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Ask me whatever you want to. I can't promise I'll answer if it's not your business, but most of my life at this point has ended up in the newspaper or over the network at one point or the other. There's not much you could ask about that you can't find on your own with some effort.
[ She takes a deep breath, trying to keep herself level-headed. She's not an assassin, not a trained killer of anything but monsters. She's a girl with a lot of emotions who happens to be very intelligent and have gotten a lot more experience than she bargained for here that she's had to overcome and find a way to still be the person she wants to be. But even if she's clearly not anywhere near as professional as he is and he's not wrong, that they should be asking questions, she also knows what kind of person she wants to be. He's a Guardian and as far as she can tell, he hasn't been doing badly. He's been making choices with the betterment of the people in mind. Weiss had a period where she actually had a telepath present with her during her Deputy interviews when she was truly convinced she couldn't trust anyone, and before she left home she'd come to the same conclusion that the only person she could trust was herself. It had taken a long time to come to her current decision regarding trust, but this was who she wanted to be. As a person and as a Guardian. ]
I choose to believe that someone who ends up as a Guardian has a right to use the tools at their disposal, but also that someone on the same team should be given the benefit of the doubt. Not trusting anyone doesn't serve to do anything but isolate you and make it easier to make wrong decisions for what you believe to be the right reasons. If you cross the line, I'm sure you aren't the only person who was lethal back home. If you cross the line, I know you aren't the only person who's had to compromise and work around problems in this world to overcome someone who's more than they are in some way. If you cross the line and you give me a reason not to trust you, we'll just find a new way to stop you and bring Attleton back to its people. Does that sound fair?
[ Trust because someone is on the same team... That's something he's always yearned for with his fellow Guardians and his own Deputies, for sure, but it's never been the same as it is at home. They may all be willing to make sacrifices, but the dreams and hopes for which they would sacrifice vary. Even at home, true trust is rare and precious. In the end, it's the promise Weiss makes there right at the end of her speech that has him smile, and relax somewhat. ]
If I cross the line, I would want you to stop me. I would want to stop myself. [ He shakes his head. ] I've never understood how you can give so much power to the Guardians anyway, but I know we had that discussion before, during the election. [ And it had been that talk which made him trust her more than any other Guardian.
Yet here he is, bristling. He sighs.] I should have... I'm sorry. I didn't respond well to the secret you shared with me. That was unprofessional. I'm... just not very used to assuming the best of people outside a very small circle.
It's a difficult situation, Cassian. I can't exactly blame you for being tense about it.
[ She pauses for a moment, then adds ] But I've found that if you're doing things the right way and working for the people, you have to be able to understand people. You can't do that if you're cutting yourself off just because it's hard to trust. The fewer people you get to know and trust, the narrower your worldview is. It might be hard, but it's important.
[ Weiss is honestly glad that he doesn't seem to mind her age. She's made plenty of mistakes from just general naivity and being younger, but she's also had a lot of unique experiences both home and here that have made her into a better person. (Or so she'd like to think.) ]
I know, it's... [ He rubs a hand over his stubble and sighs. ] I'm not used to confiding in others, my old job more involved withholding information and I wasn't the best at teamwork. At least not with people who weren't like me. It's hard, but I'm working on it.
[ Learning to trust in his fellow guardians and deputies, trusting them to know better in some fields and following their lead. ]
I think working with you on this could be another step.
Before I arrived at Beacon, I had no one I trusted. I was bitter and cold and an excellent student and all I wanted was to be perfect at what I did. I didn't want to let anyone else in, because all I had known up to that point was people trying to use me.
[ It's not something she keeps secret. She's admitted to it in music, but for the most part, a lot of people seem to think they're just pretty lyrics. That's why it's such a good outlet, because no one questions what songs say about the people who write them. ]
It took a while for me to get over that, and it was worth it. You'll get there. If I can manage to let people in even back when I was a much more difficult person, I have faith in someone who doesn't refer to teammates as a walking health hazard.
[ He gives a bark of laughter. ] I think there were moments when my teammates would have disagreed... But. Yes. I try. I can work with people, if I must, I'm just... Not very used to it. Intelligence operatives work mostly alone or in small teams.
[ He looks down at his hands, and then, remembering the fish, goes back to finishing his cooking. ]
I've only known you as the leader you are now, it's strange to think you were once different.
