Mend this Burning Bridge

Artorias appreciated how Rudy didn't immediately forgive him. His brother took his time, considered his words, and when the acceptance came he knew it was heartfelt and sincere. He appreciated how Rudy gave him his forgiveness readily, but Artorias just shook his head as soon as the words "It's okay" came out of his brother's mouth. It was decidedly not okay for him to talk to his own sibling that way, but he wasn't going to rebuke his brother's forgiveness. If he thought he was feeling crummy about how he had treated his brother before, Rudy really drove the stake through his heart when he asked if Art really believed he was just a pretty face with a shallow smile and a fake crown. The dark-furred boy cringed inwardly, flinching like he'd just been punched in the gut. He had regretted those words the moment he'd said them, but he hadn't had enough control to keep them from spilling out of his mouth at the time.

Instead of responding right away, Artorias instead turned and moved to wrap a foreleg around Rudy's shoulders, wanting to pull his brother closer for a hug. He had spent days worrying over his safety, praying he would return home all right, and now that he was back home all Art wanted to do was hold his brother and know he was okay. "No, I didn't mean it," he whispered back, but whereas Rudy's voice had been soft, Artorias' was hardened with love and resolution. There were no shades of gray in his regret and his apology. "I was so angry at the situation we were put in, so at a loss and desperate for an answer, and I just... boiled over when I didn't think you were trying. It wasn't fair to you. I know you were just handling things your way, the same way I was doing them mine. Just because our approaches were different doesn't mean one was right and the other wrong."

Artorias closed his eyes, taking a long, drawn out breath to steady himself and keep himself stable. He didn't need to be falling apart in front of Rudy—or any of his family for that matter. "I'm so glad you're all right. I missed you," he said, though the words were much less hard and softened by love now. He clung tighter to Rudy, afraid that if he let go his brother might run off again. "Where did you even go to, you dumb rebel?" His words were obviously in jest, said as one brother teasing the other and without any malice behind them, a weak chuckle under his breath to diffuse any perceived bad intentions.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"