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[ukan]

This is Lark Tennant, leave a message.

[Or a note, or a drop-by]

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[ukan]

He regards Kiryu evenly. "If I planned to be here a hundred years, I'd still want your input. I'm sure you've noticed how easy it is for people to launch into screaming fits around here about how right they are. You are someone who has just told me where I'm mistaken, and I respect you more for it."

He leans back, arms crossed loosely over his chest. "A dozen other people have shoved their interpretations of me in my face, and if I tried to clarify, they insisted I was lying. We need someone like you here, Kiryu. You said you look to me as a mentor; I'm here to be that. But I'm also here to be reminded that there's a middle ground, and that I've seen you find it."

[lone_horse]

He looks back at him with a faint curl at the corner of his lip.

“If I thought it was the only reason, I wouldn’t have taken the time.”

He’s yakuza, even if he no longer has a family. He can appreciate practicality and strategy, even ruthlessness, and he doesn’t find any of it to be a bad thing or anything objectionable on its own. Some things can be given no quarter.

But he nods in appreciation for the compliment. Lark’s respect is something he values.

“Thank you for being willing to explain to me. Especially after others have been unwilling to listen.” He does appreciate that as something that can be difficult in and of itself. And it speaks, honestly, to Lark believing in him and his judgement, something he’s glad to see after their discussion earlier.

[ukan]

"We'll keep looking. We'll find people who are willing to hear you out." And at this point it is 'you', not 'we'--their ideas are extremely similar, but Lark has positioned himself as an adversary to many of the other wardens. It's strategic but that doesn't mean there aren't downsides.

[lone_horse]

The only indication that he’s picked up on that choice is a raise of an eyebrow. But the twist in his lip says that he appreciates it. That’s something he can understand: dividing up and conquering, different parts of a team playing different roles.

His urge to ask him for a fight hasn’t flagged one bit.

“Should I make more tea?”

Because they can keep talking. Off or on screen!