented dialogue. Just like the moment in history he'd been trying to cover up with his new life and opportunities, his heart raced, beating in his chest like a drum. His hand shook as he brushed his hair from his bi-coloured, watery eyes. Harvey tried to crack a smile in a sad attempt to calm himself down before responding. Why... Why did tha' 'ave t' come up...

He cleared his throat and even let out a soft sort of laugh. Oh, no, not a' all, love. Simply enjoyin' what I've got, I guess... Finkin' 'bout what all 'as gone on in me life since comin' 'ere. Really quite lovely memories. An', glad t' add ya as a part of dem. He mumbled, his grin more genuine now.

He needed that distraction she provided, but that wasn't purely it. Having somebody there who was the complete opposite of the men who made him so hated and filled him with rage was a step to recovery. Aoves was wonderful company, even with his selfish needs aside.

He could tell that she was joking, calling him king who was ruling over his tenants, but he really couldn't take offense to it, even if he had tried. No, he was far too appreciative of the mink-coloured woman's being there, focusing instead on that. His anger issues were never going to falter if he kept this up, remembering what caused him such harm. With such a sweet, kind individual close to him, he was motivated to keep his temper at bay. If he ever laid a hand on such a selfless and caring entity in a heartless manner, if he had caused her harm in any way... The idea of it revolted him, and he let it go with a quick shake of his head.

The cockney canine brushed a hand over her, shaking somewhat still as he swept her hair aside gently. His smile grew some before he gave an impulsive sign of thanks, even mouthing the words Thank you.

He was settled a bit more now.

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#4
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This post is blech compared to yours :c I blame history papers >:o


The woman knew him well enough to know his personality, and the reaction she recieved immediately set her to worrying, wondering at the sudden shadow she felt pass over him; it was like watching pitch inch along snow. Her expression pulled from theatrics to genuine concern; pricked eyebrows and watching him uncertainly through narrowed eyes. The mood seemed to pass, and she allowed the expression to relax and mimic his own with a smile; though his was a poor excuse for a smile he gave, she felt. “I did not know that enjoyment could make one look so uneasy." The murmur was delivered with the faint grin still hanging on her lips, burying the skepticism within the warmth of her lilting tones - besides that, and she let the matter go as not to stir up the issue in his mind again.

Holding his silence against him was certainly out of the question, a faint blush of surprise and flattery already wanted to bloom beneath the dark fur of her cheeks, a natural reaction to being complimented by another with genuine intentions. Though she felt it was safe to categorize him as honest, the plainness of it in his expression simply took her by surprise.

She was hardly a foreigner to compliments, and usually had quite a talent to guessing when the time came to expect or deliver one – but in this occasion, it appeared the skill had failed her, and it seemed unfair to reply with a premade 'you're too kind mon cher' or other such falsely modest generics. Her head tilted to leisurely rest its full weight on her arm, nose buried coyly in the cup of her elbow, with this motion causing dark strands to slip down as her head re-angled.

Aoves had been prepared to raise a hand to flick the annoyances away, but when the strands threatened to flood her cheeks, as her mane often would, a white hand slipped into her field of vision and completed the task for her. Her gaze fell for a moment, following the hand as it swept near her headspace.

Now she did feel the heat threaten to spread, and it wasn't because the heat of his hand had radiated there, but was the warmth was devoid of passions sultry edge as well. His motion called for the remembrance of her nature; it was not natural to be alone, and she could not help but respond to the break from self-imposed seclusion. The physical response to camaraderie provoked an ache in the back of her mind though, speaking of the friends she had ceased pursuing as she traveled.

She calmly lifted her head to address him, but not so much as to pull away from his hand, subduing laughter as she spoke again."Oh, me? and what 'ave I done to earn this sudden recognition? Do tell, so that I can repeat it again in the future." Fishing for compliments, yes, perhaps. She was glad to see him in a better mood though, and felt she lacked the ability to quiet her curiosity, and not ask him about it. If thinking about her was a part of the reason his mood had lifted, well then, she saw no harm in encouraging him.






