Won't Call Myself Angel Oak Anytime Soon

[François Laffont]

Everyone was making a fuss about the group of people that decided to set camp at the edge of the town. Elsa seemed to fear something out of them. Franck was not sure why. They were just a bunch of hippies, mostly. Sure, they had some strange beliefs but nothing all that weird. Something about nature and the flow of the world or something like that. Nothing that strange coming from hippies. They did have some sort of behavior. He thought hippies would be less distant than that and they were almost kind of patronizing. But if Franck would never be seen wearing their clothes, unless it was for a costumed party, their food was actually pretty good. And if they were selling and people in town were buying, he couldn’t think they were that bad.

If some people wanted to go back to a more natural way of life, he would not blame them. He doubted he could do that himself but he did love nature and could understand its appeal on some people. He believed if there were any reasons to believe they could be dangerous, the news would have reported it. And he didn't read nor heard anything about that. So he saw no reason to go on his own. What’s the worst that could happen, really?

He was not the only one there with a further motive than buy them some food. Franck was there with a little basket of strawberries that he’d been eating away slowly as he looked around and noticed a familiar face. He barely ever talked to Roxana Strix in the past. In fact, they never said anything to each other than when the two of them were at one of those student council’s meetings. Even then, it could hardly be called a discussion between them. Franck always had the feeling she didn’t like him. There was something coming from her, whenever her attention was on him that made him uncomfortable. He didn't know why. What he knew was that he recognized her and being the person that he was, he came to her with a smile. “Want one?” he offered her as he showed her his basket of strawberries. “They taste as good as they look,” he assured her. Maybe that impression he got from her was wrong. There had to be a reason why this girl didn’t like him despite the fact she didn’t know him. “You came here to have a look around? I thought it had been done already. You like it?”

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana was not down here to get any food or to buy anything from anyone, she was simply here to observe and look around. In fact, they area had already been checked out but she knew a few of the students had come around this area and she just wanted to make sure that none of them had gone missing or anything strange like. She didn't plan to stay long, she had only been here for a few minutes just to look around and then she was going to wonder off to take care of a few things. Those things mostly including writing up another report soon and figuring out just how much longer she would be remaining at the school.

Franck heading in her direction; something she noticed long before she heard him even speak to her and she had the chance to leave and get away from him. However; she had ended up looking in his direction and knew that it would have come off as rude if she walked off when she had spotted him. She had only done that to Felix, back when she was making it clear that she did not like or want to deal with that boy. In the case of Franck, it was not because she didn't like him and it was more so that she didn't like his power. François Laffont was an Empath, a power that she didn't really like to be around. Elsa had a power she also didn't like to be around and yet that were...friends.

Rox was at least willing to give the boy a break this once for the sake of knowing that he was one of Elsa's close friends. At least that was what she assumed since she knew for a fact that he was close to Erika. Her piercing blue eyes looked to the basket of strawberries that he was offering her along with adding that they tasted as good as they looked. Rox didn't really like to eat or drink in front of other people and she didn't really trust the strawberries, but he had been clearly eating them for a while and did not look any worse for it. "Thank you." Roxana said simple as she reached to take one, making sure to avoid touching Franck. Holding onto what she had taken and not yet trying it.

She was well aware that he could pick up on emotions without physical contact but physical contact would cause him to get an even stronger reading. "Yes, was just doing a simple...check in of sorts." Rox responded before glancing around before looking back to him. "It had and I feel...indifferent." Rox added. She didn't really like nor did she hate the place, it was just a place where she was still not certain what to think of the people. Not helped by the fact how things went when she and Demi first came here. "I'm assuming you like it...by how you seem in good spirits and are partaking in their produce." Rox responded as she glanced away for a moment before looking back at him.

[François Laffont]

Franck knew Roxana had been in charge of keeping an eye on the camp. He was not sure why it was so important. The whole town would notice them and keep an eye on them, he didn’t see why they would need to do that too. But Elsa always feared something might turn up eventually and didn’t want to take any risk with them. Franck had met with them and despite being a little strange, he thought they were not so bad. They were more or less what he expected them to be. If there was anything to fear from them, he sensed nothing of the like while being around. There was a distance they kept with others not from their camp but he doubted the townspeople were all that welcoming to them either, so he didn’t want to say it was something to be wary of.

