[ Ned listens with interest as Tony speaks. His whole life in the spotlight? Must be some kind of celebrity, public figure, that kind of thing. Interesting. He had had that kind of gravitas, the day before, when he waltzed in and started bossing around an angry, gruff guy with a gun. It makes sense to Ned. A life in the limelight like that sounds excruciating to Ned, given his own predisposition towards the safety of secrecy. He'd resented and hated the amount of surveillance at boarding school - how much worse must things have always been for Tony, if what he's saying is true? ]
[ He notes the chest-tapping gesture, remembers Tony doing that the day before, too. Clearly it is significant, but Ned doesn't know how to politely ask what it means. Ned doesn't really get Tony, yet, thinks that being inquisitive will put him off or make him angry. ]
I don't agree with that. [ Ned says it quietly, but he says it. He avoids conflict as a general rule, and he really doesn't want to seem ungrateful to Tony. But at the same time, what Tony's saying sits so badly with Ned that he has to say something. He doesn't look into the communicator as he does it, body language practically screaming discomfort and hesitation ] I don't think that's how power works at all. It's not something you can get just by... wanting it enough.
[ Ned has had plenty of experience being powerless in his life. Powerless because of his power, powerless for other reasons. He knows the ins and outs of it. Even so, he is surprised by the intensity of his reaction right now, until it occurs to him why he's taking that bit of well-intentioned advice so badly. ]
Yesterday. When that guy started accusing Laura of stealing all the food for herself, she acted like it was okay. Like it didn't matter what he thought. And- and then he shot her where she was standing. [ Ned's not a superhero; for all that he's seen plenty of death, that degree and proximity of violence is new to him, and it shows. ] So I guess I don't buy the idea that just acting like you're in control means you're in control, when there are people around with guns who know you're different and might decide you're dangerous.
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[ He notes the chest-tapping gesture, remembers Tony doing that the day before, too. Clearly it is significant, but Ned doesn't know how to politely ask what it means. Ned doesn't really get Tony, yet, thinks that being inquisitive will put him off or make him angry. ]
I don't agree with that. [ Ned says it quietly, but he says it. He avoids conflict as a general rule, and he really doesn't want to seem ungrateful to Tony. But at the same time, what Tony's saying sits so badly with Ned that he has to say something. He doesn't look into the communicator as he does it, body language practically screaming discomfort and hesitation ] I don't think that's how power works at all. It's not something you can get just by... wanting it enough.
[ Ned has had plenty of experience being powerless in his life. Powerless because of his power, powerless for other reasons. He knows the ins and outs of it. Even so, he is surprised by the intensity of his reaction right now, until it occurs to him why he's taking that bit of well-intentioned advice so badly. ]
Yesterday. When that guy started accusing Laura of stealing all the food for herself, she acted like it was okay. Like it didn't matter what he thought. And- and then he shot her where she was standing. [ Ned's not a superhero; for all that he's seen plenty of death, that degree and proximity of violence is new to him, and it shows. ] So I guess I don't buy the idea that just acting like you're in control means you're in control, when there are people around with guns who know you're different and might decide you're dangerous.