Dr. Lawrence Gordon

‎ ‎𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐧. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥.

[hacksawcd]

#𝐇𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐀𝐖𝐂𝐃. Indie, private roleplay blog for DR. LAWRENCE GORDON from 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙰𝚆 𝙵𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙷𝙸𝚂𝙴. His portrayal is heavily headcanoned and will frequently feature 'dead dove: do not eat' themes. ─ 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄 ( she/her，millennial，est )

A STUDY IN : professional detachment vs. apathy, power imbalances, stockholm syndrome, reconstruction after being shattered, and preserving legacy from perversion.

〖 👨🏼‍⚕️ 〗 𝙽𝙰𝚅𝙸𝙶𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 → lawrence's carrd，opens for mutuals，calls，prompts，wishlist，my edits，headcanons，study，pinterest .

[nostalgiakillz]

the work stress pushed me to point of getting sick :( i will be back once my immune system kicks its butt and work chills tf out

[ohisms]

𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃  &  𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄    (a  series  of  nonverbal  prompts .   mature  themes  present ,   ‘ my ’  muse  belongs  to  the  one who  posted  the  meme  -  send   “ + REVERSE ”   to  reverse  the  prompts .)

→     𝐈 .    GENERAL

❛   hush .   raise  a  finger  in  a  gesture  to  silence  my  muse . ❛   sit .   gesture  for  my  muse  to  sit  down . ❛   door .   hold  a  door  open  for  my  muse . ❛   tap .   tap  my  muse  on  the  shoulder  to  garner  their  attention . ❛   hunger .   give  my  muse  something  to  eat  /  drink . ❛   cook .   present  my  muse  with  home - cooked  food . ❛   brush .   work  a  brush  /  comb  through  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   read .   silently  read  a  book  alongside  my  muse . ❛   hand .   hold  out  a  hand  for  my  muse  to  take . ❛   dressed .   help  my  muse  put  on  an  article  of  clothing . ❛   note .   give  my  muse  a  note  saying :   [ content ] . ❛   amplify .   turn  up  the  music  in  the  car .

→     𝐈𝐈 .    ANGST

❛   patch .   help  my  muse  patch  up  a  wound . ❛   night terrors .   hold  my  muse  after  they  wake  up  from  a  nightmare . ❛   company .   silently  sit  with  my  muse  to  comfort  them. ❛   hospital .   my  muse  is  told  that  yours  is  in  the  hospital . ❛   revelation .   show  my  muse  evidence  of  a  lie  they  told . ❛   indulge .   find  my  muse  drinking  to  cope . ❛   downfall .   find  my  muse  collapsed  on  the  ground . ❛   console .   comfort  my  muse  as  they  cry . ❛   nurse .   give  my  muse  company  in  the  hospital .

→     𝐈𝐈𝐈 .    AFFECTIONATE

❛   wink .   wink  at  my  muse .  ❛   wrap .   wrap  an  arm  around  my  muse’s  [ shoulders  /  waist ] . ❛   caress .   gently  caress  my  muse’s  face . ❛   tousle .   mess  playfully  with  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   chest .   place  your  head  on  my  muse’s  chest .    ❛   comb .   comb  fingers  through  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   grasp .   run  to  my  muse  &  jump  into  their  arms . ❛   lean .   lean  on  my  muse’s  shoulder . ❛   tender .   kiss  my  muse  on  the  [ forehead  /  cheek  /  nose ] . ❛   abrupt .   kiss  my  muse  out  of  the  blue . ❛   chaste .   chastely  kiss  my  muse . ❛   good morning .   kiss  my  muse  the  morning  after . ❛   volumes .   gaze  at  my  muse  in  a  way  that  silently  says  ‘i love you’ .

