[ As Peter says it, Qubit realizes (far too late) that they're trespassing onto forbidden ground in his own heart. Every word echoes something he's said to himself, only to himself, on some sleepless night or other, whether he's wandering the moonlit streets of De Chima or the empty halls of Anchor, it makes no difference.
We're not so different, you and I...
And for some reason, the comparison fills him with a sudden, deep revulsion, intense enough that it physically wrenches his stomach. But it's not on his own behalf. They're nothing alike, because Peter did nothing wrong.
Qubit, too, has gone over every inflection point in his memory ad nauseum, trying to find a path to a better outcome - no matter the cost. Even if it means taking the Plutonian's place himself as history's greatest monster.
Qubit never stops working, either, but not just to keep his head above an ocean of regrets that would otherwise drown him. It's because every day he doesn't think about it is another day he can avoid the risk of forgiving himself. Because every distraction, every new project, every crisis, he needs them to keep his hands busy, because if he doesn't, he knows the devil will find work for them to do -
Peter did nothing wrong. He doesn't deserve to suffer like this.
He's nothing like you.
He's so much better. ]
I ...
I wish ... I had an answer for you.
[ His voice is uneven, from a throat that's gone painfully tight. His vision blurs. ]
The- the truth is, I don't know what will help. Perhaps nothing will. I just... I just know you can't keep on like this. You're brilliant, Peter, absolutely brilliant! You're one of the kindest, most selfless people I've ever met. You could do such incredible things! And yet-!
[ He blinks one too many times, and he can't stop the tears flowing, either. ]
This thing you're carrying, this guilt, this fear, you can't keep letting it rule your life! It'll eat you alive, just like -
[ Even before he says it, everything in him is screaming no, stop, don't tell him, he doesn't have to know - but it's out of his mouth before he can stop it. ]
no subject
We're not so different, you and I...
And for some reason, the comparison fills him with a sudden, deep revulsion, intense enough that it physically wrenches his stomach. But it's not on his own behalf. They're nothing alike, because Peter did nothing wrong.
Qubit, too, has gone over every inflection point in his memory ad nauseum, trying to find a path to a better outcome - no matter the cost. Even if it means taking the Plutonian's place himself as history's greatest monster.
Qubit never stops working, either, but not just to keep his head above an ocean of regrets that would otherwise drown him. It's because every day he doesn't think about it is another day he can avoid the risk of forgiving himself. Because every distraction, every new project, every crisis, he needs them to keep his hands busy, because if he doesn't, he knows the devil will find work for them to do -
Peter did nothing wrong. He doesn't deserve to suffer like this.
He's nothing like you.
He's so much better. ]
I ...
I wish ... I had an answer for you.
[ His voice is uneven, from a throat that's gone painfully tight. His vision blurs. ]
The- the truth is, I don't know what will help. Perhaps nothing will. I just... I just know you can't keep on like this. You're brilliant, Peter, absolutely brilliant! You're one of the kindest, most selfless people I've ever met. You could do such incredible things! And yet-!
[ He blinks one too many times, and he can't stop the tears flowing, either. ]
This thing you're carrying, this guilt, this fear, you can't keep letting it rule your life! It'll eat you alive, just like -
[ Even before he says it, everything in him is screaming no, stop, don't tell him, he doesn't have to know - but it's out of his mouth before he can stop it. ]
- just like it did to Tony!