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[He's taken aback upon hearing that, after all the talk of cycles and constantly having keep trying.]

You got lucky. Does Finch know?

He was there. He told me that I saved lives. I didn't listen to him.

[ Truthfully, he doesn't remember the whole affair too clearly. He had barely been able to stand at that point. But he remembers Harold's voice, the things he said. ]

How'd he take that?

[The not listening. Harold had been disappointed with him over what happened and even now, back in Etraya, thinking about that is painful.]

We never talked about it. I left after that and when I came back he welcomed me. That was it.

[ Certainly he's sure that Harold is glad his weapon didn't fire. But they never talked about it. Harold just waited for him to return on his own terms. ]

[Ugh, is that how it all worked out for them? He shouldn't be surprised, it's extremely Harold to have simply accept John and everything he did (and almost did).]

He's way too accepting.

[Because it doesn't quite feel like forgiving.]

[ John thinks back to how Harold confessed that he almost did some "dark" things before they met. Does Harold accept? Does he forgive? Or does he simply understand? Since they never talked about it John doesn't know. But he doesn't think Harold is willing to accept death, not after him leaving over the Senator. No, Harold has his principles. So why did he welcome John back with open arms after trying to kill Quinn?

He's not sure. He's never been sure. But he knows it happened, and he's grateful for that. ]

I think he understand that people can do better and one failure isn't forever.

[It still feels like there's a heavy weight clogging up his mind, like there has to be more to it. Maybe one failure is fine, but how many of them before Harold decides he has enough?

It's a scary thought.]

He's gotta have his limits.

[Maybe it isn't the number of failures, but the amount of his involvement in one? That occurs to Accelerator and he looks particularly troubled by this. John would get it though, so he decides to say something. He's already opening up, no point in stopping now.]

... I had another reason for going after that person, but you can't tell Finch.

[ Does Harold have limits? John isn't sure. He would walk away from someone who reveled in death, has worked to that end to stop those people, but John doesn't think he would ever walk away from someone who cared, someone who tried. That's not Harold.

John reached up and taps his earpiece off. He respects Accelerator enough to tune Harold out for this, and he thinks Harold will understand. It's an innocuous enough gesture that he hopes Accelerator won't question it. ]

I won't.

.....

[Accelerator doesn't notice the gesture, he's distracted by his attempt at working up the nerve to keep going. It's kind of embarrassing, honestly.]

I wanted to look into the anomaly to complete the mission, but also for you two. Since we were all assigned to each other, I... though I'd be helping you and Finch.

[Yeah. They had been a family, and even though the relationship wasn't real he still took it seriously. It's stupid, he feels stupid, and he should have been better.]

[ That's... sweet. He wanted to do it to help them. How does he say You don't have to help us for us to love you? It's true, but he doesn't know how to say that. It wasn't real but... they made it real, in a way. Breakfasts, taking out the trash, all of it. So how does he say that? How does he convey that? How can he say how much he wanted what they had, how he's glad it was Accelerator who was with them?

When John does speak it's quietly, but with sincerity. ]

You don't have to be useful for us to care for you.

[ Is that the right thing to say? ]

......

[Accelerator sorely wants to believe that, doesn't he? That he could just exist as himself, flaws and all, and it's be enough for Harold and John. But there's only a few people in his life where that's ever been the case, so it's hard for him to believe. And on top of that, even if it's true then that means he really did something horrible for no good reason at all. If anything, he had been using Harold and John as an excuse.

That makes him feel sick. Maybe it's easier to just assume John is only trying to be nice.]

It felt like the right thing to do at the time. That's all.

[Accelerator is mumbling that in response, more uncertain than reassured.]

[ Did he say it wrong? Did his message get through? He wants Accelerator to understand. He knows how hard it is to accept that sort of thing, he knows how it stings that people see him as more than he is. Harold's unerring faith, the way he can't see himself in the picture Harold has painted of him. But here he is on the other side of that fence, seeing for once what he doesn't understand in Harold. ]

Does it feel like the right thing now?