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#5
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((688)) You're too modest! It's far from blech~ ouo

A barely audible, but genuine laugh escaped him after her observation was stated. He shouldn't have expected to have been able to hide his tension from a woman so in touch with emotions, it seemed. But, that wasn't always a bad thing. He didn't know the wolfdog to pry into business that would leave him uncomfortable, and she seemed to respect his privacy well enough. So, if she should show even the smallest bit of concern for his occasional moment of relapse, Harvey couldn't feel too nervous about it.

Tha's 'cause somefin' far less enjoyable 'ad t' come first. He said vaguely, smiling softly afterward. It's like... 'Avin' somefin' t' eat aftah you've been starvin' for days. Makes it be'eh... Y'know? What he meant was, the pain made the good things in life all the more appreciated. Small things often went overlooked, and having a friend give you a hug may be considered nothing to fuss over during times of good fortune, after troublesome events and bleak outlooks pass, the embrace is so much more than just that.

As if it was a technique, though. He simply just preferred not worry her over his past, especially with something as traumatic as what he'd been through. Besides the point of being a serious matter, it also pained him deeply still, realizing how easily he'd been overtaken and controlled. Ever since then, he'd felt weak, and could hardly build bonds of trust with even family members. This is where his anger grew into full bloom, for if he wasn't powerful now, he'd force his way to the top.

It was embarrassing, as well. It wasn't that he felt a woman being ravaged in the way he had would be something she should be ashamed for, but Harvey felt he kind of had it coming. He was ruthless, egotistical and rude to all he deemed incapable of ever reaching his level of popularity. The savage hybrid who taught him his sadist lesson was one who the red merle thought very lowly of, due to his disfigured body and unappealing personality.

But could even karma be so cruel?

At first he only blamed his attacker, but by keeping it all bottled up, he felt without a second opinion, or voice of reason, he eventually just ended up turning it on himself. Not that this realization made him want to open up to somebody (as he never has, and still finds it hard to trust an individual enough to do so), but it was an idea.

Bi-coloured brown and bright blue eyes watched Aoves reaction to his hand being there. He couldn't help but to grin a bit more. She seemed a gentle and understanding woman... But would he dare tell her? He hardly really knew her, after all, and how awkward would that make her staying there? Suddenly bringing up his rape seemed a little too drastic for the time. The Brit shook his head.

She'd see me so differently... The Australian Shepherd dog sighed heavily. It wasn't like he knew what she thought of him now, let alone after something like his history was brought up. Maybe...

He was happy to have been distracted again. He found a certain particular pleasure in complimenting the French doll, for whatever reason (it mattered little to Harv, as long as she was content).

Bein' 'bout an' lookin' lovely as evah, of course! The Londoner nodded, tail now wagging some as he leaned in closer, smirk more defined on his playful face. Got meself company, an' a lil' eye candy nevah 'urt. He laughed some, implying the statement was a joke.

Another sigh left his broad chest, and he gave his head a little shake. No. In all seriousness... I jus' fancy ya bein' 'ere, love. Listenin' to me ramble on like a daft muppet, carin' enough t' keep me company, even if I mope 'bout like 'dis... The aussie shepherd's shoulders shrugged. Gotta give ya cre'it for tha' all. Fine job you're doin', too.

It was his own Harvey way of saying thank you, for he felt just that simple phrase was hardly enough.

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#6
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At the words lovely looking, she had to restrain the beaming smile that threatened to spread across her face, with a twitch of thick rimmed lips instead settling for a milder, daintier grin that just barely flashed the tips of her fangs. His eye candy comment earned an outright chuckle however, and more than that, a fully engaged audience. Though squatting at the side of the couch had been the sensible option when she first approached him, seeing now that he was willing to talk –and had even admitted to enjoying her company –she saw no more reason to listen in a stance that was only halfway involved.

