[And yet it had been so similar to the things his father had told him.

'You're nothing compared to Snake.'

'Your brother is twice the soldier you'll ever be.'

'At least your brother turned out to be worth something.']

There is a world of difference between caring for someone and loving them, I would think.

[He'd cared about things before-- prior to coming here, he'd at least cared about himself, if nothing else. But he'd never loved, nor been given it.]

...I would have at least been able to understand that.

[He could have understood if Otacon only wanted him for his body or his resemblance to Snake.]