[The stretch of silence worries Gil more. Is Oushi going to say something troubling? Is he really not okay? Then Oushi mentions imprinting and Gil finds he is slow to respond.]
...Yes. I know about it.
[He's done a few paid exercises, even with his misgivings. Normally, he'd want to gently chastise Oushi not to play with his food. But he doesn't need to hear that from him, does he?]
We... Oh. [His head is cradled in his hand.] That certainly explains a lot.
[How could he have missed it? He really is an idiot. But Oushi's apology worries him and he lifts his head to look at him.]
You needn't apologize! I-- I think I'd like to talk to you even if we hadn't imprinted, but I'm also sorry that you imprinted with me of all people! Please forgive me. It must have been hard. I'm not sure what to think.
[ in... retrospect, it's probably not the worst news gil has ever heard. (though, to be honest, oushi sort of gets the feeling any news is terrible news for gil—) in the grand scheme of things, certainly, there are worse fates to be delivered, and even worse people to be unwittingly paired with.
oushi doesn't even really know how much of gil's autonomy he values, or if the man even thinks he has any at all, but it still felt like the right thing to do in telling him. nobody should have to be saddled with a connection they never signed up for. ]
I'm fine.
[ he shrugs. that's just the truth of it, to be honest. gil isn't a bad guy, and oushi is pragmatic enough to recognize that imprinting does have its benefits. it doesn't make him want to go around imprinting with just anybody, after all, but even if his and gil's had been accidental, he finds it's not something he is all that upset by. ]
I don't dislike you, [ he thinks to clarify. somehow, gil's blatant self-deprecation makes it easier to admit such things out loud. oushi doesn't even feel all that embarrassed for it, which is a feat. ]
It just... y'know. Sucked that it happened without our consent.
[He feels deceived in a way. Maybe Patho-Gen really didn’t understand the full implications of what imprinting did, but they were willing to use them anyway. They claimed it was to save other worlds including Gil’s, but could he really trust that?
His neck aches where the device was implanted, palm falling over it. When he thinks too hard about what else might happen because Patho-Gen didn’t know, he feels lost, like he’s being dragged into the dark. It scares him when he thinks too hard about it.]
But I give you my word that I will never allow anything or anyone to control me into doing anything that goes against what is important to me. I already made my choice. I won’t allow anyone to undo that.
[Maybe that came out of nowhere now that he thinks about it, but he felt it needed to be said. He looks like he wants to say something else and adds.]
It sucks how it happened, but I’m grateful you helped me when we met. And I’m glad we’ve continued to talk since then. I don’t trust Patho-Gen, but I trust you.
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...Yes. I know about it.
[He's done a few paid exercises, even with his misgivings. Normally, he'd want to gently chastise Oushi not to play with his food. But he doesn't need to hear that from him, does he?]
We... Oh. [His head is cradled in his hand.] That certainly explains a lot.
[How could he have missed it? He really is an idiot. But Oushi's apology worries him and he lifts his head to look at him.]
You needn't apologize! I-- I think I'd like to talk to you even if we hadn't imprinted, but I'm also sorry that you imprinted with me of all people! Please forgive me. It must have been hard. I'm not sure what to think.
no subject
oushi doesn't even really know how much of gil's autonomy he values, or if the man even thinks he has any at all, but it still felt like the right thing to do in telling him. nobody should have to be saddled with a connection they never signed up for. ]
I'm fine.
[ he shrugs. that's just the truth of it, to be honest. gil isn't a bad guy, and oushi is pragmatic enough to recognize that imprinting does have its benefits. it doesn't make him want to go around imprinting with just anybody, after all, but even if his and gil's had been accidental, he finds it's not something he is all that upset by. ]
I don't dislike you, [ he thinks to clarify. somehow, gil's blatant self-deprecation makes it easier to admit such things out loud. oushi doesn't even feel all that embarrassed for it, which is a feat. ]
It just... y'know. Sucked that it happened without our consent.
[ that stuff is! important!! ... right? ]
no subject
[He feels deceived in a way. Maybe Patho-Gen really didn’t understand the full implications of what imprinting did, but they were willing to use them anyway. They claimed it was to save other worlds including Gil’s, but could he really trust that?
His neck aches where the device was implanted, palm falling over it. When he thinks too hard about what else might happen because Patho-Gen didn’t know, he feels lost, like he’s being dragged into the dark. It scares him when he thinks too hard about it.]
But I give you my word that I will never allow anything or anyone to control me into doing anything that goes against what is important to me. I already made my choice. I won’t allow anyone to undo that.
[Maybe that came out of nowhere now that he thinks about it, but he felt it needed to be said. He looks like he wants to say something else and adds.]
It sucks how it happened, but I’m grateful you helped me when we met. And I’m glad we’ve continued to talk since then. I don’t trust Patho-Gen, but I trust you.