presgarddihellis | Seven Horrors Inbox

I didn't even hear anything incriminating from your prayer but somehow you heard much more.

[taking a bite of egg.

angy.

sad.

homesick and lonely.

but mostly angy now.]

[oh]

[. . . . . . . oh. . . .]

[stares down at his half-eaten bagel, guilt suddenly tugging at the pit of his stomach]

[. . .]

. . . is. . . there anything you'e been-- I don't know. Wanting to ask me?

[... he wasn't thinking this far ahead. and it shows.

he does think to ask it: why were you praying so late in the first place? but no. there's probably a slew of reasons to it.

honestly, this kind of petty behavior is beneath a god at his level, and yet...

after a moment of quiet:]

... nothing that I would want you to answer unwillingly.

I'm just... frustrated.

[simply]

If I don't want to answer, then I won't. It's that easy.

[propping his chin against his palm]

Try me. Channel that frustration into the worst interrogation you can muster up.

[how lucky that it's so easy..., he somehow manages not to say.]

... then, just why are you so defensive in some areas? It's not just you being naturally reactive.

[. . .]

That depends on what areas you're talking about.

I understand the "I can handle it" line--most people do say things like that, even if they don't have experience with the levels I'm speaking toward.

... but you do seem to assume that people are thinking certain ways about your capabilities?

[getting the kitten to fluff is only fun if he knows he's not hitting on some deep-seated self-esteem problem or something, okok.]

[ah. that]

. . . dude. Just look at me.

[leans back. gestures to all of him. his tone is wry]

If people are making assumptions about my abilities, they're not wrong. I am the worst guy to pick for some spooky getaway in a haunted, run-down school.

And I used to be a software engineer who ended up in the body of a history and linguistics graduate.

[buddy, there are fewer people less prepared for what he went through?]

I may tease but I'm certainly not thinking you're incapable.

[oh]

[blinks]

. . . thanks.

[genuine, but he does look a bit unsure about it himself]

I'm-- trying not to be dead weight.

You're not dead weight just because you don't have experience or "appropriate" skills.

Think of it like being hired to a new job.

It's just imposter syndrome.

[taking a moment to math lady meme why Smith would be saying all of these nice things to him]

[. . . . . . . STARES DOWN AT HIS HALF-EATEN BAGEL]

I'll-- [. . .] . . . remember that. And try not to be so. . . defensive. About it.

[. . .]