Stretching her body forward, she slipped in front of the couch arm and onto the seating cushion. Legs pulled to cross and fold at to the side, and her body relaxed into the support of the couch, hands idly twiddling the speckled feathering at her belly. “I don’t know what a muppet is, but I 'appen to like the things that you speak of.” She said this with a deft nod, as though with her approval, the matter had been completely settled.

Her mind returned to what he had said before. His cheerful demeanor had returned, it seemed, but she wondered if he had so easily swallowed down the source of unrest from before. If it was the source of the moping he claimed to commit, then she doubted it. “And I will give you my advice then, though it sounds like you already ‘ave figured it out yourself. At 'ome we 'ad a saying, après la pluie, le beau temps – something like ‘after the rain, the good weather follows’ in your tongue. You 'ave already been through the bad, and 'ad the good weather, oui?”

Her head dipped forward emphatically, tilting gently with each buoyant inflection that passed her smile. “I think you must allow the bad to move further into the past, without looking back to the clouds.” She was no poet, but the analogy seemed quite fitting for his situation, and she only felt further validated to share it by the storms that raged outside. How much more would she appreciate the sun afterwards? It would be a shame to let the wreckage, something that would surely litter the streets, darken her mood with memories of the storm that caused the disarray –it had already gone, passed.

The past was such a sensitive subject for many, a worrying number of souls, in her opinion, but she at least tried to help the vague situation with equally vague advice. The woman reclined back into the couch with a shrug, looking at him apologetically, for she knew no other answers to give. Maybe he had already tried, for all she knew, but she could hardly call herself a friend without attempting to help him fell his demons.







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#7
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((565))

Her laugh cheered him up more. He was wondering if there was anything he could do to even summon a soft titter from the lovely French hybrid. It was like a mission had been completed, and with a satisfied sigh, he sat back in a more relaxed stance on the couch.

Harvey watched as the speckled girl shifted her own position, no longer hung over the arm of the sofa, but now probably more comfortable, as the cockney male could only imagine. Muppet? A small laugh left him as well, as he'd forgotten others weren't used to his British terms. Uhm... A muppet is a sort of fool. A dimwit. Many other words raced through his mind, but he wasn't sure the example of pillock or wazzack would really do any good in helping her understand the definition. He shook his head, But, tha' aside... You're too kind. The merle dog smiled, not wanting to blow off her sort of reassuring statement as if it was nothing to him.

Another nod was given, and he moved so that he was facing her completely, body turned and leaned in some. Yeh, tha' fits spot on, it does. He was glad at least that concept could be understood. It wasn't that he thought Aoves as daft or incapable of comprehending simple thoughts such as that, but he knew his wording was often tricky, especially with his accent and differing vocabulary. Knowing of her own experience with being introduced to another language (for him, it was only another dialect, but foreign nonetheless), he felt she could relate in not knowing for sure if what was said was really understood.

His heart quickened some at her last remark, though it had little to do with him being upset by it. Impulsively, he spoke, Tha's the problem, love... I'm tryin'. But I can't.

His eyes widened some after he realized what he'd said. Had he really just admitted to being weak? And to a woman! The former gangster grimaced, flopped ears lowering some. How was he supposed to come off as a protective, strong man able to care and comfort others when he couldn't even do the same for himself? He was fully capable of defending what he cared for, but he felt if he opened up, the listeners wouldn't be as understanding. What was said couldn't be undone, though, so with a shrug, he shook it off, only hoping to not make matters worse by his actions, and now preparing himself for a change in Aoves' opinion of the Brit.

Sad, ain't it? He finished. Why stop now, after he'd already exposed enough to show he really wasn't as healed as he liked to portray himself as. If she felt the need to distrust the man, and leave, disgusted by his inability to keep himself pulled together, so be it. However, something made Harv feel she wouldn't...