→     𝐈𝐕  .    VIOLENT

❛   strike .   [ slap / punch ]  my muse in the face . ❛   gun .   wield  a  gun  at  my  muse . ❛   twist .   twist  my  muse’s  arm  behind  their  back . ❛   throttle .   aggressively  wrap  your  hands  around  my  muse’s  throat . ❛   parch .   burn  my  muse  with  a  hot  object . ❛   take down .   forcefully  bring  my  muse  to  the  ground . ❛   gouge .   wield  a  sharp  object  at  my  muse . ❛  shunt .   shove  my  muse  backwards . ❛  stickup .   yell  at  my  muse  to  put  their  hands  in  the  air. ❛  shoot .   [ fatally  /  non-fatally ]   shoot  my  muse . ❛  stab .   stab  my  muse with a  [ knife / other object ].

→     𝐕 .    NSFW

❛   surprise .   send  an  unexpected  nsfw  image  to  my  muse . ❛   pin .   push  my  muse  against  a  [ wall,  table,  other ] . ❛   go down .   go  down  on  my  muse . ❛   choke .   intimately  wrap  your  hands  around  my  muse’s  throat . ❛   belt loops .   pull  my  muse  closer  by  their  belt loops . ❛   skinny dipping .   go  skinny  dipping  with  my  muse . ❛   rip .   tear  a  piece  of  clothing  from  my  muse’s  body . ❛   mark .   leave  a  mark  on  my  muse’s  body  [ specify where ] .

[walkmaned]

⸻ #𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐃. Indie, private roleplay blog for PETER QUILL from 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚅𝙴𝙻'𝚂 𝙶𝚄𝙰𝚁𝙳𝙸𝙰𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙶𝙰𝙻𝙰𝚇𝚈. EST. 08/04/14. ─ 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄

[hacksawcd]

𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 4/? I Died with You by Hotel Books

my guilty conscience was a chaser for every broken rib. every shred of skin, my selfish repentance, my need to feel clean just so i can copy and paste the same burdenᅠ—ᅠand that's why i can't feel any of this! if i didn't die with you, i don't think i ever lived. if i didn't try to save you, it just shows my selfishness.

[griefswallowed]

@hacksawcd asked: i'm just trying to keep an open mind.

sienna takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly to calm her screaming nerves. her shaking hands clutch at the hem of her sweater, fiddling with it, as she tries to keep the tremble out of her voice. why did she agree to spend time with a man that she barely knows? sure, they'd both gone through intense trauma at the hands of another, but their situations were completely different. still, she did appreciate some sort of solidarity after everything.

“i know and i appreciate it.” her voice is low and even despite her inner turmoil. “i-it's a lot to take in.” she'd given him the carefully abridged version, not wanting to bring up the whole supernatural aspect of everything. “it feels like i've spent the last few years being looked at sideways by people who are convinced, despite everything, that i had a hand in all of this. i'm just…i'm just tired, i guess.” 

[hacksawcd]

Lawrence gives a huff of a humorless laugh, "People do so love to cast blame and suspicion." He murmurs in understanding. The irony in his case was that back when he'd been an official suspect in the Jigsaw murders case, he hadn't actually been involved. And now…well. Now, Lawrence didn't suffer looks of mistrust so much as pitying glances. And he'd gotten so used to the weight of those that Lawrence didn't even notice half the time when someone cast a self-indulgent look of commiseration his way.

"People will go to great lengths to convince themselves that horrors won't touch them. If they're good or boring enough, they're safe. Ergo, victims of violence, or disease, or tragedy must have done something wrong." He grimaces, "You see it all the time in my line of work. The good news is that it seems like a primal part of how we're wired. I wouldn't take it personally. The bad news? I don't think the tiredness ever lets up. Or if it does, I sure haven't gotten there yet."

