[He just stands there, shoulders sagging, without pulling away yet.]
I don't... have any more answers than what I had before.
[He's angry. Not at anyone in particular. At this place, and his lack of--everything. He balls both hands into tight fists, even if doing so stings one of them.
Finally, he lifts his head and straightens up without knocking Bradley away.]
[ He could scream if he wanted to. It wouldn't be the first time a teenager took out their frustration on him.
Bradley is a bandit, a criminal, and a convict. His list of crimes goes on and on. The greater good? That's not something he ever had the luxury to think about when he was young.
It's always been "me and mine". But "mine" is an ever expanding thing.
He'd like to say what he thinks that means. He can't chance it with what happened today. Not when the worry Adora might not even show up here is gnawing at him. ]
[The smile makes him feel a little silly. Not in a bad way. It just feels like the smile an adult gives you when you both know you've been a big dumb.]
I know... Before... I probably would have considered it.
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I don't... have any more answers than what I had before.
[He's angry. Not at anyone in particular. At this place, and his lack of--everything. He balls both hands into tight fists, even if doing so stings one of them.
Finally, he lifts his head and straightens up without knocking Bradley away.]
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Don't have anythin' on this side either.
[Maybe next week. Next week. There's only so many times he can think "maybe next time" before he's going to go nuts and tear the place apart.
Bradley will only pull away when Riku does.]
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That's... okay. It's okay.
[Maybe next week.
He's not sure how many more weeks are going to be a next week now.]
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[Helpless... that's not something he's felt in a long time. This place sure forces him into it more often than he'd like.]
Two weeks to a season around here. Gettin' closer to the end, at least.
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Time is running out. It feels like they have nothing to show for it.]
I know... What if we... just finish? I don't know... If we just...
[He growls a little frustratedly.]
I don't know what to do. What's waiting.
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[But he can't help with what he does not have.]
Don't take it all on alone. Whatever's at the end... figure it's somethin' to deal with together.
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He doesn't know why. The angry frustration bubbling in the pit of him makes him want to scream.]
I don't know what that means for us... "saving them from this world." But...
I get what it's like doing something bad thinking it's for a good reason. That the outcome would be better than what you had to do to get there.
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Bradley is a bandit, a criminal, and a convict. His list of crimes goes on and on. The greater good? That's not something he ever had the luxury to think about when he was young.
It's always been "me and mine". But "mine" is an ever expanding thing.
He'd like to say what he thinks that means. He can't chance it with what happened today. Not when the worry Adora might not even show up here is gnawing at him. ]
Did you have support then?
[ It's worse alone. Everything is. ]
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Some guilt rises up out of him. His brows pinch, and he looks anywhere but at Bradley.]
Yes and no. I did, but... I pushed it away. I wanted to do everything on my own. At first because I thought I was better.
And then later... because I was ashamed.
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He won't force Riku to look at him.]
Learned from it, right?
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Finally, he glances back up.]
...Yeah. I hope so.
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Good.
Magic can't change the past, no matter how bad we want it. But if you want to change, ya got time.
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I know... Before... I probably would have considered it.
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Tryin' to use magic to change the past?
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Just... changing the past in general.
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[ The tiniest pang of betrayal.
A small shrug of his shoulders. ]
's better to learn and move forward.
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You're right.
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Ya can ask, if you're interested.
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The memory I saw before...?
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Bradley, however, clearly still loves this man, even if there's an edge of complication there.]
Yeah. When we were younger I didn't understand what he meant. Nero didn't understand how special he was to me.
[It's not resentment, just resignment. The past is an unchanging thing. Change... for the better. Or try to.]
So he chose what felt like his only option.
[Get Bradley caught, send him to prison. He can't die if he's there, right?]
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He looks away.]
Are you mad?
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He did not.]
Nah. Can't be mad at him for doin' what he thought was right.
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Even if... it was something that hurt you?
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He's not. There's nothing here but love and affection.]
I hurt him a lot, without meanin' to.
[This is fair, isn't it? A hurt for a hurt.]
He was just... worried, in the end.
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I get it.
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