During Hot or Not... I guess Aqua said he wasn't anything special? But I know Aqua's just like, super abrasive, but Gokkun kept yelling at me and it felt like he wanted me to be mad about Aqua but I can't not defend my brother and—
[He pauses for a moment to think before answering her.]
It sounds as though Aqua struck a cord with Gokudera, and being told he isn't special- even by a stranger's standards, has truly put Gokudera in such a bad place that he is even angry with you.
Aqua needs to also learn what I was told when I first came here, which is that the others in the program are in the same sort of situation- we need one another, we cannot burn bridges so eagerly. We must get along since it is the city versus us, and without each other we cannot complete quota.
And you must know that if Aqua doesn't like someone, and if someone doesn't like him, then of course you may defend him- but you cannot make individuals get along.
Give Gokudera some time, he will not stay mad at you. Send him a gift, write him a card explaining how much you care for him, and just how he is special to you.
But he kept saying he wasn't mad but it felt like he kept yelling at me anyway and—
[She breathes out.]
I don't even think Aqua meant to hurt Gokkun either, though! Aqua doesn't do that kind of thing on purpose unless there's like, a really good reason... but it's not like I can say that without making Gokkun mad. I... I don't expect everyone to get along with Aqua. I know what he's like. I just...
[Felt like it was getting taken out on her, and like Gokudera expected her to do something, and then she just couldn't do what he wanted because she can't, even if Gokudera had said otherwise.
He wanted you to know, more than anyone, that he was the one hurt- I'm sure.
Aqua seems like the sort you must keep on pursuing to get to the bottom of him- his walls are up so high that he's isolated himself. I don't believe he can get along with anyone until he realizes that.
It simply sounds like two individuals who simply rubbed each other the wrong way.
... I don't know. Maybe, if he thought it'd make me happy. But Aqua's always been like that, Hubert. He's sour and hard to get along with unless you really try and he doesn't want people to be close... or at least he never really had a ton of close people until like, recently? He's been like that since mama died.
And I told Gokkun that my brother can be hard to get along with and I know Gokkun is mad but I can't not defend my brother either because I know what he's like! And! I know people aren't always gonna get along and that's fine but I didn't think I'd get yelled at about it! And Gokkun said it isn't my fault but maybe it is because I can't not try to defend Aqua and maybe I could've been better at telling him what Aqua was like!
I understand. I had figured him out to be the closed off one of you two twins the moment we began conversing.
It's understandable, and expected, that you would defend your family. No one is angry at you for what happened, especially not Gokudera from what I can gather. Aqua is his own person, and you can't always protect him as his sister, either.
Nothing here is your fault, and you don't need to feel as though you could have changed the past.
But it feels like it and I—I hate that feeling and I don't know how to make it go away, Hubert. I know I can't always protect Aqua and I know he can do whatever he needs to do but—
I... don't know how to stop feeling bad. Because it just feels like I'm always going to feel bad.
[Hubert wished he was there to hug her, since he knew that was how she preferred to recover when it came to these moments, but he figured he could also calm her over the phone.]
You won't always feel bad- Duplicity forces us all together in odd ways, perhaps one day they will get stuck in a room together and have to resolve their own disagreement.
For now, there is no sense in worrying about it- Ruby. Gokudera would not stop being with you over this.
[She huffs, and she's like. Desperately hugging her stuffed bat in lieu of having Hubert around physically.]
But we're not even together-together even if I like him! So! Maybe he'll end up leaving me all because we're not together and I defended my brother even if he doesn't like him??
Maybe!? I don't know! I don't want to walk all over Tifa's relationship with him, but—!
Anyway, I just. I probably shouldn't ever mention Aqua around him again if it's gonna make him that mad, right? But I don't know... how to not talk about my brother...
Mm... maybe... after I figure out everything with Gokudera. None of it matters if we don't work it out, right?
[She still sounds down, though. Like she's struggling to find positives and be happy. Ruby often doesn't handle conflict like this well, unfortunately.]
Ruby. If you don't work it out on your own, then I will intervene and personally ask Gokudera to talk with you about it. You don't have to worry, I'll handle it, all in due time.
[He sounded firm in his words, vowing to take care of her, and this, in order for her to feel better- and for his companion Gokudera to also find peace, as well.]
I didn't say I wouldn't, though! I just—he didn't want to keep talking about it because we kept getting upset and I don't want to be upset when I try to talk to him anyway and!
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Date: 2025-02-10 09:01 pm (UTC)[She sighs.]
He's really mad about my brother.
