[Frankly, he's just not used to anybody asking him how he is. He's been the one in charge for so long, the one who asks everyone else how they are, the one who's always in control—or the one tearing it down, which hardly creates allies interested in your well being.
Funnily, it means he's out of his depth in this place, just in a different way than he tries to portray. Without a facial expression to judge, he merely takes Dante's momentary pause as appropriate to the difficult topic.]
I know it will catch up to me eventually, if we're granted any sort of peace after this, [he says with some resignation as he folds his arms.] So... I suppose I'll find out then just how well I'm handling it.
[Altius, at least, wouldn't pretend to be just fine in the face of all this, not after all the sorts of advice he gives to others. He turns his gaze back to Dante.]
It sounds as though this isn't the first such crisis you've been through, even outside of this place.
< You could say that. We have to deal with a lot of interesting situations thanks to my job, and home isn't exactly the best place out there to begin with. >
[Which is putting it lightly.]
< Believe it or not, this simulation, despite everything, is somehow... kinder? I'm not sure if that's the word I'm looking for. >
[He's getting the sense that "interesting" in this context means terrible and difficult. Between the mention of their prior injuries, the willingness to seek danger with their team, and the worries of being a horrible person should they recall their past, he would agree that it sounds distinctly not kind where they're from.]
I think I understand, [he replies, though he's not apparently happy to hear it, if the frown on his face is anything to go by.] I couldn't say the same compared my own, but... if you've found any reprieve here, I'm glad for that.
[All worlds are cruel in their own way, but some are more openly cruel than others, it seems.]
Are you usually given any time to recover? More than physically.
A company run only on unfettered cruelty, perhaps, [he says with a rare display of open disdain nearing anger, folding his arms. Maybe he's evil also, but he gives his employees proper sick leave options, damn it!
He doesn't have to ask to know this is just Dante's expectation of their world. But Dante isn't the target of his ire, so he turns his gaze to the wall.]
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Funnily, it means he's out of his depth in this place, just in a different way than he tries to portray. Without a facial expression to judge, he merely takes Dante's momentary pause as appropriate to the difficult topic.]
I know it will catch up to me eventually, if we're granted any sort of peace after this, [he says with some resignation as he folds his arms.] So... I suppose I'll find out then just how well I'm handling it.
[Altius, at least, wouldn't pretend to be just fine in the face of all this, not after all the sorts of advice he gives to others. He turns his gaze back to Dante.]
It sounds as though this isn't the first such crisis you've been through, even outside of this place.
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[Which is putting it lightly.]
< Believe it or not, this simulation, despite everything, is somehow... kinder? I'm not sure if that's the word I'm looking for. >
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I think I understand, [he replies, though he's not apparently happy to hear it, if the frown on his face is anything to go by.] I couldn't say the same compared my own, but... if you've found any reprieve here, I'm glad for that.
[All worlds are cruel in their own way, but some are more openly cruel than others, it seems.]
Are you usually given any time to recover? More than physically.
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< There might be a couple days of downtime while reports are written up? But other than that, no, not really. >
[Even on the Great Lake, with no real mission in hand until they returned to land, there had always been something to do.]
< It's a company, though, so that much is to be expected. >
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He doesn't have to ask to know this is just Dante's expectation of their world. But Dante isn't the target of his ire, so he turns his gaze to the wall.]
I'm sorry to hear it. You deserve better.