[the response to that is utterly flat, and probably doesn't make Felix feel any better.]
Yes.
[Felix may not be following every nuance of Lan Wangji's meaning -- which can be elliptical and stated with strange sparsely-worded over-precision at the best of times. but he certainly isn't mistaken in his general read of the situation! he's getting stared at disapprovingly in public by some stranger in overly-formal getup, who talks like he thinks he's reading out of an antiquated textbook with a title like Ye Olde Weirdo Asshole's Guide To Being Judgmental. that part's pretty obvious. there are things to dislike here!
whether Lan Wangji is specifically trying to make judgments about Felix's character or just his behavior, he clearly doesn't feel hesitation about either feeling entitled to make them, or taking any care to present them in a way Felix or indeed most people would receive gracefully. it comes off as unspeakable arrogance.
it could be argued that Felix jumped with his own mockery into a situation that hadn't involved him from the beginning, and being called out on it was a natural consequence of choosing a target who'd decline to participate in the joke. but it's too late either way. there's no time to quibble over justifications now that they're both dug into the respective trenches of their mutual snit.
...for all of that, though, Lan Wangji isn't lying. his arrogance isn't the arrogance of a bully. it's just self-assurance, mixed with his own perfectionism and a sort of natural impatience without malice at everyone in the world who doesn't meet his standards. it's a category that frequently includes himself.
in other words, he truly isn't actually getting any joy out of this. it is giving him a headache.]
no subject
Yes.
[Felix may not be following every nuance of Lan Wangji's meaning -- which can be elliptical and stated with strange sparsely-worded over-precision at the best of times. but he certainly isn't mistaken in his general read of the situation! he's getting stared at disapprovingly in public by some stranger in overly-formal getup, who talks like he thinks he's reading out of an antiquated textbook with a title like Ye Olde Weirdo Asshole's Guide To Being Judgmental. that part's pretty obvious. there are things to dislike here!
whether Lan Wangji is specifically trying to make judgments about Felix's character or just his behavior, he clearly doesn't feel hesitation about either feeling entitled to make them, or taking any care to present them in a way Felix or indeed most people would receive gracefully. it comes off as unspeakable arrogance.
it could be argued that Felix jumped with his own mockery into a situation that hadn't involved him from the beginning, and being called out on it was a natural consequence of choosing a target who'd decline to participate in the joke. but it's too late either way. there's no time to quibble over justifications now that they're both dug into the respective trenches of their mutual snit.
...for all of that, though, Lan Wangji isn't lying. his arrogance isn't the arrogance of a bully. it's just self-assurance, mixed with his own perfectionism and a sort of natural impatience without malice at everyone in the world who doesn't meet his standards. it's a category that frequently includes himself.
in other words, he truly isn't actually getting any joy out of this. it is giving him a headache.]
Would prefer it to be unnecessary.