"That one has cannibalism," he admits, "but no, I wasn't intending to be in it myself. At least at the moment. Someone has to keep things running in the right direction."
"As hypocritical as it is coming from me, proposing a thing doesn't mean you have to be in charge of it. " He's heard delegation is something people do occasionally.
"Well, you came up with three," he admits, "but the answer remains the same. Mostly because of Bill, frankly, but I'm not about to leave it up to chance."
"If I wasn't aware of the impossibility and futility of it, I'd demote myself to get rid of him." Just honestly. "And I think delegating is choosing who does it, not leaving it to chance."
"One, once it's out of your hands it's out of your hands," he points out, "and two, while Bill and I have something of an accord" the kind of accord that kept him from getting demoted, "I'd rather not test it with watching him deface Shakespeare."
"I don't want to talk about any accord anyone has with Bill." Just, you know, tossing it out there because he hates that fucking triangle more than Sinister and that's saying something.
"If it happened, I'd leave the barge," he says firmly. Firmly. There is nothing worth letting his power and his body be used by someone else. Nothing. And if this damnable ship let it happen, it would be the kind of betrayal he wouldn't let happen twice. "You'd find me back in your world, shopping with Emma."
"I'd probably find you back in my world sleeping with Emma." Just amused and kind of fond, though. He still really, really doesn't think Clark should return to his world but he is well aware Lark isn't going back to his own and maybe he will end up in Five's and maybe he won't. He'll work with whatever. "And I think ending up with that sort of situation would make me leave in a hurry, too."
"You. Hope. A number of others. Any other world, I'd have to choose between all of the people I care about; here, they're all in one place. As is the library, where I have access to all of the Kryptonian crystals, including the ones my father destroyed."
He isn't really apologetic. He told Jean. Jean's a nice sanity check when it comes to the shit show that his world is even if hers isn't quite as bad. That she's concerned but kind of approving means he's probably not too far off.
"I'm pretty sure I'm actually sane, but I recognize that the delivery isn't." He sounds, and is, apologetic because Clark's so clearly... disturbed and bothered and upset. "I'm sorry, and you're ... probably right." Not going to shut down escape.
He isn't really disturbed, but he is very bothered and exceptionally upset. But he isn't upset at Scott. He's upset at himself.
He should have realized before now.
"At the moment, it looks a little silly," he admits with a wry half-smile. "But I see the utility. And considering I put you in that state, I don't really have a right to an apology."
He refills the glass with water before heading for the door.
"I'll be checking to make sure you aren't making a total mess of it."
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The two most obvious names are the ones that make him sort of facefall.
"No, thank you."
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"But I'd much rather be here."
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"Why?" The being here. The fact that Clark can do both is pretty obvious.
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"And why are you here?"
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You'll have to excuse him, because this is the first time he's heard anything about the possibility of Erskine as-
Aha.
Aha.
Well then.
"I see."
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He isn't really apologetic. He told Jean. Jean's a nice sanity check when it comes to the shit show that his world is even if hers isn't quite as bad. That she's concerned but kind of approving means he's probably not too far off.
But.
"Aren't you glad you asked?"
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Then, like he's just heard a dinner bell or remembered that he left the oven on-
"You should rest and I should probably go."
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He should have realized before now.
"At the moment, it looks a little silly," he admits with a wry half-smile. "But I see the utility. And considering I put you in that state, I don't really have a right to an apology."
He refills the glass with water before heading for the door.
"I'll be checking to make sure you aren't making a total mess of it."
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