The change in Helen comes in an instant, in the cliche blink of an eye. One second, she is more or less still in control of the situation and the argument, needling Nikola for his anger so he might get out whatever it is that he needs to get out. A second later, he has managed to slam his fist into her control issues, her guilt, her annoyance at him over the years, and her loss issues. All at once.
Knowing her the way he does, he will undoubtedly be able to see it in her. The way her eyes widen and harden. The way her jaw tenses and then sets firmly. Her arms fold across her chest, fingers digging into the fabric along her arms to stop her from doing something else with them. Her chin lifts defiantly, as though daring him to keep going. When he does, the coldness comes, freezing her entire body until the tension between them turns her to stone. Hard, cold, and very hurt stone.
For whatever it is that they do to each other, a good deal of their anger usually stems from some sort of pain, perhaps a perceived injustice. This time, Nikola has managed to stab his talons straight into her and give them a twist. This pain she feels turns to an anger that can no more be stemmed than a volcano. And when Helen Magnus is a volcano, things usually don't take the turn anyone expected.
"Oh that's rich," she snarls, her voice taking on a quality quite like the rest of her. Stone. But under the stone is hurt, like he has actually managed to injure her as well as make her angry. "Perhaps you should take a look at your own life before you accuse someone else of doing exactly what you have several times over! Denial suits you far too well, Nikola, but even you can't ignore your own attempts at power and control. I, for one, haven't forgotten your vampire creations. How did those work out? Ah, yes. Very badly."
She will never forget the zombie vampires or his infamous trust fund baby vampires. How he would ever think she wouldn't call him on that is beyond her.
As far as the rest, her jaw tightens further and her eyes flash. He probably should have stopped, but when have any of the Five ever really known when to stop? Not even Helen is good at that, especially when she's angry.
"And I suppose you'll be telling me that I could have saved him. That I could have convinced him not to betray Caleb to me, not to give us the information that saved everything and everyone because that led to his death. I had no choice. He never let anyone know what he was doing. It was his choice. Not mine."
None of that has anything to do with Nikola's words and likely only serves to prove his point. There are plenty of things that she regrets -- not being able to save her Old Friend is the one gnawing at her currently and her words are so obviously the argument she has been telling herself since it happened. She's ignoring that at the moment. More importantly is the fact that she hasn't turned around and left. Yet. Usually, she would have given him some scathing remark -- a remark that really is on the tip of her tongue -- and then turned on her heel and left. Depending on how he responds, she may still do that. For now, she hangs in there. For now, she will see what happens.
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Knowing her the way he does, he will undoubtedly be able to see it in her. The way her eyes widen and harden. The way her jaw tenses and then sets firmly. Her arms fold across her chest, fingers digging into the fabric along her arms to stop her from doing something else with them. Her chin lifts defiantly, as though daring him to keep going. When he does, the coldness comes, freezing her entire body until the tension between them turns her to stone. Hard, cold, and very hurt stone.
For whatever it is that they do to each other, a good deal of their anger usually stems from some sort of pain, perhaps a perceived injustice. This time, Nikola has managed to stab his talons straight into her and give them a twist. This pain she feels turns to an anger that can no more be stemmed than a volcano. And when Helen Magnus is a volcano, things usually don't take the turn anyone expected.
"Oh that's rich," she snarls, her voice taking on a quality quite like the rest of her. Stone. But under the stone is hurt, like he has actually managed to injure her as well as make her angry. "Perhaps you should take a look at your own life before you accuse someone else of doing exactly what you have several times over! Denial suits you far too well, Nikola, but even you can't ignore your own attempts at power and control. I, for one, haven't forgotten your vampire creations. How did those work out? Ah, yes. Very badly."
She will never forget the zombie vampires or his infamous trust fund baby vampires. How he would ever think she wouldn't call him on that is beyond her.
As far as the rest, her jaw tightens further and her eyes flash. He probably should have stopped, but when have any of the Five ever really known when to stop? Not even Helen is good at that, especially when she's angry.
"And I suppose you'll be telling me that I could have saved him. That I could have convinced him not to betray Caleb to me, not to give us the information that saved everything and everyone because that led to his death. I had no choice. He never let anyone know what he was doing. It was his choice. Not mine."
None of that has anything to do with Nikola's words and likely only serves to prove his point. There are plenty of things that she regrets -- not being able to save her Old Friend is the one gnawing at her currently and her words are so obviously the argument she has been telling herself since it happened. She's ignoring that at the moment. More importantly is the fact that she hasn't turned around and left. Yet. Usually, she would have given him some scathing remark -- a remark that really is on the tip of her tongue -- and then turned on her heel and left. Depending on how he responds, she may still do that. For now, she hangs in there. For now, she will see what happens.