He nods, scowling at the drive like the man himself will feel the look through the drive. He folds it into his hand. “Do you want to go with me? To find them? They’d probably like to know who really gave them the lead.”
Yelena shakes her head, though there's something a little bit rueful in the twist of her smile. "No. The fewer of us they're exposed to, the better. For us and for them."
"Yeah," Neal says softly. He exhales a sigh. "I never thought I'd have a problem with not being able to get to know people. I used to travel all the time. It's different when you're stuck in one place and still can't be a part of it, I guess."
"The 'can't' part changes things too," Yelena says, and there's a faint note of sympathy and something weary in her voice. "It's one thing to say, I choose to keep people at a distance, but I could stop if I want. It's another thing to know there could be harm done to anyone you let too close."
A brief pause, and she snorts softly. "It's no wonder so many of us bond so closely. Even if we didn't have all the shared trauma, we can at least talk to other offworlders without worrying that this is the conversation that will put a target on someone's back."
Neal smiles at that, though it's partially in irony. "I always hated that answer as a kid."
He takes another moment to think through how to say what he wants to. "You don't have to like Malcolm. I'm not asking you to. But why do you dislike him so much?"
Yelena frowns slightly at the question, brow creasing in something between puzzlement and concern - clearly, whatever she'd been expecting, it wasn't that.
"Where's this coming from? I haven't said anything about Malcolm this whole trip except to ask you to let me know if you were having him over so I could give you some privacy. I haven't spoken to him in much longer than that."
Neal blinks, then ducks his head a little, breathing out a laugh at himself. "Fair enough. I think I've just--he has trouble with people sometimes. He's been worried about it lately. I heard about the argument the two of you had after it happened, he was worried when he found out we were roommates..."
He gestures toward nothing and shrugs. "I got into my own head about it."
Her frown deepens slightly, but after a moment, she shakes her head. "Either you're both drastically overestimating how strongly I dislike him, or you're too used to dealing with people who are both impressively awful and impressively stupid."
She runs a hand through her hair, tugging lightly at her scalp. It doesn't do much to alleviate the dull throb of headache that's been a frequent companion since her encounter with Roderick.
"I don't like Malcolm. I don't think I ever will. I also don't wish him - or you - any harm."
"Mostly the former, to be honest," Neal says, but it's more tired than ironic this time. He smiles a little. "I'm glad to hear that. I didn't think you did, for the record, I just..."
He stops. Venting his worries about Malcolm to Yelena isn't going to be productive. Neal shakes his head, then pushes those worries aside for the time being.
"...How have you been while we've been here?" The question is tentative. Hesitant or not, though, it's genuine in its concern.
"Fine," Yelena says, rolling one shoulder in a shrug. She pauses a moment, then adds, "But I would suggest staying far away from the dump if you can. There's something there that wants to lure people in with visions of things from home."
And while she may be less susceptible than most, it doesn't make the visions any less a threat.
Neal clenches his jaw a moment in helpless anger. Then nods. “Thanks. Stay out of the woods at night, even if—especially if—you hear someone looking for something. Calling for help. There are monsters out there. I reported what happened, but. Trust me, it’s better to steer clear.”
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A brief pause, and she snorts softly. "It's no wonder so many of us bond so closely. Even if we didn't have all the shared trauma, we can at least talk to other offworlders without worrying that this is the conversation that will put a target on someone's back."
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Neal pauses then, wondering if he’s about to ruin the… whatever this conversation is. But he has to at least try. “…Can I ask you a question?”
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He takes another moment to think through how to say what he wants to. "You don't have to like Malcolm. I'm not asking you to. But why do you dislike him so much?"
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"Where's this coming from? I haven't said anything about Malcolm this whole trip except to ask you to let me know if you were having him over so I could give you some privacy. I haven't spoken to him in much longer than that."
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He gestures toward nothing and shrugs. "I got into my own head about it."
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She runs a hand through her hair, tugging lightly at her scalp. It doesn't do much to alleviate the dull throb of headache that's been a frequent companion since her encounter with Roderick.
"I don't like Malcolm. I don't think I ever will. I also don't wish him - or you - any harm."
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He stops. Venting his worries about Malcolm to Yelena isn't going to be productive. Neal shakes his head, then pushes those worries aside for the time being.
"...How have you been while we've been here?" The question is tentative. Hesitant or not, though, it's genuine in its concern.
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And while she may be less susceptible than most, it doesn't make the visions any less a threat.
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