[ Not even asking what the slander is. Not even expressing the least doubt in him. By knows he doesn't deserve that faith and trust and belief - after all, isn't he asking the questions he asks to know about Dorian? Isn't he trying to ferret out Dorian's secrets with purpose? And so that trust should be repugnant to him. He knows he ought to think less of Dorian for trusting him so automatically. That would be the ImpSec thing to do - coolly note down the gullibility of the target even while smiling genuinely.
Yet Byerly, for all that he is the only ImpSec agent left on any world, now, apparently isn't ImpSec enough. Because that ferocious defense raises from him a little shudder of pained gratitude, an agonizing gladness. There isn't even a moment of glancing at him dubiously, wondering - what did you do, really? Not even a split second of wariness. Just trust. Thank you. And damn you. Don't you know how mixed up that sympathy makes me feel? How am I supposed to treat you dispassionately when you're like this...
He summons up some dryness to quip: ]
Well, it was very logical. I'd been caught kissing boys at school, you see. If you kiss boys, you're enough of a pervert to do anything. Everyone knows that.
no subject
Yet Byerly, for all that he is the only ImpSec agent left on any world, now, apparently isn't ImpSec enough. Because that ferocious defense raises from him a little shudder of pained gratitude, an agonizing gladness. There isn't even a moment of glancing at him dubiously, wondering - what did you do, really? Not even a split second of wariness. Just trust. Thank you. And damn you. Don't you know how mixed up that sympathy makes me feel? How am I supposed to treat you dispassionately when you're like this...
He summons up some dryness to quip: ]
Well, it was very logical. I'd been caught kissing boys at school, you see. If you kiss boys, you're enough of a pervert to do anything. Everyone knows that.