Is there one, really? You already know who I am. I've told you. I make no secret out of it, and I'm not ashamed. You shouldn't rely on me to have your back if I've something to gain by your downfall, but I'm certain you understand that well.
Right now I see no reason we couldn't work together, so there's nothing to fear from me. If I had to guess, the greatest thing you would be afraid of at this point is that whatever I could show you would make you weak. Weak in a way that you think you can't afford.
That, or you simply couldn't learn it at all. Given how important control is to you, it would make you so very angry to think you'd never be able to handle even basic social manipulation.
[Because it's been done to him before, Shaw thinks. It has to have been, for him to be this way. And Ren knows it. And if he tries to learn how to be the master instead and he fails...well that implies he might always be the slave.]
[Shaw nails all of it, and he’s so right that Kylo Ren has to take a second to gather his anger. It is so easily coaxed — and of course, why wouldn’t it be? He had been the Supreme Leader’s glorified attack dog for so long. Anger was all he ever really needed.]
Teach me.
[He only had one thing to lose — and if Shaw or anyone else came anywhere near her, he would fight back. He had come too far to let Rey slip through his fingers now.]
Edited (rip phone tag typos) 2018-07-25 07:00 (UTC)
[He could say "for Rey", if he wanted to tease - and likely piss Kylo off. He'll still tease, a bit, by opting for a different angle that might score another point by leaving him confused and flustered.]
We'll be in touch soon then but first. Let my guess something. Have you been making much effort to interact with the other volunteers, so far?
[If that was spoken it would have been with a tone of rhetorical mockery. Like a lot of things with Kylo, he thinks he knows the answer to this already.]
[He hadn't really thought about it until Shaw brings it up. Kylo had been in charge of his own operation long enough that he'd never really been made to interact with people on a regular basis. Even with ALASTAIR and Hathaway -- he'd rarely ever sought people out.
That wouldn't work here, if circumstances were different. So Shaw gets what he wants -- a long, uncomfortable pause from Kylo on the other end before he admits:]
Right then. Suppose that's your first homework assignment from me, if you will. Take the next few days to actually talk to people.
You don't have to be nice to them or even try to make a good impression. Just interact to some degree, period. You'll never learn anything about anyone without some observations to build on.
[He wants to impatiently say "anything", but after all, Ren is clearly detail oriented.]
How about this: motivation. Everybody has one. For being here, for what they do one day to the next, even for how they go through life. It can be the key, sometimes. The real crux of knowing someone well enough to predict their every move.
Watch people. Talk to them. And try to see how often you can catch a glimpse of what lies behind their actions. Everything from the complex to the very simple.
[He can't resist a little nudge, a parting shot. And since at this point frankly Kylo has become a much more intriguing prospect for Shaw's games than his girlfriend--]
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Right now I see no reason we couldn't work together, so there's nothing to fear from me. If I had to guess, the greatest thing you would be afraid of at this point is that whatever I could show you would make you weak. Weak in a way that you think you can't afford.
That, or you simply couldn't learn it at all. Given how important control is to you, it would make you so very angry to think you'd never be able to handle even basic social manipulation.
[Because it's been done to him before, Shaw thinks. It has to have been, for him to be this way. And Ren knows it. And if he tries to learn how to be the master instead and he fails...well that implies he might always be the slave.]
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Teach me.
[He only had one thing to lose — and if Shaw or anyone else came anywhere near her, he would fight back. He had come too far to let Rey slip through his fingers now.]
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[He could say "for Rey", if he wanted to tease - and likely piss Kylo off. He'll still tease, a bit, by opting for a different angle that might score another point by leaving him confused and flustered.]
We'll be in touch soon then but first. Let my guess something. Have you been making much effort to interact with the other volunteers, so far?
[If that was spoken it would have been with a tone of rhetorical mockery. Like a lot of things with Kylo, he thinks he knows the answer to this already.]
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That wouldn't work here, if circumstances were different. So Shaw gets what he wants -- a long, uncomfortable pause from Kylo on the other end before he admits:]
No.
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Right then. Suppose that's your first homework assignment from me, if you will. Take the next few days to actually talk to people.
You don't have to be nice to them or even try to make a good impression. Just interact to some degree, period. You'll never learn anything about anyone without some observations to build on.
Now does that seem so hard?
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What should I be observing?
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How about this: motivation. Everybody has one. For being here, for what they do one day to the next, even for how they go through life. It can be the key, sometimes. The real crux of knowing someone well enough to predict their every move.
Watch people. Talk to them. And try to see how often you can catch a glimpse of what lies behind their actions. Everything from the complex to the very simple.
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Maybe after he gets a glimpse at Shaw's own mind.]
I understand.
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As I said, I'll be in touch. Until then
[He can't resist a little nudge, a parting shot. And since at this point frankly Kylo has become a much more intriguing prospect for Shaw's games than his girlfriend--]
take care of yourself, poppet.