` ( ⌖ ) 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐡, 𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝
𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬.
( … ) Defensive or deathly protective, leading a thinly veiled want to attack. Chris knew he could, but the line blurs between what way he potentially leans regarding the specialist. The air feels heavy, thick with something oppressive &&. intimidating, a clear attempt to overwhelm, to flush him out &&. send him running far away with his tail tucked between his legs. Though this was intended to be a civil interaction ( stupid to hope given everything so far ) something meant to lay &&. figure out the groundwork on what would happen next, on where to go. On gathering more insight into the aftermath following Miranda’s defeat — just his luck, the wound was still painfully raw.
Having yet to scab over, to heal just enough before being poked again. He is well aware of his notoriously shit timing, but this only bore more of a chance of things growing worse if left unchecked, unless he knew something more on what happened next instead of staying in the dark. Ironic, his mind whispers, how things had turned.
It’s no wonder the other continues to push his way abrasively under his skin — no matter how he tries to reason it away as, it reads as a defiant retaliation — an undeniably defensive action even beneath the barbed words threatening to cut &&. spill his own trauma loose. He could do more to escalate this, to put a more permanent end to Chris &&. be more aggressive in keeping his men &&. anyone else at bay. @blitzkriegers could’ve put Chris’ bull-headed investigation down before it even reached this point &&. yet he hadn’t, even despite his stubborn ass staying regardless of how many names the other brings up like the rough press of a finger to bruise. He could’ve if he were truly as inconvenienced as he’d claimed — fact of the matter was he didn’t.
It felt like he was being goaded, pushed, carefully pressured to lash back out or be the one to shove the strained tension to the point of snapping. Like he’d been carefully working together a justifiable reason for his future lash back. It’s suspicious once noticed.
His brows pinch together in a deep etched frown, glare remaining locked without a waver on the other with a stone-faced facade of collected calm. Even with the fatigue that clings to his looming frame, he refuses to budge, simply staring the shorter of the two down with little more given reaction, born partially from spite, more or less guided by watchful caution. Still, the former Lord continues, hackles raised like a cornered animal despite him being the one to crowd in around the Soldier. At the mention of his head injury, information he really shouldn’t have had, then again, Chris knows his life had been more or less broadcast through his reports, actions taken following missions… it creaks along his features, an irate twitch of a brow earned as he scowls.
❝ Off limits. Fine. If you’re serious about offering any information over, I’ll drop it. To be honest, that’s all I care about at this point. ❞
Chris parrots before biting out his own admission, a brief raise of his shoulders in a ghost of a shrug as his brows pinch in a deepset furrow. While the hostility still remains, it’s something, leeway offered or a red herring meant to direct him elsewhere. Not sure which it is, but the offer of more information that could lead to possible key leads, it is helpful. He keeps his guard up still, gaze remaining pinned on the other’s dirtied lenses with a huff of an exhale that borders a little too closely to a scoff.
❝ The Megamycete, the damn thing’s still standing — the best option would be to destroy it, but I don’t exactly thing bullets or bombs’ll do much to put that thing in the ground for good. ❞
It was ancient from what he’s learned of it in passing. Most likely resistant to the usual means of wiping out the usual sources of dangerous decay or infection. His expression screws up, an attempt to stay unreadable falling short as he gives his head a light shake, shifting in place as he takes the other’s words in.
❝ If what you say is true, researching it to see what other options are on the table is the only other step to take. Even with her gone, it’ll still be a potential threat as long as people like the Connections or the BSAA got their eyes on it. As long as I know you’re not planning on using it &&. you’re willing to help somewhat, alright. I just want to make sure it doesn’t cause any more problems or fall into anyone else's hands. ❞
It’s ruined enough lives as is. Carefully, he keeps Miranda’s name from spilling free, as much of a step back as he can offer without physically backing down. This whole mess has eaten up years from him at this point — he can already tell it’s far from over given the trouble it’s caused already. His waning irritation flares again, an old temper rising like gas thrown on an open flame as he narrowly resists the urge to snarl in frustration at the comparison tossed back his way. More words dug under his skin, all petulantly thrown in an effort to get the final word, to keep desperate hold of the situation by knocking Chris from the sobered, but determined state of mind he existed in in that moment.
Karl knows more information than he thought he did. But again, the reminder of the restraint he showed — it adds some more truth to the information he more or less throws his way. Chris grits his teeth, jaw working in a tension-addled strain as he swallows thickly.
❝ Unless you’ve got any better ideas or ways to handle this, I’m all ears. ❞
