Will knows full well that how a man treats his inferiors reflects a great deal on him, and that how a man treats an animal reflects even more so. Snapping at another person, always putting them down, bullying them? That's one thing, because they could find their voice and eventually turn the tables. Hurting an animal, conditioning it to accept the abuse as opposed to ever fight back? That's quite another thing.
Albus is free to think that Will's staring at the way he treats the dog because he's worried about it being hurt or so obsessed with them that he can't tear his eyes away. He's free to think he's just an awkward guy who doesn't like eye contact, which is partially true. He can't turn off the wheels of his mind any more than the last person who manipulated him, and he's analyzing Albus with every touch he gives the little dog.
You want me, or you need me? Do I interest you? Wind me up and watch me go, is that it?
No. Not yet. Not now.
"I'll do it." It's resolute, spoken with more confidence than he might have displayed earlier. No stammering, no hesitation. For the first time, he finally looks straight at Albus' eyes, something he might not understand for being so rare and so telling. Not just yet, anyway. "You're going to have to fill me in on some things, though. You're going to have to tell me who else from your world is here, and how they relate. You're going to have to tell me what kind of murderous the both of them are, past what's already been told. You and I are going to have to not be seen as overly friendly at the school. If I pass you in the hallway, you nod. I nod back. Maybe we say hi, but that's it. No small talk. No being seen outside of it together. This? Doesn't happen again. We'll have to find someone in your house or someone in mind to be friendly with, so that if we ever visit, it makes more sense we're seeing someone not each other."
He has to make sure boundaries are understood, because he can't afford to see too much, not with Abigail here, not with murderers running around.
"And I am going to do some things you may not understand because I've done this for a long, long time. I'm not going to consult you on my every move. You're not my superior. What I do, if you don't understand it, that's fine. Just know that I know what I'm doing. I've eaten death nearly half my life, Albus. You want me? Fine. But we're going to draw lines in the sand right now, and you're going to have to realize that I know exactly what you're doing, and I understand from personal experience that people can be manipulators for reasons that are not harmful."
He knows what Albus is doing.
If he doesn't accept that, if he denies it, he'll know a bit more about him than showering a dog with love could tell him.
wizard nirvana needs to make that a top 50 hit
Albus is free to think that Will's staring at the way he treats the dog because he's worried about it being hurt or so obsessed with them that he can't tear his eyes away. He's free to think he's just an awkward guy who doesn't like eye contact, which is partially true. He can't turn off the wheels of his mind any more than the last person who manipulated him, and he's analyzing Albus with every touch he gives the little dog.
You want me, or you need me? Do I interest you? Wind me up and watch me go, is that it?
No. Not yet. Not now.
"I'll do it." It's resolute, spoken with more confidence than he might have displayed earlier. No stammering, no hesitation. For the first time, he finally looks straight at Albus' eyes, something he might not understand for being so rare and so telling. Not just yet, anyway. "You're going to have to fill me in on some things, though. You're going to have to tell me who else from your world is here, and how they relate. You're going to have to tell me what kind of murderous the both of them are, past what's already been told. You and I are going to have to not be seen as overly friendly at the school. If I pass you in the hallway, you nod. I nod back. Maybe we say hi, but that's it. No small talk. No being seen outside of it together. This? Doesn't happen again. We'll have to find someone in your house or someone in mind to be friendly with, so that if we ever visit, it makes more sense we're seeing someone not each other."
He has to make sure boundaries are understood, because he can't afford to see too much, not with Abigail here, not with murderers running around.
"And I am going to do some things you may not understand because I've done this for a long, long time. I'm not going to consult you on my every move. You're not my superior. What I do, if you don't understand it, that's fine. Just know that I know what I'm doing. I've eaten death nearly half my life, Albus. You want me? Fine. But we're going to draw lines in the sand right now, and you're going to have to realize that I know exactly what you're doing, and I understand from personal experience that people can be manipulators for reasons that are not harmful."
He knows what Albus is doing.
If he doesn't accept that, if he denies it, he'll know a bit more about him than showering a dog with love could tell him.