No negative reaction. No fear, no anger. Cloud seems to have retained his awareness that Sephiroth is on his side here, and that's no small thing under the circumstances. Sephiroth relaxes minutely.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs. "You deserve to know these things - perhaps need to - but I recognize perhaps better than anyone else how traumatic such knowledge can be." His gaze darkens slightly. "To realize the extent to which you were used, and victimized...how much of your life isn't as you thought it was. There is no gentle way to share such information, and likely no easy way to receive it, but...knowing the effect it could have, I've done my best to make it easier."
Sephiroth doesn't think he necessarily deserves any understanding for the mental break he'd experienced at Nibelheim - not, at least, in consideration to what his breakdown had led to. It's easy to extend compassion for weakness when weakness isn't synonymous with catastrophe, but when it is...well, he had been the dam that failed. No matter how much pressure he was under, his failure had killed so many downstream for him, and it was for their sake more than his own that it had been important for him to remain strong. He had never been in a position where it was safe for him to fall apart, and he'll live with the consequences for the rest of his life. In that, he's luckier than most of his victims.
But maybe...Cloud can have that safety, at least. Maybe Cloud can break down, and build himself back up, without any deeper horror or regret. And whether Sephiroth deserves it or not, Sephiroth supposes Cloud can't help but see, in this, something of what Sephiroth endured himself. It's not an excuse, and never can be, but perhaps at least...it can make understanding easier.
Though, as far as that goes...perhaps understanding his nightmare will only make it more distressing. Not that there's much Sephiroth can do about that.
"Can you stand?" He feels some small return to normalcy, to control, may help Cloud here.
no subject
"I'm sorry," he murmurs. "You deserve to know these things - perhaps need to - but I recognize perhaps better than anyone else how traumatic such knowledge can be." His gaze darkens slightly. "To realize the extent to which you were used, and victimized...how much of your life isn't as you thought it was. There is no gentle way to share such information, and likely no easy way to receive it, but...knowing the effect it could have, I've done my best to make it easier."
Sephiroth doesn't think he necessarily deserves any understanding for the mental break he'd experienced at Nibelheim - not, at least, in consideration to what his breakdown had led to. It's easy to extend compassion for weakness when weakness isn't synonymous with catastrophe, but when it is...well, he had been the dam that failed. No matter how much pressure he was under, his failure had killed so many downstream for him, and it was for their sake more than his own that it had been important for him to remain strong. He had never been in a position where it was safe for him to fall apart, and he'll live with the consequences for the rest of his life. In that, he's luckier than most of his victims.
But maybe...Cloud can have that safety, at least. Maybe Cloud can break down, and build himself back up, without any deeper horror or regret. And whether Sephiroth deserves it or not, Sephiroth supposes Cloud can't help but see, in this, something of what Sephiroth endured himself. It's not an excuse, and never can be, but perhaps at least...it can make understanding easier.
Though, as far as that goes...perhaps understanding his nightmare will only make it more distressing. Not that there's much Sephiroth can do about that.
"Can you stand?" He feels some small return to normalcy, to control, may help Cloud here.