Misc angst starters 【accepting】 @ask-lady-pendleton
Robert had been in absolute silence for what felt like hours, although it was probably minutes only. His already wrecked sense of time had become pretty much non existent after he got the news of Jonathan’s passing shortly after the incident had happened. It was pretty much impossible for him to focus on anything after learning that he would never see that man of the heart of gold ever again.
He didn’t even move at all as he sat on the armchair, staring at the wooden floor, lost in thought, until the sound of Erina’s voice rang in his ears. Her tone was soft and understanding, and her words managed to get him to move and look at her. He had been trying his damnedest to appear strong whenever he was before her ever since she got back to England. Not only he was largely used to hiding his pain from everyone, to not be a burden to others, but there was also more to that. He truly felt like it would be a selfish thing of him to show his pain like that before her. She was the one who had lost her husband. She had known Jojo long before he did, and she was also the one who had seen him die. He had to, no, he needed to be strong for her, to be there for her and aid her in everything he could, to provide a shoulder to cry on if she needed one, to try to comfort her and be there, and for that, he needed to remain strong, to not break down. This wasn’t about him at all. He had no right to appear ‘weak’ so openly, he thought, so he always tried his hardest to keep all his grieving for those moments when he was alone in his room, away from everyone, his old mates included, spending nights crying himself to sleep whenever he even managed to get some sleep.
The night before had not been an exception. Knowing he was going to see Erina again today, and well aware that he could be a tad transparent with his emotions sometimes, Robert had made sure to properly wash his face and wipe from his features up to the last trace that could give it all away. It truly caught him completely off guard when he heard her say those words to him.
“Miss Joestar… I–” He stuttered; his hands, resting on his lap, tensed a bit. For a moment he didn’t know what to say now that he had been caught. He should have known it would take much more than appearing tough to trick someone like her. It would be foolish of him to even try to deny what was apparently so obvious to her. Not wishing for any of this to focus on him, though, he spoke once more. His tone far quieter than his usual, making him sound off even.
“Please, you shouldn’t burden yourself with me. It’s me who should be takin’ care of you!” Something he seemed to be failing at. But, even as he tried to avoid that particular part of the subject at hand, his words and intentions were honest. He bowed his head at her. "I know I’ve been off as of late, and I deeply apologize ‘bout it. Still, I’m ‘ere for you, if you need anythin’, Mrs. Joestar.”
