[The change is already apparent to him. Yet, to really convince Nanu of any kind of newfound "respect" or even slightly changed ways, Guzma's going to have to prove it to him. This is huge, but the ex-gang leader has a lot in his past to make up for in regards to Nanu's trust.]
[With a grunt he doesn't bother to suppress, Nanu gets up into a sitting position next to Guzma. Or, uses the arm that he wasn't punched in twice to force himself up, hunched over a little bit more than usual. There's more than just a twinge in his back. Boy, but Anabel's going to kill him.]
Uh-huh. [he grunts, sarcastically,] Two peas in a pod.
[He at least acknowledges to himself that it could have been put way worse, by Guzma's standards. The sarcasm in his voice isn't as much as it could be, either, given Guzma's somber tone and Nanu's own mental exhaustion. Still, what a comparison to make...]
[Nanu keeps quiet, knowing the other man will answer when he's ready. It's another tally in the proverbial "good" column that Guzma doesn't argue immediately...or at all. There are words coming out of his mouth in an order that he's likely never put them in before. The introspection is giving Nanu insight to how the deepest recesses of Guzma's mind work when there's no ego obstacles to impede them.]
Yes, you can.
[His tone takes a lot of the implied blame out of his reply, but not all of it. Much like Guzma, he's not snapping and accusing out of anger or spite. It's just...advice. Nanu's trying to help, in a thankfully much better way than fifteen minutes ago.]
You're capable. You've never tried or wanted to try. And that's probably what Hala's going to try and get through to you. [Without this added breakthrough, of course... Alas. Nanu may continue his "nagging", but sitting up and right next to Guzma like this, it feels closer to actual conversation than talking down to the younger man] Your ego's too damned big for that head of yours. You'd rather die than show any kind of weakness.
no subject
[With a grunt he doesn't bother to suppress, Nanu gets up into a sitting position next to Guzma. Or, uses the arm that he wasn't punched in twice to force himself up, hunched over a little bit more than usual. There's more than just a twinge in his back. Boy, but Anabel's going to kill him.]
Uh-huh. [he grunts, sarcastically,] Two peas in a pod.
[He at least acknowledges to himself that it could have been put way worse, by Guzma's standards. The sarcasm in his voice isn't as much as it could be, either, given Guzma's somber tone and Nanu's own mental exhaustion. Still, what a comparison to make...]
[Nanu keeps quiet, knowing the other man will answer when he's ready. It's another tally in the proverbial "good" column that Guzma doesn't argue immediately...or at all. There are words coming out of his mouth in an order that he's likely never put them in before. The introspection is giving Nanu insight to how the deepest recesses of Guzma's mind work when there's no ego obstacles to impede them.]
Yes, you can.
[His tone takes a lot of the implied blame out of his reply, but not all of it. Much like Guzma, he's not snapping and accusing out of anger or spite. It's just...advice. Nanu's trying to help, in a thankfully much better way than fifteen minutes ago.]
You're capable. You've never tried or wanted to try. And that's probably what Hala's going to try and get through to you. [Without this added breakthrough, of course... Alas. Nanu may continue his "nagging", but sitting up and right next to Guzma like this, it feels closer to actual conversation than talking down to the younger man] Your ego's too damned big for that head of yours. You'd rather die than show any kind of weakness.
Am I right?