[13th Calculation] Recoil [In Person]

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Gene hasn't been seen since he met Nina in the hall. After being received so coldly, he did the first thing that he shouldn't have done and that was to lock himself away from everyone else. He had a lot to think about and the crushing blow he received on an emotional level killed his ability to remain somewhat sociable.

Sitting in the library, he's reading a book on mental illness. Frustrated after reading it for an hour, he quickly gets up from his seat and throws the book across the room in a brief fit of rage, running his fingers through his short cropped hair.

The impact from the book and its drop knocked over the vase on the opposite side of the room. He didn't want to admit to himself that he's starting to fall apart himself. The loss of his wife back home, the stress of uncertainty if his daughter was okay, the rejection he felt from Nina, the numerous tortures that the Author had put him through not to mention the absence of the friends he made all came crashing down on him.]

Fuck this.

[He turns around in the opposite direction where he threw the book and out of the library.]

Comments

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta, drawn by the crash from her pillow pile in the romance section, peeks over the balcony to the lower floor of the library. She doesn't really see anything but plants, but she calls out anyway.]

Are you okay?

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Stopping in his tracks, he takes a step back and looks up. Suddenly embarrassed, he lets out a sigh and his shoulders drop, looking from side to side.]

I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was here.

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta grins down widely, exposing her fangs] No purroblem! What fell?

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Gene's eyes grow wide. He's beginning to not be effected by the new creatures that arrive here. He's just been too much of a shut-in to really get involved. Still, anything new does merit a reaction.]

Oh...uh...I threw a book against the wall and the vase fell. I'll clean it up.

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

Okay! [Chirped is the only way to describe how she said that, sore throat or not. Surprisingly enough, she doesn't not ask why he threw the book, as that was his moirail's problem to deal with, not her's.]

I'm Nepeta, green blood moirail of Equius, blue blood. What's your name? [She crosses her arms on the railing and stares down]

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

Eugene. Eugene Watson.

[He clears his throat. Looking up at her as he takes another step back so he's not straining his neck, he's calming down.]

How long have you been here and I have a silly question. What exactly are you?

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

Only a few days. [She frowns at the reminder of how long she's been away from her moirail. Equius was going to be so mad...

She shakes it off, reminding herself that Light had said that time wouldn't pass in her universe.] I'm a troll.

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

A troll? You don't look like you live under a bridge.

[He puts his hand on the rail and smiles.]

You know, I think when my daughter would like you...if she were here to see you.

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

Under a bridge? [Nepeta frowns in confusion] No, I live in a cave!

[He was a lusus?] Is she at your universe?

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

Caves are good. They're energy savers and nature's perfect shelter. Warm in the winter, cool in the summer, it's not bad.

[He nods and puts a cinnamon toothpick in his mouth instead of a cigarette. Part of the reason for his quick temper, nicotine withdraws.]

Yeah, she's probably reading or coloring pictures.

[No need to create panic after all.]

[arsenic-catnip.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta grins and nods] Purrecisely! Karkat just calls it a 'shithive', but it's better then his lawn ring. [She makes a face at that. She wanted the troll as her matespirit, but he was a jerk sometimes.]

Light said that time doesn't pass in our universes while we are here. [She frowns] I hope so. I don't want Equius to know I'm missing.

[11-sies.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor peeks his head around from behind the corner as he had been in library and that loud out burst... was intriguing.]

Ah, Sorry- [he follows after Gene]

I couldn't help but notice you don't seem to be very happy. [not that he is, either- but he's more bored then anything]

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not happy. What gave you the first clue?

[Losing his composure wasn't normal for Gene. Not to mention the lack of nicotine really put his mental state through the wringer since he's trying to quit smoking for the umpteenth time.]

[11-sies.livejournal.com]

Well- the cursing thing for-oh.. that was sarcasm, wasn't it? [you humans and your sarcasm :|]

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Gene stops after a few steps into the main hall and turns to face the Doctor.]

Right. That was sarcasm. Listen, I'm not in a good mood as you can already tell. I'm trying to quit smoking and it's wreaking havoc on my interpersonal skills and patience levels. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to blow up a few toilet bowls.

[agentmisora.livejournal.com]

[Ohay! Guess who was also startled by Nina's crazy display last week and is attempting to access the library for basically the same reason? Naomi will be meeting Gene as he's in the process of storming out.]

Gene? Something wrong?

[Doesn't look like it's due to the illness that's been spreading throughout the manor.]

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[He stops and slaps the sides of his legs with his hands.]

Yeah, you can say that.

[He takes a deep breath. He knows his display wasn't exactly the most composed or the smartest thing he's done since he's been here but it was bound to happen some time. He slowly turns around and calms himself down enough to not add any bite to his words.]

I'm sorry. Look, I'm not in the best of moods right now. I picked a hell of a time to quit smoking, huh.

[He cracks a sheepish grin.]

[agentmisora.livejournal.com]

Oh, is that all? [Coughs] I thought it might have had something to do with the illness that's been going around.

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

I was sick last week.

[There was a lot more to it than just a nicotine fit.]

I'm okay, just not entirely in the best of moods.

[agentmisora.livejournal.com]

Yeah, same here. So what's the matter?

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Gene sighs and takes a seat in one of the leather armchairs in the main hall.]

It's Nina. I don't know what's wrong with her but I think she's falling apart. I tried to help her but I got this cold shoulder and her eyes...they didn't seem natural at all. It was as if she lost her entire sense of who she is...but that's an assumption I can't afford to make.

[agentmisora.livejournal.com]

What? I saw her like that too! [Coughs.] Excuse me.

I would have assumed it was just another trick played by the Author, but a few weeks back, she acted strangely too. Not in the same distant, icy manner, but as if she was scared of something or someone.

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Gene shakes his head slowly.]

What I got was someone very harsh. It's like she was a completely separate person. I mean, my late ex, she, uh, she wasn't quite that bad but she was definitely pressured. She didn't talk to me either...and when she did, it was like I was disturbing the part of her mind that she wanted to protect. I don't know if Nina's the same way but it's freakishly close.

[agentmisora.livejournal.com]

[Oooooh, she thinks she's beginning to understand.]

I see. There is a chance it's just the pressures of the manor that's affecting her. I don't want to believe that there is something wrong with the girl herself.

[eugene-watson.livejournal.com]

[Leaning back in his chair, he puts his hand to his chin.]

Maybe. I don't want to believe that she's losing herself either.