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[ her conversation with alex had her thinking, and — it's not her place, it isn't her place at all, but still. ]
Mr Lehnsherr.
Mr Lehnsherr.
[ The response isn't immediate. There's a five or ten second delay while he steps out or remembers where he put the device or decides whether or not to answer it at all. ]
Speaking.
Speaking.
Edited 2014-01-11 18:53 (UTC)
It's Anderson— [ at least he's answering. ] I was wondering if you'd tell me about your history with Charles Xavier and Alex Summers.
[ she knows alex' perspective on things, or bits and pieces that have come up when he'd thought about it. ]
[ she knows alex' perspective on things, or bits and pieces that have come up when he'd thought about it. ]
[ Again, there is a pause.
This time she can hear the rush of air that accompanies a sigh. Cloth rustling against cotton when he rolls slowly over onto his side. ]
...Didn't we already discuss this?
This time she can hear the rush of air that accompanies a sigh. Cloth rustling against cotton when he rolls slowly over onto his side. ]
...Didn't we already discuss this?
Edited 2014-01-12 01:01 (UTC)
We [ most emphatically ] did not.
[ she doesn't want to know about him lying in bed or elsewhere. at least he is still talking rather than having hung up immediately. ]
I'd like to know.
[ she doesn't want to know about him lying in bed or elsewhere. at least he is still talking rather than having hung up immediately. ]
I'd like to know.
[ Erik was on his way to being pretty drunk when last they spoke. Trying to remember only does him so much good -- he had other (even more) uncomfortable conversations that night.
So there is no disagreement, save what takes the form of further silence.
And more rustling. Abruptly, it gives way to open air. ]
It’s personal,
[ he says, after sufficient delay. ]
As a telepath, I realize that must be hard for you to understand -=
So there is no disagreement, save what takes the form of further silence.
And more rustling. Abruptly, it gives way to open air. ]
It’s personal,
[ he says, after sufficient delay. ]
As a telepath, I realize that must be hard for you to understand -=
Edited (formatting forever) 2014-01-12 16:26 (UTC)
Alex is my friend.
[ and in many ways, she feels protective of him. and it still isn't her place, she has no right to ask for any of this, but it's an explanation as to why she's asking anyway. ]
I'd like to hear your side of it.
[ and in many ways, she feels protective of him. and it still isn't her place, she has no right to ask for any of this, but it's an explanation as to why she's asking anyway. ]
I'd like to hear your side of it.
Because you're curious,
[ he doesn't quite give her enough time to answer, ]
or because you require all of the information before rendering judgment.
[ he doesn't quite give her enough time to answer, ]
or because you require all of the information before rendering judgment.
Edited 2014-01-12 17:39 (UTC)
[ alex' words come to mind — she isn't a judge here, but everyone judges people all the time. anderson isn't different; she just doesn't act on her judgments the way she would have back in mega city one. ]
A little of both.
A little of both.
What do you expect me to say?
[ Metal over ice, unpleasant questions glissade back over the line with minimal friction. Irritation catches here and there in his voice while he goes about his routine, but without visual or telepathic input, its source is difficult to discern. ]
[ Metal over ice, unpleasant questions glissade back over the line with minimal friction. Irritation catches here and there in his voice while he goes about his routine, but without visual or telepathic input, its source is difficult to discern. ]
What would it take, you think, for you and Charles to put aside your differences?
[ maybe this is easier; he wasn't exactly comfortable being around a telepath. ]
[ maybe this is easier; he wasn't exactly comfortable being around a telepath. ]
Why that? [ she can't look into his head to get context for this, so she'll ask. the old-fashioned way. ]
[ Silence. ]
His tolerance is remarkable for a man of his conformation.
[ Is that an insult? It sounds like an insult. Cassandra may recognize the sound of a door opening at nanite’s behest. Bare feet echoing off of cold metal. A shiver in his breath. ]
His tolerance is remarkable for a man of his conformation.
[ Is that an insult? It sounds like an insult. Cassandra may recognize the sound of a door opening at nanite’s behest. Bare feet echoing off of cold metal. A shiver in his breath. ]
[ he can't see the way her eyebrows lift. ]
You're talking about alcohol. [ 'shots' makes her think of weapons. ]
You're talking about alcohol. [ 'shots' makes her think of weapons. ]
Yes.
Almost as if our unique universes and experiences make us ill-equipped to arbitrate each other’s personal relationships.
