Lilith Icartis sat quietly as the Diatomist rattled on and on, with as much fervor as seemed humanly possible for one passionately describing the particulars of algae. She understood very little of what was being talked about, she was no scientist after all, but she was happy to gleam any information she could out of his ramblings. Perhaps glad for his company, too.
His excitement was rather infectious. How could she not crack a smile when he spoke so fondly of how he first became interested in his work?
But soon enough, the topic diverted. To a subject Lilith did not like to talk of often. Her preference was always to keep her lips shut tight and her ears pricked.
“..but we’ve talked so much about me already. What kinds of things do you like to do?”
Lilith’s small smile turned to a smirk. “Well..I am an enquirer. I keep and seek secrets.”
“Your reputation does proceed you, absolutely..” The Diatomist replies, voice brimming with light-hearted sarcasm. “..but that doesn’t tell me what you like to do for fun.”
She gives a mild harumph in return before leaning back. Her hood, delicately placed to hide her gaze, pulled back enough for the Diatomist to sneak a glance at her eyes, smoldering and glowing like yellow embers. He did not particularly notice. “Well, I..hrm. I..like to dabble in a bit of writing from time to time.” Her smirk returned momentarily. “I’ve been known to pilfer pockets, or secrets, occasionally, but I’m not so sure either of those would be to your liking.”
The Diatomist gives a reassuring, though small, smile. “Not quite, no.”
“Visiting the House of Chimes has become a regularity for me, as of late.” Subtle as it was, her previous more mischievous smirk had shifted into a more genuine smile, and her words weighed heavy with an air of longing. “It is always a treat to converse with my associates, but..it is always the company of Mr Chimes that I remember fondly, distant as he may be.”
“You are fond of him, then?”
A small blush forms on her face and her smile dissipates. “I did not say that.”
She diverts her eyes from his gaze. “Well, the Masters are..certainly interesting, are they not? I often find myself staring into their eyes, on the rare chance I may gaze upon them, simply wondering what is behind them. What secrets do they hold? What sights have they seen? Do they know what it is to love? I would like nothing more than to find these things out myself.”
Her eyes turn back to glower at him. “…Do not put words in my mouth.”
“I have said nothing.” Those four words were dripping with a friendly sort of smugness. “But I hear the passion in your voice..it reminds me of how I feel, arranging slides and staring through my microscope all through the night.”
“My passions lie with secrets..that is the only reason for my interest in the Masters.”
“Yes, of course. Only secrets, nothing else.”
The Diatomist made a small mental note to buy her a chime when he found the echoes for it.
