knew_anyway | Thirteenth Summoning [Accidental Video] || Overworked and Underpaid

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Thirteenth Summoning [Accidental Video] || Overworked and Underpaid

[The feed clicks on to show Nat in his study- but unlike his public addresses, he's not sitting calmly at his desk, or even looking at the camera. Instead, he has his back to the device, reaching up to get a book from his top shelf.

His study is nothing short of painfully organized chaos. Stacks of books and loose papers seem to reach the ceiling. His walls are covered with chalk marks, very few of which are English. He has Japanese characters, foreign words, and even a hieroglyph or two- and of course, lots and lots of Latin interspersed, with dark, angry lines connecting words together or crossing sentences out entirely.

It looks very much like he's lost it, especially as he opens the book he'd just gotten, turning slightly so his face is profile to the camera. He hasn't slept in days, his hair is messy from the times he's ran his fingers through it, his shirt is untucked, tie loosened.

With a negative mutter, Nathaniel snaps the book shut and turns to cross out another line of foreign writing, letting the book drop to the floor by his feet in frustration.

He continues working tirelessly, unaware that he'd being recorded, until the feed shuts off.]

[[ooc: SOOOO to anyone who can speak a foreign language, the words he has written are all regarding names- names of deities in that language's culture mostly, but also little scrawls on statistics and probabilities and things relating to alternate worlds, dimension hopping, and Other Places.

I am JUST returning from being internetless as well, so all of Nat's, Rome's, and Regulus' tags will be done shortly <3 <3]]

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[She opens her mouth to argue -- because he can't know that for certain -- and her intuition is screaming at her that they're missing something -- but Rei closes it slowly, to close her eyes, to focus silently, before nodding to herself.]

-- the scientists are there because the Animus forced them out of the city. It fell to them.

[Quietly.]

[He nods.]

Did they say why?

[It's easier to focus on this. Nat can't muddle through his emotions any easier than he can fly- but this? Spirits, tactics, politics, potential danger? He was an expert at this.]

They've been trying to contact us about the Animus for months, I guess, but their communications have been down. They don't trust the Animus, for obvious reasons. I don't know how much I trust their intentions or their goals.

[She's quiet for a second or two as she keeps her eyes closed.]

I felt anxious around them.

The scientists? I don't blame you.

[He glances off.]

It's their fault that everything is this way to begin with. I don't blame the Animus for feeling anger toward them.

I don't, either.

[Finally, Rei opens her eyes, but she's staring aimlessly at the wall. For as much Rei doesn't trust the scientists, or their goals, or what they said to all of them -- and for as much as she wants to punish them for the suffering they've caused -- something keeps sticking, in her mind.

They did not refer to the Animus as spirits, or gods, or creatures.

They kept referring to them as monsters.]

I'm afraid, Nathaniel.

[She doesn't quite mean to say that, but once she does, Rei doesn't take it back. Her fingers press together tightly as she lets out a breath, before her jaw sets.]

I need to see this through until the very end. I haven't been trapped here for a year and a half at their mercy for nothing. So -- when are you doing this?

You're not giving me another choice?

[He turns back, looking at her sharply. She'd just admitted that she was afraid, he knew that- he had to quell his bitterness and let it go. But still, her insistence to come along could complicate things, even if she did help him with the summoning.]

-I haven't found out its name yet. I won't know until then.

It's a fire spirit of war.

[Even stare.

She's going.]

[He stares at her right back for a moment, before shaking his head.]

Fine. But we need ground rules. This isn't some pompous djinn.

Lay it on me.

[At once, without hesitation. Rei is all business.]

[He nods, meeting her eyes, utterly serious.]

You are not to speak to it. You are not to step outside of your circle. And if I tell you to do anything, it must be obeyed. Do you understand?

[She's quiet, expecting the rules, though Rei narrows her eyes slightly at it must be obeyed. Was he honestly giving her an order? Who did he think she was, an idiot? But she holds her tongue, because she is in no position to argue with him, and though she doesn't necessarily look happy about it, Rei nods slowly, to accept the terms.]

Look, [he totally senses her apprehension] I'm trying to- I want to make this as easy and painless as possible. I don't... I don't want you to get hurt. As much as you are an expert on your element, nobody in this city knows as much about this method of summoning as I do. In order for me to feel like you can safely be there, you have to agree that you'll listen to me.

