Considering I pulled you behind a bookshelf in order to avoid having to speak to her, I likely owe you some answers. I did say I would tell you, only that it was best left for another day.
[That day may as well be today. Besides—]
We're friends, yes? We should be able to be honest with one another.
[At the very least, he doesn't seem to feel she's overstepped, but he does steel himself for what's to follow by taking a long pull from his glass. It helps, marginally.]
Most people in our department at least know that we were involved professionally— part of the same research group at a different university some years ago, doing work that made quite a few waves in our field. Ariel— Dr. Manx— has always been a very private person, for better or for worse, so it wasn't quite so well-known that we were involved personally, as well, though I never cared to keep it secret.
[He pauses to take another drink, and his gaze is fixed on the rows of bottles in front of the mirror behind the bar, rather than looking directly at her. An air of heaviness seems to settle over him, and the lines of his face harden ever so slightly.]
Professionally and otherwise, I built my life around her. Doing so turned out to be a grave mistake. As you can probably imagine, learning she was coming here to take over as dean was not exactly glad news.
no subject
[That day may as well be today. Besides—]
We're friends, yes? We should be able to be honest with one another.
[At the very least, he doesn't seem to feel she's overstepped, but he does steel himself for what's to follow by taking a long pull from his glass. It helps, marginally.]
Most people in our department at least know that we were involved professionally— part of the same research group at a different university some years ago, doing work that made quite a few waves in our field. Ariel— Dr. Manx— has always been a very private person, for better or for worse, so it wasn't quite so well-known that we were involved personally, as well, though I never cared to keep it secret.
[He pauses to take another drink, and his gaze is fixed on the rows of bottles in front of the mirror behind the bar, rather than looking directly at her. An air of heaviness seems to settle over him, and the lines of his face harden ever so slightly.]
Professionally and otherwise, I built my life around her. Doing so turned out to be a grave mistake. As you can probably imagine, learning she was coming here to take over as dean was not exactly glad news.