[Yes, good, give him all the pets!! This snake is absolutely rolling around delightedly.
Corbeau's more focused on what Jacinthe has to share, though. Truthfully, he never stopped to question why her parents might treat her the way they did - it never really mattered. Some people are just awful, even to those closest to them. Maybe even especially to those closest to them. He'd assumed overbearing became abusive over time, not because of anything specific. But the details she lays out for him...
Some part of him wonders if Themida is truly "punishing" Jacinthe, or punishing herself. Not that she should be taking out her self-hatred on Jacinthe, but it's sort of eye-opening to realize that there is a reason behind the behavior, even though that doesn't excuse a single damn thing they've done. This also might explain why her father seems slightly warmer toward her; he doesn't have the same baggage her mother does, after all.]
I know you don't need me to tell you this, but even if some parts of it are understandable, it's still awful that she treats you like that. Her issues are her own; your issues are your own. There's no reason for her to take it out on you, and their treatment of you even outside of that is still unacceptable.
[He falls quiet after that before reaching up to adjust his glasses with a huff.]
...Sorry to hear all that. I imagine it wasn't easy on you either.
[Maybe she never wanted kids to begin with. Maybe it was easy to accept. But Jacinthe frames it in a way to explain her mother's behavior, not something that must have had a heavy impact on herself. It's... frustrating, sort of. That Jacinthe feels the need to defend her mother like this, even though her behavior is both unreasonable and infuriating.
...But family ties are a different breed, he supposes. There are undoubtedly good memories of her mother in there too, and those drive her just as much - if not moreso - than the bad ones. Nothing's ever truly black and white.]
...It isn't, but I will bear it all the same. I truly do love them both, you know. Even if most of the time, their presence can be more of a curse than a blessing.
[Jacinthe looks up to Corbeau at that, eyes opening and her smile just a touch softer.]
I do thank you, nevertheless. For hearing me prattle on about something so dismal. It is quite nice to know that I am not alone in such things; I do hope you feel the same. And I do hope that perhaps one day, things can repair in such a way that you will all be able to be happy, once again.
[If mostly because Jacinthe knows she'll never be able to repay for her own shortcomings, to her Mother. She'd at least like to believe that Corbeau can, to his kids and their grandparents.
Even so, though--]
Might I switch us back to something more light, then? And oh, perhaps I ought grab my record player--I found a few new ones to add into my collection that I think you might like!
Yeah, let's move on to easier topics. Sounds good to me - I do want to hear what you've got.
[The rest of the night goes well; a nice reprieve from the heavier topics of conversation and the rather dismal circumstances they've found themselves in. For once, all of that truly seems so very far away.]
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sranks2025-10-22 06:33 pm
no subject
Corbeau's more focused on what Jacinthe has to share, though. Truthfully, he never stopped to question why her parents might treat her the way they did - it never really mattered. Some people are just awful, even to those closest to them. Maybe even especially to those closest to them. He'd assumed overbearing became abusive over time, not because of anything specific. But the details she lays out for him...
Some part of him wonders if Themida is truly "punishing" Jacinthe, or punishing herself. Not that she should be taking out her self-hatred on Jacinthe, but it's sort of eye-opening to realize that there is a reason behind the behavior, even though that doesn't excuse a single damn thing they've done. This also might explain why her father seems slightly warmer toward her; he doesn't have the same baggage her mother does, after all.]
I know you don't need me to tell you this, but even if some parts of it are understandable, it's still awful that she treats you like that. Her issues are her own; your issues are your own. There's no reason for her to take it out on you, and their treatment of you even outside of that is still unacceptable.
[He falls quiet after that before reaching up to adjust his glasses with a huff.]
...Sorry to hear all that. I imagine it wasn't easy on you either.
[Maybe she never wanted kids to begin with. Maybe it was easy to accept. But Jacinthe frames it in a way to explain her mother's behavior, not something that must have had a heavy impact on herself. It's... frustrating, sort of. That Jacinthe feels the need to defend her mother like this, even though her behavior is both unreasonable and infuriating.
...But family ties are a different breed, he supposes. There are undoubtedly good memories of her mother in there too, and those drive her just as much - if not moreso - than the bad ones. Nothing's ever truly black and white.]
no subject
[Jacinthe looks up to Corbeau at that, eyes opening and her smile just a touch softer.]
I do thank you, nevertheless. For hearing me prattle on about something so dismal. It is quite nice to know that I am not alone in such things; I do hope you feel the same. And I do hope that perhaps one day, things can repair in such a way that you will all be able to be happy, once again.
[If mostly because Jacinthe knows she'll never be able to repay for her own shortcomings, to her Mother. She'd at least like to believe that Corbeau can, to his kids and their grandparents.
Even so, though--]
Might I switch us back to something more light, then? And oh, perhaps I ought grab my record player--I found a few new ones to add into my collection that I think you might like!
no subject
Yeah, let's move on to easier topics. Sounds good to me - I do want to hear what you've got.
[The rest of the night goes well; a nice reprieve from the heavier topics of conversation and the rather dismal circumstances they've found themselves in. For once, all of that truly seems so very far away.]