[He observes her for a moment, head tilted, and then adjusts the holographic chamber. Some of the disjointed images disappear--the priest and the dead woman, the giant dragon and its rider. (Atem stays, but he gets seated on a throne fit for his station and in the corner of the room, away from them.) There's a couch now, though. So there's that. He goes to seat himself at it, on one end, legs crossed professionally.]
I have been of the opinion that emotions are vulnerabilities. That if something does not help you stride forward toward your goal, it's not useful. That if something would allow an enemy to find an opening to attack, it's a weakness that needs shut down. But when we were young and on our own, I told Mokuba to smile. That no matter what, he should smile through everything, just to show anyone who would see him hurt that they couldn't. A lesson in spite, perhaps, but maybe even then, I didn't want to see him turn into me.
And he is brilliant in his own right, but he's more than that. He has friends. He's personable. He's seen what I am, and I know sometimes it upsets him. [They'd had that argument inside of Noa's world, after all.]
I made myself the way I am to protect me, and in doing so, protect him as well. Even if he can't see that. Even if I'm wrong.
no subject
[He observes her for a moment, head tilted, and then adjusts the holographic chamber. Some of the disjointed images disappear--the priest and the dead woman, the giant dragon and its rider. (Atem stays, but he gets seated on a throne fit for his station and in the corner of the room, away from them.) There's a couch now, though. So there's that. He goes to seat himself at it, on one end, legs crossed professionally.]
I have been of the opinion that emotions are vulnerabilities. That if something does not help you stride forward toward your goal, it's not useful. That if something would allow an enemy to find an opening to attack, it's a weakness that needs shut down. But when we were young and on our own, I told Mokuba to smile. That no matter what, he should smile through everything, just to show anyone who would see him hurt that they couldn't. A lesson in spite, perhaps, but maybe even then, I didn't want to see him turn into me.
And he is brilliant in his own right, but he's more than that. He has friends. He's personable. He's seen what I am, and I know sometimes it upsets him. [They'd had that argument inside of Noa's world, after all.]
I made myself the way I am to protect me, and in doing so, protect him as well. Even if he can't see that. Even if I'm wrong.