No Exit: Hell is Other People [Sean+Nykhol]
May 26, 2010 10:17:04 GMT -5
Post by Dr. Sean Neville on May 26, 2010 10:17:04 GMT -5
Sean was feeling something from her beyond the waning panic attack, but he let it go, as it wasn’t his business. If she ever wished to discuss whatever it was that was on her mind, she would, and beyond that, he wouldn’t get involved or invade her privacy. He could do that much for her.
Then she tensed from his gentle remark, and he backpedaled, as he’d certainly not intended to upset her. Sincerely, he told her, “I’m sure it’s not. I was only making an offer; no strings attached. No obligation on your part.” Hopefully that assurance and the otherwise relaxed scene: the familiarity of playing cards and the fact that he wasn’t trying to touch her or otherwise invade her personal space would help smooth the situation a bit.
Fortunately that combined with his remark about letting her go back to frightening the students appeared to do the trick. Not that he could ever relish the thought of students being afraid of him, but if it would get her through the rest of his endeavor, there was no harm indulging her. Claude knew how to keep her in line enough otherwise. He didn’t think that the students needed to be shown the ways of the greater world around them through fear and intimidation, but that was also why she wasn’t a teacher. “We’ve all noticed,” Sean remarked with a light chuckle. After explaining his cards, he had them both draw and then waited for her to try her luck with a turn free of advice. “You know how to light a fire under their feet.”
Nykohl had hit the nail on the head with her assessment; particularly during the Cold War, the government and the American people as a whole hadn’t wanted to feel powerless, and admitting defeat even in the face of potential atomic blasts had simply been unacceptable. It was perfectly silly; he’d never had enough of an ego to deny the obvious. “Precisely that. And I’ll show you the video clips; they’re…quite remarkable in retrospect. If nothing else, you’ll laugh.”
Then she tensed from his gentle remark, and he backpedaled, as he’d certainly not intended to upset her. Sincerely, he told her, “I’m sure it’s not. I was only making an offer; no strings attached. No obligation on your part.” Hopefully that assurance and the otherwise relaxed scene: the familiarity of playing cards and the fact that he wasn’t trying to touch her or otherwise invade her personal space would help smooth the situation a bit.
Fortunately that combined with his remark about letting her go back to frightening the students appeared to do the trick. Not that he could ever relish the thought of students being afraid of him, but if it would get her through the rest of his endeavor, there was no harm indulging her. Claude knew how to keep her in line enough otherwise. He didn’t think that the students needed to be shown the ways of the greater world around them through fear and intimidation, but that was also why she wasn’t a teacher. “We’ve all noticed,” Sean remarked with a light chuckle. After explaining his cards, he had them both draw and then waited for her to try her luck with a turn free of advice. “You know how to light a fire under their feet.”
Nykohl had hit the nail on the head with her assessment; particularly during the Cold War, the government and the American people as a whole hadn’t wanted to feel powerless, and admitting defeat even in the face of potential atomic blasts had simply been unacceptable. It was perfectly silly; he’d never had enough of an ego to deny the obvious. “Precisely that. And I’ll show you the video clips; they’re…quite remarkable in retrospect. If nothing else, you’ll laugh.”