Roxana noticed him. He sensed before he arrived that she too was pretty distant. He never understood where that came from. He had the feeling she disliked him in a way. The term might be exaggerated, as he knew she had no animosity for him, but there definitely was something that made her not want to be near him and he was not sure what it was. She had the right not to want him as her friend or to treat him as such but he believed he had the right to know why.

At least she did not go away as he approached. She could have pretended she did not recognize him, even though he knew she did. She even took one of the strawberries although she was awfully cautious while doing so. The choice of words, that it left her indifferent, was strange or at least seemed strange to him. She did seem indifferent but he was not sure if that should be an insult. “That’s what you told Elsa? I get why she worries, after everything that happened before, but so far I’m not really seeing a reason to.” Of course, he didn't look only for that while being here and probably trusted people too much to be a good judge at that.

He was also not entirely sure what he should make of her comment about him liking it here. He shrugged. “I can understand why some people might like this lifestyle. This isn’t exactly for me but I can still get it. And they don’t seem like bad people at all.” Who could hate hippies really? Their clothing style however was totally incompatible with Franck. Yes, the boy might have a heart big enough not to judge you on your look but he also possessed a sense of fashion that made it impossible for him to wear that.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana was indeed put in charge of keeping an eye on the camp and while at this point she saw no point in her still keeping an eye on it, but she understood why. Someone had to keep an eye on the group and if it was not the school then it likely would be locals. It was in human nature to not trust or fully accepts something that was not like you right away. Of course there were those that were able to ignore that part of their mind that told them to stay back and learn first; Franck was one of those people, but the fact still remained that people would be guarded around these people. For Rox, she was just doing her job and that was why she was indifferent.

She held onto the strawberry still, giving it a glance, and still debating if she actually wanted to eat it or not. Rox really didn’t like eating or drinking in front of people, it was just a thing she had about her for several reasons. Still, Franck was alive after consuming so many, it was only one, and she supposed it would not be awful to have just one. After a small moment of inner debating on it, she just went ahead and pretty much ate the whole thing in one bite; discarding the leaving green part onto the soil on the ground. Franck was then asking what she had told Elsa and how he understood why things we being done like this, but he didn’t see anything so far that would make him concerned.

“SPECTRE was viewed the same way, and you know how that turned out. Then with the whole IMAC event…it should not have happened but because we were relaxed about it, we were not able to prevent what happened there.” Roxana responded. Franck might not have seen a point for it, but Rox did. She didn’t really care all that much but she would have called the school foolish to at least not be a little cautious and to have a plan just in case things did go bad. He spoke of how he could understand why people would want to live this kind of lifestyle, how they did not seem like bad people, and how they didn’t seem like bad people.

Rox debated for a moment if she should say anything more, about how there were a lot of people that did not seem like bad people but could still do bad thing. She wondered for a moment if she should ask if she looked like a bad person and then inform him of the fact that she had killed SPECTRE agents when they attacked the school in order to protect the students and herself. “How a person seems has nothing to do with what they are truly capable of doing. Many make that mistake with their life when they don’t suspect someone could do something and in turn that person does that very thing.” Rox responded as she looked around once more before looking to Franck.

[François Laffont]

Franck understood it was in the nature of man not to trust strangers. You had to maintain a certain distance while you study each other out and decide whether or not there was a threat in that other person. That didn’t mean he liked that mindset. He knew it was utopian to wish for a world where you could just trust the person before you. Even he knew better. But he at least wished that when someone new arrived, people would not judge them badly and actually try to welcome the new ones or at least learn more about them instead of thinking they could be bad.

Roxana had to remind him of SPECTRE to prove how his opinion was just wishful thinking. He didn’t like being reminded of this. Beyond the fear he had for his friends, the panic he felt then was something he was not particularly proud of. He had wished he could have helped better, support those left behind waiting to know what was going on. Instead... And then she brought up the IMAC event. That too was not something anyone would like to remember, even if Franck was less ashamed of himself there. “There’s always going to be threats in this world, perhaps even more for us because not everyone are ready to accept us as we are. But I don’t want to spend my life not trusting anyone I meet. Being careful is one thing, but it shouldn’t lead you to paranoia.” Were they dangerous? Were they anything like this Priya Kaur who played them all, leading to what happened during the IMAC event? Maybe one day Elsa and Roxana will look at him and say they told him so, that they were a threat. But maybe the way they would treat them would play in what they would do to them later. Franck preferred to believe they wouldn’t hurt them. Was it that bad?

