evocation | ⚡ hadriel

Really? You may need nerdier friends.

[Because come on, that wasn't even that--

No, wait, looking back that really was pretty nerdy. Nevermind.]

nope, you've got me covered. thanks.

I'm not sure if I should feel honoured or insulted.

Either way, I still need to return your necklace.

yeah sure
you know you don't have to bribe me with cute animals if you want to see me, right?

You know, putting it that way makes it sound really pathetic and also kind of creepy.

[He doesn't really ever have friends that he just just calls to talk to or meet up with without it being something serious or work-related, okay? This is complicated.]

you said it, not me.
i'm just messing with you.
why are you watching her fox anyway?

Because I don't know where she is, and she isn't responding to any messages. I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is someone needs to feed the fox.

[See how calm he is about this issue? He's totally calm.]

oh
are you worried?
do you want me to help you go look for her?

I appreciate the offer, but I realized she was missing a few days ago and I've looked pretty much everywhere. I've heard that sometimes people disappear for a time and then just show up again, so I'm hoping that's the case.

[In other words, yes, he's really worried but trying not to focus too much on the bad explanations for what could've happened, especially since there are some okay ones.]

okay

[Yeah, there's no way he's this calm about this.]

i'll come over in a little bit?

Okay.

[And, after a moment--]

Thank you.

sure

[And, about twenty minutes later, she shows up as promised, knocking on his door. As soon as he answers she grins at him.]

So where's this cute fox?

[If he's so determined to pretend he's handling this whole thing totally fine, she's not going to push it. Yet, at least.]

[Lance has managed to get his apartment mostly in order, which really isn't that difficult since he's barely left his room except for the last few days, but Sandy's been doing her part to get into trouble and knock stuff over, steal hand towels, and just generally be adorable.

In fact, the latter two things are what she's doing right now, and Lance offers Kyna a faint smile of greeting--he's made an attempt at not appearing as terrible as he feels, but in reality he looks kind of like he's just started recovering from the flu--and gestures into the apartment. Sandy is in the living room, laying on the floor and happily gnawing on the edge of a cloth.]

She's a little shy, but friendly. It won't take her too long to warm up to you.

Oh my god.

[Kyna's going to pounce on that in a second, but first, she nudges Lance gently.]

You okay? You're not still hung over from that shitty booze, right?

No, no, god no, though that was... Really horrible.

[Not that he regrets drinking it, but wow; his statement even earns a briefly exaggerated face of disgust to punctuate it. That hangover sucked.

He shuts the door behind her, giving himself a moment to decide how truthful to be about adding anything more, before offering a small shrug and, more seriously--]

I just... Had kind of a bad couple of weeks, and I'm guessing a lot of people did. But hey, look.

[He gestures at his face; the bruising would've faded a lot by now anyway, but it's totally gone. He did, eventually, decide to give the necklace a try, and after a little trial and error figured out how to use it correctly.]

Is that why you went into hiding for so long?

[She reaches up to pat his cheek gently.]

At least you're not insanely stubborn.

I wouldn't exactly call it 'went into hiding'; was it obvious?

[He thought he was doing a good job just... Subtly quitting the clinic and then barely talking to anyone for almost two weeks. It's not like anyone seemed to notice he wasn't around, after all.

And he gives her a face for both the comment and the pat on the cheek, but allows it.]

You're the one who refused to keep your own necklace with healing powers, so I don't know who you'd be calling stubborn.

[She sticks her tongue out at him and turns her attention to the fox instead, which is probably the cutest thing she's seen in her life. Maybe if she crouches down and holds her hand out, it'll come closer.]

It was totally obvious. And I was trying to help you fix your face.

[Sandy reacts much like a puppy would, at first; she grabs up the towel in her mouth and gets ready to run, assuming she's about to lose her toy. But then, realizing that Kyna isn't making a grab for it, she drops it and then creeps toward her cautiously but curiously.

Lance watches the fox, for a moment, before looking at Kyna again.]

How have you been, since we last talked?

[He both genuinely wants to know and is providing conversation so as to put Sandy more at ease, so she'll adjust to Kyna faster.]

Um...

[Kyna's quiet for a second, wiggling her fingers experimentally. She's definitely not stalling.]

Okay, I guess. This place sucks, but that's not new.

[That's not obvious at all. Definitely not.]

Sometimes it sucks more than others.

[And if she wants to talk about it, she's welcome to. Sandy eyes the waggling fingers for a moment, before sniffing at them carefully and then deciding they were, in fact, human fingers. Imagine that.

And since humans mean petting, she lowers her head a little so her giant ears are available for such.]

[God, this is adorable. Kyna grins, scratching the fox gently behind its ears. More stalling, of course.]

I'm just sick of sitting inside and not doing anything.

[Sandy really is way cuter than she has any right to be, and now that she's decided Kyna is nice she demands all the attention.]

Yeah, the boredom problem has gotten kind of worse.

[Considering the risks of going out in the heat, the continued food shortage, and the destruction of a lot of places people worked or went to distract themselves. Not that Lance is quite to the boredom issue again himself, since he's still tempted to just return to attempting to sleep all day, but he's sure he'll get there.]

[Kyna turns, still scratching Sandy behind the ears with one hand as she pats the floor beside her with the other. Come sit with her, Lance.]

Are you sure you're okay?

[He sits down as indicated and Sandy gives him a brief look before continuing to enjoy the petting, although he's quiet several seconds as he decides how to answer. He had, genuinely, called Kyna with the intention of giving her the necklace back, but he'd be lying--poorly--if he tried to pretend he didn't also want to talk. He also wants to encourage her to do the same, because he can't imagine she's as fine as she seems to be trying to appear, and being a total hypocrite is not necessarily going to help with that.]

I'm...

[Words are difficult, at least when they're about himself.]

I'm doing better, just... Not great, I guess. And Dr. Brennan disappearing is really worrying.

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