"I don't know. Because you've kept everything exceptionally vague." He quote marks in the air. "'Healing' is something I've been told I need before, Lark. 'Healing' can leave marks by the right hand."
"You read the file, Mr. Tennant. I don't particularly enjoy going over it en masse. If you have specific questions about my experiences, please do ask."
He sucks in a breath... and then looks at Lark. Lets it go. Smiles over at him. A very nice bait, Lark. But he's not falling for it. You're not getting a rambling rant out of him that will tell you right where to poke your needles. He was already too careless earlier. He shouldn't have opened the door.
"Clever, but no. You aren't that stupid. But neither am I."
"I'm trying to understand the things that aren't in the file, Vincent. You can't have me read a sliver of your life and then have that be the reference point for everything from here on out."
He will breathe in deep and he will breathe out slow. It's fine if he explains while calm. He can provide data.
"Do you think those who did said 'harm' called it 'harm'? Do you think they thought of it as 'harming' children? 'Harming' their fellow believers?" He turns his hand. "Do you think they looked at one another and went 'ah yes, another day of beating children giving them untold psychological damage, clearly I am a Good Person'?"
"I don't think they cared very much if they were good people or not, to be honest with you. I don't think they cared if what they were doing harmed you or helped you."
"Lester and I had an extensive conversation about it, more than one," he says pleasantly enough, "and while my perspective is no doubt necessary, a thorough grounding in the subject is vitally important for a genuine discussion as opposed to just listening and nodding."
He's too skeptical, including of himself, to allow for his perspective to be the only one.
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"That's not how evidence works, Mr. Tennant. As well you know. And that is a well-known tactic of manipulation. Try something else."
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"I assure you that I attend to myself first and foremost."
If there is one thing he'll always take care of, it's his self.
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"I don't know. Because you've kept everything exceptionally vague." He quote marks in the air. "'Healing' is something I've been told I need before, Lark. 'Healing' can leave marks by the right hand."
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"You read the file, Mr. Tennant. I don't particularly enjoy going over it en masse. If you have specific questions about my experiences, please do ask."
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"...you can't be that stupid."
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"Clever, but no. You aren't that stupid. But neither am I."
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"Do you think those who did said 'harm' called it 'harm'? Do you think they thought of it as 'harming' children? 'Harming' their fellow believers?" He turns his hand. "Do you think they looked at one another and went 'ah yes, another day of beating children giving them untold psychological damage, clearly I am a Good Person'?"
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"I don't think they cared very much if they were good people or not, to be honest with you. I don't think they cared if what they were doing harmed you or helped you."
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He breathes in deep again, and the smile is a little less tight.
"If I tell you to talk to someone who has a better idea of how to explain this sort of thing, will you?"
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"Of course."
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"Excellent."
A peer over his glasses.
"Go talk to Arthur Lester. He'll help you." A pause. "He promised me he would."
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He's too skeptical, including of himself, to allow for his perspective to be the only one.
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