Taken aback by Proud's sudden laughter, Ravi could only hold his position and stare and hope he hadn't just made a terrible, terrible mistake.

He hears the protests, but they register distantly; more important is the way Alex has suddenly intervened. His eyes flicker up, just long enough to get a glimpse of Alex's expression, and his own hardens. A pang of worry goes through him, adding another knot to the lump of anxiety in his stomach, and his eyes drop back to Proud, but they aren't quite focused. He adjusts his aim for Proud's center of mass.

Should he explain it? That the snakes won't come if Proud feels safe? Would saying it in front of Proud ruin the intended effect? He doesn't know--it seems like a better idea for now to let everyone hate him and to apologize and explain later. "I know what I'm doing," is the answer he gives, quiet, more certain than he actually feels. He does not know what he's doing, but he really, really hopes he isn't wrong about this.