（ he leans in and presses a kiss to sasuke's forehead, and then tips his chin upwards for another, tasting the honeyed lozenge on his tongue. ）

What happened with your brother wasn't fair to either of you. It's natural to feel conflicted about what peace you were given in those years.

（ one hand lifts to cup at sasuke's cheek. there's a bit of a tremor to his hand, the come-down from scene's stressors, that calms once contact is made. ）

I always hated the idea that you should feel nothing but gratitude for someone else's sacrifice when you're the one that has to live with it.

（ it wasn't the same for him, on abbrenon. the girl who died there wasn't someone he was close to, just someone who had a strong sense of justice and righteousness, who believed in standing up for her ideals, and was killed for it. but he remembers iantha murmuring to him that he should respect the sacrifice he never asked for, and be grateful. it would be all the worse for sasuke, given the context of his culture and the deep wounds that love leaves there — he won't pretend he understands, just that he's not ignorant. ）