[Though his encounters with the man had been long enough ago that he hadn't immediately come to mind when they had been considering possible takers for the Null's offer. In light of the recent events, however, Rosen feels a mixture of shame and foolishness for not thinking of it]
But he approached me many months ago to ask if I'd be interested in helping him destroy the Door. And that was also a plan driven by his desire to stay with Curufin. And I think its no coincidence that once Curufin's name was on the Null's list, Yukari attempted to take a victim who was also on the list.
Not to mention that Curufin's name was subsequently removed from the list.
[That's... Lance can't even start on how stupid and wrong that all is, which is probably for the best. Focusing on the practical issue is more important right now.]
He reported to the Null that he did kill someone else, which is not... Good, by any means, but at least if protecting Curufin is his motivation then he may not act again.
[As horrifying as all of that is. It's also a problem that Yukari will now probably have access to one of the weapons, whenever the Null reveal where they're hidden, but at least for now he may not be an active threat.]
Maybe. But isn't it now the case that someone may act in retaliation against his actions? We still have the chance that this might become a cycle of people who have their own 'Curufins' as it were.
[It certainly would seem that Atem had a good supply of friends. Rosen cannot speak for Yukari's other victim, however. But its not out of the realm of possibility]
That's entirely possible, and I can't say I endorse it, but it's also low on my list of concerns at the moment.
[Lance doesn't support vigilante justice, for a multitude of reasons, and murder is still murder no matter who's involved and why. But right now he doesn't at all have the mental or emotional--or physical, for that matter--energy to waste caring about what might happen to a murderer who'd try to kill a teenager.]
Well what concerns me is the possibility that if someone foolishly tries to attack Yukari and finds themselves outmatched when Yukari acts in self defense we may end up with more casualties. In my understanding, Yukari is among the stronger inhabitants of this cave.
[Lance focuses on drinking his coffee in order to avoid saying the first thing that comes to mind, which is that he doesn't really care about that right now either; sure, he does in theory, but can't muster up the emotional effort for it. If someone decides to try to get revenge and fails, then maybe they should've thought it out better.
Instead, what he actually says is much more neutral if still a little flippant.]
We'll deal with that if it happens; I doubt we've going to convince anyone set on revenge not to try it, and protecting people who aren't actively looking for trouble is somewhat more important. There are others who've said they may take the Null up on their offer, and surely more than that weren't so obvious about it, and so doing what we can to make sure they don't have any easy targets to go after is a higher priority.
[Lance just ignores that eyebrow and keeps drinking coffee, though at this rate he's going to finish it pretty quickly and run out the distraction.]
She's okay, just worried about everyone also. Yeah, she had a license to carry way before I did, and I gave her the gun I won during the paintball tournament, but she's also taken martial arts and kickboxing and who knows what else. It's a bad idea for anyone to pick a fight with or near her.
[And so he's been able to worry less about her, at least.]
[Rosen nods, though its neutral, torn between his approval that Brennan can defend herself and his disapproval of guns on the whole. But for the moment he'll content himself with the fact that she's less vulnerable for it.]
And how is that; mild annoyance and the desire to figure out how to be so unappealing during the screening process that you're eliminated from the jury pool?
[Because that's the impression Lance has gotten about how jury duty feels. He's only been called once, when he was nineteen, and it had been immediately waved due to him being a grad student at the time.
And damn, he thought he'd successfully managed to shift the conversation.]
I'm affected in that I'm one of the people able to keep guard at the clinic, which means I'm spending more time there than I usually like to, but that's about it.
[Which is... Not really true, but he's still not willing to go onto the actual problems. He brought most of them on himself anyway.]
[Lance just generally has no desire to be on any hit lists--he's already had that fun--and his particular skills and talents lend well to playing the double-agent role. It's not doing a whole lot of good, at least not so far, be he hopes that maybe he'll be able to find out something useful through it eventually.
He shakes his head at Rosen's apology, not in refusal but just that it isn't necessary.]
It's fine. I just don't want to talk about how I'm feeling, which I'm aware is ironic considering my profession, but it just...