He'd made up his mind. If she seemed at all interested, and continued to come off as forgiving and gentle as she had so far, he felt she was trustworthy enough to please any curiosity there may be about his person, and past. By no means would he engage in a tale without persuasion, but he felt more comfortable in answering questions less vaguely than before.

His heavy sigh showed his nervousness, but that, too, he tried hiding away with a grin.

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#8
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She nodded, jaws parting to express an enlightened 'Ah' upon hearing his explanation. Her eyes followed his movements curiously as he spoke again, watching as he moved as though uncomfortable with his words. A curious tilt of the head hinted at her confusion, shocked that anyone would be bashful about having a weakness. Or perhaps she was wrong, and it was some past shame that had him returning to the uneasy composure of before. Her words were picked carefully, but hesitant as she gently rolled them from her tongue, not sure if she'd thought through her words well enough to share them.

"No, I would not say sad, maybe just...broken?" The realization that broken was the wrong word hit as soon as it had been said. Dark locks bounced gently as she shook her head, knowing what had been meant to be communicated, but not knowing how to convey it besides the sincerity of the glisten in silver eyes. To the woman, sad would have been if he had given up completely; simply lain down and welcomed his troubles to kicking him in the side. He was trying though, genuinely trying so he claimed, and she hoped that the dark clouds in his mind could be cleared with some extra coaxing.

A dark arm spread forward in the hopes of pressing against his shoulder, more an expression of apology than of pity. She felt broken had been too harsh of a word, and gently shook her head again in frustration, incoherent mumbling starting and stopping as she tried to express what she truly meant.

The words the followed her return to speech flowed slowly, the soft punctuations crescendoing as she became more confident in the phrasing.
"No, not broken either ‘Arvey. Maybe like the ‘ouse was, just needing some working on that 'as not been finished yet.”
The dame tilted her skull to indicate the room, and the house in general. Cleaned surfaces and the homely dressage of furnishings and accessories made it warm, certainly warmer than it would have been had no effort been made to fix it. She could only image what the house had looked like as it lay in the wreckage of humanities demise, but over time, and with the efforts of the past hostess and tenants alike, the place had been restored. Though remainders of the wear of time were still faintly visible, the efforts had been well worth it, she thought.

She returned her gaze to his own, offering up an encouraging smile, emphasizing the word she thought would make him feel more optimistic. "Yet."

At least he admitted to trying, and though he seemed to be worried about the secretive issue, she hoped that with a little extra attention, his problem could be taken care of.







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#9
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((430)) Sorry for lateness, had plays to go to these last two nights. ;n;

Broken? His chest felt heavy as the word was let out. Was he broken? But... Not sad.

Aoves shaking her head got the aussie shepherd's attention back into play. Perhaps it was a simple wording error, as he'd realized before, and taken extra note of, she was much like him in the sense that their speech was distinctly different from what most were used to. And the languages the merle male and hybrid had, too, were very different from each other. He listened, speechless.

Her touch was so comforting to him... It was something he'd missed. He'd never really been close to anybody before, but to those who he had something with, the ability to touch and embrace them, to give them a pat on their shoulder, or a shake of their hand, was something he took for granted. Touch was necessary, and now, greatly appreciated.

He wondered if it would have been too bold of him to sweep her up onto the couch beside him, holding a strong scarred arm about her shoulders, or perhaps even her waist... Pulling her close for reasons quite innocent compared to what some others may think. Just to have her closer as they spoke about something so personal (at least, to Harvey)... He thought it'd be a lovely idea. But was it appropriate?

Taking the side of it being ungentlemanly of him to even possibly think of touching the woman in such a way that he would take her by surprise, or perhaps even frighten her, was uncalled for, Harvey dismissed the thought in whole. He instead smiled, and was calmed by her words.

Yeh... But... He shrugged, Even bein' broken ain't too bad, love... Be'eh than bein' sha'ered. Or... His smile grew a little more, thinking more about the idea of being still far from totally beyond repair. Be'eh than gone! Done for an' all... Broken means ya can be fixed. There's still 'ope for ya t' piece yourself back togevah, an' there ya are, good as new!

