[There's a fine line between sympathy for his upbringing and contempt for how it's taken its toll on others through him. Nanu cares more for the grunts because he sees them as able to be taken care of. Plumeria always had their best interests in mind, despite her permanent glower. But Guzma, he knew, he could never have broken through to.]
[Cripes, what is with this world and getting him to appreciate they're all stuck in it? First Anabel, now this? He doesn't want to like being stuck here, yet all of these changes were made possible because of it.]
[And he really doesn't envy Hala, when they go back home.]
[Nanu snorts, almost amused, at Guzma's reaction, like a watered-down toddler's tantrum; he just needs to hold his breath to complete the metaphor. Yet, he remains quiet, and most importantly listening, which is the most Nanu could ask for at this point. The almost casual tone of the conversation is no doubt helping in his favor, instead of stoking the flames; which, in truth, have already been dampened to begin with.]
[He can tell his words are sinking in. The way they're both sitting outside on the ground in the middle of a path like a couple of children, talking about their feelings in an impromptu therapy session... Well, how could he word it any differently?]
[After Guzma's quiet admission, Nanu lets silence rule the pause. It's another rarity for Guzma to agree with him, and an even bigger one to admit he's wrong. Letting it stand without interruption for a moment or two is the least he can do, instead of jumping right back into it and making the other man feel like his words are unappreciated.]
...I'd say that's progress right there.
[Though he's incapable of reading Guzma's mind (thank god), Nanu's next words seem to go hand-in-hand with what he's mulling over.]
It's hard, to be vulnerable. I get that—I do. [An inkling of experience creeps into his tone again; a reassurement that Nanu's not just saying it for the sake of saying it. ...Of course, that might be undercut, because for a moment, Nanu chuckles.] Heh. What was it you said to me, just last month? "I ask, but don't seem so invested", I think it was? "Just because I have a job, doesn't mean I give a shit"?
[The humor doesn't last, and the last chuckle dies down with a breathless scoff.]
Hell, it's easy to stay locked up in that mindset. Locked up in the station, shutting the world out. Just like being locked in Po Town, shutting out everyone else. ...Locked in the mindset that weakness needs to be beaten. Even when it's yourself.
[Another pause. This time, instead of just today's event, it's the years worth of hardened depression and exhaustion that comes through his voice.]
no subject
[Cripes, what is with this world and getting him to appreciate they're all stuck in it? First Anabel, now this? He doesn't want to like being stuck here, yet all of these changes were made possible because of it.]
[And he really doesn't envy Hala, when they go back home.]
[Nanu snorts, almost amused, at Guzma's reaction, like a watered-down toddler's tantrum; he just needs to hold his breath to complete the metaphor. Yet, he remains quiet, and most importantly listening, which is the most Nanu could ask for at this point. The almost casual tone of the conversation is no doubt helping in his favor, instead of stoking the flames; which, in truth, have already been dampened to begin with.]
[He can tell his words are sinking in. The way they're both sitting outside on the ground in the middle of a path like a couple of children, talking about their feelings in an impromptu therapy session... Well, how could he word it any differently?]
[After Guzma's quiet admission, Nanu lets silence rule the pause. It's another rarity for Guzma to agree with him, and an even bigger one to admit he's wrong. Letting it stand without interruption for a moment or two is the least he can do, instead of jumping right back into it and making the other man feel like his words are unappreciated.]
...I'd say that's progress right there.
[Though he's incapable of reading Guzma's mind (thank god), Nanu's next words seem to go hand-in-hand with what he's mulling over.]
It's hard, to be vulnerable. I get that—I do. [An inkling of experience creeps into his tone again; a reassurement that Nanu's not just saying it for the sake of saying it. ...Of course, that might be undercut, because for a moment, Nanu chuckles.] Heh. What was it you said to me, just last month? "I ask, but don't seem so invested", I think it was? "Just because I have a job, doesn't mean I give a shit"?
[The humor doesn't last, and the last chuckle dies down with a breathless scoff.]
Hell, it's easy to stay locked up in that mindset. Locked up in the station, shutting the world out. Just like being locked in Po Town, shutting out everyone else. ...Locked in the mindset that weakness needs to be beaten. Even when it's yourself.
[Another pause. This time, instead of just today's event, it's the years worth of hardened depression and exhaustion that comes through his voice.]
The façade needs to come down, sometimes.