Klaus' words at that moment were like stabs in Ashley's stomach, but it wasn't as if she hadn't expected something like this.
Their past, full of intense emotions and questionable choices, hung over them like a dark cloud, difficult to dispel. The tension between them was palpable, an invisible line that neither of them wanted to cross.
Despite this, Ashley still stood there with her gaze fixed on his serious profile. She could feel the barrier Klaus had erected and the pain in his words. At the same time as he didn't seem ready to talk about it all, he showed that he had made up his own mind some time ago. It was confusing for her. However, she wasn't willing to give up easily. The memories of the happy times they had shared kept echoing in her mind, and she longed for a chance at redemption.
"Klaus," she began, choosing her words carefully, "I know things have changed, and I understand that you're hurt. I just wanted you to know that I care about you, regardless of what happened between us or what may never happen again."
Klaus' gaze remained inexpressive, but the brief hesitation in his countenance indicated that his words had not gone unnoticed. Before he could reply, however, Ashley took the initiative to continue.
"I don't expect things to go back to the way they were, but maybe we can find common ground, a way to move forward without resentment. That way, maybe we'll be friends." She looked deeply into Klaus' eyes, searching for any sign of reciprocity.
Klaus took a deep, heavy breath, as if he were carrying a weight. He finally decided to look Ashley straight in the eye, his expression now a mixture of frustration and resignation.
"Ashley, you can't just show up here after almost a week and expect things to go back to normal. A lot has happened, and we can't just ignore it."
Ashley lowered her eyes, recognizing the truth in his words.
"I'll be blunt, Ashley. I'll never be able to see you the way I used to, because there's someone from my past, who I thought wanted nothing to do with me, who responded to my feelings. She held my hand in the past and hugged me just now when you left me. Now, I'm at a point in my life where I need to focus on these important things and I can't allow myself to be dragged into a past that is no longer part of my present. I need to move on, and I hope you find your way too."
Silence settled between them, laden with meaning. She knew he was talking about the red-haired woman who had been on the front pages of several news reports alongside him; in fact, a photo of their kiss was being used by most newspapers to talk about the event in the early hours of the morning in RO.
So she finally took a deep breath and moved further away from him on the bench.
"I understand, Klaus. I just wanted you to know that I'm here in case you change your mind."
Without waiting for an answer, Ashley stood up and returned to her seat, leaving Klaus to his thoughts. He watched her walk away, his heart still pounding with the memories of what once was, but he was completely determined not to falter with Lily of the Bleed, because he didn't want to lose her in any way.
While Klaus was absorbing everything that had just happened, the other corridors of the train were the scene of a peculiar scene. Andrew, Klaus' best friend from the special program, was moving around the wagons looking for him. They had arranged to meet on the train, but Klaus wasn't answering their messages. His tall figure and shaggy black hair attracted the attention of the passengers, who watched in bewilderment as he exclaimed Klaus' name.
"Klaus! Where the hell are you, old man?" shouted Andrew unceremoniously. He examined each carriage from the first.
Finally, their eyes met, and Andrew made a theatrical gesture, approaching with a mixture of relief and excitement. "Ah, my friend! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Andrew spread his arms wide as he ran towards Klaus comically.
Klaus' heart was still pounding from the tense conversation with Ashley, but seeing Andrew approaching and acting so different from his normal seriousness distracted him.
"What happened? You seem so agitated." said Klaus as he was hugged by Andrew, who wasted no time in formalities.
"Things are complicated, Klaus! In fact, to say they're complicated is an understatement! I helped Fryft and like a duck that's just hatched, when she saw me her eyes lit up and she hugged me very tightly... my God, I've never felt anything like it. It's scary, man, scary, being hugged like that by a woman with the strength of a gorilla." Andrew spoke with wide eyes, trying to convey the intensity of the experience.
Klaus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? That's something unexpected coming from her. Maybe she was relieved, I don't know."
Andrew scratched his head, exuding nervousness. "I have no idea, but she came to see me afterwards at the campsite several times and, to make matters worse, when I woke up and saw Helen's messages, I realized that she was particularly annoyed. It seems she was pretty annoyed to see me holding another woman in my arms. And, man, nobody likes to see Helen angry and she's furious with me! Fryft... and Helen mad at me. Great, just what I needed after such a stressful night!"
Andrew's sudden and confused outburst drew a laugh from Kaizen, who laughed wildly at his friend's predicament. In a way, Klaus was relieved that he wasn't the only one in trouble.
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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