[His answer comes at the end of a short, but weary sigh,] No.
[It's a duplicitous answer. It's soft when coming at the end of a breath, but beneath there lies a sharp edge to it. There is an anger inside of Philip at all times, roiling just beneath the surface. When questions like this are asked, it's difficult for some of it to not slip past his guard.]
[It's doubtful if things had gone very differently, if the ones that mattered the most to him had survived, he would have given her a different answer. Very few leaders would ever claim to be leaders. Whether it is by another person's design or there is a need, something makes them become leaders. It's not a choice anyone really makes willingly. It's always placed upon them and his circumstances were no different. Penny needed him. The people of Woodbury needed him. Meghan, Lilly, and Tara needed him. If Martinez had't been so weak, if Rick had't been such a danger, if Michonne hadn't--]
[He cuts his thoughts off there, not wanting to dwell in the past or pondering what might have been.]
[He answered her question. He's not a leader. (He doesn't want to be a leader.) That's all there is to it.]
no subject
[It's a duplicitous answer. It's soft when coming at the end of a breath, but beneath there lies a sharp edge to it. There is an anger inside of Philip at all times, roiling just beneath the surface. When questions like this are asked, it's difficult for some of it to not slip past his guard.]
[It's doubtful if things had gone very differently, if the ones that mattered the most to him had survived, he would have given her a different answer. Very few leaders would ever claim to be leaders. Whether it is by another person's design or there is a need, something makes them become leaders. It's not a choice anyone really makes willingly. It's always placed upon them and his circumstances were no different. Penny needed him. The people of Woodbury needed him. Meghan, Lilly, and Tara needed him. If Martinez had't been so weak, if Rick had't been such a danger, if Michonne hadn't--]
[He cuts his thoughts off there, not wanting to dwell in the past or pondering what might have been.]
[He answered her question. He's not a leader. (He doesn't want to be a leader.) That's all there is to it.]