He felt like he was being patronized by Roxana. Like he was a little child who needed pointers from an adult if he wanted to get through this life in one piece. He didn't particularly like that, especially when he could tell she had a point. Was she arguing with him because she really wanted him to be more careful or simply for the fun of arguing with him? He sighed heavily. “I know that. But I can also tell. What people try to look like means not much to me, when they cannot hide what they truly feel around me,” he pointed out. He understood that some people who looked really nice could hide a very dark side inside of them. He looked at the group of people here, selling their goods and living together in this community of theirs. He pointed at them. “We’re not all that different than they are. We too live in a community that tends to push away anything that is not a part of it. I’m not saying it’s wrong, I get why. But we shouldn’t forget we are part of a bigger society. We shouldn’t cast people away from us because of their differences just like we shouldn’t let ourselves be cast away for the same reason.” He looked around, frowning as this whole debate was throwing all kinds of ideas and thoughts in his head. “I don’t want people to judge me a danger because some of us can be dangerous. If I don’t want that, I shouldn’t judge in that way either.”

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana already knew how Franck was likely going to respond to all that she was saying, she knew a lot about the boy, and there was a reason why she avoided him as if he was carrying some kind of flesh eating disease. Even now she did not wish to remain in his presence for long and was not at the point where she would just walk away when they were talking to one another. However; that did not mean that she planned to keep talking on the matter when she could tell that he was likely going to disagree with her and be one of those people who she would actually have to put forth a lot of effort and work to get him to see things differently.

Franck's powers involved emotions and therefore he was ruled by them. He was weak. He was then speaking of how there were always going to be threats but how he did not want to spend his life not trusting anyone, and how it was okay to be careful but not paranoid. Clearly he misunderstood her stance on it if he thought she was paranoid. She was not paranoid, she was cautious like she was with all things and how everyone should be. Not everyone was smart like that and didn't have the training or understanding to really get how their fellow human race was deep down.

"I'm not paranoid, nor do I think Elsa is. We are simply making sure that things are in place that if the worse were to happen, we will be able to react quickly to it." Rox responded as she looked away now, feeling the need to leave start to rise up more within her. Roxana didn't mean for this to be patronizing or anything like that. She was simply stating the facts and how things were, that was all. How Franck took it was on him, because Rox could not control how he took how she meant something unless she was actively saying certain things to get him to react or feel a particular way. She did not even consider this arguing, just simply talking and him not agreeing with her and vice versa.

Franck was then talking about how he could tell; his power, and how they were not that different from one another. Rox debated if she should point out that most human being were the same because they all had the same inner hardwired and that the way they thought and live only made them different in certain areas. "You seem to misunderstand my standing on the matter and what I have said. I view mostly everyone in the same light but add extra precaution to what I don't understand. That is just human nature and anyone that does anything else is a fool, but that is their choice. You can remain steadfast on thinking and I won't try to change it and simply just understand that as I said before; I'm indifferent." Roxana pointed out, feeling the need to make that clear.

She really didn’t understand how people could not understand what she was saying or getting at when she literally would say just that. Now she was already feeling like she was talking too much and growing uncomfortable being around Franck with his ability. Thus she turned and started to walk away to get some space between the two of them. "You might not want them to, but they are going to. One cannot help but to judge. It's about if they choose to act on that judgement or not, that matters." Rox pointed out.

[François Laffont]

People always seemed to underestimate Franck. He was weak because he let emotions flow to him and showed them without restraint. It was not a weakness though. To him, it was strength. It was keeping everything inside, letting it eat you without showing anyone how that made you feel that was wrong. Roxana must be of this kind. She was trying to get away from him. He could just sense it. It was not exactly fear but a bit of it was mixed with some disdain - or was it disgust? - and a few other things that made her want to keep her distance from him. Why, he was not entirely sure. He didn't think he ever did anything to deserve that. Maybe she just thought he was useless since he was not a fighter and joined the student council more because Elsa wanted someone who’d think with his heart in there and might tell her if she pushed it too far. For some reason, she seemed to believe he was one of the few who could do that.

