[Something about that strikes him strangely and it takes him a moment to figure out what it is. He's known what happened - and their failure to combat it - was never their fault, but hearing that...
It reminds him of what Raven told him about Casey and her final moments - knowing that she didn't curse her fate and faced it with her head held high, as always. It's relief - knowing that even in the end, their loss wasn't their own failure.]
...Thank you. I... think I needed to hear that.
[As strange as that sounds coming from him, it's true. After all, he was among the first that died, among the first that failed to face down that threat and stop it from taking the others.]
It's... a rather complicated thing to think about, but I've grown to truly cherish this second chance. I wouldn't be who I am now without it, for better and for worse.
[For much, much worse, as it turns out, but we can't have everything.]
...So I want to thank you. I think I've wanted to thank you for it for... quite some time now, really. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet Droite and Gauche. I wouldn't have met the Don. I wouldn't have gotten to know you, or Raven, or those who were there with us in that other world. I wouldn't have learned what happened to Casey. I wouldn't be Yeager, were it not for you.
[...okay that last one actually sounds really bad, but he genuinely likes being Yeager?? I'm so sorry.]
So thank you, Alexei.
[His hand rises to the blastia and this time, his touch is lighter - not like he's gripping the damn thing but more like he's actually appreciating its presence for once. After all, he does mean it. He's been treasuring his second chance at life for some time now, after all.]
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It reminds him of what Raven told him about Casey and her final moments - knowing that she didn't curse her fate and faced it with her head held high, as always. It's relief - knowing that even in the end, their loss wasn't their own failure.]
...Thank you. I... think I needed to hear that.
[As strange as that sounds coming from him, it's true. After all, he was among the first that died, among the first that failed to face down that threat and stop it from taking the others.]
It's... a rather complicated thing to think about, but I've grown to truly cherish this second chance. I wouldn't be who I am now without it, for better and for worse.
[For much, much worse, as it turns out, but we can't have everything.]
...So I want to thank you. I think I've wanted to thank you for it for... quite some time now, really. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet Droite and Gauche. I wouldn't have met the Don. I wouldn't have gotten to know you, or Raven, or those who were there with us in that other world. I wouldn't have learned what happened to Casey. I wouldn't be Yeager, were it not for you.
[...okay that last one actually sounds really bad, but he genuinely likes being Yeager?? I'm so sorry.]
So thank you, Alexei.
[His hand rises to the blastia and this time, his touch is lighter - not like he's gripping the damn thing but more like he's actually appreciating its presence for once. After all, he does mean it. He's been treasuring his second chance at life for some time now, after all.]