So it was a rejection. Ira looked over her head, unseeingly into the distance. His ears slicked back to his skull as he took her words in. He wasn't exactly disheartened — it wasn't in Ira's nature to just give up but he did not want to disrespect her or push her too hard. Maybe she needed a little time. Or maybe she could never love him. It was better that way, he knew. Safer for her. His heart still hurt, though, the backlash of her rejection stinging him. Used to hiding things like that, however, he veiled it so that she didn't feel bad for it. He didn't blame her. Ira drew in a heavy breath and let it out in a long sigh. “If you think I give up that easily then you're in for a rude awakening,” The indignant Princeling told her in a teasing tone before it fell and he returned to a much more serious demeanor. “But I won't push, I promise. I would much rather have you as a friend then nothing at all,” But in truth he wanted to be more than friend with her. He wanted to love her and protect her. “Don't let them take your ability to love away, Bones. Don't give them the satisfaction of that,” His gaze lowered when she called herself damaged goods and said that he deserved more. A soft half snort left the pallid Princeling.
“You're not damaged goods, don't say that about yourself. You're perfect. And I don't. I don't even deserve you. I'm cursed, remember?” Over and over it kept hitting him, taking everything he dared to allow himself to cherish away from him. Everything that had happened was only served to be proof of it.
“I've been monster for such a long time that it is me and I am it,” He could not remember a time when he hadn't been an insolent, spoiled, cruel little shit. It had stopped being a life line and became his life a long time ago. “I'm so glad you're back,” He breathed, eager to change the subject to something a little bit more cheerful. It wasn't where he felt that she belonged (because he was confident she belonged with him) but at least she was safe and alive. “The Creek wolves better take really good care of you.” He didn't finish it with an 'or else' because it was implied. It was an implied thread and promise all in one. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, or what he was going to do with himself; and he dreaded the idea of leaving Bones again even if they were only friends now. But Ira had no path, no plan aside from maybe trying to give leading a pack a run as Jinx had always intended for him, had groomed him to do before he had gone and messed it all up. It was an idea but Ira wasn't even sure it was a good one and anyway, he had quite a few bit of things to work through. Besides, he doubted any pack would want him because he did not do well with authority.
