[ a wakeup call. he gets that too, in some ways - his eyes close, briefly, and behind them, there's fire. there's always fire. what can you do when the world around you upends? ]

I'd not call it pity. [ but he gets it. he doesn't want to focus too long on his, either - solution minded, as ever, and that's where his mind goes now, glancing at vi out of the corner of his eye. ]

... Sits wrong with me to hear, honestly. All this fighting to get out of here to go back to nothing.