[open to Hellsing]

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

WHO Scott, semi-open
WHAT Tension week is getting to him~
WHERE Hell House
WHEN Thursday, July 7, all day
NOTES/WARNINGS He is very very tense. And on a very short fuse

Comments

[fuckoingoboingo]

There were a lot of things Owen didn't feel like doing these days. He'd spent most of the past week in his clinic, doing whatever menial tasks he could do from there - even taking his laptop in just so he wouldn't have to go to his office and check in on things. Most of the time in there, though, he'd found himself just sort of... Existing

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

He’d stopped pacing. Now he was at his desk, quietly trying not to panic. God help him, he’d told Ianto about the Uhura from his reality being here in the city. He hadn’t wanted to. But he was wound up, tense. Too on edge to watch what he was saying, and Ianto had kept pushing and pushing and all he could think was that telling someone ought to have been a relief but it wasn’t, and he was only more on edge than before, now. He just wanted some time to himself. Some time to sort out what it meant, now that Ianto knew. But he couldn’t focus. He just sat there instead, his hands clenched tightly into fists on the desk, staring into nothing. At his feet, Laphroaig sat alert, every bit as tense as he was, nervously clawing at the floor.

[fuckoingoboingo]

As Owen made his way down to Scott's office - lair was kind of unofficial, given the reason for his visit, he supposed - he wondered briefly about how he should even approach the situation. Normally, he'd walk right in without so much as a warning, but... Well, Scott had warned him before that he was the kind of bloke to stab first and ask questions later, and the only sort of injuries Owen had tolerated from the other were less aggravated than a slit throat.

Plus, there was that bloody dragon to consider. So, with a resigned sigh as he reached the security office, he leaned against the doorframe, looked up into the dark where he knew a camera was, and rapped on the door. No reason to drag it out.

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

The door was unlocked, and Scott made no move to get up and open it, even when he glanced at the monitors to see who it was. Owen. Apart from Ianto, one of the last people he wanted to talk to. "I'm busy," he said, his tone flat, although Owen would only have to open the door to see that he wasn't doing anything at all. Laphroaig whined softly, still clawing at the floor, but at least he wasn't growling like he had been earlier. Though Scott half wished he would, if only because Laphroaig being strangely aggressive might be enough to make Owen steer clear.

[fuckoingoboingo]

Owen rolled his eyes and reached for the handle, testing it and turning it in the same motion. "I don't care if you're busy," he said, swinging the door open and wandering in, raising a brow at the fact that, no, Scott didn't seem to be busy at all. "You know, lying to your boss when he's coming to tell you about your promotion? Not the best way to start the conversation."

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

Laphroaig whined loudly and darted under the desk, cowering as Owen came into the room. Scott glanced down at the dragon, and back up at Owen, silent a moment before finally managing, "Promotion?" No. No, that was a bad idea. "I don't want it." If he was promoted, that would mean having to be more involved. Which meant more danger, for himself, for Hellsing, for anyone involved with Hellsing. Uhura couldn't touch them here at the Hell House, but if she found out about Hellsing, if she found out who was in Hellsing, and happened to run into them on the streets... "Give it t'someone else."

[fuckoingoboingo]

"No," Owen replied, almost lazily, squinting as Laphroaig as he hid from Owen's entering. He knew that the dragon didn't like him, and honestly, he didn't mind it, but still. It didn't make it any nicer to see the dragon run from him like that. "You're going to take this promotion whether you like it or not. You're the only person left that we can trust not to do something stupid, and who can deal with responsibility. Get over it."

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

Trust. Owen threw the word out in such an off-hand way, but to hear that he and Ianto trusted him... A muscle in his jaw twitched as he tried to suppress a stab of guilt. They trusted him. They trusted him, and he had a duty to Hellsing, and between those two factors he couldn't possibly come up with a suitable argument for why he shouldn't be promoted. "Fine," he said tightly, leaning back in his chair. His only argument against promotion, really, was Uhura. Another stab of guilt. He should tell Owen. Owen deserved to know every bit as much as Ianto did. "But I still don't think it's good idea

[fuckoingoboingo]

It wasn't hard to notice all the different ways Scott's body was showing his tension - Owen was usually more perceptive than he let on, and besides that, he was a doctor. It was practically impossible not to notice his white-knuckled grip or the way he pet his dragon like stress relief. He wondered what the hell was wrong with the thing.

