Evie Bellarost
Evie listened quietly as Jay explained his past, fresh tears staining his cheeks here and there while he spoke through grief ridden sobs. Upon hearing the tale, Evie knew she had been right about the deeper meaning behind Jay's reaction back down on the beach, which admittedly she was proud of guessing, but that did not changed the fact that her friend now sat in tears.
Cursing her brain for not giving her the right information to help, she remained quiet, only scooting over to his boulder where he sat before placing a soft hand against his back. Turning to Orange she listened to his stricken attempt at conversation but like her, he seemed to find it difficult to react to such information.
Evie's mind mused over discussing her nightmares and her lost parents, but somehow she found herself pulling back from the idea as if it seared her, the idea of sharing that night with anyone was beyond what she could handle, even to a friend and with that realisation Evie felt a great surge of respect for Jay sweep over her. She could never do what he had just done, exposing a weakness or an old wound to the fresh air of the present day and let it sit there for everyone to see.
Evie was too weak to handle such a commitment and too afraid of people's reactions to her past that it was fear that sewed her lips together, making words feel like treacle in her mouth.
"You're brave. You know that right?" Evie finally managed to say, her voice low and sombre. "so much more than I. Really. Your friends knew how to pick their company well." She tried to smile at this statement, letting the warm expression lighten her lips as well as mind.
"so you mustn't cry, I am sure they wouldn't want that." Here she pulled a tissue out of her hoodie's pocket, it was wrinkled and stained here and there with small blots of paint, but it was all she had to offer. Slowly she presented it to the melancholy boy at her side with lop-sided grin. Pushing back the back memories of nightmares, till the scream of her mother faded into nothing.
She may have lost her parents and her baby brother, but that was the thing. She was still here, still laughing and smiling, with so many good memories behind her and so many more to look forward too and that was her duty that her parents left her. Both she and Jay had to live for those who had gone on ahead. To enjoy life to the fullest.
Leka:
Leka grinned as Emil greeted him but then sobered as she spoke, explaining her trainer's condition. He knew all too well what it was like to have a trainer whom suffered from the past. Long nights, he had watched over her, as she shuddered and screamed had memories which haunted the darkest recluses of her mind. They were scars which never truly heal, by his hand anyway. Yet everynight, when Evie would twist and turn, and her skin would become cold to the touch, Leka wished that for once she would not have to suffer.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, he nodded in answer to Emil's gentle voice. "it is a hard thing to watch someone so close to you, like a trainer, to suffer. The heart will carry many scars. But perhaps, one day, the scars will heal." he inclined his head slightly at this and looked back up towards were Evie and jay were perched. "But it is good to see that you and others stand by him. He needs friends like you."