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[tongueamok]

Hello, this is Carlisle. I mean, it's not Carlisle as in I'm actually answering you right now, so if you're trying to reply to me at the second, you should probably save your breath because I'm not really here. This is some kind of a recording of my voice, but this is my communicator. I'm going to assume these devices are as common here as they are in other places — not my world, but others, ones more technologically advanced than where I come from— so if you'd like to leave me a message, then you may do so here, or er... Right. Here is fine. So just leave yo— [beep]

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[tongueamok]

I will be fine, I assure you.

[He says that with a disingenuous smile and a vague sort of gesture with his hand, numb and trembling.]

[circumitus]

[It's obvious just from his shaky gesture that he isn't as "fine" as he says he is.]

Don't bullshit a bullshitter. [Because that line of reasoning is one she uses all the time. Even if it rarely works.] You look about as fine as a Chihuahua in New Brunswick.

[Not that. Carlisle will get what she just said, fff.]

[tongueamok]

[Absolutely not, if the confused look he gives her says anything.]

As fine as... I'm sorry, a what?

[circumitus]

[Bluntly:] You look like shit.

[To say the least.]

[tongueamok]

[He rolls his eyes. He should have known.]

Says someone who had her organs nearly falling out of her not half an hour ago.

[Knowing she's not going to just let him sit there and not wanting to seem entirely helpless, he sighs and pushes himself to his feet again. His legs are functioning, but still mostly numb, with every step like a thousand needles running through his veins. He grits his teeth and leans against a nearby desk, trying not to look as shit as she indicated.

He's not doing so great.]

[circumitus]

[He definitely is not doing so great, from where Rey is standing.

[And she stands when he does, able to determine that neither of them should be on their feet at this time. But Carlisle seems more indignant about that fact as she is stubborn about it.

[Which is why Rey makes her way towards him, reaching out from under the blanket to place a hand on his shoulder. Push him back down.]

Didn't mean any offense. Just worried, is all.

[tongueamok]

[His legs offer no resistance as she puts pressure on his shoulder, and down he goes back into the chair. His face screws up as he grinds his teeth together, his fingers curling as he spits out words.]

Stop stop stop stop! I'm not offe— [Another hiss.] —ffended, just not- not wanting to ssssssssssuffer the indignity of having Glacius come and 'pick me up.'

[And he means that literally.]

[circumitus]

Yes, well. Fuck your indignity and stay put until you're well enough to walk on you own. Or else I, someone who had organs nearly falling out a half hour ago, will pick you up personally.

[She can't help but sound a like more like-human than her monotone normally suggests when she says this.]

[tongueamok]

[He does his very best not to give her a scathing look for throwing his own remark back at him.]

It- it might be a little while, is all. Until I can do that. And I'd rather you not have to wait here the entire time.

[He just got done with those amends, Rey.]

[circumitus]

Too bad for you, then. Because am not going anywhere anytime soon, either.

[She may be doing significantly better than when Carlisle first arrived, but she is far from in mint condition to hoof it all the way back home herself.]

[tongueamok]

[Stubborn thing. She might give Kate a run for her money in that department.]

You said you were fine enough. You could leave if you wanted. I'll not be lonely, if that's what you're worried about.

[circumitus]

Hardly.

[Yes, she did say that she was fine enough, and she could probably walk on her own now if she needed to. The problem is that Carlisle just seems too hopeless to look after himself.

[Plus, there is another problem:] Don't want to be seen looking like this while people are likely around, dealing with the damage control after what happened.

[She hasn't even had the chance to change back into her regular clothes, given the state she was just in.]

[tongueamok]

Ah. I was not aware you were so modest.

[He wouldn't want to be seen looking like he is currently either, after all. Of course, Rey seems to have an aversion to sleeves, and Carlisle is never seen with any less than two layers of clothing -- they are very different people, and so may be the circumstances.]

Or are you avoiding worrying someone as well?

[circumitus]

That would be more likely than being coy.

[It isn't like you had much modesty in most military factions, no matter which country she was in.]

Wasn't "supposed" to be there. Am sticking to that story. [Wouldn't want anyone to let slip what she can really do to Sato, after all.]

[tongueamok]

[Largely unaware of her involvement with the Guard or the majority of what was going on, he misinterprets that statement.]

Who is it? That you're worried about worrying?

[circumitus]

Roommate. Friends.

[Pause.]

Family.

[tongueamok]

You mean Mister Prochainezo?

[circumitus]

Sure.

[So helpful.]

He wouldn't be the only one unhappy about what happened, though.

[tongueamok]

Right. Didn't assume you'd have only one person here to care about you.

[circumitus]

Of course you didn't.

[No, she really doesn't think that.]

Am assuming that Glacius is someone important to you, though? [Shit, it doesn't take a genius to piece that together. From how Carlisle panicked over his safety to the sureness that he would be "picked up" by the alien.]

[tongueamok]

[... He might have actually thought that. It's hard to tell with Rey and her sparkling personality.]

We live together -- I mean, he's my roommate. We just, ah. Just moved in. I did, with him, not the other way around.

[Why use three words when you can use twenty-three?]

[circumitus]

[To be fair, she doesn't make it easy for people to tell one way or another. She has no one but herself to blame for that.]

...

You could've just said that you live together.

[Says 'She of Few Words, Usually'.]

[tongueamok]

Well, you assumed he was important to me, which he is. I just thought that required some clarification.

[It didn't.]

I'd just rather not worry him by having him come all the way out here to cart me home.

[circumitus]

...It didn't.

[That isn't Rey reading bracket text, that's just Rey.]

And if he cares, he's going to worry anyway. No matter what. We're not exactly living in a sanctuary of safety.

[tongueamok]

Apparently not, with monsters and demons and vampires running amok.

[Rey does have a point, though. Even if Carlisle was in the bastion of safety, Glacius would probably find something to worry about. He knows he would.]