A Small Step

He said it so casually, made his demands sound so matter-of-factly. I don't even think they were demands, he was just asking. It was the bluntness, the inflexible hardness to his words that made it demanding, and solely due to that no one felt like contending. 

No one dumb enough anyway…

"Nick," I took back the form, took back the pen, sliding both back to my side of the desk. "Back off already."

To speak to him, I'd have to look up. To level with him face-to-face, I'd have to tiptoe. I was never more aware of his humongous stature than right there and then.

I just didn't care.

"I'll back off, once you make me back off," He replied, looking down, crouching down. "So far, nothing you've done has given me any reason to stop. I won't stop. You never do anything."