[ He's only half paying attention, gaze trained on Gen even while his own thoughts swirl around inside his head. But that passive tone of voice, so out of the ordinary, snaps his full attention right back, his lips curling downwards into an even deeper frown.
While Gen's fingers curl around the handle of his coffee mug, Eustace's fingers curl inward, hand forming a loose fist on the table. ]
You don't have to just manage. You don't have to accept any of this.
[ The words come out a hair sharper than he intends, fueled by his own dislike of the thought of Gen simply accepting the fate that's been forced upon him. At least his voice is still quiet, not loud enough to catch the attention of any of the other patrons in the restaurant.
Sitting here with a mug of steaming coffee before him, he realizes how little he still knows about Gen, his history and his personal traumas that have shaped him into the person he is now. It feels too late to ask now though, both their psyches further damaged by the constant horrors a life in Achamoth has forced them to face. But surely it's not too late to nudge him towards a more stable future? Maybe it won't be a bright future or even a happy one, but it can at least be one where he's allowed some sort of autonomy over himself. ]
If what you want is to learn to accept this, then fine. There are ways to cope with this type of thing. But make that choice because you believe it's the right thing to do, not because you think it's the only thing you can do.
[ Some of his personal feelings are definitely bleeding out into this conversation, his usual objectivity overruled for the time being. ]
dunks you into the trash
While Gen's fingers curl around the handle of his coffee mug, Eustace's fingers curl inward, hand forming a loose fist on the table. ]
You don't have to just manage. You don't have to accept any of this.
[ The words come out a hair sharper than he intends, fueled by his own dislike of the thought of Gen simply accepting the fate that's been forced upon him. At least his voice is still quiet, not loud enough to catch the attention of any of the other patrons in the restaurant.
Sitting here with a mug of steaming coffee before him, he realizes how little he still knows about Gen, his history and his personal traumas that have shaped him into the person he is now. It feels too late to ask now though, both their psyches further damaged by the constant horrors a life in Achamoth has forced them to face. But surely it's not too late to nudge him towards a more stable future? Maybe it won't be a bright future or even a happy one, but it can at least be one where he's allowed some sort of autonomy over himself. ]
If what you want is to learn to accept this, then fine. There are ways to cope with this type of thing. But make that choice because you believe it's the right thing to do, not because you think it's the only thing you can do.
[ Some of his personal feelings are definitely bleeding out into this conversation, his usual objectivity overruled for the time being. ]