Independently of that, [ he flattens his hand across a new door and is nearly relieved to find little change in temperature in the cold air on the other side. Still. He’s slow to step through. Wary. A light flickers and blots dark behind his head. ]
it only
takes
one.
Almost as if our unique universes and experiences make us ill-equipped to arbitrate each other’s personal relationships.
Independently of that, [ he flattens his hand across a new door and is nearly relieved to find little change in temperature in the cold air on the other side. Still. He’s slow to step through. Wary. A light flickers and blots dark behind his head. ]
it only
takes
one.
Our unique universes and experiences make communication all the more important. [ disagreement, not quite a rebuke; her tone neutral but firm. ]
He is alive. [ the implication being that it can't have been a very well-aimed bullet. ]
Did you shoot him?
He is alive. [ the implication being that it can't have been a very well-aimed bullet. ]
Did you shoot him?
Not exactly.
[ No elaboration is immediately forthcoming. ]
Will you hold for a moment.
[ He isn’t asking. There’s a solid clack. The sort of clack a device like the one she’s speaking into would make if she set it down. ]
[ No elaboration is immediately forthcoming. ]
Will you hold for a moment.
[ He isn’t asking. There’s a solid clack. The sort of clack a device like the one she’s speaking into would make if she set it down. ]
[ not exactly — he must know that she wants an explanation of that.
'hold' isn't hanging up, though, and so she waits. ]
'hold' isn't hanging up, though, and so she waits. ]
[ Seconds pass. A cyclonic rush of air and water in the middle distance sounds --
like a urinal flushing.
Yes definitely flushing.
Confirmation comes in a squeak and static sizzle when a nearby faucet is sprung to life by an invisible hand. Erik washes his. There are various clicks, ticks and snaps in the ensuing span of non-conversation. ]
Still there?
like a urinal flushing.
Yes definitely flushing.
Confirmation comes in a squeak and static sizzle when a nearby faucet is sprung to life by an invisible hand. Erik washes his. There are various clicks, ticks and snaps in the ensuing span of non-conversation. ]
Still there?
Yes.
[ the answer comes immediately and with barely any inflection. she recognises the sounds of flushing, thank you — but it still does not reach the levels of the mind games kay played with her. ]
[ the answer comes immediately and with barely any inflection. she recognises the sounds of flushing, thank you — but it still does not reach the levels of the mind games kay played with her. ]
Wunderbar, [ is heard as ‘wonderful,’ even as it leaves his teeth, courtesy of the second tattoo stamped bold into his forearm. Abruptly, the feed switches to video. Fluorescent bars of white bleach pale over a field of black; stainless steel (if it is, in fact, steel) splinters the same sterile light into dull smears round the plane of a narrow counter space.
When the feed stops its nauseous roll about the bathroom, it’s because he’s planted it on the edge of the sink at his hip.
Anderson can see herself, insofar as she is currently a blank comms device reflected in a mirror over the sink. Erik is spinning a safety razor swiftly down behind it, already lathered soapy about the jaw. Too much soap. Too careless with the razor.
It’s all a bit slapdash, really.
He’s in a hurry, eyes fixed cool on the point of the lens currently playing host to Cassandra. Please don’t hang up.
He wrings the razor back down into warm water set into the sink; lets it drop to marinate a moment longer and reaches for a towel. ]
What was the question?
When the feed stops its nauseous roll about the bathroom, it’s because he’s planted it on the edge of the sink at his hip.
Anderson can see herself, insofar as she is currently a blank comms device reflected in a mirror over the sink. Erik is spinning a safety razor swiftly down behind it, already lathered soapy about the jaw. Too much soap. Too careless with the razor.
It’s all a bit slapdash, really.
He’s in a hurry, eyes fixed cool on the point of the lens currently playing host to Cassandra. Please don’t hang up.
He wrings the razor back down into warm water set into the sink; lets it drop to marinate a moment longer and reaches for a towel. ]
What was the question?
Edited 2014-01-14 21:15 (UTC)
[ german is not a language that anderson ever had the opportunity of learning or even hearing before, but the word is close enough to the english one that she thinks she can place it.
of course, she may be wrong. (she isn't.)
maybe she shouldn't have called but come to visit him.
she still doesn't hang up. ]
How did you 'not exactly' shoot Charles Xavier?
of course, she may be wrong. (she isn't.)
maybe she shouldn't have called but come to visit him.
she still doesn't hang up. ]
How did you 'not exactly' shoot Charles Xavier?
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