Redhawk Caldera Dear god, this parachute is a knapsack

Elwood's silence, punctuated twice by strange breathy sounds, answered Peregrine's question in its own way. The Alpha male regarded his Beta, his friend, with patient curiosity. It seemed he was deliberating. By the look on his face, he was giving it some real thought... and having trouble sorting through said thoughts. At last, he spoke, explaining his uncertainty.

The Beta finished his soliloquy with a question borne of confusion and likely exasperation. Peregrine did not reply to it, instead saying, "I don't know a lot about that side of Finley but she's always struck me as someone who has trouble being serious. Ever noticed that? She doesn't seem to like the heavy stuff. I think she keeps even her closest friends at a distance, maintains a sort of wall. My guess is that she's been burned in the past and she's just playing it safe, which makes me sad for her... and for you, or any dude that might like to climb to the other side of the wall.

But... here's the thing," he continued after his own pensive silence. Like Fox, he was rooting for these two but he liked to think he could look at the situation from multiple angles and objectively. "I don't think Fin's playing games by telling you that. I would take her at her word. Maybe it comes from the wrong place—she likes you but she thinks it's too risky, that you'll only hurt her—but I would respect the boundaries she's set. I wouldn't bust your brains out trying to break down her walls. Maybe one day she'll realize it's okay, that she won't necessarily have her heart broken, but she should arrive at that place all on her own, you know? I just wouldn't put any pressure on her. It won't work out for either of you if you do that.

I don't know, man, that's tough," Peregrine finished lamely. "If you think you're developing feelings for her, that distance might not be a bad thing, either. Sorry, I wish I had better advice. But take everything I say with a grain of salt too. I don't know what's going on inside Finley's head... or heart. Fox might be able to shed more light on that stuff. They're besties."