Well, first I have to say thank you. It’s a far better answer indeed.
[ From their very first conversation about art of all things, he’d related to how they talked about family. Knowing the less polite strokes of it now… ]
And second, that I’m sorry. Both that it led to bringing this up, since I can’t imagine it’s pleasant, and for your losses. When we first spoke about family, I thought there were shades of it that were familiar, but it’s sad to know that it’s the brutality.
[ There’s a little of a pause before the next message, because he’s torn. What a strange little trio they are, he’s realizing, and it’s unexpected. Both of them manage to speak to things that Hugo normally keeps under tight control, so it’s the same as talking to Silco. He has to decide whether to be honest. His impulse is always to tell a more pleasant lie, and it’s only worse since his Soul has gotten stronger. ]
My family worked similarly, but I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any fondness for them, since it was all ruthless games of succession, but I was just a whetstone for it because I’m a bastard. So, when there was an opportunity, they murdered the only person who was dear to me when I was very young.
[ A mostly truth, he decides. She doesn’t need the details that would make his heart pound if it were still capable. That they tried to scapegoat him for it. That he was praised for it. ]
So, I do understand how you feel. I feel the same way about being close to others, really. It’s a feeling I’ve worked on over the years, but it’s still never fully gone away.
[ Notably, he doesn’t mention his own opinions on the imprints. His own opinion is callous, and he knows it, but when it’s placed beside her much kinder rationale? He feels worse about it. If he can avoid having to explain it, he will. ]
no subject
[ From their very first conversation about art of all things, he’d related to how they talked about family. Knowing the less polite strokes of it now… ]
And second, that I’m sorry. Both that it led to bringing this up, since I can’t imagine it’s pleasant, and for your losses. When we first spoke about family, I thought there were shades of it that were familiar, but it’s sad to know that it’s the brutality.
[ There’s a little of a pause before the next message, because he’s torn. What a strange little trio they are, he’s realizing, and it’s unexpected. Both of them manage to speak to things that Hugo normally keeps under tight control, so it’s the same as talking to Silco. He has to decide whether to be honest. His impulse is always to tell a more pleasant lie, and it’s only worse since his Soul has gotten stronger. ]
My family worked similarly, but I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any fondness for them, since it was all ruthless games of succession, but I was just a whetstone for it because I’m a bastard. So, when there was an opportunity, they murdered the only person who was dear to me when I was very young.
[ A mostly truth, he decides. She doesn’t need the details that would make his heart pound if it were still capable. That they tried to scapegoat him for it. That he was praised for it. ]
So, I do understand how you feel. I feel the same way about being close to others, really. It’s a feeling I’ve worked on over the years, but it’s still never fully gone away.
[ Notably, he doesn’t mention his own opinions on the imprints. His own opinion is callous, and he knows it, but when it’s placed beside her much kinder rationale? He feels worse about it. If he can avoid having to explain it, he will. ]