Late August 2012: Leena's B&B; Living Room

[damncompass]

Joshua has been a huge ball of stress lately. He's been going back and forth from his lab to Milliways, to a few meetings, and back to bed, only to flop down and not really talk to much of anyone.

Today, however, most people are out, and he's on the couch with a mystery book and a cup of tea.

It's been a long month or so.

Comments

[damncompass]

"Yeah, actually, that would be really helpful." Considering that half the time people aren't exactly telling the truth about what they're using. "That's two people with... interesting abilities now. Huh."

[k39zzz]

"What am I, chopped liver?" Jane says it mildly, since she suspects Joshua's count reflects the people who are at the Warehouse full-time.
"And I wouldn't rule you or Claudia out, either. The Warehouse likes both of you for a reason."

[damncompass]

"... wait, what?" Joshua blinks a couple times. "I... haven't actually read your files. Sorry?" He pauses. "And I don't actually have any kind of... anything."

[k39zzz]

"It's fine, Joshua. But let's just say Pete's gut instinct didn't appear out of thin air."
She raises an eyebrow. "People do occasionally make some connection with the Warehouse. It's possible that's some of what's affecting you, come to think of it. She's as unsettled as everyone else."

[damncompass]

"Huh. That is possible. I mean, one of my theories on Artifacts is that they're based on connections, and She's kind the biggest connection of them all. The more we're connected to the connections, shall we say, the more we'd be connected to her."

He pauses. "... I sound like I'm full of shit."

[k39zzz]

"No, actually, you sound pretty spot-on to me."

[damncompass]

He shrugs. "I know how to make my BS sound good. Comes from having a doctorate in pulling things out of your ass."

[k39zzz]

Jane laughs. "I meant it, though. Even if you're not on to something overall, you may well have summed up the phenomenon."

[damncompass]

Joshua shrugs. "Well I do know what I'm observing. There has to be something in that."

[k39zzz]

"I'm sure there is."
And that's why they want you around, Joshua.

[damncompass]

Joshua shrugs, as the food finally comes and he digs in, falling silent in the pursuit of dinner.

[k39zzz]

Dinner is certainly a worthy pursuit to be quiet for.

"Are you feeling a little better?"

[damncompass]

Joshua takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah, I think I am. Thanks. I just need to learn to tell people when something's crappy."

[k39zzz]

"That you do. Glad I could help."

[damncompass]

Eventually the bill comes and Joshua pays. Hey, it's all Warehouse money anyway, right?

Making his excuses, Joshua goes back to the B&B and plunks back on the couch.

[claudiometer]

No such luck, Joshua; you have a restless sister about the place.
"Did I do something?"

[damncompass]

"Huh?" Joshua looks up from his book. "What do you mean?"

[claudiometer]

"You've been avoiding me all week. Or at least it feels like it."

[damncompass]

"I haven't been..." Joshua is honestly confused at this point. "I've been busy." And stuck on himself, but still busy.

[claudiometer]

"So busy you can't make time for anyone? I know you have all the meetings right now, but you go to meetings, you go to your lab, and you go to bed, if you even remember to come back from your lab."
She'd be worried about him eating if not for the pie at the meetings.

[damncompass]

"No, it's not that. I just... I don't even know, Claud. I've just been not with it."

[claudiometer]

Claudia sighs. "I just... you're hiding in a hole and dismissing half of what Artie says out of hand, HG's getting stir-crazy because Artie won't let her freaking go anywhere, Pete's still got his lost-puppy act on, Artie's complaining about the fact that you're here every other sentence and I'm stuck in the middle and I don't know what to do."

[damncompass]

"And what was that FBI ping that I got the other day? It's probably good that Artie was off doing something else and not paying attention to the computer." He's frustrated, but not really angry.

[claudiometer]

"...fuck, they actually noticed? God donut. Thanks for handling that and stop dodging the point. If we're trying to talk to each other, that means we need to talk to each other."
And she doesn't know what's going on and she's unsettled and she's worried and and and and and.

[damncompass]

"Yeah, well. I know your love of hacking into super-secret facilities, especially when you're stressed, but yeah." He sighs. "I know. I just... I'm overwhelmed and I don't really know what I'm doing. Artie's playing the same damn song all the time, Pete's leaving crumbs around, Helena's pulling away, and you're stress hacking at midnight. What the fuck am I supposed to do?"