[He grins at that though.] Damn he must have admired that fight in you.
[Ruffles her hair softly, his own admiration shining through, but he gives a slightly rueful grin, almost a grimace.]
He was murdered by a nakama. He was the first one Teach betrayed us with. So it wouldn't surprise me that he's scared to death of such things. Even Namur, eh? After Teach did that, none of us knew what to do. We broke a little, we all took it really hard. Pops blamed himself for raising Teach, we all blamed ourselves for not knowing, for holding back, for trusting.
It's easy to say, "No regrets," and sometimes, to even mean it. But to truly never look backwards and wonder, "What if?" What if Espio hurts Toby? Don't I have no choice but to trust him anyway?
[He gets up and holds Grell tightly in his arms, burying his face in her hair and takes a deep breath. Just holds her close and enjoys holding her there.] I'd been with Teach from the start. He helped me fight for Fishman Island's freedom from slavers. He helped me avenge fallen comrades. But he was never as much my friend as Thatch. And looking back? Can I say it's because Thatch was more trustworthy? Can I say it's because I knew something was off about Teach and so I was leery of him? No. They were both nakama. Can I say it is my fault, that perhaps if I had befriended Teach more, he wouldn't have turned?
[He shakes his head, and blue eyes darken, wisdom that only comes with experience.] No. Teach held back on purpose. And we only have him to blame.
Ace took off to avenge Thatch though, and that we can blame ourselves for. He blamed himself, and we didn't stop him, couldn't save him. Namur said Thatch knows, he somehow heard about it, but I hope that idiot doesn't blame himself for it. It won't solve it.
Do me a favor, Kitten. Don't hold back. You needn't fight him with your chainsaw, you won't save him like that. He fights up here. [Taps her temple lightly.] He's brilliant, and my tactician. [There's something nice about calling Thatch his own tactician now. Always before Marco would said "our." His father's. The Garden's. But no, Thatch was his tactician, and one of his best friends in all of space, time, and multiple universes. Best friend. ] But we all have our weaknesses, eh? Nakama cover for each other's weaknesses. We cover each others' backs and form the best tightly unit so that even cracks like Teach turning around and stabbing one of us can't weaken us forever, okay?
[And with that he breaks the incredible seriousness of it all by grabbing Grell's ass and groping it. <3] I love you, Kitten.
GO TO BED YOU
[Ruffles her hair softly, his own admiration shining through, but he gives a slightly rueful grin, almost a grimace.]
He was murdered by a nakama. He was the first one Teach betrayed us with. So it wouldn't surprise me that he's scared to death of such things. Even Namur, eh? After Teach did that, none of us knew what to do. We broke a little, we all took it really hard. Pops blamed himself for raising Teach, we all blamed ourselves for not knowing, for holding back, for trusting.
It's easy to say, "No regrets," and sometimes, to even mean it. But to truly never look backwards and wonder, "What if?" What if Espio hurts Toby? Don't I have no choice but to trust him anyway?
[He gets up and holds Grell tightly in his arms, burying his face in her hair and takes a deep breath. Just holds her close and enjoys holding her there.] I'd been with Teach from the start. He helped me fight for Fishman Island's freedom from slavers. He helped me avenge fallen comrades. But he was never as much my friend as Thatch. And looking back? Can I say it's because Thatch was more trustworthy? Can I say it's because I knew something was off about Teach and so I was leery of him? No. They were both nakama. Can I say it is my fault, that perhaps if I had befriended Teach more, he wouldn't have turned?
[He shakes his head, and blue eyes darken, wisdom that only comes with experience.] No. Teach held back on purpose. And we only have him to blame.
Ace took off to avenge Thatch though, and that we can blame ourselves for. He blamed himself, and we didn't stop him, couldn't save him. Namur said Thatch knows, he somehow heard about it, but I hope that idiot doesn't blame himself for it. It won't solve it.
Do me a favor, Kitten. Don't hold back. You needn't fight him with your chainsaw, you won't save him like that. He fights up here. [Taps her temple lightly.] He's brilliant, and my tactician. [There's something nice about calling Thatch his own tactician now. Always before Marco would said "our." His father's. The Garden's. But no, Thatch was his tactician, and one of his best friends in all of space, time, and multiple universes. Best friend. ] But we all have our weaknesses, eh? Nakama cover for each other's weaknesses. We cover each others' backs and form the best tightly unit so that even cracks like Teach turning around and stabbing one of us can't weaken us forever, okay?
[And with that he breaks the incredible seriousness of it all by grabbing Grell's ass and groping it. <3] I love you, Kitten.
Both of you, eh? Very much.
[HUG.]