[Ryou wants to forgive Atem, and hearing him speak is moving him along the pathway of graciousness there, of forgiving Atem because he's just grateful that he's back. After all, he's apologizing for worrying Ryou at all, which means he knows what he did, right?
But no. He doesn't. Because here he stands, telling Ryou that he took a death to protect himself from a worse fate, and maybe it says something about Ryou that he accepts that as a tactical move, and isn't bothered by Atem making a Hail Mary to get out of AM's hands.
And maybe Ryou would have immediately clarified that he's angry about Atem needing to make the choice at all, but when Atem speaks of revenge, the words...there's something that's far more than unsettling in them. That gets Ryou to look up, and now Atem can see how very, very scared he is.
What is Ryou scared of?]
I didn't make this easy, did I? H-hahahaha. If I was just stronger, then...
[He laughs again, a hollow sound, and his arms fall to his sides. It's just like when he'd spoken to the Fog. She told him he needed to be better, right? To rise to challenges. But he can't. He's criminally incapable of rising to the challenge, which is exactly why Atem had picked a fight with AM, possibly the most powerful demon on the peninsula.]
I thought if I said the right thing, I might convince you not to pay it back. But I'm wrong. I...miscalculated. Atem...you've done what you need to, right? You've done enough. You don't have to punish anyone for me. Do you hear me?
[He's speaking and looking at Atem, but for some reason, his eyes aren't focused on the other monster. Not really. He's looking past him, running the subroutine in his head that might lead him to the right string of dialogue, unlock a choice that would stop Atem from attacking others as a preventative measure...and he shouldn't be steeping himself into it but right now, he's not sure where to be, or whether he wants to admit to himself who he is, under the limitations that weigh him down.
He's just Ryou Bakura. Not a White Wizard who can carry the weight of his party. Just Ryou, with no strength of heart, no power to influence anything around him.]
no subject
But no. He doesn't. Because here he stands, telling Ryou that he took a death to protect himself from a worse fate, and maybe it says something about Ryou that he accepts that as a tactical move, and isn't bothered by Atem making a Hail Mary to get out of AM's hands.
And maybe Ryou would have immediately clarified that he's angry about Atem needing to make the choice at all, but when Atem speaks of revenge, the words...there's something that's far more than unsettling in them. That gets Ryou to look up, and now Atem can see how very, very scared he is.
What is Ryou scared of?]
I didn't make this easy, did I? H-hahahaha. If I was just stronger, then...
[He laughs again, a hollow sound, and his arms fall to his sides. It's just like when he'd spoken to the Fog. She told him he needed to be better, right? To rise to challenges. But he can't. He's criminally incapable of rising to the challenge, which is exactly why Atem had picked a fight with AM, possibly the most powerful demon on the peninsula.]
I thought if I said the right thing, I might convince you not to pay it back. But I'm wrong. I...miscalculated. Atem...you've done what you need to, right? You've done enough. You don't have to punish anyone for me. Do you hear me?
[He's speaking and looking at Atem, but for some reason, his eyes aren't focused on the other monster. Not really. He's looking past him, running the subroutine in his head that might lead him to the right string of dialogue, unlock a choice that would stop Atem from attacking others as a preventative measure...and he shouldn't be steeping himself into it but right now, he's not sure where to be, or whether he wants to admit to himself who he is, under the limitations that weigh him down.
He's just Ryou Bakura. Not a White Wizard who can carry the weight of his party. Just Ryou, with no strength of heart, no power to influence anything around him.]