[Yes, that's fair enough. This kind of avoidance - he wouldn't expect anything else, after all of this. And sitting here, looking at Bruno, there's more than just theorizing going on now; he knew this would be bad, but he's beginning to understand how bad exactly.]

[He will never be Abbacchio. He will never be anything like Abbacchio. He will never be as good for Bruno as Abbacchio is.]

[Was.]

[Grieving. He will grieve for Abbacchio now, but for Bruno, too, for the thing that's died in him.]

[He laces his fingers together, dangles them between his knees. His posture isn't a leader's now, even if his voice is still commanding.]

I would prefer not to be the focus right now. I don't believe that that will be a productive use of our time and energy. In a little while, maybe. Not now.