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[mortemscintilla]

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[mortemscintilla]

[ Honest. Straightforward. None of that has any relationship to Hei's life. Sketchy details, withheld secrets, these are the themes of his profession. Anti-TMI. At the same time he acknowledges that Pavel has a right to ask, after everything Hei's put him and Korra through. Too bad his sense of fair-play is nonexistent. ]

It's better if you don't understand. [ he says, and the set of his mouth is flat with a million warnings tucked behind it. There's a moment to drain the rest of his tea cup, before he crumples it and tosses it into the adjacent bin. Rising, he brushes off the snow from his jeans, but it's a sloppy effort compared to his usual precision -- he's already halfway to slipping back into 'Li's costume. ]

[ He doesn't immediately meet Pavel's eyes. But when he does, his face, carefully calm, is nonetheless tired and still. His whole body projects a subtle exhaustion, evident in the dark skin under his eyes and the droop of his shoulders. ]

If it's worth anything, tell Korra she has nothing to regret. She did nothing wrong. That was all me. [ He knows he preempted her choice in the kiss-off. But it was for her own good. Emotion is Hei's Achilles heel. Emotion is what muddles him. His life, his self, just isn't designed for it. She's better off with someone who owns less baggage, someone who doesn't think of people in terms of meat-puppets and manipulations. ] I know she's upset. But it'll be worse if I'm with her, whether she thinks so or not. I broke it off to make things easier for her. Not to add to her problems.

[ None of this is easy to say. But it's true and factual and felt. With that, Hei turns to go, hands tucked into his hoodie, before Pavel can reply or protest. To an outsider, the abrupt exit would ring of rudeness -- but it's just a snapshot of his world, and his state of mind. ]