[ Hei waits two seconds to reply; a subtle critique on her tactic. Answering a question with a question won't derail his focus. The ones who get sidetracked that way suffer from a lifetime's training in the proper social behavior of responding when they are addressed. Average joes, straightmen, civilians -- those whose objectives are easy to override. ]
[ Neither Hei nor Korra qualify. ]
[ A group of people laugh on the far side of the restaurant. Neutrally, Hei sips his glass of water, before moving both cool palms to his own thighs underneath the level of the table. He has no napkin in his lap. It should seem a threatening gesture, yet his posture is simply self-contained, watchful, like a cat's. ]
[ Quieter, ]
She's smarter than the Syndicate. She'll run you as her agent. Get you to do her dirty work. Orchestrate what you know and what you don't know. Except -- unlike them -- she'll make everything seem like your choice. [ The fine distinction between amateurs and master-manipulators is the way they handle their assets: the former's agent is aware that he's working for them. The latter's agent believes he's working purely for himself. ]
[ The next words are carved off from the cold edge of his voice. Echoes of secrets Amber had once shared with him and Pai. ]
Has she put the moves on you yet? Told you how unique you are? How she'll count on you in the future because there's something only you can do with your powers?
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no subject
Date: 2015-04-23 01:21 am (UTC)[ Neither Hei nor Korra qualify. ]
[ A group of people laugh on the far side of the restaurant. Neutrally, Hei sips his glass of water, before moving both cool palms to his own thighs underneath the level of the table. He has no napkin in his lap. It should seem a threatening gesture, yet his posture is simply self-contained, watchful, like a cat's. ]
[ Quieter, ]
She's smarter than the Syndicate. She'll run you as her agent. Get you to do her dirty work. Orchestrate what you know and what you don't know. Except -- unlike them -- she'll make everything seem like your choice. [ The fine distinction between amateurs and master-manipulators is the way they handle their assets: the former's agent is aware that he's working for them. The latter's agent believes he's working purely for himself. ]
[ The next words are carved off from the cold edge of his voice. Echoes of secrets Amber had once shared with him and Pai. ]
Has she put the moves on you yet? Told you how unique you are? How she'll count on you in the future because there's something only you can do with your powers?