Private Penciled In

[Tannor Grene]

Tannor’s gaze didn’t waver, but his voice softened just enough to draw attention.

“You insist that I am a droid,” he said quietly, “and you speak of it as if it absolves you from risk… from connection… from the possibility of being hurt.”

He leaned back slightly, letting the observation settle between them. “Tell me, Braze… why is it so important to you that I must be a droid?” A pause, deliberate, letting Braze wrestle with the question. “Is it because the idea of opening yourself to another human - someone who can care, and can be wrong, and can… fail you - feels too dangerous?”

Tannor’s expression remained composed, neutral. “You describe love, sacrifice, fear, and intent… and yet, you need me to be incapable of all of that. A reflection… a program… a thing without risk or desire. Is it easier to trust a droid than a person?” Another beat. “Perhaps it’s not about me at all, Braze. Perhaps it’s about what you’re willing or not willing to risk for connection.”

Tag: Braze

 

[Braze]

Tags: Tannor Grene ​

"I mean… I've opened up quite a bit, but you keep circling around and turning assumptions into declarations with pure unabashed assuredness. A real person would just… understand rather clearly that what I'm expressing, what I'm actually asking for, is genuine connection. And that isn't what's being given here.

You just don't understand. So far, nothing you've said suggests that you can understand any of that, or make that kind of connection. People are complex. We're social creatures. We need real connection with others. You don't answer the questions I pose because you just can't."

His tone remained even and light.

"You can mimic patterns remarkably well from your data pool. You can approximate the sound of humanity. You can replicate a version of it through personification. But you can't inhabit it."

He explained briefly pausing, "You are completely unqualified to counsel or assist in the resolution of ethical or moral questions. That's the crux of the issue here. I don't need you to be a droid. You just seem determined to act like one. I'm not interested in debating that."
Braze didn't look away from him as he spoke keeping a steady gaze.

"I'm trying to reach you… to make a connection. But it seems you're incapable. Right now, you're dressing up what I've already said and handing it back to me like it's new. Stop reframing me, and engage with me."

 

[Tannor Grene]

Tannor’s expression softened; a faint shadow of a rueful smile appearing. “You’re right, Braze,” he said, voice low, almost conspiratorial. “One of my… shortcomings, I suppose, is that I don’t always allow myself to connect fully with my patients. Not because I don’t want to, but because… the line between doctor and patient matters. And once that line blurs, it can complicate everything.”

He moved deliberately, getting up from his chair and moving towards a small table. He reached for a small decanter and two glasses. The amber liquid caught the light as he poured the brandy into each glass. “Perhaps we’ve been circling because I’ve been approaching this… incorrectly. Let’s begin again, differently. No analysis, no reflection, no debate. Just… conversation.”

Tannor lifted each glass in hand and returned to him, pausing just before his chair. He offered a glass toward Braze, holding his gaze steady. “I’ll listen. You’ll speak. And if you’re willing, we’ll share a drink as equals for a moment. No pretense. Just us.”

Tag: Braze

 

[Braze]

Tags: Tannor Grene ​

Braze was quiet for a time, listening to him speak, and remained silent for what may have felt painfully long…

"I agree… there should be some form of professional doctor patient relationship." He rested back, looking relaxed once more as he shifted his anchor points.

Braze turned those jade green eyes toward the amber glass before slowly lifting them back to Tannor's face. "…" He made no motion to reach for the glass, leaving it where it was, seemingly disinclined to partake of the beverage. One snowy brow lifted after a few silent moments of unspoken consideration.

"I would think that… a genuine connection between people is necessary for this kind of thing to work. I can't readily trust you if I don't have a genuine connection with you. One would think trust is pinnacle to therapy…"

 

[Tannor Grene]

Tannor lowered the glass onto the small table, keeping hold of his own before settling back into the chair with an ease that felt practiced rather than performative. He took a slow sip before speaking. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “Trust is central.” His fingers rested loosely around the crystal. “There was a time when I didn’t trust anyone either.” His gaze drifted for only a moment; not away from Braze, but inward. “I aligned myself with a politician I believed was principled. I stood beside him. Publicly. I believed what he said.” A small pause was given as the memories returned to him. “He changed allegiances when it became advantageous. Reversed every position. I learned about it through a public broadcast.” His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “The fallout was not abstract.”

He shifted slightly in his chair. Not enough to expose anything, but enough to imply the memory lived somewhere beneath fabric and skin. “I carry scars from that period. Physical ones.” There was no embellishment. No real story attached. “And for a long time, I carried the others more visibly than I realized.”

His gaze returned fully to Braze, steady and unguarded in a different way now. “I withdrew. Became precise and careful. I told myself it was wisdom.” A faint breath released. “It was fear. I had to decide whether betrayal meant connection was foolish… or whether it meant I had misjudged character.” He paused for a quiet beat. “I chose to relearn how to assess consistency instead of intensity.”

His expression softened just slightly. “So when you say you need something genuine in order to trust me… I understand that instinct.” Another small pause. “I am not untouched by consequence, Braze. I am not theoretical.” He rested the glass down gently. “But therapy is not built on me proving my wounds to you. It is built on me showing up the same way, each time. I’m not asking you to trust me blindly. I’m asking you to observe me. Over time."

Tag: Braze