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Date: 2025-02-10 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 09:15 pm (UTC)Maybe I should've told Gokkun that!?
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Date: 2025-02-10 09:39 pm (UTC)[He pauses for a moment to think before answering her.]
It sounds as though Aqua struck a cord with Gokudera, and being told he isn't special- even by a stranger's standards, has truly put Gokudera in such a bad place that he is even angry with you.
Aqua needs to also learn what I was told when I first came here, which is that the others in the program are in the same sort of situation- we need one another, we cannot burn bridges so eagerly. We must get along since it is the city versus us, and without each other we cannot complete quota.
And you must know that if Aqua doesn't like someone, and if someone doesn't like him, then of course you may defend him- but you cannot make individuals get along.
Give Gokudera some time, he will not stay mad at you. Send him a gift, write him a card explaining how much you care for him, and just how he is special to you.
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Date: 2025-02-10 09:43 pm (UTC)[She breathes out.]
I don't even think Aqua meant to hurt Gokkun either, though! Aqua doesn't do that kind of thing on purpose unless there's like, a really good reason... but it's not like I can say that without making Gokkun mad. I... I don't expect everyone to get along with Aqua. I know what he's like. I just...
[Felt like it was getting taken out on her, and like Gokudera expected her to do something, and then she just couldn't do what he wanted because she can't, even if Gokudera had said otherwise.
And it hurts.]
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Date: 2025-02-10 09:50 pm (UTC)Aqua seems like the sort you must keep on pursuing to get to the bottom of him- his walls are up so high that he's isolated himself. I don't believe he can get along with anyone until he realizes that.
It simply sounds like two individuals who simply rubbed each other the wrong way.
Would Aqua ever applogize?
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Date: 2025-02-10 10:58 pm (UTC)And I told Gokkun that my brother can be hard to get along with and I know Gokkun is mad but I can't not defend my brother either because I know what he's like! And! I know people aren't always gonna get along and that's fine but I didn't think I'd get yelled at about it! And Gokkun said it isn't my fault but maybe it is because I can't not try to defend Aqua and maybe I could've been better at telling him what Aqua was like!
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Date: 2025-02-11 03:07 am (UTC)It's understandable, and expected, that you would defend your family. No one is angry at you for what happened, especially not Gokudera from what I can gather. Aqua is his own person, and you can't always protect him as his sister, either.
Nothing here is your fault, and you don't need to feel as though you could have changed the past.
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Date: 2025-02-11 03:14 am (UTC)I... don't know how to stop feeling bad. Because it just feels like I'm always going to feel bad.
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Date: 2025-02-11 03:24 am (UTC)You won't always feel bad- Duplicity forces us all together in odd ways, perhaps one day they will get stuck in a room together and have to resolve their own disagreement.
For now, there is no sense in worrying about it- Ruby. Gokudera would not stop being with you over this.
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Date: 2025-02-11 04:00 am (UTC)But we're not even together-together even if I like him! So! Maybe he'll end up leaving me all because we're not together and I defended my brother even if he doesn't like him??
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Date: 2025-02-11 04:03 am (UTC)Do you want to be together with him? To date him, as well?
[It was odd, having this conversation with Hubert, but it was the nature of this place.]
He will not leave you, I'm certain of it.
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Date: 2025-02-11 04:07 am (UTC)Anyway, I just. I probably shouldn't ever mention Aqua around him again if it's gonna make him that mad, right? But I don't know... how to not talk about my brother...
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Date: 2025-02-11 04:14 pm (UTC)No, I wouldn't mention him. Give it time, and perhaps they will both come around.
[A pause on his end.]
I love you Ruby, and this will get better.
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Date: 2025-02-11 06:10 pm (UTC)[She still sounds down, though. Like she's struggling to find positives and be happy. Ruby often doesn't handle conflict like this well, unfortunately.]
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Date: 2025-02-11 06:17 pm (UTC)[He sounded firm in his words, vowing to take care of her, and this, in order for her to feel better- and for his companion Gokudera to also find peace, as well.]
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Date: 2025-02-11 06:36 pm (UTC)It's better to calm down or something, right!?
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Date: 2025-02-11 11:10 pm (UTC)And if he wants space, then give it to him, to allow you both to settle down after such an argument. It will help clear your mind, as well.
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Date: 2025-02-12 01:20 am (UTC)But it still feels bad.
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Date: 2025-02-14 05:20 pm (UTC)Is there anything I can do for you?
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Date: 2025-02-14 07:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-14 08:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-15 04:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-16 04:16 pm (UTC)