[For what it's worth, Wolfwood doesn't pull away. He stays right where he is, looking like he's too tired to do much else. He never knew how telling this to someone might make him feel, but it doesn't necessarily feel lighter, or like he's no longer carrying a burden. It's just...someone else knows about it now, he guesses.

As for why he retained his free will...well, that much has everything to do with Wolfwood himself. He, as far as he knows, is the only person who managed to get as far as he did in trying to escape. They too saw his ability to continue to fight back and lash out as an oddity. Perhaps it would have been a failure, had Wolfwood not taken so well to the chemical enhancement. It saved him all the same as it had doomed him.

Vash is right, though. The Eye preys on children who don't know any better, and...Wolfwood honestly has no clue how many more like him could be out there. It's just as likely there are more he simply doesn't know about. Nevertheless, the expected apologies come, and part of him wants to tell Vash to save it. It's too late for sorry, even when he knows Vash feels in some way responsible since it's his brother spearheading such a campaign.

But then Vash asks him if he's okay, and Wolfwood has to force out a laugh. It's dull, and heavy.]

Look at me, blondie. Do I look okay to you?

[He's a fucked up mess is what he is, despite how hard he works to keep up the image of the opposite. It probably doesn't help that Wolfwood is looking at Vash now, his eyes visible over the rim of his glasses.

He takes another swig.]

But it ain't like I can stop. You saw what happened on the sand steamer.

[If the orphanage had been destroyed, it would have been all to fuel Wolfwood's obedience. Nothing more.]