No. [He says that, but then he has to stop, his face screwing up in concentration, and he drags a rough hand through his hair.] I don't know. You two are good people, so wanting to help you isn't wrong, but....

[But if helping them means hurting and killing some random innocent person, well, that muddies the water. Right now it feels like it had been the wrong thing to do, and at the time it had felt right, so he's left with a confusing mix of self-disgust and an irrational desire to do better for them next time.

It sucks.]

It's fucking complicated. I don't know how to answer that.

[ The fact that Accelerator's immediate answer was "no" says more than the rest of it. If Accelerator recognizes that the act was wrong then he hasn't given up the struggle to do better, no matter how murky it seems to him. ]

We'll never ask you to do that on our behalf. But I won't walk away just because you did.

[ He doesn't think Harold will either, not from Accelerator, but he can't guarantee that. After all, Harold left when they were asked to kill the senator. But Harold believes in second chances, in doing better tomorrow, and John feels confident that Harold wouldn't give up on Accelerator; John can tell how much the teen means to him. ]

[Accelerator stares down at the carrot, the knife in his hand, silent for several long moments. They won't ask him to do what he did, confirmation that he screwed up, but John is also saying he won't leave over it. That's... that's irresponsible of him. He shouldn't be bothering with a child that is comfortable with torture and murder. No reasonable adult should.

But he won't leave. That's reassuring, isn't it? It means he isn't alone here in Etraya. Accelerator isn't totally sure he can believe that, he's spent most of his life being on his own, but he wants to trust John that he isn't lying.

He closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them he finishes cutting up the carrot (poorly).]

... Okay. I'll try to remember that for next time.

[ That's really all John is asking for: just remembering for next time. Just try. Success is secondary, just trying is what matters.

But he thinks he's gotten the point across, there's no need to belabor it. Instead he turns back to the task at hand, picking up a potato and moving it in front of Accelerator. ]

Next we'll dice the potatoes. They need to be peeled as well even though potato skin is edible. After peeling you'll chop them into approximately two centimeters sized cubes.

[It's a lot for Accelerator to ruminate on, and something he'll do when he's alone and not in the middle of doing something important.

Of course, that important thing is cooking. He scowls down at the potato, unimpressed with it.]

This is a lot of peeling. Can't we just keep the skin on?

[He's asking that, but he'll pick the potato up and start to (poorly) peel it regardless.]

[ John isn't about to lecture Accelerator on proper potato peeling, so he just lets him do the best he can at it. ]

Keeping the skin on isn't common when potatoes are mixed with other things but it's harmless if you want to try with the skin.

[Despite the complaining he persists until he has some peeled potatoes, even though they look like trash.]

Why not? This is a lot of effort for nothing.

[ He does notice that Accelerator keeps peeling despite the complaints. ]

There's people out there who like the potato skin on, but my mom always peeled the potatoes so that's how I cook them. And the recipe said to peel them.

[Yeah, when he hears it's how John's mom would always peel potatoes he isn't about to stop.]

Tche, what a pain. [Eventually he finishes up, and after chopping the potatoes, he looks over.] What's next?

[ Accelerator might not be the best chef out there, but he follows the directions well enough and keeps at it. Next will be a fun ingredient: onion. John grabs it and places it on the cutting board. ]

Next is the onion. You'll have to peel the outer layer off first, but you can do that with your hands, not the peeler, and then cut it in half so the root is split in two. This will keep the layers from sliding around as you cut. We want slices of onion, not diced, so you'll make slices parallel to the root.

[ John is purposefully leaving out that the onion will make his eyes sting. He doesn't want to discourage Accelerator before he starts. ]

[Accelerator listens to the instructions as he eyes the onion. That honestly sounds simpler than the carrots and potatoes, so he doesn't look too concerned.]

Fine. [He grabs it and starts trying to peel the damn thing, squinting at it.] That's all I have to do for the onion?

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