[His previous anger forgotten, Nathaniel is almost- pleading now.]

I can protect you to the fullest extent of my abilities if you do. Anything that harms you would have to go through me first.

[Nathaniel's eyes lower for a moment, and he reaches out, as if to touch her cheek, but loses his nerve halfway through, and merely brushes his fingers along her shoulder.]

-and I want it to be that way. Those are my conditions.

[Rei is quiet, but carefully leans into the touch on her shoulder, before she sucks in a breath to look up at him, frowning.]

I agreed, didn't I?

[She still didn't look happy about it. But Rei's word was her word. She wouldn't break it, for however unhappy it made her. And the last summoning had gone well -- so there was no reason for her to be overly worried. Right?]

I know. You just don't look- pleased.

[He sighs, letting his hand fall back to his side but not quite pulling back.]

I'm trying to explain myself.

Of course I'm not pleased. I don't want anyone to get hurt protecting me. Protecting people is my job, not the other way around.

[And Rei pushes herself up to stand, crossing her arms in front of her, to look up at him properly.]

But they're your rules, and if these are your rules, then I'll accept them.

[Rei purses her lips together slightly.]

I understand them, anyway.

Thank you. It means a lot to me.

[He smiles, a little crookedly, looking down toward the floorboards and rubbing at the back of his neck.]

You don't- always have to be a soldier. I know it's a role, and it's an important one, and one that you will always carry with you, but it's not... everything that you are. Maybe- [He's starting to flush now, oh boy.] -maybe when this is over, you can show me a different part of you.

[She blinks once or twice before arching her eyebrows at the blushing... and Rei offers a lopsided grin.]

Yeah? Like what?

[She's deliberately torturing him, now.]

I just...

[He takes a small step back. Go ahead Nat, deep breath, man up, tell her-]

-I'm attracted to you.

[ -- okay, give her a moment to process that, as she stares at him a little, clearly... not expecting that piece of information to come out of her blatant trolling -- ]

Why?

[She doesn't mean to sound so -- guarded, but she sounds quietly curious, watching him intently, to gauge his reactions. His intentions.

The last person Rei gave her heart to sort of broke it. And while part of her is positively elated, the nasty pragmatic part of her is whispering to tread carefully.]

I know it may come as a surprise. Rest assured, I was not expecting it either.

[He straightens his shirt a bit, takes another deep breath.]

But you are- rather beautiful. And I admire your courage and strength of character. [And she reminds him eerily of Kitty which, while that might have been a bad reason, was still very prevalent in his mind.] I understand if you don't want to persue- being with me, but I thought you should know. Before the summoning, just in case-

[Rei is silent, watching him carefully as he talks. He's not lying. He seems entirely genuine. And the more he talks, the less Rei actually listens, because having someone pick her before any other girl available is something new and almost foreign and the last relationship she had ended horrifically and he left Adstringendum before Rei could possibly begin to fix it, so, really, it isn't that smart to put herself in that position again, because it can only lead to disappointment --

She steps forward suddenly to stand on her toes to press her lips against his, in a simple sweet kiss, before she lowers herself back down to the ground, hands still on his shirt, before she speaks quietly.]

Stop talking like this is a suicide mission.

-- please.

[He doesn't respond to the kiss- remains frozen, still, his shoulders tense. After she pulls away, he brings his fingers up, gently brushing the tips of them against his lips. Soft, still. He'd never been kissed before. Never even got close. He felt electric- slowly his body worked its way back into function, and his eyes widened and he dragged in a slow and shaky breath.]

Yes- I mean, no. I won't. I'll stop, I mean.

[A suicide mission? The Animus were nothing. Right thèn, he helt like he could fly.]

[There's a slow smile before Rei grins a little, putting her hands back at her sides before she glances at the floor, her cheeks pink.]

You probably should. It doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence.

I don't date guys without a lot of confidence.

I'll-

[He blinks.]

That- does that mean you'll be with me?

[Rei pauses before she looks up at him, almost incredulous.]

No, I kissed you because I was bored.

[Honestly, Nathaniel, what kind of question is that. 8|]

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