The outburst nearly blew Jermaine's ears back, blinking at his kid brother (who just happened to tower over him now, making the whole thing feel a little more surreal) in a strange sort of stupor.
"That's not--" He starts, hearing his voice tinged with frustration and anger. He stops, closing his eyes tightly. Bryce had slowly coaxed him out of using his old mantra, reasoning that it was the crutch of a lonely man without anyone to lean on. He was right, too. But still, Jermaine found his hands performing the motion anyway, even if the words only rang out in his mind: Epsilon, Eucrates, Dernesto...
"Bro..."
Jake's voice sounded far away.
"I don't blame you, Finn." Despite himself, the emphasis on the 'you' couldn't really be missed by either of them. Jermaine doesn't retract it, either. Whatever subconscious part of him felt the need to make that vocal adjustment also saw fit to freezing his vocal chords now, letting the statement rest in the open without clarification or apology.
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"That's not--" He starts, hearing his voice tinged with frustration and anger. He stops, closing his eyes tightly. Bryce had slowly coaxed him out of using his old mantra, reasoning that it was the crutch of a lonely man without anyone to lean on. He was right, too. But still, Jermaine found his hands performing the motion anyway, even if the words only rang out in his mind: Epsilon, Eucrates, Dernesto...
"Bro..."
Jake's voice sounded far away.
"I don't blame you, Finn." Despite himself, the emphasis on the 'you' couldn't really be missed by either of them. Jermaine doesn't retract it, either. Whatever subconscious part of him felt the need to make that vocal adjustment also saw fit to freezing his vocal chords now, letting the statement rest in the open without clarification or apology.