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.

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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.]