[st4nheight]

there   was   a   dull   ache   in   his   arm   where   the   needle   had   been,   but   the   pain   reminded   adam   that   he   was   still   alive.   god,   by   some   miracle,   he   was   hanging   on   —   and   it   felt   as   though   him   and   lawrence   were   finally   emerging   from   the   other   side.   what   laid   in   wait   outside   of   the   bathroom,   adam   didn’t   know.   it   all   seemed   less   scary   with   the   doctor   at   his   side.   no   doubt   he   would   need   extensive   treatment   once   they   were   free   from   the   rot   that   surrounded   them,   but   none   of   that   mattered   if   they   couldn’t   even   make   it   out   of   the   bathroom   —   for   lawrence,   it   would   be   the   second   time   he   had   made   his   escape.   adam   had   never   been   given   that   chance.  game   over.   the   old   man   peeling   off   fake   flesh   and   blood,   rising   from   his   position   on   the   floor   as   though   merely   awaking   from   a   nap ...   he   had   been   marked   for   death   from   the   beginning,   and   adam   wasn’t   going   to   throw   away   his   second   opportunity   to  live.   “i   know,   i   know … ”   adam   tried   to   smile   but   it   fell   short.   instead,   the   muscles   simply   twitched   at   the   corners   of   his   mouth,   little   spasms   fighting   against   the   exhaustion.   he   reached   up,   fingers   closing   against   the   porcelain   of   the   nearby   bathtub,   dragging   himself   up   to   stand   with   a   pained   grunt   before   offering   out   his   hand   for   lawrence   to   hold.   “we   can   take   it   slow.   just   me   and   you.   we’re   gonna   make   it,”   and   lawrence   hadn’t   left,   even   though   a   few   days   had   ached   past   without   a   single   sound   beyond   fetid   water   rumbling   through   the   rusted   pipes   surrounding   him,   the   buzzing   of   flies   as   they   broke   from   the   corpse   and   landed   on   his   own   open   wounds.   when   they   were   both   stood,   he   allowed   himself   to   rest   gently   against   lawrence.   “okay.   do   you   …   you   know   the   way ? ”   blue   eyes   were   desperate,   pleading,   alight   with   the   desire   to   survive.   in   a   sick   sort   of   way,   jigsaw   had   succeeded   —   the   strung - out   photographer   living   in   a   shithole   apartment,   finally,   felt   grateful   for   what   he   had,   even   if   he   had   only   been   scraping   by.

[hacksawcd]

It was clumsy work, just getting to his own feet. Well. Foot. He took Adam's hand, but refused to put any weight behind that hold as he stood. "Yes, we are." Lawrence confirmed in that sure voice of his even as adrenaline hammered inside his chest with the devastating guilt of how close that statement had come to being untrue. Once he had the crutch beneath his arm again, Lawrence was considerably more stable. The duffle bag being slung over the shoulder dealing with the crutch was annoying but not overly cumbersome. He let go of Adam's hand in favor of twining his free arm around the younger man's torso to help steady him more efficiently. "I do. Yes." He answered, feeling another niggling tug of remorse for being able to so confidently declare he did know the way out of this wretched place. Lawrence pushed the guilt away for the time being in favor of getting them the hell out of there; slow, but progressing. Skirting along the edges of the broken tiled bathroom, moving in the opposite direction of the stained pink streaks on the cement floor outside the bathroom that Lawrence had left behind in the midst of his delirious ‘escape’ only a few days ago.

What came next blurred together into a miserable haze of tedium and stubborn determination. A considerable amount of time passed that way until finally came the relief of cool air against their faces once they finally emerged from that stagnant nightmare of a building. It happened under a fog of exhaustion. A suspicious look from the cab driver reflected in the rearview mirror, Lawrence pressing a few crumpled bills into the man's hand and giving him a look that dared him to ask questions he, blessedly, decided were not worth having answered. Being in this derelict part of the city was beneficial in that way. What mattered was that now he was guiding Adam through the door of a motel — chosen because it felt more neutral, more safe than going to Adam's apartment when that was the place he'd been abducted from. The lock clicked shut behind them. Silence followed. Real silence. No dripping pipes. No buzzing of flies or fluorescent lights.

