It’s alright; it’ll be fine – Ari was used enough to falling back on these platitudes himself to know when they were true and when they were only feigned, he fancied. Nemo definitely still seemed down about something. He didn’t elaborate, though, and Ari didn’t want to exasperate him further by trying to force it.
But he knew the burden of that kind of thing, how one screw-up, argument, a single thoughtless moment or miscommunication could cause a minefield of complications in a friendship. And he didn’t want to guess at what could have possibly happened, but Nemo had a soft heart, had to be a good friend, would never have gone out of his way to hurt anyone – so surely it couldn’t be anything worse than what had once happened with Ari’s closest friendship? And even that had worked itself out in the end. “You’re right, you know,” Ari agreed. “Might not feel like it now, but if they’re a good enough friend you’ll figure it out.” If the alternative was losing them from his life entirely, there often wasn’t much choice.
“Anyway, you know where to find me if you change your mind,” Ari added, reaching over gently to pat Nemo’s shoulder. He wished he could have been more useful here; but he resolved to keep a closer eye out for his youngest brother from here on out. He gave a small grin. “Or need someone to cover for you while you get out of here for a bit.”
But he knew the burden of that kind of thing, how one screw-up, argument, a single thoughtless moment or miscommunication could cause a minefield of complications in a friendship. And he didn’t want to guess at what could have possibly happened, but Nemo had a soft heart, had to be a good friend, would never have gone out of his way to hurt anyone – so surely it couldn’t be anything worse than what had once happened with Ari’s closest friendship? And even that had worked itself out in the end. “You’re right, you know,” Ari agreed. “Might not feel like it now, but if they’re a good enough friend you’ll figure it out.” If the alternative was losing them from his life entirely, there often wasn’t much choice.
“Anyway, you know where to find me if you change your mind,” Ari added, reaching over gently to pat Nemo’s shoulder. He wished he could have been more useful here; but he resolved to keep a closer eye out for his youngest brother from here on out. He gave a small grin. “Or need someone to cover for you while you get out of here for a bit.”
