[ Alice had been briefed about the new arrival; emotion augmentation was one of those tricky abilities that you never really knew what you were getting until you had it.
[He looks up with a start, then quickly composes himself. Or tries to. He's afraid he's not doing terribly well with this whole mess, even after the last few weeks to adjust to it. He still can't even tell when he's projecting, let alone what or how, and the most useful approach to preventing it seems to be to clamp down hard on his own emotions, which he's never been particularly adept at. He tries now, though, and the resulting expression is flat and closed.] Yes?
Alice Murphy? [Victor's given him at least a basic run down of some of the people he works with or is close to, and now that she's introduced herself the connection clicks. It takes him a moment longer to realize he's utterly forgotten his manners and take her hand in a quick grip.] Victor mentioned you.
[ The smile brightens. ] Good things, I hope. [ For a given value of good, at least. Victor had known her since her awkward pre-teen days, back when she'd had to wear at least several layers to keep herself from picking up on any errant thoughts.
Physical contact was still a bit iffy but she was getting better at it. ]
Anyway, I thought I should probably introduce myself since they have me assigned to your case-file.
[Nathaniel is just passing by on his way home from work. The sun has almost faded from the sky, but his senses are still on high alert, defenses stripped bare by the remaining light.
So it's not hard at all to notice the young man projecting nerves nearby. Nathaniel stops, watching curiously and drinking in the fear in the people the young man is projecting towards, unsure what to do about this discovery.]
[James hasn't been out and about in public in weeks, and it makes him more uncomfortable than he'd expected. Of course, one of the last times he was out he caused a massive brawl that sent nearly a dozen people to hospital. Unfortunately, he's made very little progress so far in even realizing when he's projecting, let alone controlling it, and he actually has no clue that the nerves he's projecting are starting to make those around him anxious and uncomfortable.]
[Clearly not, or the polite thing to do would be stop--or at least make the projection something pleasant. Nathaniel was never any good at manipulating emotions directly; he prefers the talking route.
There's no rule that says he has to start talking from directly behind the young man, but he's always been one for theatrics--and for startling people.] You look stressed. Something wrong?
[James spins around at the voice, and the anxiety he's projecting spikes rather drastically, resulting in a dropped coffee and a string of curses somewhere nearby, and a small child suddenly breaking out sobbing, which makes him realize exactly what he's done. Which... just make it worse for the moment, as guilt follows quick on the heels of anxiety and he has to stop, perfectly still, and take a half dozen slow, deep breaths to try and bring it all back under control.]
No. I'm fine. [Clearly a lie, but he's starting to manage to dial things back, expression slowly blanking as he tries to force his emotions to do the same, and he figures it will be true soon enough... and even if it's not he doesn't owe this stranger any kind of explanation.]
[Nathaniel smiles, although it has more of a predatory gleam than any real friendliness.] I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just recognized the look of a stranger in a strange land.
[And the smell of human-variant power, but let's not mention that.]
[ It's rather difficult to mistake that prickle of unease at the edge of his senses. It's significantly lessened that it would be, if he were human, but he is still very much aware of it. ]
You may want to relax a little, darling. We don't bite; unless, of course, you ask nicely.
[James manages not to jump, but only just barely, and he shoves his hands in his pockets in a rather feeble attempt to cover for it. James doesn't have a clue who the man is, of course, but he's one of the few who's been so casual with him since he fell into this bizarre distortion of a life, and so he tries on a smile in response.] So you will if I do ask nicely, then? Good to know.
[Oh jesus, it's so nice to talk to someone who's not treating him like a project or a puzzle. He'd almost forgotten what that was like the last few weeks. No one's been anything but professional and polite, of course... but that's part of the problem. They've been nothing but professional and polite. And he's been trying so hard (and with somewhat limited success) to make himself an emotional blank, to keep his anxiety and frustration and occasional fits of impotent anger from leaking all over those around him, that he'd almost forgotten what something close to normal felt like.]
I suppose I'll just have to hope I catch you in the right mood, then. [His smile's warmer and more natural this time, and the anxiety's been replaced for the moment by something more like a vague and tentative pleasure at the attention.]
[ An advantage of being what he was, perhaps. Fae and humans were a bit like apples and oranges; similar enough that most didn't notice the differences unless they knew where to look.
But, of course, James didn't know that. ]
Contrary to popular opinion, it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds.
Now, introductions; that is, I believe, the civilized thing to do. [ He extends a hand. ] Aubrey Filimor. [ He pronounces it "Fillmore". ]
Victor! [The relief at seeing him would be literally palpable if Victor weren't immune to his power, and James takes a half step towards him before stopping, not exactly sure what greeting's appropriate.] Thanks. The flight was... interesting.
[He walks over and... isn't sure what would be appropriate at the moment himself. But he gives a warm handshake and a quiet pat on the back.] Your first one? They give you first class or coach?
