He swallows. One of his crossed arms fumbles a little, reaching out for her hand where she’s touching his other elbow: his fingers just lightly grazing her knuckles.
“I don’t mind at all. And I’d like that very much. I need… I’ve always needed people to challenge me.” Which explains a lot about why he likes Gwenaëlle in particular.
There are other, worse angles to this story, the shame that twists Stephen’s gut. He’s too aware that the pieces he’s doled out so far make him sound very brave and noble and responsible: the self-flagellating young boy who embarked on a lifelong quest to save lives, driven by tragedy. It’s not even getting into the twisted arrogance that his career became once he’d lost the plot, forgotten what he was there for.
But if they’re really truly going to know each other—
“And so that you’re not… misled,” Stephen says, halting, “and I’m not cherrypicking the bits that sound best. I would like you to know the ugliest parts of me. While we’re on the topic. Since I don’t know when else I’d mention it.”
no subject
“I don’t mind at all. And I’d like that very much. I need… I’ve always needed people to challenge me.” Which explains a lot about why he likes Gwenaëlle in particular.
There are other, worse angles to this story, the shame that twists Stephen’s gut. He’s too aware that the pieces he’s doled out so far make him sound very brave and noble and responsible: the self-flagellating young boy who embarked on a lifelong quest to save lives, driven by tragedy. It’s not even getting into the twisted arrogance that his career became once he’d lost the plot, forgotten what he was there for.
But if they’re really truly going to know each other—
“And so that you’re not… misled,” Stephen says, halting, “and I’m not cherrypicking the bits that sound best. I would like you to know the ugliest parts of me. While we’re on the topic. Since I don’t know when else I’d mention it.”