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The door to Andrew's office banged open by a hard push from the other side. There wasn't the decency of knocking or even a question for permission. Lukas stormed into the room, dragging a reluctant Alec with him by the arm.

The boy had a developing black eye on his face and his clothes were scuffed and torn. It wasn't too much of a loss, at ten, he was starting his growth spurt and would likely out grow them within a few months.

He let Alec go and he stumbled a few feet.

"What," Lukas snapped, as always in Russian, "Have you been teaching the boy?"

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Andrew glanced up from his desk, looking nonplussed. "You'll have to be more specific than that," he said calmly, in English, as always, "As I assume there's a specific thing you don't want me teaching him that you've come here to harass me about."

Edited 2012-09-07 19:39 (UTC)

"He's been stealing from the other students," Lukas said.

Alec looked back and forth between the two of them and rubbed his nose which was sore.

"Is that true, Alec?"

Say what you will about Andrew -- he gives Alec a chance to speak up in his own defense, even if the evidence seems clear.

"They left their stuff laying around." He shrugs indifferently.

"Mmhmm."

He eyes Alec thoughtfully. "And you think that I taught him to do this?" he says, directing this question at Lukas.

"You are his guardian, are you not?" He spits out the word guardian as if it was the vilest curse he knew. "I know I never taught Sasha such things."

"I am his guardian," Andrew agreed easily, moving some of the papers on his desk to the side to fold his hands together, "But your presumption that the child has no free will and is incapable of doing anything without my express teaching is unfounded at best."

Edited 2012-09-07 19:52 (UTC)

"Then where do you think he got the idea?"

"I think he may, perhaps, have misinterpreted a discussion I had with him about morality and the relativity of it."

"Do. Tell."

Alec starts to try and edge out of the room, or at least out of the way of the two arguing adults. When his godfather gives him a sharp look he stops moving.

"I attempted to explain to him that a great deal of morality is created by society in order to constrain us. He may not have understood the true meaning of that discussion, and extrapolated that I was encouraging him to behave in ways that society frowns upon."

Andrew doesn't have much use for morality, but he generally follows laws to keep himself out of trouble, even if he thinks they're ridiculous. He doesn't expect Alec to understand the difference, though.

Nope. He didn't.

"Perhaps you should have thought about that before you began your discussions about the perils of having an agreed upon set of rules so that society doesn't descend into anarchy."

"So you're under the impression I should have shielded the boy from any discussion of morality, simply because it might confuse him? I never suggested that he stop following the rules. I encouraged him to think critically about said rules, and attempt to ascertain why those rules might exist. Perhaps you're right, perhaps he was too young for such an academic discussion, but I hardly think that I've encouraged him to become a little anarchist."

"He's been stealing things. He's been in fights. He apparently told one of the teachers that he shouldn't have to say a prayer in school because religion is just made up anyway and praying to nothing was a waste of time when they could be doing other things." That one irks Lukas.

Andrew offers a slight smirk at this last comment. "The argument about religion, at the very least, I'd agree with. Prayer in school is ridiculous and outdated. Not everyone practices religion, nor should they be forced to make a spectacle of it in public, even if they do wish to pray."

For a brief moment it looks like Lukas is going to fight him about that. He hadn't been able to get Alec to come with him to church at all, which bothers him greatly. But he's not going to say that.

Alec on his side of things beams at the compliment. At least the fact that he was right according to Andrew, even if it wasn't directed at him.

"Perhaps you should work on the idea that there's a time and a place for everything and school is not one of those places where Sasha should be practicing your ideals," he says. "He listens to you as if your word was gospel."

"I should certainly hope that Sasha doesn't listen to me as though my word was gospel," Andrew says, and he genuinely seems to be telling the truth. "He should form his own opinions. I only discuss these things with him to help him form a better understanding of the world around him, and to help him reach his own choices. If all he does is parrot my beliefs, then perhaps that attempt isn't working as well as I would have hoped."

It's always sort of startling when Andrew calls him Sasha. Alec doesn't mind it, of course, it's just a bit strange.

"Apparently he has been, if what's been happening in school is any indication." Lukas also notes the use of Sasha, and represses a smirk. "But he is ten and ten year olds tend to follow examples before them as what to do. It's how children learn what's right and what's wrong."

He gives a cough and then shakes his head briefly. There's a worried look over in Alec's corner.

"But what's right and what's wrong is so subjective," Andrew argues. He's always believed it, and he won't change his beliefs just because he's raising a child.

"I would like to believe there are a few things that remain absolute."

He raises his hand and gives a slashing gesture as he speaks. Alec flinches just briefly.

"Then we'll have to agree to disagree."

Andrew's voice is firm, like he wants to hear no argument whatsoever.

"Then you aren't going to punish him stealing?"

"I'm going to talk to him about what society considers appropriate, and why it might be a good idea to avoid getting arrested or thrown out of school. He won't be repeating his actions again, I assure you."

But probably not for the reasons Lukas would want.

He has a feeling its that. There's another cough.

"You can talk to his teacher then."

"I will, of course, speak with his teacher. I've done so before."

Because Alec seems to find multiple ways to get into trouble. He frowns at Lukas' cough.

"I hope your health is all right."