[ Miles does jolt at that - with the accompanying flash of pain, sorry Aral - and looks at him with new eyes. That ... is a surprisingly human side of him, one he only rarely sees even now. Feet of clay, he reminds himself. This is still the same man who begged for Miles' life at Vorhalas' feet not so long ago.
He just nods again, to start. Thirty minutes is fine; thirty minutes is a relief, knowing what he'll be going back to soon enough. Beyond that ... he ought to say something. What? How? Where does he begin with a gulf of twenty years between them?
There is one thing he ought to clarify to begin with, he supposes. Being careful not to jostle his shoulders, he bows his head. ]
I never meant to drag your name into it. The only one I thought I was smearing was myself.
no subject
He just nods again, to start. Thirty minutes is fine; thirty minutes is a relief, knowing what he'll be going back to soon enough. Beyond that ... he ought to say something. What? How? Where does he begin with a gulf of twenty years between them?
There is one thing he ought to clarify to begin with, he supposes. Being careful not to jostle his shoulders, he bows his head. ]
I never meant to drag your name into it. The only one I thought I was smearing was myself.