“And I’m not saying that you are but there is a limit how cautious one can be. There’s always something you cannot predict. It’s good to prepare for the worst but it can end up well too and you should not forget that.” Why did he even bother? Obviously, she was of those who would always expect the worst out of people so that she would not be surprised when they’d do it. He, on the other hand, liked to give people their chance. Maybe he’d end up hurt more often than she did but he also believed he’d have more support than she would if that was to happen.

That feeling of hers when she did not trust and wanted to stay away from him came back when he mentioned his power. So was this it? The reason why she didn’t like him? What he mostly got from her words, other than the fact she assured him she would not consider this hippies as dangerous until proven otherwise, was that she certainly thought him a fool for trusting so easily. It was her opinion. She was one of those who thought him weak, he was sure of that. He didn't like it of course but she was very stoic and obviously in charge since she was in the security squad or something like that. “Can I ask you something?” he said, very seriously. He didn't want to talk about this any further, it was clear they had different opinions on the matter and talking of this would lead them no further. “Why do you dislike me? It’s not that I want you to like me, you have the right not to but... It’s more than indifference. It’s like you cannot stand being close to me. Like I... like I’ve got the plague or something. Why?”

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana did underestimate François, especially considering how this conversation was going on how he was responding to what she was saying. Roxana honestly was indifferent to all of this; she was simply doing her job and pointing it out to François. He seemed to be firm in his stance that you could not be to paranoid and that things could go well. Roxana was tempted to just look at him and go about her way, but that would have been rude. She might not have liked being around the other boy but she did have to at least tolerate him a little bit better; especially given that they were both on the council and that he was close to Elsa.

It was only because of those thoughts that she didn't just keep walking off as he was speaking to her or choosing to 'not hear' what he was saying. "That is true and it is because not everything can be predicted that one must have caution. It is not my job to expect the best or worse. My job is to be ready in case the worst happens." Roxana pointed out. She figured that should have been simple enough to understand. She was not paranoid; she was not worked up, or concerned about any of this. She was just doing her job, being cautious and ready in case the worse was to happen. She still wanted to leave, she didn't see the point in remaining around someone with his ability and easily affected by his emotions.

She wondered if she just became dejected enough if he would start to feel the same way and realize what she was getting at. That was risky considering if the topic were to switch he could pick up on other emotions and she did not want that. Not in the slightest. He wanted to ask her something. Roxna didn't respond and simply turned to face him where she had stopped walking when he had asked the question. She was not going to stop him from asking and it did not hurt to hear him out, not like she had to answer him if she did not desire to. Why did she dislike him? Part of her had a feeling that was going to be the question that he would end up asking her.

"It's not that I dislike you as a person...well, I suppose in a way I do because your power is essentially a part of who you are as a person. Simply put, I don't like your ability and thus don't like being around you. Being effect by others emotions and picking up on them, I do not wish for you to pick up on my emotions or deal with someone with too high of emotions." Roxana resounded, just being flat out honest. She really didn’t know how to deal with people with high emotions since she was basically on the complete opposite side of the spectrum.

[François Laffont]

Elsa trusted Roxana. Franck didn’t know her very well. She always made sure to keep some distance between them and she was not the one who talked the most during council reunions. If she did, it was always extremely professional, like she could not show emotions or personal opinions. She did what she had to do and waited for Elsa to decide what would be their next move. He could not get her. He really could not. Normally, he would have at least sized her up some, got a part of who she was. But it was not the case. She intrigued him, as well as scaring him a little, for the same reasons.

“I supposed you’re right. Elsa’s more the type to take the final decision. My job however is to not let the human aspect of things elude us while we make ready for the worst.” This might explain why they were at odds but he thought it made sense while being on the council. It didn’t have to extend to their personal lives yet it seemed like she wanted it that way. Sure, they had different opinions about a lot of things but that didn't mean they could not get along.

It was why he asked her directly. He was aware he might not like the answer. She could just say she didn’t like who he was, as a person, that some traits of him just ticked her off. Still, he’d rather know and have it out already. At least he would then know and be able to react accordingly. She was about to argue it was not who he was, only to say it might just be. His power. He should have expected. She was not the first being nervous around him. Even inside the council, there was Ellen to prove it. “So, basically you’re afraid of what I might get out of you?” Did she realise it said more about her than it did about him? Was she that afraid to let people know how she felt? “I’m not always high on emotions but it’s true I exteriorise it more than you seem to do it. I thank you for saying it clearly. I don’t know what it is you’re afraid I might get from you but I won’t try and poke there if that’s what you’re worried about. I don’t enjoy reading people’s emotions,” she assured her. It did explain why she was so distant though. Even when you were comfortable with your feelings it was not always nice to know someone could read them just by being close to you. “Still, it doesn’t mean we cannot be civil with each other.”

