Arrow Lake Hold it, even though it kills you slowly

what could be done? mahler had spoken his piece, and takiyok hers. it was clear that there was no way to move forward, for now — he had surely dashed her heart against the stone of his own emotionless self. she deserved much better than what he had already given her; why could she not see that? ruffled, frustrated with his own inability to be the man takiyok saw more clearly than he was able, mahler was struck with the sudden impulse to abandon all of it.
of course he would not; what a foolhardy and selfish idea. a sigh flared his wide ribcage; a grimness gripped his mouth. but soon the storm passed, for takiyok's sake if anything, and mahler lay his eyes with their lilac fondness upon the fierce woman.
"ve continue," he intoned. continue, with this thing between them, and some dark, greedy part of him wished she would simply come to forget it.