rationally, stomach could not flip if it did not exist. but the feeling in her gut spoke to the irrational part of self — sound of her own voice in a space she proclaimed a detest towards making heart race a tick faster than average. truthfully, it was not something to address in this exact moment, saved to a bin in the recesses of mind for when files are to go over — but nonetheless the knowledge settled in the forefront, centered between mismatched iris, a throbbing migraine aching to be dealt with. ❛❛ tigers ? gods no, those things smell and probably have diseases. i'm here for you, is that really so shocking ? ❜❜ knowing fully well the immediate reaction such knowledge would grant — he was a quite obvious man. slight grin painted lip, tarnished near immediate by the recognition of the state the man was in. concern was a kind means of describing the way gaze drifted to the other, caught on the echoes of sleepless nights, squinting as if it would make purpled skin disappear, as if there was a means to fix the past that she had not already thought of. ❛❛ saint, have you taken a break from this ? ever in the last week ? if it's unimportant, and potentially explosive, i would hope you would be well rested to deal with it. ❜❜ laughter escapes as if gunshot — pierces the room, unexpected even from herself, mechanical frame bending to cover mouth as if she could push it back in. ❛❛ i'm sorry i — i did not mean to laugh. you just seem a bit like you want me here but do not want to say it in so many words, and it's kind of obvious. ❜❜ knowing smile follows heeled foot towards the workbench, lifting self onto wooden top as if it was second nature, and not entirely unnatural of her to settle in so easily. she was trying, and that was apparently evident to the other, though she had prior believed him to be a bit too obtuse to read between the lines. legs cross acting as barrier to world, a shield in a time when necessary, and lucky gives herself moment to simply observe — to focus eye on the shape of a wrench, to the mechanism on tabletop, forcing self to all but avoid other entirely, to get something out of an environment other than the person inside of it. gaze finally settles on saint, and she is entirely unprepared for the statement he utters — confidence stripped from iris and body visibly deflating, a fish out of water. ❛❛ i just wanted to stop in. i realized it was unkind of me to never see the place you cared about so much — i always made you meet me somewhere and never on your own stomping ground. i figured it would be nice, i guess ? plus i'm interested in what you work on. you could be over here secretly tinkering on the next best robotic arm and i wouldn't even know it, and then i would look stupid for not having an in on the best tech. ❜❜ partial lie slides off tongue — eyes transfixed on corner of the room, praying that he did not read through it and knowing that he very well may. hand drifts towards a screwdriver, toying with the tool between cold fingertips. ❛❛ i could help, if you need it. ❜❜