[He shrugs again, trailing off. He's simply been navigating far too many delicate and emotionally stressful conversations with people lately, and the thought of another one--especially one about himself--is almost painful.]
[He lifts a hand as if to say 'no. I get it.' He more than gets it, given he's shunned his profession for well over 3 months now. He's impressed that Lance has lasted this long still balancing his own life with the troubles of the rest of the cave.]
Maybe a go on the piano might be relaxing?
[A little smile and a nod towards the instrument in question]
[Drinking sounds better, but he's very aware that is absolutely not the way to solve problems. And he hasn't played the piano--or done anything creative, really--in awhile, so it'll be nice, and he hesitates only briefly before going over to sit down.
He hesitates a little longer than that in choosing the song, but then he has a bit of an idea. He's not totally sure he can pull it off, but if he chooses a song he can play without too much thought, then maybe it'll work.
Lance begins a lovely but relatively simple song, and once he gets into the rhythm of it he begins concentrating on the other thing he's trying to do. It takes a moment, but then as he presses each key on the piano it lights up a soft golden color, fading out whenever he moves his fingers to a new location and reigniting there.
Clearly this is the best use for his new skill in magic, right?]
[Lee moves to settle on the couch, content to drink his coffee and listen. Though he makes a face when the keys start to light up, wrinkles in his forehead deepening as his eyes go owl-wide.]
Now thats a new trick. Unless you've been keeping that up your sleeve this whole time.
[He glances back again, raising at eyebrow in amusement at the almost childish way of reclining on the couch, but Rosen's not wrong; some frivolity is good.]
Kyna taught me. Apparently magic from her world can be taught, at least to some extent; I learned a few really basic spells, but no matter how basic they are they're really cool.
[He's utterly delighted to be able to do any sort of magic at all; even if it had done nothing he'd still think it was amazing.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 09:30 pm (UTC)[Yukari had unnerved him for a while now.]
There's a single-mindedness there that was always dangerous. In Yukari, I mean.
[He lifts the cup to his lips taking a slow sip]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 09:34 pm (UTC)[And he didn't know Rosen had, and it's worth finding out as much as he can about someone who would do something like this.]
Has he done anything before this?
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 09:44 pm (UTC)[Though his encounters with the man had been long enough ago that he hadn't immediately come to mind when they had been considering possible takers for the Null's offer. In light of the recent events, however, Rosen feels a mixture of shame and foolishness for not thinking of it]
But he approached me many months ago to ask if I'd be interested in helping him destroy the Door. And that was also a plan driven by his desire to stay with Curufin. And I think its no coincidence that once Curufin's name was on the Null's list, Yukari attempted to take a victim who was also on the list.
Not to mention that Curufin's name was subsequently removed from the list.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 09:56 pm (UTC)He reported to the Null that he did kill someone else, which is not... Good, by any means, but at least if protecting Curufin is his motivation then he may not act again.
[As horrifying as all of that is. It's also a problem that Yukari will now probably have access to one of the weapons, whenever the Null reveal where they're hidden, but at least for now he may not be an active threat.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:04 pm (UTC)[It certainly would seem that Atem had a good supply of friends. Rosen cannot speak for Yukari's other victim, however. But its not out of the realm of possibility]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:11 pm (UTC)[Lance doesn't support vigilante justice, for a multitude of reasons, and murder is still murder no matter who's involved and why. But right now he doesn't at all have the mental or emotional--or physical, for that matter--energy to waste caring about what might happen to a murderer who'd try to kill a teenager.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:29 pm (UTC)Instead, what he actually says is much more neutral if still a little flippant.]
We'll deal with that if it happens; I doubt we've going to convince anyone set on revenge not to try it, and protecting people who aren't actively looking for trouble is somewhat more important. There are others who've said they may take the Null up on their offer, and surely more than that weren't so obvious about it, and so doing what we can to make sure they don't have any easy targets to go after is a higher priority.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:39 pm (UTC)How is Dr. Brennan dealing with all of this? Is she trained with a gun like yourself?