[divinetasted]

THERE'S   A   CLEAR   SNEER   ON   HIS   FACE   BEFORE   HE   ROLLS   HIS   EYES.         ❝ I've   been   lectured   so   many   fuckin'   times   it   feels   and   it   clearly   doesn't   fuckin'   stick.   ❞     stubborn.   he's   so   very   fucking   stubborn.   he   slammed   last   tool   down   on   the   table   a   little   too   hard.   causing   pain   to   surge   through   his   hand   and   partially   up   his   arm.   other   hand   coming   to   rub   that   one.   the   repercussion   of   escaping   his   “game”.   practically   destroying   his   hands   to   escape   his   confines   to   rip   muzzle-like   trap   off   of   his   face.   the   pain   within   his   hands   still   prominent   even   after   all   the   time   of   his   recovery.

❝ What   are   we   even   doin'   ?    ❞       head   turned   to   look   over   at   lawrence.       ❝ Why   the   fuck   was   I   even   called   in   ?    Don't   tell   me   'm   gonna   be   in   charge   a   some   dumb   game.   ❞

[hacksawcd]

"And yet lectured you will be again…" Lawrence murmured more to himself than the other man, pen moving across paper to jot down a snippet of anatomical insight. It was remarkable; the patience John had. John Kramer repeated himself over and over, trying to teach the same lesson, as if the repetition would somehow cause a different result some day. Strange how that patience was extended to some while others where allowed to eviscerate themselves and then immediately written off and forgotten when they didn't quite hit their mark…The nuance still tripped Lawrence up.

"What I'm doing is going over blueprints to provide medical input for what is and is not feasible." He explained unnecessarily, "You were called in because he thinks you should be here. Why? I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. All I know, is you were late."

[hacksawcd]

@maskdrawn: Things are different now. That's an old story.

Lawrence made a sound of consideration in the back of his throat, nodding his head along a few times, "Mm, yes, I know that tune..." He commented with a knowing look. "But just because things change, it doesn't actually make the past any less true. Now does it?" He gave a weary sigh, "The past makes us what we are. For better or worse." Lawrence scrunched his nose remorsefully, "Usually worse. Unfortunately." He grumbled to himself more than to Julie. Then, louder, he insisted, "Humor me? Not a whole story then, just one thing. One detail about who you were before all this?"

THERE'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE ，still accepting .

[devilscheck]

𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖓𝖔 𝖌𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖓𝖔𝖗 𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖑, 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖑𝖞 𝕴 𝖆𝖒

𝔡𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔠𝔨 - highly selective && low activity jennifer check of jennifer's body primarily focusing on human verse. a deep dive into the world of skin that sheds from porcelain to ivory to steel, a final girl doomed by the narrative, && the life + times of a living dead girl. 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕕𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕖𝕒𝕥 dearly loved by kg ✧ she/her ✧ 21+

𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕕𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕖𝕒𝕥

dearly loved by kg ✧ she/her ✧ 21+

[eo-wells]

Cary Elwes as Pierre Despereaux in Psych

[kaisources]

𓆝 ⋆｡ﾟ🌊｡ : THERE'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE . . a collection of slice of life, familial connection, friendship, realism, life problems roleplay sentence starters from NUMEROUS FILMS. genre: slice of life, family, romance, hurt and comfort, angst.

Hey, come down.

I have to work this Sunday. I am sorry.

It's going to be like this for a while.

A favor? You should rest on Sundays!

Are you okay with it?

What if I get laid off for saying "No" to my boss?

I know but… you're going to get paid though?

They didn't mention extra pay? Why not? Why wouldn't they bring it up?

It's not like you're going to work for a couple more hours!

I think that's fair, isn't it?

Come on. Why wouldn't you think about that?

You tell them that you should get compensated properly for working extra hours on Sundays.

Don't answer just for the sake of it. Seriously.

I told you not to wait for me here.

Go wash yourself. I am making breakfast.

Don't get your clothes dirty, jeez.

The reality shouldn't be like that. Don't you think?

Wouldn't it be nice if men did a little more?

I just want to have a cold beer.

Did you see that?

When they look at each other, there is no emotion.

How can you judge them, just by looking at them once?

Anything can happen when you have a kid.

