[Liem still hasn’t figured out how much of Minegishi’s abrasive nature is genuine bad attitude, how much is simple habit, and how much is a defence mechanism to keep the rest of the world at bay. He doesn’t know him especially well; really, Liem doesn’t know any of his fellow Kenoma aions especially well, even after living and working in the same Citadel for over two months. But although he may not particularly deserve to be the target of this wellspring of vitriol, he just can’t take umbrage with it. Their situation is worth being upset about, and Liem is the one who’s available to be upset at.
So he watches Minegishi take a drag on his cigarette, noting the tense lines of his shoulders and spine. He doesn’t look ready to track down a civilian in order to drag them back to the Regent’s soldiers for execution; he mostly just looks stressed out. By contrast, Liem is exactly as poised as always, as though lurking in an alley before conducting an interrogation is no different from settling a schedule conflict while standing in a Citadel hallway.
He isn’t sure if he was meant to hear that last remark; perhaps Minegishi wasn’t thinking about a dhampir’s sense of hearing when he said it. But Liem replies regardless.]
I mislike it as well.
[He found the spectacle of the Regent’s announcement distasteful in the extreme, and it’s impossible to feel pride in the terror campaign they’re being forced to participate in here. Liem frowns out at the house with the blue door, letting himself lean back against the alley wall as he releases a slow breath. He looks back at Minegishi, resignation written over his face.]
But these are our orders. [He gives a small shrug.] What else is there to do?
no subject
So he watches Minegishi take a drag on his cigarette, noting the tense lines of his shoulders and spine. He doesn’t look ready to track down a civilian in order to drag them back to the Regent’s soldiers for execution; he mostly just looks stressed out. By contrast, Liem is exactly as poised as always, as though lurking in an alley before conducting an interrogation is no different from settling a schedule conflict while standing in a Citadel hallway.
He isn’t sure if he was meant to hear that last remark; perhaps Minegishi wasn’t thinking about a dhampir’s sense of hearing when he said it. But Liem replies regardless.]
I mislike it as well.
[He found the spectacle of the Regent’s announcement distasteful in the extreme, and it’s impossible to feel pride in the terror campaign they’re being forced to participate in here. Liem frowns out at the house with the blue door, letting himself lean back against the alley wall as he releases a slow breath. He looks back at Minegishi, resignation written over his face.]
But these are our orders. [He gives a small shrug.] What else is there to do?