lifetothefullest | [IC Inbox]

[ Wash doesn't get the reference, but it's obvious enough from the name that it's a serial killer. The sort of person that kind of agency would be after. ]

Does it count as PR if you make it all up?

[ He considers the question. What's the most important aspect? ]

Psychology.

[Kyna grins.]

No, I'm pretty sure that makes it bullshit. Sorry, Lance.

[Lance rolls his eyes and makes an exaggerated 'ugh' of disappointment, but then goes serious a moment later. Fortunately enough, he's been asked the same question Washington asked a few times now, so he's found a way to answer that is truthful but avoids going into anything too personal.]

I wanted to do something that would help people. There were a few different careers I considered, such as being a medical doctor, but I decided I wanted to work with people on a more personal level and psychology seemed like a good choice.

[ That's the ideal answer, isn't it? Wanting to help people. Wash's eyes narrow a little, studying Lance. That's probably not all there is to it, but he shouldn't jump to anything malicious. Even if his personal experience with shrinks has been terrible. ]

And you're keeping it up here, huh?

[ He glances to Kyna, then. ]

Is that how you two met?

What do you mean? Like, I asked him to be my therapist or something?

[She shakes her head.]

We were talking about enchantment magic, I think.

Even if we had met for counseling, I wouldn't be able to tell you.

[Lance adds it slightly pointedly, in response to the studying.]

But yes, Kyna is correct; we were discussing the effects of magical or supernatural compulsions, in regard to the gods' events and whether it's reasonable to expect people to recognize and resist them.

[Which is a topic Lance is still quietly angry about, but he tries to ignore that for the moment.]

I continue to offer counseling here both because it's something that many here need, and because there's no one else here that's qualified and willing to do so.

Oh. Right. Patient confidentiality? Not really a thing I'm used to.

[ Everything he ever said to counselors or doctors went into his file, visible by higher ups. He signed his right to privacy away when he joined the military in the first place, and Freelancer? Well, they went digging. Picked him apart for a profile.

But the compulsion thing is interesting. ]

Is it reasonable?

Uh... Not really. I mean, I guess it depends. Harlan doesn't think whatever's making us do shit here is the same as enchantment magic anyway, but...

[She shrugs.]

I got charmed by a vampire on a job once, right? I'm pretty sure the only way I got out of it is because I'm a half-elf and I know how those spells work. Mostly. I almost totally fucked our team over before I snapped out of it.

[He nods at the question about confidentiality, then listens to Kyna's response; it's still reassuring that she agrees on this, and between her and Brennan he feels a lot more confident his own assessment.]

It's either some sort of magic, or they're altering or otherwise affecting our brain chemistry in order to create the mental effects. Whichever it is, it's the result of an outside influence, and expecting people to simply will themselves out of it is not realistic.

[And it puts the blame on the person affected instead of the beings responsible, which is something Lance really dislikes.]

Even if it were some sort of internal process, it's still very close to telling someone they should will themselves not to be depressed or anxious, which is unreasonable at best and actively harmful at worst.

[ Wash frowns a little -- his world doesn't have magic so it's hard for him to imagine what that would feel like, but chemical imbalances he knows a bit about. Even if that's not what caused his mental health issues, he's struggled enough to understand you can't just will yourself better. ]

And that kind of thing happens a lot here?

[ He hasn't experienced it yet, but it sounds like it could easily be as bad as getting taken by the Null was. So. That's fun. ]

[Kyna just shrugs and looks over at Lance. He's been here longer.]

According to the history that Mello compiled, it used to happen more, but yes. It's occurred at least a few times since I've been here.

...do they make us hurt each other?

Um... I don't think they do. They haven't since I got here.

Not since I've been here either, but apparently they used to.

[ Then it's better than the Null. Hopefully. Since now he's gonna be braced for this sort of thing to happen again. ]

Hmm. It's probably wishful thinking to think they figured out it was wrong.

[Kyna leans into Wash gently.]

Maybe they've finally learned some fucking control.

[Lance thinks it's probably a lot more likely that the gods just decided it wasn't worth wasting Hope's energy having to people back, but decides not to say that. It's not like it'll serve any beneficial purpose for him to mention it.

Instead he watches Kyna lean against Washington, and asks a question instead.]

So how did you two meet anyway?

[ Kyna leans against his side, probably having an idea of what he's thinking, and Wash decides it's alright to slip his arm around her. If it makes Lance uncomfortable, that's his problem. ]

Kyna's a bully with no self preservation instinct. [ Okay, he can be a little more specific. ] I was outside the Speakeasy, trying to decide if it was safe to go in, and she came up to try and convince me. It didn't actually work.

Hey!

[That's rude.]

No, he was standing outside the Speakeasy in his armor, just staring at the place, and I asked him if he was gonna go in or stand outside all night. And then I sort of hid him from Ephemera.

[Lance doesn't care in the slightest about displays of affection, so although he notes it he doesn't think anything of it and won't unless he has reason to believe there's something to it besides the obvious.

But his gaze flickers briefly toward Kyna at the mention of Ephemera, not sure if he should make any mention in front of Washington that Lance knows him, and decides to hold off on that for now. He can comment on a different part of the response for now.]

What was making you so unsure about the Speakeasy?

[He's genuinely curious, considering Lance now avoids the place for a few reasons himself.]

I wasn't staring, I was considering. And the first thing you did was talk me into taking my helmet off.

[ He doesn't argue that she protected him, though. ]

...I was unsure about everything. I'd only been around a few days, and had already been attacked twice. Going into a crowd of potential enemies, even still armored, seemed like a bad plan.

[Kyna shrugs. She did do that.]

You're welcome.

[Lance watches that interaction with faint amusement, observing body language and tone more than listening to what they're actually saying, but he's still aware of the latter.]

You weren't wrong. It's not always the most peaceful place.

[There might be the faintest hint of bitterness in his voice as he says it, because he had a particularly bad experience there is also not a huge fan of the owner.]

But then again, nowhere here really is.

[ They're still cuddling and their voices are mild despite sort of bickering, Wash's tone at least obviously fond. ]

Anyway, she made a really questionable decision and let me crash with her so I didn't get set on fire again.

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