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 10:45 pm (UTC)She's okay, just worried about everyone also. Yeah, she had a license to carry way before I did, and I gave her the gun I won during the paintball tournament, but she's also taken martial arts and kickboxing and who knows what else. It's a bad idea for anyone to pick a fight with or near her.
[And so he's been able to worry less about her, at least.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 11:03 pm (UTC)And you? How are you dealing with all of it?
[A pause]
And I don't mean 'in your professional opinion'.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 11:12 pm (UTC)[So he's not going to complain, especially not to Rosen considering he's on the hit list. Instead, he takes the opportunity to deflect--]
So really, I should be asking you that.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 11:15 pm (UTC)[He's so used to Lance dodging questions that he entirely unsurprised the conversation was turned to him]
And just because you aren't on the list doesn't mean you aren't effected in one way or another.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-09 11:21 pm (UTC)[Because that's the impression Lance has gotten about how jury duty feels. He's only been called once, when he was nineteen, and it had been immediately waved due to him being a grad student at the time.
And damn, he thought he'd successfully managed to shift the conversation.]
I'm affected in that I'm one of the people able to keep guard at the clinic, which means I'm spending more time there than I usually like to, but that's about it.
[Which is... Not really true, but he's still not willing to go onto the actual problems. He brought most of them on himself anyway.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 07:02 pm (UTC)[The look he then gives Lance is one that reads 'I don't believe you'.]
What do you think the likelihood of the Null succeeding is?
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 07:07 pm (UTC)[Because come on, who would put Brennan on a jury? Terrible idea.
And he'll just ignore that look entirely as if he didn't see it, offering a small shrug at the question.]
That depends on who joins them and just how effective the weapon is, as well as if the Null are as powerful as they claim.
[Which he has his doubts about.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 07:16 pm (UTC)[Only Lance has managed to be the clinic staff member skillful enough to avoid that trap]
That's not reassuring.
[Though he knows it wasn't supposed to be. He then relents]
I'm sorry. I know I always prod you too much.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 07:34 pm (UTC)He shakes his head at Rosen's apology, not in refusal but just that it isn't necessary.]
It's fine. I just don't want to talk about how I'm feeling, which I'm aware is ironic considering my profession, but it just...
[He shrugs again, trailing off. He's simply been navigating far too many delicate and emotionally stressful conversations with people lately, and the thought of another one--especially one about himself--is almost painful.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 10:56 pm (UTC)Maybe a go on the piano might be relaxing?
[A little smile and a nod towards the instrument in question]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-17 12:04 am (UTC)[Drinking sounds better, but he's very aware that is absolutely not the way to solve problems. And he hasn't played the piano--or done anything creative, really--in awhile, so it'll be nice, and he hesitates only briefly before going over to sit down.
He hesitates a little longer than that in choosing the song, but then he has a bit of an idea. He's not totally sure he can pull it off, but if he chooses a song he can play without too much thought, then maybe it'll work.
Lance begins a lovely but relatively simple song, and once he gets into the rhythm of it he begins concentrating on the other thing he's trying to do. It takes a moment, but then as he presses each key on the piano it lights up a soft golden color, fading out whenever he moves his fingers to a new location and reigniting there.
Clearly this is the best use for his new skill in magic, right?]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-28 09:43 pm (UTC)Now thats a new trick. Unless you've been keeping that up your sleeve this whole time.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-28 09:52 pm (UTC)It's a new one. And probably kind of a frivolous use of it, but...
[It's cool.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-28 09:58 pm (UTC)[He flops back gracelessly on the couch then, feet hanging over the arm]
Sooo are you going to tell me where you learned that?
no subject
Date: 2017-11-28 10:07 pm (UTC)Kyna taught me. Apparently magic from her world can be taught, at least to some extent; I learned a few really basic spells, but no matter how basic they are they're really cool.
[He's utterly delighted to be able to do any sort of magic at all; even if it had done nothing he'd still think it was amazing.]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-28 11:00 pm (UTC)[Lee goes thoughtful]
...I was in her dream. Erm, during that week when we were all getting thrown into each other's dreams, I mean.
[Of course. But he felt awkward not clarifying]
Was it difficult?
(no subject)
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