[James returns it, and maybe holds on just a fraction too long before dropping his hand to his sides again.] Yes. And first class, actually. They seemed to think it would be more... relaxing. Less chance for anything to go amiss. [Of course, the fact he'd been almost drugged to the gills would probably have been more than sufficient insurance, but better safe than sorry, he supposed. At least he'd gotten to spend the flight mostly passed out in a comfortable seat.]
[A gentle squeeze of assurance.] Of course. They can be incredibly considerate in these sorts of things. It doesn't do much for jet lag, however. Did you pick up your bags or are they sending them separately or do you want some company in getting them? [He's also now worried if the drugs are still acting in the younger man's system.]
[The feeling nervousness was there before Meggie had even gotten on the same block as him. She isn't ever a nervous person, and she won't ever truly be, so this faint knowledge it'll happen is baffling.
It's strange, and when she questions who it could be, there's a memory of a face that clicks into place, and she can remember things from his future, what it will be, what it could be. It's strange. Just from opening her mind to the impending tug of her sleeve and catching the eye of someone she doesn't know with the same rigid stance.
So she looks for him, and when he catches her eye, she makes a detour, stopping in front of him, anxiousness ebbing at her mind.]
[James takes a half step back when the girl pops up in front of him, not at all sure what to make of her. It spikes his anxiety just enough that a girl passing nearby drops the books she's carrying and starts to cry about how she's sure to fail chemistry as a friend struggles to help her pick them up. He's focused enough on the girl in front of him to not actually make the connection, though.]
[It's a shiver up Meggie's spine, and she glances over to the ready high school student. Poor girl doesn't know that studying tonight'll make the test on Monday easy. But that's not important right now. She turns back to the anxious man.]
Actually, I was hoping so. Could you... breathe? Please?
What do you mean, breathe? [Except he thinks he knows, which only makes his anxiety increase for the moment before he catches it and then... forces it all down. Or tries to. It's really a crap shoot at this point, emotional control isn't really anything he's ever worried about and sometimes, like now, the more he thinks about trying to control his emotions, or at least what he's doing with them, the harder it gets.]
Bloody fucking hell. [It's muttered under his breath.]
[She's trembling now. It's hard to stay composed, but she's managing it somehow. In an effort to ease his mind, she clears her throat and forces a smile.]
I'm not a threat, just... just concerned. I know you can control it, and you'll do fine.
[Meggie's a bleeding heart, and she can't help but worry about people. She knows their lives, or rather what they'll be come, so she knows their importance. Her old friend Victor's brother is no exception.]
Comments
She cleared her throat. ]
Mr. Silsbury?
I'm Agent Murphy; I work with your brother.
Physical contact was still a bit iffy but she was getting better at it. ]
Anyway, I thought I should probably introduce myself since they have me assigned to your case-file.
So it's not hard at all to notice the young man projecting nerves nearby. Nathaniel stops, watching curiously and drinking in the fear in the people the young man is projecting towards, unsure what to do about this discovery.]
There's no rule that says he has to start talking from directly behind the young man, but he's always been one for theatrics--and for startling people.] You look stressed. Something wrong?
No. I'm fine. [Clearly a lie, but he's starting to manage to dial things back, expression slowly blanking as he tries to force his emotions to do the same, and he figures it will be true soon enough... and even if it's not he doesn't owe this stranger any kind of explanation.]
[And the smell of human-variant power, but let's not mention that.]
You may want to relax a little, darling. We don't bite; unless, of course, you ask nicely.
I suppose I'll just have to hope I catch you in the right mood, then. [His smile's warmer and more natural this time, and the anxiety's been replaced for the moment by something more like a vague and tentative pleasure at the attention.]
But, of course, James didn't know that. ]
Contrary to popular opinion, it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds.
Now, introductions; that is, I believe, the civilized thing to do. [ He extends a hand. ] Aubrey Filimor. [ He pronounces it "Fillmore". ]
Edited at 2013-01-13 03:42 am (UTC)
It's strange, and when she questions who it could be, there's a memory of a face that clicks into place, and she can remember things from his future, what it will be, what it could be. It's strange. Just from opening her mind to the impending tug of her sleeve and catching the eye of someone she doesn't know with the same rigid stance.
So she looks for him, and when he catches her eye, she makes a detour, stopping in front of him, anxiousness ebbing at her mind.]
Um, excuse me?
Can I help you?
Actually, I was hoping so. Could you... breathe? Please?
Bloody fucking hell. [It's muttered under his breath.]
I'm not a threat, just... just concerned. I know you can control it, and you'll do fine.
[Meggie's a bleeding heart, and she can't help but worry about people. She knows their lives, or rather what they'll be come, so she knows their importance. Her old friend Victor's brother is no exception.]