[It could be that the man is lending any measure of gentleness at all to him. It could be that underneath the beard, Wilhelm realizes, he isn't actually all that old — a few years older than his brother, maybe. It could be that he looks for his brother everywhere, even now, even just echoes. But he does think of Erik in this moment, and the reminder is both comforting and cold. Because he isn't here, he isn't anywhere—
Wilhelm swallows, and the lump of food almost seems to stick to the sides of his throat. He gulps down some water. Reins in his thoughts with a slow breath, refocuses on the question.]
It's nothing like this. I mean, people used to live sort of like this a long time ago. Like, hundreds and hundreds of years ago. But now we've got electricity and cars and phones, and stuff like that. So...
[Even as he explains all this, he realizes that it probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Which is why he ends up trailing off.]
no subject
Wilhelm swallows, and the lump of food almost seems to stick to the sides of his throat. He gulps down some water. Reins in his thoughts with a slow breath, refocuses on the question.]
It's nothing like this. I mean, people used to live sort of like this a long time ago. Like, hundreds and hundreds of years ago. But now we've got electricity and cars and phones, and stuff like that. So...
[Even as he explains all this, he realizes that it probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Which is why he ends up trailing off.]