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.]
[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.]
[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.]
[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.
I spoke to her around the same time I talked to you, and he was already gone by then. But his name is off the contact list, so she thought he might've gone back to his world.
[Brennan's name, however, is still present, which is both good and bad. Good that she isn't gone, and bad that she's disappeared without explanation and without having returned home.
Sandy, meanwhile, is ignoring all the concern and just making cute happy fox noises.]
Maybe. That would probably be the least worrying explanation.
[As opposed to her being lost somewhere here, or injured and unable to contact anyone, or something like that.]
Whatever is going on, I just hope she's okay. She's been in some really dangerous places and situations before, so she can probably handle anything, but...
[He's often at freak out levels three through five at any given time, so although it does sound bad--and certainly isn't great--it's not necessarily as big a jump as it might seem.]
Part of me does, but I don't think there's a point. It's also potentially dangerous, with the heat.
[So he's trying to convince himself not to do it, and not putting Kyna at unnecessary risk helps with that. Besides, he genuinely knows that he's looked pretty much everywhere that wouldn't involve just choosing a direction and walking at random out of the city.
So he's quiet a few more seconds before suddenly remembering one of the main points of call her, and pulls her necklace out of the pocket of his hoodie.]
[The hug doesn't really surprise him this time and so he's less stiff about it, and awkward or not it's appreciated; so is the reassurance, even if he wants to believe that isn't the explanation of what's happened. Sandy, on the other hand, does not appreciate being put down, and gives a squeak of indignation before grabbing her dish towel and running off to chew on it some more.]
Thanks. I hope it doesn't come to that, but you're right.
[And that gives him good opportunity to ask--]
How have you been doing, with that?
[Specifically dying, and coming back without her magic. He can't imagine she's handling it as well as she's been seeming to, but it's always possible; still, if not, she should have a chance to talk about it.[
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[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.
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It was totally obvious. And I was trying to help you fix your face.
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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.]
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[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.
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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.]
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I'm just sick of sitting inside and not doing anything.
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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.]
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Are you sure you're okay?
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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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How was she doing the last time you saw her?
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She was fine; worried about one the kids here who seemed to have also disappeared, but otherwise okay. She made it through the Null attack unharmed.
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What kid?
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I haven't met him, but she said his name was Bill. He was from the same world as Richie and Eddie.
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[Brennan's name, however, is still present, which is both good and bad. Good that she isn't gone, and bad that she's disappeared without explanation and without having returned home.
Sandy, meanwhile, is ignoring all the concern and just making cute happy fox noises.]
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Is that what usually happens? Their name comes off the contact list?
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[As opposed to her being lost somewhere here, or injured and unable to contact anyone, or something like that.]
Whatever is going on, I just hope she's okay. She's been in some really dangerous places and situations before, so she can probably handle anything, but...
[It's difficult not to worry.]
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Are you sure you don't want to look?
[Because if he's just looking for someone to hang out with him and play distraction, she can do that, too.]
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Part of me does, but I don't think there's a point. It's also potentially dangerous, with the heat.
[So he's trying to convince himself not to do it, and not putting Kyna at unnecessary risk helps with that. Besides, he genuinely knows that he's looked pretty much everywhere that wouldn't involve just choosing a direction and walking at random out of the city.
So he's quiet a few more seconds before suddenly remembering one of the main points of call her, and pulls her necklace out of the pocket of his hoodie.]
Here, while I'm thinking about it.
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Thanks.
[And then she sets the fox down and turns slightly to hug him. It's a little awkward from the side, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?]
If something... you know, happens, she'll come back.
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Thanks. I hope it doesn't come to that, but you're right.
[And that gives him good opportunity to ask--]
How have you been doing, with that?
[Specifically dying, and coming back without her magic. He can't imagine she's handling it as well as she's been seeming to, but it's always possible; still, if not, she should have a chance to talk about it.[
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