Redhawk Caldera i've seen this one before.

Frustration welled within Elwood, fueled by Finley's reply. She continued to spit at him like an angry cat, her eyes all but boring holes into him. And he just stood up straighter, determined not to let her tear him down. All they really needed to do was communicate -- there were so many emotions bursting at the seams -- but neither one of them was willing to set aside their ego at this point. It was a battle of wills, and Elwood wasn't going to let Finley win.

"I guess you were wrong, then," he said stonily; he didn't appreciate the way she criticized his character. In the back of his mind, a tiny voice cried, "You deserve this!" but he silenced it quickly. He didn't deserve this -- not to be yelled at and treated like a cretin. Not by his best friend. Not by someone he...

His heart skipped a beat, then he swallowed hard. For an instant, his facade flickered. Gritting his teeth, he glared at her, his tail giving a predatory lash behind him. Then, after a long silence, he spoke in a much lower voice. "What did you expect?" Did you expect to lead me on forever? To never let me in? For me to keep letting you run away every time we got too close? Yellow eyes screamed with words that he wouldn't say; couldn't say.