Asuka doesn't want to look at Lakshmi, not with red-rimmed eyes from crying and her cheeks stained by tears. She feels wretchedly ashamed of her own emotions and that carries across in the way she treis to shrink back and hide. But she has nowhere to go. She came to Lakshmi for comfort and this is what she's getting. She takes a shaky breath and tries to be strong, even though it kills her a little to allow herself to be vulnerable.

The anger that rolls off of Lakshmi is almost a relief then. She can feed on it. Use it. Anger is familiar; it's what she's run on for so long and she takes it and folds it into herself and she can feel that furnace inside of her starting to churn again. Her fingers fold in and curl against Lakshmi's robes. She's telling Asuka what she's wanted to hear. But she doesn't know if she believes it herself, which has always been the problem. Relying on someone else to tell you that you matter is fragile. When they leave, everything collapses again.

"I'll try."

That's all she can promise. Her throat works in a swallow. The words stick in her throat and she finally chokes them out.

"...thank you."