I got this feeling that I can't go back

She held onto him gently, continuing to brush her claws through the thick dark fur at his neck. Almost to the point of being distracting, not that he would dream of telling her to stop. The closeness helped him to be more forthcoming, to a point where he hadn’t even admitted the facts to himself. She was sweet to him as he spoke, but he didn’t miss the look of concern that flittered over her pretty features as she thought about all that he told her. Admittance was easier when he had her curled beside him, as close as they could really get.

He wasn’t looking for any advice or comment, he just wanted to show her more fully his life before she’d found him. Elise was silent and contemplative for a long moment as she thought about his words and what she was going to say. Their eyes met and he wasn’t expecting to see confusion in her bright eyes as she asked her follow up question of why. Why had he stayed after so much had happened. After his hopes and dreams had been crushed with the death of his uncle.

Iroh hummed softly as he dropped his gaze, those questions had similarly run through his mind before. ”I couldn’t. They’re my family.” He told her simply, bringing his gaze back up to her. ”I couldn’t leave when they were at their lowest. We’ve received blow after blow, after Malleus my cousin Aureus was killed in a freak rock slide. They needed me. Even if they don’t show it… I couldn’t abandon them after that.” Maybe he was making excuses, but in his heart he knew he couldn’t just walk away after everything.