Wait, that was it? That was the big difference? The only point that mattered between brainwashing and not brainwashing was whether someone asked you to kill? That didn't make any sense.
It was well and good that Robin never had needed to resort to that. Omi was genuinely glad for it, because it was an ugly, depressing business. But if killing weren't necessary, Weiss wouldn't exist. Only Crashers would. And in the end, that was pretty beside the point to whether anything constituted brainwashing, wasn't it? Omi wanted to serve justice, too. The real difference was in how each of them defined it.
But Robin was also several years younger than him. Omi remembered that age. Death, and especially killing, was a difficult subject to grapple with. He didn't much care to tread into the territory of killing anyway. So instead, Omi honed in on the other part. About being alone, and having someone to take you in.
It was striking how bare-open the boy was laying out some of his feelings. Omi knew from experience how incredibly difficult it was to talk about such things even with close friends. And he was a stranger to Robin. A stranger and a criminal. No doubt, it was the parallels between their childhoods. The tragedy and loss of family, then the adoption into a life of vigilante work.
But there was a huge difference that yet remained, and maybe it was that difference that accounted for why one of them killed and one of them didn't. Robin still had people that loved him. He still had things to live for.
Omi tried again to slowly sit up, succeeding this time. He had no interest in getting any farther than that-- not now that he was under watch. It was partially to stall. Thinking clearly was difficult, and he felt it important to respond to this the right way. He just didn't know what that right way was.
He normally would not discuss matters of that period between the kidnapping and the present day. The fact that Robin had, though, and unquestionably despite that same kind of discomfort and avoidance of doing so... Omi couldn't ignore that.
"You're right. The sense of indebtedness is overwhelming. The awe that that someone would..." That you still meant something to someone. "I have to admit... when I saw what I did... earlier. It really brings to light the difference in how what we live can shape who we are, and what we believe."
That was about as close as Omi could come to confessing he'd probably have come out just like Robin had he lived that same life.
no subject
It was well and good that Robin never had needed to resort to that. Omi was genuinely glad for it, because it was an ugly, depressing business. But if killing weren't necessary, Weiss wouldn't exist. Only Crashers would. And in the end, that was pretty beside the point to whether anything constituted brainwashing, wasn't it? Omi wanted to serve justice, too. The real difference was in how each of them defined it.
But Robin was also several years younger than him. Omi remembered that age. Death, and especially killing, was a difficult subject to grapple with. He didn't much care to tread into the territory of killing anyway. So instead, Omi honed in on the other part. About being alone, and having someone to take you in.
It was striking how bare-open the boy was laying out some of his feelings. Omi knew from experience how incredibly difficult it was to talk about such things even with close friends. And he was a stranger to Robin. A stranger and a criminal. No doubt, it was the parallels between their childhoods. The tragedy and loss of family, then the adoption into a life of vigilante work.
But there was a huge difference that yet remained, and maybe it was that difference that accounted for why one of them killed and one of them didn't. Robin still had people that loved him. He still had things to live for.
Omi tried again to slowly sit up, succeeding this time. He had no interest in getting any farther than that-- not now that he was under watch. It was partially to stall. Thinking clearly was difficult, and he felt it important to respond to this the right way. He just didn't know what that right way was.
He normally would not discuss matters of that period between the kidnapping and the present day. The fact that Robin had, though, and unquestionably despite that same kind of discomfort and avoidance of doing so... Omi couldn't ignore that.
"You're right. The sense of indebtedness is overwhelming. The awe that that someone would..." That you still meant something to someone. "I have to admit... when I saw what I did... earlier. It really brings to light the difference in how what we live can shape who we are, and what we believe."
That was about as close as Omi could come to confessing he'd probably have come out just like Robin had he lived that same life.