He felt maybe this was a little too optimistic, but maybe if it comforted Aoves as well as himself, it was just what he needed.

Yet. Never before had such a word made him so giddy. It was one thing to have home in oneself, but without somebody else behind you, rooting for your cause and being their to support you, it was far too easy to fall, and fail completely. He had thought about giving up before, but... Yet.

Again the thought raced through his mind if embracing this woman was too bold.

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#10
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No worries, my post will be off this week too since I'll be a bit busy >.> Will try to keep up with it to finish before the move though <.<




As he seemed to be feeling better, she slipped her hand off of his shoulder and joined it with the other one, pressing them both gently down into the cushion. Weight shifted fully to her arms as she leaned forward, a faint grin growing slyly on her face as her body tilted closer. Seeing his optimism return had brought a light huff of relief, though she quickly cut it off, so it would not seem like a sound of exasperation.

She still regretted her choice of words from before, but was glad that they had done no real damage; now, she wondered if maybe they had been the right thing to say after all. Her tone continued on, still slightly apologetic, but the hope in her voice plain to hear.

"I am glad to see you are 'opeful, I do not wish for you to think I see you as broken, 'Arvey. I may not know the problem you face, but maybe, you would not mind me saying...I trust you enough to know you will overcome it." He seemed like the persevering sort, though there was only so much you could learn about another within a week. Despite this, she felt that she could meet his eyes in total confidence, even offering a quick nod of assurance.


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#11
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((377)) Oh, don't worry yourself over it! Take your time, I understand. ouo


Harvey


Her faith in him was more than enough to clear him of his cloudy disposition. Even if she wasn't too sure, having only known him for a short period of time, it at least sounded like she meant every word. He didn't take the lovely hybrid to be a being who talked to hear herself speak, or simply to flatter others so she was granted a positive reputation, but a kind, though honest woman.

Here he'd been constantly blaming himself, putting himself down and losing hope anytime a trigger caused his anger to erupt. Yet, a wolfdog he hardly knew on any level was the most helpful in his dealing with his troubling past, and could calm him. Without somebody there like Aoves, he'd go through the same series of events, but with a far different outcome.

He'd remember those days back in London, his violation, his hatred to anything that got in his way, and while teary eyed and upset, he'd blame himself to the point of regret. He'd get angry, and curse those fiends that had wronged him, as well as himself. Filled with rage, he'd swear and shove about, tossing things that should be handled with gentle hands, and growling constantly under his mumbling.

Or, he'd force himself to fight to urge to destroy something, and instead close his eyes. He'd breath in deeply, hold it for a few seconds, before releasing it slowly. Region by region, he'd relax his tense and shakey body, laying limp in a comfortable place of his choice (which was usually on his bed, or, if outside wandering, rested against a stable object, like a tree). It was an exercise he made up for himself to refer to if ever he should get too furious. It worked, most of the time.

But this type of management was so much easier. Having the tender voice of the French mink reassure him of his ability to overcome his problems, whilst legitimately caring to support him a way Harv wouldn't even allow others to help was far more effective, and safe, then his savage outbursts or forced periods of meditation.

Yeh... The Englishman smiled, I pro'ly can. Jus' a lil' more time, an' if I keep tryin'. Can't be too 'ard, right?


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#12
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She acknowledged his words with a gentle shake of her head, mock dissatisfaction infecting her lilting french. "Probably? Don't go back on things now 'Arv. It will be fine, remember, we agreed a moment ago that you are not a muppet." Already leaning forward on her arms, she briefly inclined herself further to playfully bump his shoulder with hers. Aoves felt that the gesture would be best for keeping his mood light, and spirits high, rather than letting doubt set in an work its infernal way throughout his mind. The look she gave him afterwards was nothing short of expectant, a smile growing tentatively wider in the hopes of coaxing a similar, positive response from the male. "So, anything in mind for 'ow to do it?"

