Luke doesn't say what he's actually thinking--that he suspects, as awful as it is, that death might be a mercy once things have progressed to the point of forced violence. He knows he, at least, would've been exactly like Eunhyuk--he would've immediately tried to take his own life, if he knew that he was inevitably going to lose control. He wouldn't blame Sheba or Shouxue for clinging to desperate hope, for thinking they could hold on and fight it off--but losing to those impulses might be even more painful.
It's not worth pointing it out and depressing the both of them. But beyond that... there's a tiny part of Luke, the part that clings to the hero's tales he used to love, that continues to hope someone will defy the odds. He's too realistic to acknowledge it, but too sentimental to quash it entirely.]
It isn't. [Gently.] None of this is. They can't be excused from the harm they caused, but we can't forget that they're victims too.
[ oh, sentiment. maybe it would be easier to get through this with a purely rational heart—he wonders if some of the people here view this through an entirely different lens than him.
sidon is moved by his heart and by duty, and neither is ever satisfied here. ]
I can't speak for Sheba, but Shouxue—can I not absolve her?
[He'd only had the chance to speak to her properly once, but seeing her in the trial, he doesn't think she tried very hard to avoid getting caught. It wouldn't surprise him to hear that Shouxue might want justice turned upon her--or, perhaps, that she'd want to be certain she couldn't hurt anyone else.]
But that makes it all the more important that I offer absolution to her. ...You say they can't be excused for the damage they'd wrought. That's what I disagree with. I don't see any justice in it at all.
I don't mean it in terms of punishment. [There are definitely people that applies to, and his own view of justice can be pretty harsh depending on the circumstances. But Luke has seen a lot of the world, and that includes the desperate actions of the trapped and the helpless.] Though, even if the rest of us understand it was a tragedy, she might need to find her own peace.
[And how that looks for her... he doesn't know her well enough to say.
What he does know--]
But I think if anyone could ease that burden, it would be you.
[Because he is the victim, yes--but also because of his kindness. Luke knows he himself is a friendly person by default, and he tries to be kind when he can, but it's not the same as Sidon's genuine, unshakeable warmth.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Mm. I'm all right. [ he looks out over the water again, thoughtful. ] Just... wondering what comes next, I suppose.
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I wish I could tell you. [Genuinely.] I was afraid of an escalation, but I didn't think it would be like this.
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Me neither. I worried about what might happen if someone wasn't caught... would they just continue, lost and in pain as they are?
...Now I can't help but hope they survive. It does not feel fair either way.
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Luke doesn't say what he's actually thinking--that he suspects, as awful as it is, that death might be a mercy once things have progressed to the point of forced violence. He knows he, at least, would've been exactly like Eunhyuk--he would've immediately tried to take his own life, if he knew that he was inevitably going to lose control. He wouldn't blame Sheba or Shouxue for clinging to desperate hope, for thinking they could hold on and fight it off--but losing to those impulses might be even more painful.
It's not worth pointing it out and depressing the both of them. But beyond that... there's a tiny part of Luke, the part that clings to the hero's tales he used to love, that continues to hope someone will defy the odds. He's too realistic to acknowledge it, but too sentimental to quash it entirely.]
It isn't. [Gently.] None of this is. They can't be excused from the harm they caused, but we can't forget that they're victims too.
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sidon is moved by his heart and by duty, and neither is ever satisfied here. ]
I can't speak for Sheba, but Shouxue—can I not absolve her?
[ he sighs, frustrated. ]
If I had a choice, she would be excused.
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Is that what she'd want?
[He'd only had the chance to speak to her properly once, but seeing her in the trial, he doesn't think she tried very hard to avoid getting caught. It wouldn't surprise him to hear that Shouxue might want justice turned upon her--or, perhaps, that she'd want to be certain she couldn't hurt anyone else.]
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[ he knows that better than anyone. ]
But that makes it all the more important that I offer absolution to her. ...You say they can't be excused for the damage they'd wrought. That's what I disagree with. I don't see any justice in it at all.
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I don't mean it in terms of punishment. [There are definitely people that applies to, and his own view of justice can be pretty harsh depending on the circumstances. But Luke has seen a lot of the world, and that includes the desperate actions of the trapped and the helpless.] Though, even if the rest of us understand it was a tragedy, she might need to find her own peace.
[And how that looks for her... he doesn't know her well enough to say.
What he does know--]
But I think if anyone could ease that burden, it would be you.
[Because he is the victim, yes--but also because of his kindness. Luke knows he himself is a friendly person by default, and he tries to be kind when he can, but it's not the same as Sidon's genuine, unshakeable warmth.]