[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.]
[Not just for knowing how to do magic, but being willing to teach him and honestly just being nice to him. It doesn't take all that much to give him a positive impression of someone.
As for the question he shakes his head, finishing the song.]
Surprisingly, no. It felt... Really natural, I guess? Which is not something I thought I'd ever say about doing magic.
[It's still completely surreal to talk about doing magic at all.]
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timeasmymeasure
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
Date: 2017-11-28 11:40 pm (UTC)[Not just for knowing how to do magic, but being willing to teach him and honestly just being nice to him. It doesn't take all that much to give him a positive impression of someone.
As for the question he shakes his head, finishing the song.]
Surprisingly, no. It felt... Really natural, I guess? Which is not something I thought I'd ever say about doing magic.
[It's still completely surreal to talk about doing magic at all.]