Oh, definitely, this pairing can be very saddening, and I love it not so much in spite of this as because of it. The fact that both of them have been so deeply wounded, and that they're both so desperately trying to uphold their repective facades, to protect themselves - and that they can *still* pierce each others' barriers so easily and be so desperately in love with each other...

Perhaps it says something about me that I find this aspect of their relationship oddly sweet. ;-)

I'm glad you liked the story! :-)