[He gives a small "hm" at the idea of his name tying him to royalty in any kind of way. That was certainly the idea, wasn't it? Dad thought he should hoard status and power. There were Expectations that went unmet.]
I appreciate it.
[He returns to her, this time coming close enough to begin swabbing her inner arm with disinfectant.]
[Her pain isn't what he's concerned about, really.]
It is, but I'd find it difficult to provide an accurate answer. Time is... difficult to chart, at times. But I was among the first people brought into this particular incarnation of Hell. I'm told it's an experiment of Lucifer's. Something about allowing us the full span of human choices. Small pinch.
[And as he slides a needle into her visible vein, he looks away with a squeak he only barely swallows back. This is the bad part. He can't stomach the sight of blood.]
[ Whatever commentary she meant to provide about This Hell and the supposed experiment is lost with an uptick of brows and slight cough of a laugh. Shouldn't the patient be the one making sounds? ]
Wait, what exactly is your doctorate in, Lev?
[ Natalia feels like she should be far more concerned about this interaction, but also thinks it may be playing a role in the younger man's demeanor. ]
Right. [ Well, fuck. Impressive, surely, but fuck.
Licking her lips, Talia follows this up with a very important inquiry. ] And you're the one drawing my blood, why? The demand for phlebotomists or technicians can't be that low here.
[ It's honestly that thirst for knowing everything that has the redhead asking, because Leo clearly knows enough of what he's doing to be doing it.]
My wife's the biochemist. We work together on larger projects.
[...nine, ten, and...! He switches the vials without looking at the blood draw in progress.]
We've had a few assistants pass through, but it's hard to maintain them. People vanish without warning. It's easier to keep track of tings when we do them ourselves.
[ Natalia noticed the ring, but hadn't yet remarked on it, leaving that a door for the biochemist to open. With a quick flick of eyes to said accessory, she takes a longer gaze around the lab. ] Understandable. But then why isn't she the one taking my blood?
[She watches it, but he doesn't, hanging the live sample in place to keep it upright by pure memory rather than give it his full attention.]
It would be easier if we could do this work without all the -- blood. But it's necessary. But. Um. Going forward? I can take note of whatever you'd be comfortable sharing. It's an ongoing project, and any data helps us understand longterm affects.
/hugs I was recovering from my second vaccine, so not a problem.
The data - have you considered comparing the changes against who was dead on arrival versus those who suspect they're still alive?
[ In the seconds it took to lift the data, Talia's clearly not had the time to see for herself, but she's willing to offer up comparable information just to determine patterns, or lack thereof. ]
[ he makes a small "hm" sound as he considers the implications she's mentioned. ]
I suppose it could be a factor, but that would necessitate indulging the fallacies of this dimension more than what I'd consider to be productive. It's a prison, not a morgue.
Well, then, for what it's worth, so far as I'm aware, I wasn't dead before being kidnapped. [ Yes, Natalia refers to coming here as kidnapping, because what else would one who is still living call it? ] I turn ninety-three in April, my height is one hundred and seventy point eighteen centimetres, blood type is (insert here), though you'll see that for yourself, weight is (more inserting). Anything else?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ She only thoughtful for a moment and when it passes, Talia states -- ] I like it, however if Fitz is your choice, then I'll call you Fitz.
[ Same as with Teddy versus Theodore. ]
How long have you been here?
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I appreciate it.
[He returns to her, this time coming close enough to begin swabbing her inner arm with disinfectant.]
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You didn't tell me how long you've been here, though. Is that also a topic not on the table?
[ It's meant to be lighthearted, and she shows as much with the tiniest twitch of lips. ]
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It is, but I'd find it difficult to provide an accurate answer. Time is... difficult to chart, at times. But I was among the first people brought into this particular incarnation of Hell. I'm told it's an experiment of Lucifer's. Something about allowing us the full span of human choices. Small pinch.
[And as he slides a needle into her visible vein, he looks away with a squeak he only barely swallows back. This is the bad part. He can't stomach the sight of blood.]
Lion* in Russian c:
Wait, what exactly is your doctorate in, Lev?
[ Natalia feels like she should be far more concerned about this interaction, but also thinks it may be playing a role in the younger man's demeanor. ]
no subject
Applied physics and quantum engineering.
[which involves wiring and metal and normal things.]
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Licking her lips, Talia follows this up with a very important inquiry. ] And you're the one drawing my blood, why? The demand for phlebotomists or technicians can't be that low here.
[ It's honestly that thirst for knowing everything that has the redhead asking, because Leo clearly knows enough of what he's doing to be doing it. ]
no subject
[...nine, ten, and...! He switches the vials without looking at the blood draw in progress.]
We've had a few assistants pass through, but it's hard to maintain them. People vanish without warning. It's easier to keep track of tings when we do them ourselves.
If there's no ring, I'll edit.
[ And what happens if one of them disappears? ]
No need! There's a ring there
Because I'm the one who's here at the moment. Believe me, I'd much rather she were here.
[This is how he feels about her in general. Everything is better when Jemma is in a room.]
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[ Though cheeky, Natalia wears a befuddled expression, like she's genuinely confused by this epiphany. ]
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She's allowed to take time for herself. No reason to stop supporting her or make you wait.
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[ But she leaves it at that, sight moving to the tubes of blood. ]
What else do you need to know? About the transformation or my blood and me.
sorry about the wait
It would be easier if we could do this work without all the -- blood. But it's necessary. But. Um. Going forward? I can take note of whatever you'd be comfortable sharing. It's an ongoing project, and any data helps us understand longterm affects.
/hugs I was recovering from my second vaccine, so not a problem.
[ In the seconds it took to lift the data, Talia's clearly not had the time to see for herself, but she's willing to offer up comparable information just to determine patterns, or lack thereof. ]
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I suppose it could be a factor, but that would necessitate indulging the fallacies of this dimension more than what I'd consider to be productive. It's a prison, not a morgue.
no subject