You can't say that there is no love between them.

How can you stare at each other's eyes with love and affection all the time?

It'd be really exhausting, wouldn't it?

They must love one another in their own way, maybe it's a different form of love/

Do you always gaze at me intensely?

Let's see how it tastes. How is it?

I made it less spicy for you.

Sometimes I have to drink socially, but I know my limits.

It will happen when it's meant to be.

They say that it costs a lot to raise a kid.

We will have a baby when we save some more money.

I'm already not that young anymore.

Are you even interested?

I didn't say that that's what I want.

It's just I need to consider a lot of things.

Things are different now. That's an old story.

Are you staying for dinner? Why don't you stay for some barbeque?

Maybe it's silly of me to say this. But I didn't think you guys would end up like this.

The "best marriage manual"?

Things might have been different, if that kind of thing was the issue.

If anything, I should've gone out and fought with them.

I thought to myself I can't do it any more.

I thought about it a lot, why, what happened to us.

Looking back now, it was as if, we just stopped loving each other.

For those 10 years, you must've gone through all sorts of things.

You know, dating and marriage are two different things.

The kind of issues that come up during a marriage are just different from the ones while dating.

Growing up, I didn't talk with them very much.

I should treat them better before it's too late.

It's not easy as it sounds. It's hard to do.

Sometimes I feel sad looking at myself.

I'm probably being selfish right now.

I'm not sure if that's the way I want to live yet.

I think that idea itself is wrong.

We should have a baby when we're ready to sacrifice our freedom for our baby.

If we think something was taken away from us, we will expect a lot from the baby as a reward.

Had I known I wouldn't get paid for it, I would've said no.

What the hell do you think you are doing?

Get your hands off of me. Give me my money!

What the… Why are you here?

Did you prepare all this?

What? Where is my bike? Didn't I park it here?

What are you talking about?

Have I not made you enough food or something?

What would they have thought of me?

Why did you butt in and say do this and don't do this?

Am I that stupid not to figure out what's going on?

You don't understand what you are saying!

Are you an idiot? What's the matter with you?

That's what you think.

You are overreacting.

You know how embarrassed I was?

Why are you making me say that again and again?

You are being really weird.

How did you know I would be here?

I think it's meant to be yours.

What are you doing here?

You yelled at me about something.

I missed it. I guess it's starting now.

[divinetasted]

@hacksawcd 𝒉𝒂𝒔   𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅   𝒕𝒉𝒆   𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈   ―   “don’t   be   foolish.”

❝ I   DON'T   WANT   YOU   FUCKIN'   TOUCHIN'   ME.   ❞           a   wounded   dog,   ready   to   bite.   all   teeth.   even   though   there   was   blood   pouring   from   the   torn   skin   around   his   mouth.   even   though   his   hands   were   mangled.   he   didn't   trust   this   man.   didn't   want   him   near.   he   had   no   idea   where   he   was.   he   only   knew   that   he   wasn't   home   and   this   man   was   a   stranger,   a   potential   threat.   being   wounded   and   in   pain   didn't   deter   his   instinct   to   fight.

❝ I'd   ratha   bleed   out   and   fuckin'   DIE   than   have   ya   get   near   me.   I   don't   care   if   you're   a   fuckin'   doctor.   ❞       blood   coated   teeth   are   bared   as   he   maintained   the   distance   between   the   two.       ❝ You're   wif   him.   So   fuck   ya   both.   ❞

[hacksawcd]

Lawrence held his hands up placatingly, exhaling a deep breath through his nose in an audible huff as he held tight to his own patience. As tempting as it was to snap back, there was no sense in it and that was the last thing someone usually needed to face after coming out the other side of a game. Test? Neither word sat completely right.

"Fine then. That is your choice." Lawrence conceded instead of pushing further, but it would have been irresponsible of him not to go on to add, "But the longer you go without getting that tended to," He gestured to the man's hands with a nod of his head, "The more severe the amount of permanent damage there will be."

