No, the question wasn't whether he was wrong. Of course he was wrong. But you were right.
[Prior disrupts Byerly's eyeline as directly as he disrupts the heavy silence in the room, breaking through that fixed point of view to put himself there instead. All the control Byerly's so careful with does nothing but trap him inside with all this and Prior won't have it anymore.]
He can't understand. That's what you're right about. If he could, if he really believed it, this whole - this reaction would still be messed up. [Too calm, too cold, lock it in a box, throw away the key and pretend you can't hear it screaming. He's heard attempts at the same sentiment from Byerly, fortunately less successful in the execution. There's nothing in his father's demeanor that suggests he can be appealed to.
There's just.
There's nothing there.]
You're asking for reason for someone who - call it a hunch - checked out of that hotel long ago. I don't know what he's suffering with but there's something and he's - oh. [Flinching like someone's taken their hand to his arm and pinched hard, Prior shoots a look back at the table. He is suffering, locked away in his own little box, but these things just keep opening around Prior. For a moment there's something like pity on his face, shaken away hard as he turns back.]
Whatever he's suffering with isn't an excuse. But he's not capable of believing you. You were right. And you have nothing to be ashamed of, Byerly, especially not yourself.
no subject
[Prior disrupts Byerly's eyeline as directly as he disrupts the heavy silence in the room, breaking through that fixed point of view to put himself there instead. All the control Byerly's so careful with does nothing but trap him inside with all this and Prior won't have it anymore.]
He can't understand. That's what you're right about. If he could, if he really believed it, this whole - this reaction would still be messed up. [Too calm, too cold, lock it in a box, throw away the key and pretend you can't hear it screaming. He's heard attempts at the same sentiment from Byerly, fortunately less successful in the execution. There's nothing in his father's demeanor that suggests he can be appealed to.
There's just.
There's nothing there.]
You're asking for reason for someone who - call it a hunch - checked out of that hotel long ago. I don't know what he's suffering with but there's something and he's - oh. [Flinching like someone's taken their hand to his arm and pinched hard, Prior shoots a look back at the table. He is suffering, locked away in his own little box, but these things just keep opening around Prior. For a moment there's something like pity on his face, shaken away hard as he turns back.]
Whatever he's suffering with isn't an excuse. But he's not capable of believing you. You were right. And you have nothing to be ashamed of, Byerly, especially not yourself.