"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.
"You'll pass when you realize for yourself it isn't a test."
The passive aggressive bullshit is separate from this very real desire he has for Lark to understand this without explaining it himself. That he can't properly talk about it the way Lark needs to hear because he cannot talk about himself as a victim. It's not even something he can explain properly out loud in a room by himself.
It very much feels like a test, which Lark normally wouldn't entertain for a moment. He is no one's guinea pig.
But he can sense a block there, can sense that Vincent wants something known that he himself can't articulate. Lark is skeptical that Arthur Lester will be any fucking help, but he'll talk to him anyway. Or try.
"All right. Well, that seems like my next stop today, then. Unless there's something else you need me to know now...?"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
"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'?"
no subject
"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."
no subject
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?"
no subject
"Of course."
no subject
"Excellent."
A peer over his glasses.
"Go talk to Arthur Lester. He'll help you." A pause. "He promised me he would."
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
He's too skeptical, including of himself, to allow for his perspective to be the only one.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
"Oh, no, of course not. This is my entertainment."
And the movies and video games at Hanna's. Things in the library. Finding ways to make Hanna squirm happily and try to flee affection and compliments.
"I'm just glad to see my warden willing to do what he needs to assist his poor inmate. Shouldn't I be glad of that?"
no subject
no subject
"You'll pass when you realize for yourself it isn't a test."
The passive aggressive bullshit is separate from this very real desire he has for Lark to understand this without explaining it himself. That he can't properly talk about it the way Lark needs to hear because he cannot talk about himself as a victim. It's not even something he can explain properly out loud in a room by himself.
no subject
But he can sense a block there, can sense that Vincent wants something known that he himself can't articulate. Lark is skeptical that Arthur Lester will be any fucking help, but he'll talk to him anyway. Or try.
"All right. Well, that seems like my next stop today, then. Unless there's something else you need me to know now...?"
no subject
"I'm just fine, as I started off saying. In fact, I'm probably going to take a little nap."
no subject
no subject