[Luke... does not argue with this because tbh he agrees deep in his heart... but unfortunately he can't support vigilante justice either. Sometimes you recognize that some people are shitstains and that there are lots of flaws in the system, but you also know that you can't just let people do whatever they want. (Sometimes you accidentally get wrapped up in a transnational case and recruited at 16 so your perspective is heavily skewed.)
He lets it pass in favor of focusing on the question--and although Luke is a very good actor, he doesn't try to school his features now. His expression softens, and though he turns his gaze away, the gentle fondness in his voice is unmistakable.]
...We grew up together. Her family took me in when I was a kid. [It's more than that, of course, it always has been--but even though he's being relatively open, he doesn't go into detail.] She's a very good person. One of the best I've ever known.
[ he will let it pass to focus on the other part, too. this is a little more important, and he's watching luke's expression and reading through his emotions to see how it all adds up. ]
...you did look like you knew each other pretty well. [ childhood friends to lovers...? he does not say this, but he kind of vaguely wonders. ] It's hard not to care about people you know for that long. Even harder not to think they're a good person when they've been around and have supported you that long, too. [ ... ] Does she always go with you for these things?
No. [Immediately!! He actually looks--not upset, exactly, but unhappy.] I told her not to come with me, but she insisted.
[And... he'd figured he could at least make sure she was protected if she was with him, so he'd eventually relented--but he still regrets it, knowing that it led to her seeing him that way.]
You managed to keep her safe. [ said more like a statement even if it's a question. like maybe in doing so, revealing the true nature of what luke's had to do isn't the worst outcome. ]
No, she's usually pretty good about staying uninvolved. This case was an exception. [SHOCKINGLY. Though it's more because she respects that his work is meant to be classified than anything else... and he doesn't comment on what she wants for his safety, because. Well. If he thinks about it too hard his heart will do all kinds of things, both good and bad, and he doesn't want that slipping past his emotional shields.]
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He lets it pass in favor of focusing on the question--and although Luke is a very good actor, he doesn't try to school his features now. His expression softens, and though he turns his gaze away, the gentle fondness in his voice is unmistakable.]
...We grew up together. Her family took me in when I was a kid. [It's more than that, of course, it always has been--but even though he's being relatively open, he doesn't go into detail.] She's a very good person. One of the best I've ever known.
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...you did look like you knew each other pretty well. [ childhood friends to lovers...? he does not say this, but he kind of vaguely wonders. ] It's hard not to care about people you know for that long. Even harder not to think they're a good person when they've been around and have supported you that long, too. [ ... ] Does she always go with you for these things?
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[And... he'd figured he could at least make sure she was protected if she was with him, so he'd eventually relented--but he still regrets it, knowing that it led to her seeing him that way.]
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You managed to keep her safe. [ said more like a statement even if it's a question. like maybe in doing so, revealing the true nature of what luke's had to do isn't the worst outcome. ]
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[There's a huge difference between normal city dangers and getting involved with tracking down serial killers, he thinks,,]
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...wait how long ago was that?
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Picks a random time]
Last summer.
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At least there's been a bit of a buffer between then and now. [ a little time for things to settle. ]