Think.
Concentrate.
Breathe, for the love of mercy. Breathe, woman.
Litani's eyes watched Matthew as he spoke, and for once, they didn't seem to waver. For once in this their first meeting, she seemed easily able to just simply look at how exquisite he really was, daring herself to let a few of her thoughts reflect in her eyes as she listened. Something about him had shifted and she sensed it - he was cool and confident when he walked up, now he almost seemed to need something from her. Seemed.
Fumbling buffoon. Right. That's... even remotely in the realm of possibility. Is he a liar or just that naive? ...or am I that naive? Petching hell.
Wordless, the Konti raised her left hand and ran it lightly over her features, trying to clear her head and read his mind both at the same time. "All right," she said softly, to him and to herself and to no one at all. She shook her head, let her hand fall away, and repeated the phrase as she sat down again: "All right..."
For a short time, Litani pressed her lips together and gazed sightlessly at the table between them. Her hands laced themselves together before her, delicate and webbed and marked as they were. After a few seconds, her thumbs started to tap themselves together as if keeping a tempo for the thoughts behind her eyes. Apparently having reached some conclusion or agreement within herself, she started to speak quietly... still to the table, for a moment, but letting her eyes climb slowly. "This would probably start best if I had some vague idea of what you already know." By the word 'know', her eyes were on his, but her next words followed quickly: "I don't need details! I just... your face is young, to me, Matthew. Please forgive me if I read you wrongly. ...I just... I have no idea how to even begin if I do not know where you've started."
She was starting to blush again, but what she said actually held a ring of pedagogical truth to it - one cannot teach a student without knowing what lessons have already been taught. Or so she told herself. Or maybe she just wanted some sense of what the board looked like, if she was going to play the game.
"Have you begun this profession you've chosen, or have you chosen to wait until you feel as though you've learned enough? And how have you learned - books alone, or from another...?"
Shameless. Perfectly shameless.
...no, I'm being professional! That's what he wants, isn't it!? He wants to learn. He was sent to me to learn--
Not about sex, he wasn't!
...yes, well, that's what he wants. Knowledge is better than ignorance.
Shameless.
She waited quietly then, her eyes on his, her features schooled to the nearest approximation of serenity she could summon. She found herself rather unspeakably grateful that humans could not read minds, nor hear the vibrant bickering to which her internal monologue was subjecting her. She simply sat, her questions posed, letting him think over what answer he might give... how he might next move the pieces on the game board. Beneath the table, her long legs crossed slowly as she started to relax again. Slightly.
Concentrate.
Breathe, for the love of mercy. Breathe, woman.
Litani's eyes watched Matthew as he spoke, and for once, they didn't seem to waver. For once in this their first meeting, she seemed easily able to just simply look at how exquisite he really was, daring herself to let a few of her thoughts reflect in her eyes as she listened. Something about him had shifted and she sensed it - he was cool and confident when he walked up, now he almost seemed to need something from her. Seemed.
Fumbling buffoon. Right. That's... even remotely in the realm of possibility. Is he a liar or just that naive? ...or am I that naive? Petching hell.
Wordless, the Konti raised her left hand and ran it lightly over her features, trying to clear her head and read his mind both at the same time. "All right," she said softly, to him and to herself and to no one at all. She shook her head, let her hand fall away, and repeated the phrase as she sat down again: "All right..."
For a short time, Litani pressed her lips together and gazed sightlessly at the table between them. Her hands laced themselves together before her, delicate and webbed and marked as they were. After a few seconds, her thumbs started to tap themselves together as if keeping a tempo for the thoughts behind her eyes. Apparently having reached some conclusion or agreement within herself, she started to speak quietly... still to the table, for a moment, but letting her eyes climb slowly. "This would probably start best if I had some vague idea of what you already know." By the word 'know', her eyes were on his, but her next words followed quickly: "I don't need details! I just... your face is young, to me, Matthew. Please forgive me if I read you wrongly. ...I just... I have no idea how to even begin if I do not know where you've started."
She was starting to blush again, but what she said actually held a ring of pedagogical truth to it - one cannot teach a student without knowing what lessons have already been taught. Or so she told herself. Or maybe she just wanted some sense of what the board looked like, if she was going to play the game.
"Have you begun this profession you've chosen, or have you chosen to wait until you feel as though you've learned enough? And how have you learned - books alone, or from another...?"
Shameless. Perfectly shameless.
...no, I'm being professional! That's what he wants, isn't it!? He wants to learn. He was sent to me to learn--
Not about sex, he wasn't!
...yes, well, that's what he wants. Knowledge is better than ignorance.
Shameless.
She waited quietly then, her eyes on his, her features schooled to the nearest approximation of serenity she could summon. She found herself rather unspeakably grateful that humans could not read minds, nor hear the vibrant bickering to which her internal monologue was subjecting her. She simply sat, her questions posed, letting him think over what answer he might give... how he might next move the pieces on the game board. Beneath the table, her long legs crossed slowly as she started to relax again. Slightly.