[31: video] so much for these youthful eyes to see, so much for peace and tranquility

[kindly_done]

[There's a small gathering here by the door, but that hasn't stopped Jack from getting right up next to it, his shoulder pressed against the wood. It is from this rather odd position that he decides to make his first real transmission since the fear event.]

Does anyone know where this goes?

[Locked to Elaine; difficult hack]Maybe we should have

Comments

1/2

[angel_junk]

[ The reply starts with Bhamba opening a video feed, curious about who wants to talk to him privately... ]

2/2

[angel_junk]

[ ...and shuts off when he realises the answer. ]

[locked again]

[kindly_done]

[Frustrated, flushed, and upset, Jack punches in another message, because he is nothing if not tenacious.]

Dr. Bhamba, wait. I just--I'm sorry. It was an accident. I'm so sorry.

[He settles back against the door, sucking his teeth, knowing how weak it sounds, how little it stands up against the harsh reality of having killed his friend. With a distressed little huff through his nose, he turns the feed off.]

[locked]

[angel_junk]

I...

I don't even know what I'm supposed to yell at you in a situation like that.

[ When he says it this time his tone contains neither anger nor humour, only resignation. ]

[Action]

[demiurgos_girl]

[Elaine's in the crowd as well, though obscured from Jack's view. Seeing the transmission, though, and seeing where he is, she walks away from Rei- who she just had an awkward encounter with- and taps Jack on the shoulder, smiling, but wary.]

[Action]

[kindly_done]

[He jerks around and looks up. His eyes narrow when he sees her, equally wary, and he worries his lower lip a little.]

Want to sit down?

[Action]

[demiurgos_girl]

[The narrowing of the eyes isn't an expression he usually directs toward her, so it worries her a bit.] Sure. Sorry, I didn't bring any food.

[Action]

[kindly_done]

I'll go to the kitchen later. [He frowns momentarily, struck by a nagging feeling that he doesn't want to leave the door, even if the growing crowd is making him uncomfortable, even if he's hungry.]

...What made you say it?

[40410]

[ Alex is right there in the entrance hall, though his back's against a wall some distance away from the new door, within sprinting distance of one of the regular ones. Somehow in his staring at the door his attention's never wavered to the people pressed against it, and so he hasn't spotted Jack. But he does notice when his communicator starts talking to him, and he pulls it out to answer.

The reasons he hasn't contacted Jack himself can be boiled down to guilt and also to fear. His memories of the last couple of days of the event are still disconnected and will probably stay that way, but he's sure that it was Jack who killed him. And Jack was a splicer. He was fighting like a splicer. And that wasn't because of the event.

So the first thing he does when he gets the broadcast, and recognises Jack and Jack's location, isn't answer. The first thing he does is lower the communicator hastily and try to pick the man out of the crowd by the door. ]

[kindly_done]

[Jack's partially hidden, being so close to the door and thus well in the crowd, but he's not a small man and his ubiquitous cream-colored sweater is recognizable. He's turned so that his back is against the seam, a large hinge hanging just over his left shoulder. His gaze is distant, not looking for anyone at the moment, and every now and again his arm drops and his fingers feel fitfully along the bottom edge of the door.]

[rebelroses]

Who cares...? It's a door. There's tons of them here. Get over it.

[kindly_done]

[Not liking her tone, Jack responds with the utmost dignity and maturity.]

Get over yourself.

[rebelroses]

[Lol sorry Jack, this is just how she is. She'll just chuckle a bit.]

That's the best comeback you've got? Really, I can look wherever in this mansion and find a lot of doors. Nothing special about this one.

[kindly_done]

It's bigger. [His tone is very, very flat.]

[video]

[fraterminor]

[He stares directly into the camera, not bothering to favor his left side for once. His arms are folded and he does not looked pleased. His shoulders are tight, like a lion waiting to take down a gazelle.]

You may speak.

[video]

[kindly_done]

[Diogenes' steady gaze is enough to make him nervous; he picks at the smooth bulk of the door behind him for purchase that isn't there, but he doesn't drop his gaze.]

I didn't mean to do what I did. I didn't want to do what I did.

[video]

[fraterminor]

Oh, I am most certain you weren't at fault. My brother can be so very persuasive.

[His voice would almost be conversational if it weren't so low, and if he had moved a muscle from his rigid stance.]

[video]

[kindly_done]

[Jack flushes right up to his ears.]

He didn't persuade me!