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana looked at Franck as he explained their roles, which was why she didn't understand what he might have been upset about with her. They were both fulfilling the roles that they had been assigned to, that was a good thing. Elsa formed the group so that meant that she was in charge and got the final say on things. Franck was the emotional aspect, and Roxana was one of the enforcers among a few others. Of course Rox offered advice up to Elsa, but the other girl would do as she pleased at the end of the day and Rox just had to learn to adjust and obey or get someone else to do it for her.

She practiced both of those options often and felt like she always would because she didn't always agree with everything Elsa did or said. "Do you feel that we are leaving out the human aspect at this moment in time?" Roxana asked. She didn't think they were, they were not questioning people, ordering people to stay away, or anything like that. They were simply looking around, checking, and just being on alert to some level. Franck then directly asked her if she had a problem with him and she tried to explain only because of his power that she had an issue with him. It was not even an issue and more along the lines of not wanting to be around him unless she had to.

The same would have likely applied for Elsa as well if she had not been attracted to the other girl and had to work with her so closely on so many things. Franck summed it up how he assumed she felt about the matter which had Roxana shaking her head no. She didn't like the word fear in there; she didn't really fear anything, and certainly not someone’s power. "I don't fear what you might get from me; I simply don't want you picking up anything from me. I don't want you to be aware of how I'm feeling." Roxana explained, figuring that was the simplest way of putting it. He explained how he was not always ruled by the emotions, he thanked her for admitting it, and that he didn't get what she was afraid of him finding out.

That word again made her twitch slightly on the inside, not liking that word at all. He also assured her that he would not go poking around in there and that he didn't really like picking up on people's emotions but that didn't really get rid of the fact that he still could and could not outright stop feelings others emotions completely. "I was not aware that we were not civil with one another." Roxana responded, looking slightly confused for a moment. She was certain that she never said anything ill towards the boy; she barely dealt or talked to him.

[François Laffont]

Already, Franck could sense what was coming out of Roxana. The things she didn’t want him to pick. Although he was not entirely what had to be so secret in the fact she was a bit puzzled and perhaps also not too interested in this conversation, or being around him for that matter. Franck knew he should accept the fact that not everyone wanted him around but it was also hard for him not to throw himself at people. The fact she might dislike him because of his ability, an aspect he could not change, was hard on him. Despite knowing this could not happen, Franck just needed to be loved by everyone.

At her question, he looked at the group of people. “No, I guess not. I’m sorry, I guess I’m not expressing myself right. I just... it’s hard for me to imagine the worst of people, you know? I prefer to expect they can be good rather they go to them certain it will be bad.” They were so different that it seemed almost impossible to find some common ground. Except perhaps Elsa and the council. But he didn't want to talk of this and find out they had different opinions on that too.

She tried to explain to him that it was not so much the fear he might read something than the fact she didn't want him to know of it. That sounded pretty much the same to him though. “Why? I’m sorry, let me rephrase that. You don’t want me to know you’re feeling or that you’re feeling certain things?” Ok, maybe that was just even more cryptic. Why couldn’t he ever find the right word when it was important for him to? “It’s just... to me it feels like you ask me to turn my head because everyone else can see you but me, you get it? I know, my power can be a little... intrusive. I’m not meaning for it to. But I can also control it. I can focus on one person. You’re rather calm, something tells me with someone else around, I’m more likely to read them than you.” He dared one step towards her. She kept everything inside whereas he preferred to show his emotions. He’d have to have more restraints on that however around her.

He waved a hand at her response. “We’re polite the rare occasions we have to talk to each other. Other than that...” Was it really civil to run from each other so they wouldn’t have to deal with one another? “Look, I can’t help sensing what you’re feeling or being expressive and you will always remain on your guard. That is how we are. But there has to be a way we can get along without having to avoid each other.”

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana could already tell that Franck was one of those people that ‘needed to be loved’. Not in the literal sense, but almost like it. He had to be the type that wanted people to like him, to be friends with everyone, and he was a fool for thinking that was possibly. There was always going to be someone in the world that didn’t like you for whatever reason. It was impossible to be loved by everyone, that was just a simple fact of life. No, she didn’t hate Franck but she could not say that she liked him either and it that was precisely why she also didn’t like who he was as a person. His power was a part of him so that just added to what she did not like about the other boy.

