[ The worst thing is that this works on him. That it is so easy to be made to feel small, sometimes, even when you've convinced yourself that that person's opinion isn't worth shit. He holds his tongue at moments when he might have fired something off, because snapping at a little crystal with a little voice coming out of it feels maddening, and he so does not want to show his hand besides--

And then he takes that question seriously, inasmuch as he is currently capable. ]

Not really, [ and he does a good job of making his voice come out even. ] Only that when I walked into your office, it wasn't your approval that I was looking for, so much as a man I might respect and follow.

The mistake was mine.