It was unrealistic to think he could conquer is problems then and there, she knew that - and if his past had anything to do with the scars that marked his flesh, it would probably take just as much time, if not longer to heal. She was a firm believer in striking while the iron was hot, and wanted at least to see if he was genuine about following through. The hope that lingered in her gaze was a testament to that; but she would in no way ever vocalize just how intent she was on helping - to do so would be presumptuous, too intrusive even for her meddling habits, and not to mention the fact that it would probably offend him. It was all too easy to say something without the follow up, and she hoped that by maybe encouraging him to speak a plan, he would feel motivated to put it into action. She hoped so, at least, for she had yet to tell him that she would not be there to cheer him along.

Her mind had already been made up, in seeing his determination to accomplish something, she too had seen her shortcomings in finding her friends. She had simply...given up. The storm wouldn't be able to be used as an excuse much longer, that much she knew, and as soon as it passe,d she planned to be out the door and searching yet again. Still...her gaze softened from hope to concern, she hated the thought of leaving him high and dry. There was little to do but hope he could handle himself though, for her mind had already been set on finding her missing company.




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#13
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((616)) Sorry for lateness, homework has horrible timing. ;n;

He smiled. Right... Her confidence in him was enough to motivate the red merle male to at least trying what he could to forget what was bothering him (not that it wasn't his goal in the first place, but he'd often lost the urge to fight his issues, whereas now, there was another factor urging him forward).

The playful bump was something he'd needed. It went well with the positive words and uplifting attitude, and caused Harvey to allow a smile on his previously solemn face.

Well... Not really. 'Ave been tryin' everyfin' I thought of, but nofin' seems t' be workin' too great. He said with a shrug. The meditation only temporarily displaced his emotions, and kept him from rage fits, but it also bottled up the feelings, making times when he couldn't easily control his temper more severe. Breaking stuff about helped, but it wasn't anything he was especially happy about doing. Smarting off to strangers, growling at anything that passed by and tossing things may be a quick way to get rid of the tension, but it was also careless and harmful.

His smile ceased, but only for a moment, as he brought it back soon afterward. I do 'ave one trick in mind. Wasn't so open t' the idea of it, but... The brit shrugged again, leaning back some on the couch. 'Ave t' try what I can t' get ovah it, I do.

Opening up and telling somebody else of his history was nothing he looked forward to, but perhaps if it was somebody he could trust, and somebody who would maybe understand his predicament without judging him too harshly, it couldn't hurt. That way, there was at least one other that really knew him and his past, and he'd be getting the dilemma off his chest. As long as that trusted individual didn't go about spreading his story, he didn't see too much wrong with the idea (and if the person was to gossip about the Londoner, then chances are they shouldn't have been trusted in the first place, so Harv would really have to test their loyalty first).

After a heavy sigh, he aussie dog leans back toward Aoves, lowering himself from the couch to sit beside her even, head back on the cushion behind him. He felt it was far more gentlemanly for him to meet her on the floor, rather than summon her to move from her place to the sofa.

I've nevah 'ad anybo'y t' really 'elp me like tha', love. He nodded, looking to the hybrid with bi-coloured eyes. Y'know, t' show so much faith in me. Trust me, I'm goin' t' do what I can t' get be'eh. If not for me, than for the sake of keepin' a promise t' you.

He rested his hand on her shoulder as he'd done the day she arrived in the house. The moment of recollection caused him to laugh softly, before he gave a gentle sort of rub. Thank you...

So as not to make her uncomfortable, he pulled his hand away, after being contented by the gesture he'd given. He knew she wasn't likely going to stay in the home with him forever, and even he didn't know how long he was going to be in possession of the house, but for right now, he was happy to be in her company. It'd be selfish to ask her to stay any longer than she wanted, or needed, so the thought was never mentioned. She was grown, and had her own goals in life to accomplish, just as he did.

But, he may as well enjoy what he had until it was gone. And he was.

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