"Well, we're not firing you. Besides, I can't do that," he drawled, "We've shagged. Any good lawyer you ran into would be able to make a case for sexual harassment." It was the second time he'd bandied that one about, but this time was slightly more... bitter? He wasn't sure. He wasn't really bitter. It was no big deal, after all. "Look, either way, we need more senior staff, and as it stands, you're someone who can do what we ask without having some kind of meltdown. Though, looking at you and your pet Fido there, I'm not so sure that's exactly true." He furrowed his brow, slightly, and almost reluctantly continued, "What the hell is wrong with you, anyway?"

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

Job security because he'd shagged the boss. Fucking hell. It was like the Empire all over again. And he didn't want to bring Uhura up again, but if he didn't, Ianto would just tell Owen anyway. Besides. Much as he hated to admit it, he probably owed it to Owen to at least explain why he'd cut things off between them. "One of my crewmates arrived in the city a few weeks ago," he said flatly. "I've taken care t'avoid mentionin' Hellsing to her, but if she finds out..." He looked down at Laphroaig, who was still watching Owen, still curled up tightly. "Anyone associated with me in any way could be in danger."

[fuckoingoboingo]

Owen only had the most basic of ideas about what Scott's universe was like, but it was enough to warn him that it was definitely not a good idea for her to get involved in Hellsing's business. He took a few steps forward, closing the door behind him. "And that's why you've been acting even more aloof and dickish than usual." He paused. "Are you in danger?"

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

He looked away, shaking his head just the slightest bit. "No' yet. But I--" His hand tightened imperceptibly on the arm of his chair. It was difficult, to admit this. Difficult to even consider admitting it. But Ianto's words about trusting people and opening up were still fresh in his mind, and as much as he hated to give in, he owed Owen an explanation. "It's dangerous, lettin' people close. Back in the Empire." He paused, and forced himself to relax his grip, resting his hand on Laphroaig's back instead. "I'm an officer, an' I outrank her, but I'm no' sure how much that means here."

[fuckoingoboingo]

Owen rolled his eyes.

"You're a bloody idiot, Scott."

He almost didn't elaborate - didn't want to - he just wanted to let it hang. But in the end, he continued, "First off, this isn't the Empire. And with the way Ianto coddles you, you've done a shit job at not letting people get close here. And besides that, if she's going to cause trouble, she's going to cause trouble. Welcome to the City of Sin, Scott. That's normal."

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

"You don't understand," Scott snapped. "I know this isn't the fuckin' Empire, an' she knows this isn't the fuckin' Empire, but she... She might no' stop playin' by the Empire's rules just because this place isn't it. You've no idea what it's like in the Empire. An' you don't know what she's capable of."

[fuckoingoboingo]

Owen was hesitant to admit that Scott had a decent point, but it was a good point. Either way, though, Owen didn't appreciate Scott's attempt to keep him... what, protected? Was that what he was thinking he was doing?

"You have no idea what I'm capable of. I suggest you don't keep things that are going to impede with your work a secret from me." He couldn't help but snap, but after a moment he let the tension out of his shoulders and gave Scott a more sincere look. "And don't keep potential threats to my very dead body a secret either. What would've happened if she'd found out and you still thought we were safe?"

[lt_cmmdr_scott]

He glanced away, his expression going dark. He'd fucked up. He'd thought he could handle Uhura, though he could keep her on a tight leash, keep her from finding out about Hellsing - and he had, at least, kept her from finding out about Hellsing - but she was dangerous and unpredictable and Owen was right, much as he hated to concede that. "I could've handled it better," he said, which wasn't quite an apology, but was at least an admission that he'd made a poor choice.