There's a lengthy pause while Gene processes what Akito has told him. At least it's not blind defense of Kaito and what he did - which was really what had agitated him in the first place. Doesn't mean he wouldn't still bash Kaito's head in with a crowbar if he ever showed up, but at least now he'd take care to do it out of Akito's sight. "Okay," he says finally, and then laughs a little. "You have far more forgiveness in you than I ever could."

He stares into the flames before he speaks again, his tone more subdued. "Of course I care." His stomach twists at the realization that this meant most people in Akito's life hadn't. But then again, neither had most of the people in Gene's. "I wish nobody had seen what Malicant did to me in the Dreaming," he says. And nobody but Tony had seemed to care, save for Wreath running his mouth to the detective after they'd all awoken, which counted less as care and more as busybodying to Gene.

Oh. He gets it now.

Even Tony's concern hadn't been able to salve the wound to his pride - what did Stark know about that kind of trauma, with his supportive family and friends? What did he know of being beaten and hurt for daring to exist, daring to speak?

That's part of why he'd been so concerned about Akito. The pair of them were lifetime members in a tragic little club.