[devilscheck]

@hacksawcd sent "Do you really have to be such a tease?"

ASKBOX PALOOZA !

The words INSTANTLY put a devilish smile on her lips, the kind that just feeds into her ever present ego. With the sway of her hips and the click of her heels, Jennifer makes her way across the room with little hesitation. It's almost as though she's walking down a runway, putting on a show even though there's very few people left in the bar they were in now. Instead, she moves into the side of the booth with him, body shifting to sit on his lap with her face still looking towards his.

"You think I'm being a tease? Now you're just hurting my feelings," there's a melodramatic pout of her lips, head tilted ever so slightly so a cascade of raven locks moves with her. "If you want, I could be like... On my BEST behavior. Just for you, doctor-" her hands moved to adjust his collar with ease, still sitting comfortably where she had set herself.

[hacksawcd]

Lawrence makes a quiet sound of surprised protest when Jennifer slides into his lap, but accepts the sudden closeness with only a long-suffering, disgruntled expression and small shift of his right leg to accommodate her and the added pressure against his prosthesis. He gives no further complaint or fanfare. Doing otherwise would inevitably lead to a scene being caused, or so Lawrence imagines, and he is perpetually too exhausted for all that.

"Oh, I rather doubt that." Lawrence counters the pouty accusation conversationally, not at all buying that he'd even put a scratch on the young woman's pride with his off-handed remark — especially when that smile she'd first given had suggested the opposite. He gives a half-frown as she fiddles with his collar, eyebrows pinching together, "And I shudder to think what your 'best behavior' entails." Lawrence comments and it isn't meant as a mean-spirited dig at her expense, just banter. "But this is serious."

[hacksawcd]

and another thing! regarding the edit i just posted ahaha, that song also gives me haunted, divorced, dilf lawrence vibes for verses where everything hit him hard and now he's a shell of trauma and eager for temporary distractions that are inevitably toxic.

the lyrics in question: Hey pretty baby can you feel that heat?, You got me twitchin to the edge of my seat, I take your hand, lead you out to the street, To tell you that your golden hair and pale blue eyelids, Make me feel like I might go wild, Cheetah print makes me a liar, So I tell you I just like you for your smile

and

I'm all talk with a thorn in my side, I've got a real big heart that I'm willing to hide, You asked me, "What do I think of life?, I said "Baby, not much, I wanna die"

come ooonnnn!!!

[hacksawcd]

𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 3/? Dead Inside by Younger Hunger

cheetah print makes me a liar, so i tell you i just like you for your smile, i'm all talk with a thorn in my side, i got a real big heart that i'm willing to hide, you ask me what i want from life, i said to make a lotta money and feel dead inside

[divinetasted]

@hacksawcd 𝒉𝒂𝒔   𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅   𝒕𝒉𝒆   𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈   ―   “you’re   late.”

HE'S   QUIET   AS   HE   JUST   STARES   AT   GORDON.         dropping   his   bag   down   onto   the   nearest   chair.       ❝ Yeah,   because   I   don't   want   t'   fuckin'   be   here.   ❞       he   rolled   his   eyes   as   he   took   out   whatever   tools   he   needed   for   this   shit   show.   purposely   slamming   them   down   on   the   table.       ❝ I   have   no   fuckin'   idea   why   John   wants   me   t'   be   a   dumb   apprentice.   I   fuckin'   dont   wanna   be.   So,   I   will   keep   being   late   and   you'll   jus'   have   t'   get   ova   it.   ❞

[hacksawcd]

Lawrence glanced over and made a sound in the back of his throat that could have been anything: judgment, understanding, annoyance…maybe all were applicable. It was times like this that made him feel like John saw his so-called apprentices less as protégés and more as participants in long-term games that needed close monitoring. Tested over and over whether they realized it or not. It was not a comforting thought.

"Careful now," Lawrence urged distractedly, focused more on the mock-up sketches he was analyzing than Caleb's bluster. "Talk like that will get you a lecture about 'choice'."