He almost feels bad, bringing it up, but if they were talking about Cain, the Alliance, himself? it wasn't like he could just leave any of it out.
He watches as he fidgets, lips pressed tightly together so he'll listen and not interrupt. Active listening was something he was good at, but this isn't his problem to solve, and he's gotten better about that, especially after it helped with Fitz, to just let him choose his pace, decide he wasn't ready for that conversation.
Letting Cain vent, talk out his feelings and get riled up where he was safe, to someone he knew wouldn't hurt him, he wants him to feel like he can.
When he finally sits, clearly bothered, Abel keeps his hands to himself this time, considering the other man's face, the way he isn't sure whether or not he's allowed to be himself. It's familiar in some ways, just the beats are different. "You never were Cain, you just...played him well." Too well, but still. "I'm not going to be pointing any fingers at you questioning what you deserve...And I've learned over and over again, no one gets what they deserve, but denying yourself something you do, when the only person who can make that decision is you? Don't do that to yourself. It serves no purpose other than holding you back, right?"
He finally does shift forward a little, enough that his knee gently brushes his thigh, "I l-" The word catches in his throat before he clears it, "I like you, Alexei. A lot. And I think you deserve to be who you want to be, even if you don't."
no subject
He watches as he fidgets, lips pressed tightly together so he'll listen and not interrupt. Active listening was something he was good at, but this isn't his problem to solve, and he's gotten better about that, especially after it helped with Fitz, to just let him choose his pace, decide he wasn't ready for that conversation.
Letting Cain vent, talk out his feelings and get riled up where he was safe, to someone he knew wouldn't hurt him, he wants him to feel like he can.
When he finally sits, clearly bothered, Abel keeps his hands to himself this time, considering the other man's face, the way he isn't sure whether or not he's allowed to be himself. It's familiar in some ways, just the beats are different. "You never were Cain, you just...played him well." Too well, but still. "I'm not going to be pointing any fingers at you questioning what you deserve...And I've learned over and over again, no one gets what they deserve, but denying yourself something you do, when the only person who can make that decision is you? Don't do that to yourself. It serves no purpose other than holding you back, right?"
He finally does shift forward a little, enough that his knee gently brushes his thigh, "I l-" The word catches in his throat before he clears it, "I like you, Alexei. A lot. And I think you deserve to be who you want to be, even if you don't."