Shaun has to remind himself that he agreed to this conversation to avoid being exactly the kind of asshole he usually is when he's expected to engage with his emotions. He does not punch Sheehan. See what kind of progress he's making?
"I feel like you already know this answer, but sure, I'll play. The zombie fungus got him. He went off into the wilderness to die about it."
Sheehan has to make a calculated sort of call at this moment. He would normally never say this about someone in a situation like Shaun's brother had been, but he's trying to elicit a reaction. He'll forgive himself later.
Shaun scowls at him. He knows Sheehan is trying to get a reaction out of him, but knowing that doesn't actually keep him from reacting. He feels his hands itching to tighten into fists, but he pointedly keeps from allowing them to.
"Bowing to the inevitable isn't giving up. What was he supposed to do, just hang out for a while until the zombie fungus finished eating his brain?"
The scowl deepens. The thing is--it's not hard to put himself back into that other life. The one where the only family he had left just walked away, even though they could have had more time.
Could have. But didn't.
"I know," he says finally, his tone terse. "I was there."
"They teach you to ask dumb questions like that in shrink school?" He doesn't even bother keeping the irritation out of his voice. "Why do you think I'm mad?"
"It wasn't 'giving up,'" he says finally. "He was doing what he thought he had to. Just because--" It hurt. They could have had more time. "Just because I didn't like it, didn't mean it was wrong."
"That was just an excuse to get you here. It could be five, fifteen, thirty...whatever you were comfortable giving. If you're done, then you can be done."
The idea that he would want to sit down and talk for longer is laughable, though he's definitely more annoyed than amused right now. "Cool," he says flatly. "I'll see you later, then."
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"How did he die?"
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"I feel like you already know this answer, but sure, I'll play. The zombie fungus got him. He went off into the wilderness to die about it."
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"So he gave up?"
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"Bowing to the inevitable isn't giving up. What was he supposed to do, just hang out for a while until the zombie fungus finished eating his brain?"
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Could have. But didn't.
"I know," he says finally, his tone terse. "I was there."
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He glances to his hands again. "Why?"
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And he doesn't sounds defensive at ALL.
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He waits.
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He doesn't stop him, though.
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And he's gone.