[In the back of his mind, forged there by knives and electricity and windowless rooms is the voice that says you will leave, everyone does. Before Keeliai he'd never been someone's first choice for anything and -- Damian telling him he was a good person came as a shock, as much of one if he'd said it in reverse, that he chose this Robin without having to choose, and stuck by it.]
[He'd felt like a charity case, all those months ago, when homesickness was needle-sharp and for all Guy wanted to - he couldn't take the burden; Kyle refused to hand it over, hoping to lose it. The ocean was always calm if you went deep enough, and some things would stay down there forever.]
I [he'll leave, you'll suffer, everyone leaves, you can't trust, anything could happen] know.
[Maybe it hurts a little, that Jim doesn't quite say love as often, even if he feels it. Kyle knows he does, and has little concept of it, and he can wait. He himself doesn't have the issue - because he falls too deeply and too far, and can't dig himself out of the mess. He has to. He can't keep his oath if he doesn't love - and it was so much easier when he could hear them all, see their dreams, hopes, and crush their despair with only a thought. If only he had power.]
[He has a different power now. A curious plant, searching for the sun, it's not the ring but it's him; it's always what's been inside him. Shayera'd known: the ring never stopped working for you, did it? You see?]
[He exhales, kisses Jim's cheek as his expression turns pensive, intending to turn the tide back to play —]
[— And the world comes crumbling down, a house of cards. He shakes his head, his gaze steady but unaccusing.]
no subject
[He'd felt like a charity case, all those months ago, when homesickness was needle-sharp and for all Guy wanted to - he couldn't take the burden; Kyle refused to hand it over, hoping to lose it. The ocean was always calm if you went deep enough, and some things would stay down there forever.]
I [he'll leave, you'll suffer, everyone leaves, you can't trust, anything could happen] know.
[Maybe it hurts a little, that Jim doesn't quite say love as often, even if he feels it. Kyle knows he does, and has little concept of it, and he can wait. He himself doesn't have the issue - because he falls too deeply and too far, and can't dig himself out of the mess. He has to. He can't keep his oath if he doesn't love - and it was so much easier when he could hear them all, see their dreams, hopes, and crush their despair with only a thought. If only he had power.]
[He has a different power now. A curious plant, searching for the sun, it's not the ring but it's him; it's always what's been inside him. Shayera'd known: the ring never stopped working for you, did it? You see?]
[He exhales, kisses Jim's cheek as his expression turns pensive, intending to turn the tide back to play —]
[— And the world comes crumbling down, a house of cards. He shakes his head, his gaze steady but unaccusing.]
Nothing is easy.