"Hey."

He hugs his little sister.

Hug. Yes, excellent, this helps.

"So, I have formed opinions about him if you'd like to hear them?"

... Nod.

"He's thoughtful, empathetic, kind, outrageously devoted to his morals - which I think are to your taste - and a smidge nerdy. He's - I think focusing on the task in front of him exclusively because it's what he does. He's devoted himself to doing something that's outrageously difficult - I didn't ask what it was - and it's hurt him a lot, and caused him to retreat as far inward as he dares. But he's not going to stop until it's done, because it's his responsibility, something he's not going to ever be the kind of person to walk away from, and it's the right thing to do. And until he can eventually complete his impossible task, he'll happily solve uh. Your. Impossible task. Because it's the right thing to do and he acknowledges that his will take a while."

"I - he - he looks miserable." Is there a way I can fix it can I make it better is there a button to press to solve this problem right now, she doesn't manage to say.

"Yeah. I get the impression that he hasn't had the happiest life. The only way that one's fixable is by getting him out from under his crushing responsibility - in the right way, because he's not going to drop it - and then helping him have a happier life."

Yvette indulges in a whine.

"Yeah, I know." He squeezes her slightly. "I'm sorry it's not fair."

"It's not very fair for him, either, in the middle of - whatever he's doing - and suddenly there's a vampire making gooey eyes at him -"

"No. Nothing here is fair for anyone, because the world sometimes sucks. But it's not your fault, okay?"

"Isn't it?"

"Last I checked, you weren't a fortune teller, Yvette. Yes, it is unfair to be in his situation. But you weighed your options and your potential benefits and drawbacks, and despite Edward's commentary, it wasn't poorly thought out. It's also pretty unfair to ask you to die. We just had one of the potential obstacles show up earlier than expected."

Whine.

"Yep." Such hug. "I know. Grey areas are upsetting like that. I'm sorry. I think the best thing you can do right now is just - go be a positive person in his life."

"And what if I'm just this awful bundle of extra unwanted responsibilities and vampiric romantic angst and complication, dragging him down further?"

"... That is the absolute most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Hands down. I mean, yeah, I see where you're coming from, but come on, it's you."

"I am not the most emotionally stable person ever! I am definitely feeling some vampiric angst right now!"

"Oh, no, you feel bad things sometimes, the horror. How dare you. What a monstrous thing that absolutely no one else in the world has ever been through before. Surely everyone in your life should shun you, because you are not a beacon of positivity all the time."

"That's not my point!"

"No? Then how about you actually see if you're a positive or negative influence on his life before deciding what you are to him?"

"... God, I'm sounding like Edward now," mumbles Yvette. "All dramatic angst and stupid self hatred."

"He has good qualities, promise. They just - don't play well with some of yours. But yes, stop."

"But Blair, overdramatic angst is so emotionally comfortable!"

Snort.

"There you are. You can linger in emotionally straightforward angst for a while if you need to, but I think you'd rather not buy a house and stay."