[ He gives a bark of laughter. ] I think there were moments when my teammates would have disagreed... But. Yes. I try. I can work with people, if I must, I'm just... Not very used to it. Intelligence operatives work mostly alone or in small teams.
[ He looks down at his hands, and then, remembering the fish, goes back to finishing his cooking. ]
I've only known you as the leader you are now, it's strange to think you were once different.
The second conversation I ever had with my partner back home started with me yelling and her crying "Oh god it's happening again." Years can make a.. subtle difference.
[ Not so subtle. Weiss used to be much more terrifying. And rude. And entitled. And a brat. At least she acknowledges it. ] Learning takes time.
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[ She takes a deep breath, trying to keep herself level-headed. She's not an assassin, not a trained killer of anything but monsters. She's a girl with a lot of emotions who happens to be very intelligent and have gotten a lot more experience than she bargained for here that she's had to overcome and find a way to still be the person she wants to be. But even if she's clearly not anywhere near as professional as he is and he's not wrong, that they should be asking questions, she also knows what kind of person she wants to be. He's a Guardian and as far as she can tell, he hasn't been doing badly. He's been making choices with the betterment of the people in mind. Weiss had a period where she actually had a telepath present with her during her Deputy interviews when she was truly convinced she couldn't trust anyone, and before she left home she'd come to the same conclusion that the only person she could trust was herself. It had taken a long time to come to her current decision regarding trust, but this was who she wanted to be. As a person and as a Guardian. ]
I choose to believe that someone who ends up as a Guardian has a right to use the tools at their disposal, but also that someone on the same team should be given the benefit of the doubt. Not trusting anyone doesn't serve to do anything but isolate you and make it easier to make wrong decisions for what you believe to be the right reasons. If you cross the line, I'm sure you aren't the only person who was lethal back home. If you cross the line, I know you aren't the only person who's had to compromise and work around problems in this world to overcome someone who's more than they are in some way. If you cross the line and you give me a reason not to trust you, we'll just find a new way to stop you and bring Attleton back to its people. Does that sound fair?
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If I cross the line, I would want you to stop me. I would want to stop myself. [ He shakes his head. ] I've never understood how you can give so much power to the Guardians anyway, but I know we had that discussion before, during the election. [ And it had been that talk which made him trust her more than any other Guardian.
Yet here he is, bristling. He sighs.] I should have... I'm sorry. I didn't respond well to the secret you shared with me. That was unprofessional. I'm... just not very used to assuming the best of people outside a very small circle.
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[ She pauses for a moment, then adds ] But I've found that if you're doing things the right way and working for the people, you have to be able to understand people. You can't do that if you're cutting yourself off just because it's hard to trust. The fewer people you get to know and trust, the narrower your worldview is. It might be hard, but it's important.
[ Weiss is honestly glad that he doesn't seem to mind her age. She's made plenty of mistakes from just general naivity and being younger, but she's also had a lot of unique experiences both home and here that have made her into a better person. (Or so she'd like to think.) ]
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[ Learning to trust in his fellow guardians and deputies, trusting them to know better in some fields and following their lead. ]
I think working with you on this could be another step.
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[ It's not something she keeps secret. She's admitted to it in music, but for the most part, a lot of people seem to think they're just pretty lyrics. That's why it's such a good outlet, because no one questions what songs say about the people who write them. ]
It took a while for me to get over that, and it was worth it. You'll get there. If I can manage to let people in even back when I was a much more difficult person, I have faith in someone who doesn't refer to teammates as a walking health hazard.
[ She believes in you Cassian. ]
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[ He looks down at his hands, and then, remembering the fish, goes back to finishing his cooking. ]
I've only known you as the leader you are now, it's strange to think you were once different.
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[ He looks down at his hands, and then, remembering the fish, goes back to finishing his cooking. ]
I've only known you as the leader you are now, it's strange to think you were once different.
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[ Not so subtle. Weiss used to be much more terrifying. And rude. And entitled. And a brat. At least she acknowledges it. ] Learning takes time.
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[ He keeps busy with cooking for a moment while he mulls about a diplomatic response. There isn't really one. ]
You might be worse than me then. Congratulations. The last team I worked with at home, one of them accused me of being just like a Stormtrooper.
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A Stormtrooper? [ She doesn't know your lingo, bro. ]
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The foot soldiers of our enemies. Known for their uniformity in their white uniforms, their unquestioning obedience and terrible shooting skills.