[He listened while Maxima recounted his loss. Even if Maxima didn't lose his world potentially, the very pessimistic part of Lorenzo didn't expect his parents to be around either way. He hated listening to that pessimist side of him. Hated admitting it was right even more.
A country didn't need a guy like Maxima to help pull it together without some serious, root-deep corruption being shown on upheaval.
Even still...]
It's one thing to lose them before you know them like I did. But even if you were out on your own you knew who they were, what they stood for, what they looked like, what they wanted. And now...
[He will never have closure. Not even a chance at closure like Lorenzo did, further and further away it seemed with loan reminders piling up again. True crime internet posts reminding him of what happened to his old crew.
Maxima had no records to look back on even when his world wasn't in ruin.]
[He shakes his head at the apology, smiling sadly in response.]
I know it isn't much in comparison to what you've endured. At least I could grow up in their house, with the memories of their love, and their beliefs to carry me forward as I continued their work.
[And his father's glasses. He'll be very upset if something ever breaks those.]
...Carrying on that work is why it had been so long since I've let myself be close to anyone, really. I was sure I'd meet the same fate sooner or later. I never actually expected to outlive the Empire that killed them.
[That's just rude, smiling so sad like Lighter did on remembering his parents. But he returned it to the best of his ability.]
Hey, just because I'm not one to lose doesn't mean I make everything a contest, least of all tragedy. It's not about comparing it. Hell, I'm glad you got to know them and carry on their memory like that.
I'm glad you're still kicking around. That Empire doesn't need to be for you to keep what they believed in alive.
[Even this melancholy has a sweetness to it when it's shared, perhaps.]
And I'm glad you were able to overcome so much without growing cruel in the process. That's not an easy feat; I've seen too many people fail at it.
[He glances away, relaxing a little more.] ...I just want to be sure you know that you needn't be alone with these things. If there's one thing I can take away from those dark days of the Empire's collapse, it's the knowledge that even when our experiences may not be exactly the same, sharing the burden helps.
Heh, and the joke about me being worse than you think's been old for a while now.
[He knew that by now, but was still caught off guard by that reminder. That he isn't alone anymore. Lorenzo had spent so long drifting and fighting and being nothing more than a spectacle. Half of it was intentional, just following the familiar path. Staying at a distance because he would move at any moment.
Stability is strange. It's frightening, honestly.
But it's not bad. As difficult of a battle breaking his habit was...
Well, he was the "undefeated champion." This was just one round of many. He's having a rough start that might continue. But he'll come out on top.]
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[He listened while Maxima recounted his loss. Even if Maxima didn't lose his world potentially, the very pessimistic part of Lorenzo didn't expect his parents to be around either way. He hated listening to that pessimist side of him. Hated admitting it was right even more.
A country didn't need a guy like Maxima to help pull it together without some serious, root-deep corruption being shown on upheaval.
Even still...]
It's one thing to lose them before you know them like I did. But even if you were out on your own you knew who they were, what they stood for, what they looked like, what they wanted. And now...
[He will never have closure. Not even a chance at closure like Lorenzo did, further and further away it seemed with loan reminders piling up again. True crime internet posts reminding him of what happened to his old crew.
Maxima had no records to look back on even when his world wasn't in ruin.]
I'm sorry...
no subject
I know it isn't much in comparison to what you've endured. At least I could grow up in their house, with the memories of their love, and their beliefs to carry me forward as I continued their work.
[And his father's glasses. He'll be very upset if something ever breaks those.]
...Carrying on that work is why it had been so long since I've let myself be close to anyone, really. I was sure I'd meet the same fate sooner or later. I never actually expected to outlive the Empire that killed them.
no subject
Hey, just because I'm not one to lose doesn't mean I make everything a contest, least of all tragedy. It's not about comparing it. Hell, I'm glad you got to know them and carry on their memory like that.
I'm glad you're still kicking around. That Empire doesn't need to be for you to keep what they believed in alive.
no subject
And I'm glad you were able to overcome so much without growing cruel in the process. That's not an easy feat; I've seen too many people fail at it.
[He glances away, relaxing a little more.] ...I just want to be sure you know that you needn't be alone with these things. If there's one thing I can take away from those dark days of the Empire's collapse, it's the knowledge that even when our experiences may not be exactly the same, sharing the burden helps.
no subject
[He knew that by now, but was still caught off guard by that reminder. That he isn't alone anymore. Lorenzo had spent so long drifting and fighting and being nothing more than a spectacle. Half of it was intentional, just following the familiar path. Staying at a distance because he would move at any moment.
Stability is strange. It's frightening, honestly.
But it's not bad. As difficult of a battle breaking his habit was...
Well, he was the "undefeated champion." This was just one round of many. He's having a rough start that might continue. But he'll come out on top.]
Thanks. It means a lot, really.