"It could be that he rejects it." Hadyn agreed, watching Carlos with a faint smile. So many hurts, Hadyn thought, that he truly wished he could reach out and smooth away. How often he'd tried to do just that when Carlos had been just a small boy. And then a teenager. And then a young man, lost and alone. It was Elisha that had kept Hadyn from losing his mind and properly reaching out to snap Felipe in two, and rationally it had made sense. But there were moments, moments like now....that he wished he could.
"It is just rejection that scares you?" He asked after a moment, "or is it something more? You'll never convince him to love you, if you never try. And if you aren't willing to try, Carlos, you should let him go now. That man is headed one direction right now, and it is not a direction that ends happily. If the only thing you can do is sit back an watch, I suggest moving out of the way. Otherwise you'll get hurt, or dragged into it. Or both."
Gael was a broken man, Hadyn thought. More so than Carlos, or even himself. In many ways, Gael was like a wounded animal who wanted affection on his terms, and reacted violently when his terms were not met- but he was still always seeking that affection. Because, Hadyn suspected, he craved love as much as the next. Gael had, after all, seen that love could be strong and powerful. His parents had been loving and kind, from what Hadyn recalled. Even after one had died, the other remained strong and loving. So then it was one man that destroyed love for all time? No, Hadyn didn't think Patrick was that strong, even if Gael thought so. Even if Carlos thought so.
"Carlos, letting go of someone you love...is easy. Much easier, that is...than fighting tooth and nail for them to under you aren't leaving or giving up. Patrick is a memory you have to fight, yes. He has likely colored much of that man's life, and will continue to do so- because that is the only way he has felt love. He has nothing to compare it to, nothing to say that all love is not manipulative and violent. And...you, you have no reason to believe love is not filled with rejection. But neither of those are whole truths. For either of you. Love is more, can be more- you just have to fight for it."
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"It is just rejection that scares you?" He asked after a moment, "or is it something more? You'll never convince him to love you, if you never try. And if you aren't willing to try, Carlos, you should let him go now. That man is headed one direction right now, and it is not a direction that ends happily. If the only thing you can do is sit back an watch, I suggest moving out of the way. Otherwise you'll get hurt, or dragged into it. Or both."
Gael was a broken man, Hadyn thought. More so than Carlos, or even himself. In many ways, Gael was like a wounded animal who wanted affection on his terms, and reacted violently when his terms were not met- but he was still always seeking that affection. Because, Hadyn suspected, he craved love as much as the next. Gael had, after all, seen that love could be strong and powerful. His parents had been loving and kind, from what Hadyn recalled. Even after one had died, the other remained strong and loving. So then it was one man that destroyed love for all time? No, Hadyn didn't think Patrick was that strong, even if Gael thought so. Even if Carlos thought so.
"Carlos, letting go of someone you love...is easy. Much easier, that is...than fighting tooth and nail for them to under you aren't leaving or giving up. Patrick is a memory you have to fight, yes. He has likely colored much of that man's life, and will continue to do so- because that is the only way he has felt love. He has nothing to compare it to, nothing to say that all love is not manipulative and violent. And...you, you have no reason to believe love is not filled with rejection. But neither of those are whole truths. For either of you. Love is more, can be more- you just have to fight for it."