twenty ♥ video

[bitteraftertaste]

[When Vesper returns to her cabin after dinner, it's to find something that's universally a bad sign waiting for her.

A dead rat nailed to her door.

Minutes later, she clicks on the video feed to give everyone a picture of the sight, although she turns away after enough time has passed so that anyone watching the feed will understand what's going on.]

I don't know who's responsible for this, [Her voice sounds angry, but trying to stay calm, although there's definitely something in her eyes that gives away that she's scared, too.] But if this is supposed to be some kind of threat, or just a sick joke, I'd like to reassure you that I'm more than happy to discuss things face to face rather than come home to find your notes tacked to my door.

Comments

[surfaceshine]

Have you touched it yet? Messed with it at all?

[bitteraftertaste]

No. [Which is being said in a "Do you really think I'm that stupid?" voice.]

[surfaceshine]

[Look, you would be surprised, okay?]

Don't go near it until one of the Barge sniffers has been down there.

Did you just find it?

[bitteraftertaste]

Do you have any questions that aren't effectively asking if I'm some sort of idiot?

[surfaceshine]

You know what? Fine. Deal with it on your own.

[Click.]

[bitteraftertaste]

I'm more than happy to.

Private;

[ukan]

If you need help figuring out where it came from, I might have a trick.

Private;

[bitteraftertaste]

What is it?

Private;

[ukan]

...I'll turn into a wolf and sniff them out, is the short version.

Private;

[bitteraftertaste]

That's fine by me.

spam;

[lastrat]

[Well. Fuck.

He sure does know a dead rat when he sees one. He can also number the likely suspects to one hand. So he doesn't bother wasting time saying anything: he can be out his own door in seconds to peer at it.]

Who did you see on your way here? Anyone?

spam;

[bitteraftertaste]

No, [And she sounds very, very grouchy, but it's less at or because of Bond and his question and more because she's upset and trying to hide it.

Well, upset and borderline furious with people for assuming she's some kind of idiot who doesn't understand not to contaminate something that - while not exactly a crime scene - isn't really something to fool around with, either.]

I have no idea how long it's been here, either. And no, I haven't touched it.

spam;

[lastrat]

[His mouth twists wryly in response: he knows she hasn't. It doesn't last long, though, as his attention settles back on the rat. He doesn't need a hand for suspects: just one finger.

Reaching out, he settles a hand on Vesper's arm, comforting as he can be while hiding how focused he is.] Hey.

Go in through mine. There should be things for tea if you want it. [He wants to remove her from the equation as much as possible. He wants to wring Esther's neck. But getting Vesper safe and unafraid is the more important task.]

spam;

[bitteraftertaste]

[She tenses when he touches her at first and takes a huffy breath, and there's a part of her that wants to shrug him off and scold him for babying her, but she knows that's her being irrational and it's not what he's doing so she smothers the urge before it can go far. The tension drains a little and she nods once, twice.]

Alright. Whatever you do, be careful.

spam;

[lastrat]

I'm always careful, [he says wryly, because of course he very much is not. Leaningin in, he kisses the corner of her mouth and squeezes her arm.]

We'll sort it.

[He says we, but really, he means he will. He'll always be a little arrogant, even when he wants to include her.]

spam;

[bitteraftertaste]

[Hey, she's not interested in working this out on her own, or anything close to that. She's never wanted to be one of the people dealing with this sort of thing. She just wants to go home, cope with things that she's actually prepared to cope with instead of all this.

So as much as she appreciates the gesture and even manages a small smile, she doesn't really lean into it, and she pulls away relatively quickly, heading for the room.]

[semifreakingnormal]

Is that a rat?

[bitteraftertaste]

That's what it appears to be.

[semifreakingnormal]

Oh my God, who would - why would--

[wtf wtf wtf he's bad at hiding it, sry Vesper.]

[bitteraftertaste]

[It's okay little buddy. :c]

I have no idea. Unfortunately, we have some fairly disturbed individuals on board this ship.

[semifreakingnormal]

Jesus.

[Breathe, McCall.] I can - I can help Lark. Um. With the sniffing it out....thing. [That sounds weird. He is a freak, he's sorry.]

[bitteraftertaste]

I would appreciate it.

[semifreakingnormal]

Yeah, I'll...I'll be right there. [And he will come and probably be embarrassed but at least it's better than sniffing socks???]