That did not meant that she ever viewed what she did or did not do as treating him badly, again she was certain she had only done that with Felix. Since she had purposely made sure to act and behave a certain way to get the message across that she wanted that boy to leave him alone, but clearly he had not learned that lesson. Not that it mattered now, he was gone. He was soon apologizing then when he realized that he was looking at things in the wrong way in the situation. Rox didn’t say anything at first and debated if she should have said anything at all, her eyes even glancing off for a second to indicate thought.

She choose to remain silent on the matter. There was no point in speaking up about how it was foolish to not expect the worse out of someone, especially when you did not know them. Of course you could play friendly and act like you liked them, but deep down you didn’t have to until you got to know them better. Rox didn’t see the point of trusting someone she didn’t know, it was foolish, and foolish people didn’t live long or often got hurt. Simple as that. He was then asking way, seeming to not understand that she didn’t want to be around him that long and that she had made it very clear and simple the answer to his question. However; she remained silent, allowing him to get it all out before she tried to rethink how to say it yet again for the boy to understand. Perhaps she was not being blunt enough, that could have bene a possibility.

“I don’t want you knowing anything about me, especially my feelings. Feelings are something that people have the capability of keeping to themselves, hiding from others if they want to. You prevent people from doing that by picking up on those emotions and feelings. I do not desire that in the slightest.” Roxana responded. Did that make sense to him? She wondered if she should try being a bit crueler with her words, perhaps that would help. He voiced how he didn’t pick up much from her; which was how she liked it, and that he was likely to pick up others feelings over her. That still did not change the fact that she still did not want to be around him with his power if she didn’t have to.

He took a step forward, which had crystal quickly forming over the palm of her hands, ready to be reshaped into a weapon. However; she didn’t move away and instead looked at the boy, giving him a silent warning as he explained their ‘relationship’. “I’m not understanding why we have to get along further then we already do.” Rox pointed out, clearly not understanding. She originally only spent time with Elsa when she had to, in fact that still remained true even now except those rare times when she wanted to be around the other girl but that was at fault of emotions.

[François Laffont]

Despite the fact Franck knew he could not be liked by everyone, he felt this need to try. He knew he was probably too sweet for some and gave them cavities just by standing next to him. He understood that some people might be against homosexuality or not feel totally comfortable around gay people. And he also got that his power might put some people on edge. It was frustrating though to know that, had he been able to manipulate elements or speak with all sorts of voices, she might like him more. To Franck, it was like saying you don’t want someone around because you don’t like red hair. Yet, at the same time, the ability to sense one’s emotion was not exactly like the color of your hair of your skin. Did not make it any easier though. He was caught between the logic and unfairness of it, resulting in him not being able to do anything about it. He could not promise Roxana he would not feel anything. He could promise to keep it to himself and not be too emotional around her but that was not enough for her.

He straightened though, slightly shocked by the way she brought up once again how she didn’t want him around. This almost felt like he was doing it on purpose. He sighed heavily, looking down. Was he really the villain she almost painted him as? Because he sounded very villainous the way she brought it up, picking up their feelings they were trying to keep to themselves. “I get it,” he said softly. She might not even hear it. This one would never be a friend for sure. He should consider himself lucky she just politely ignored him. She probably thought him the biggest fool anyway since they didn’t seem to think alike about anything. “I’m just...” he began, a little louder this time, rising his head up to meet her gaze. “I’ve had people being uncomfortable before but not as... I don’t know how to say it. Hostile is too much... Reluctant? I don’t know, but against my power, as much as you seem to be. At least not since... not since I’m here.” Honestly, it would have been a lot easier for him had she said she didn’t want to spend more time with him because she thought he was an idiot and could never agree with his view of the world. That seemed ridiculous, since the result was the same, but it still would have been easier on him.

She was on the defensive. He looked away from her. He wished he could just find a way to make it not end on this bad note. She asked her question and he took the time to think about it before answering. “Because we are in the council and working for the same goal. At least I think we are. And I’d rather not feel like my presence bothers you whenever we have to meet. Can we at least have that? I’ll try not to sit next to you, if that can reassure you.”