He snorts, an ugly sound from the back of his throat. There's a quick shake of his head. Peter doesn't look at her. "You didn't choose to die. You chose to help and I screwed it up for you."
It was what it was. He'd had more than enough time to admit he was the only one at fault.
He'd have more to say, to prove to her that their situations were nothing alike, but he didn't get the chance. She dropped a bomb that dried up the words in his throat, leaving him gaping at her for a few moments longer than intended. Without his powers it took several moments for the words to process.
"What?" It's the first thing out of his mouth and he clamps his jaw shut the second it sounds out. That's not the way to handle this. Peter tries again. "I'm sorry." Wasn't that always the appropriate thing to say? "I didn't- sorry. That's shitty."
It's a terrible understatement, but he's not sure what to say. She doesn't seem to be looking for comfort, but he feels it's something he should offer anyway. But he does know what to say to her next statement. It sounds too close to the self loathing Peter finds himself dealing with more and more these days. It's nothing he'd ever want to hear out of her mouth.
"You're not going to hurt anyone else J. You're not going to snap or whatever. That's not you. What happened wasn't on you." He believes that, wholeheartedly. J may have shot him, may have shot Shepard. May even have killed Aurelia, all that time ago. But she wasn't a killer as far as Peter was concerned. "Something happened to you. That's all. You're not taking after anyone."
no subject
It was what it was. He'd had more than enough time to admit he was the only one at fault.
He'd have more to say, to prove to her that their situations were nothing alike, but he didn't get the chance. She dropped a bomb that dried up the words in his throat, leaving him gaping at her for a few moments longer than intended. Without his powers it took several moments for the words to process.
"What?" It's the first thing out of his mouth and he clamps his jaw shut the second it sounds out. That's not the way to handle this. Peter tries again. "I'm sorry." Wasn't that always the appropriate thing to say? "I didn't- sorry. That's shitty."
It's a terrible understatement, but he's not sure what to say. She doesn't seem to be looking for comfort, but he feels it's something he should offer anyway. But he does know what to say to her next statement. It sounds too close to the self loathing Peter finds himself dealing with more and more these days. It's nothing he'd ever want to hear out of her mouth.
"You're not going to hurt anyone else J. You're not going to snap or whatever. That's not you. What happened wasn't on you." He believes that, wholeheartedly. J may have shot him, may have shot Shepard. May even have killed Aurelia, all that time ago. But she wasn't a killer as far as Peter was concerned. "Something happened to you. That's all. You're not taking after anyone."