...I don't think you made it worse, as such. I think you overwhelmed her.
[Byleth recalled the understanding he and Hayame had shared, unspoken but felt through the Communion. She was much like him: brittle when it came to matters of the heart, seemingly frozen solid but ready to crumble at the gentlest touch. You could only forge forwards while leaving your emotions by the wayside, fleeing from them without looking back - to have them shoved into your face, with no escape, heart reeling from unexpected revelations...
If he'd been in Hayame's hooves, he might've just emotionally imploded on the spot.]
And... if she'd only just learned you were a noble, and that you'd withheld that information from her, but then suddenly began pouring your heart out to her and telling her how much she meant to you while she held your Shard... that's just confusing, Claude. I'd be confused. I'd have to rationalise it as you... you being mistaken, or driven to desperation by our bleak circumstances.
[It was the only way he could put it into words. No wonder Hayame had imitated a statue when he had brought up Claude. Likely she was still working through the tangled mess Claude's attempt at a heart-to-heart had wrought on her. He sort of sympathised with the feeling. Set had left him reeling several times in a way that made it feel like that man had somehow managed to punch his liver without even touching him.]
no subject
[Byleth recalled the understanding he and Hayame had shared, unspoken but felt through the Communion. She was much like him: brittle when it came to matters of the heart, seemingly frozen solid but ready to crumble at the gentlest touch. You could only forge forwards while leaving your emotions by the wayside, fleeing from them without looking back - to have them shoved into your face, with no escape, heart reeling from unexpected revelations...
If he'd been in Hayame's hooves, he might've just emotionally imploded on the spot.]
And... if she'd only just learned you were a noble, and that you'd withheld that information from her, but then suddenly began pouring your heart out to her and telling her how much she meant to you while she held your Shard... that's just confusing, Claude. I'd be confused. I'd have to rationalise it as you... you being mistaken, or driven to desperation by our bleak circumstances.
[It was the only way he could put it into words. No wonder Hayame had imitated a statue when he had brought up Claude. Likely she was still working through the tangled mess Claude's attempt at a heart-to-heart had wrought on her. He sort of sympathised with the feeling. Set had left him reeling several times in a way that made it feel like that man had somehow managed to punch his liver without even touching him.]