Appointments

[semper_cogitans]

For any mundane, non-critical one-on-one interactions with the scientist here, whether it be poking him for whatever reason, maintaining continuity, throwing him an item, or in general doing something that isn't momentous enough to require a whole post or log for it.

Please copy and paste the following for the first comment in any new thread you're

Comments

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert looks immediately uncomfortable, but... his bluntness and complete inability to lie means that he wants to be honest about this.]

Ingrid became more incoherent over time due to her feverish symptoms, to the point where it b-became genuinely worrisome... and, eventually... well, she... [Nervously:] She asked if I would... k-kiss her.

...

[He looks genuinely, deeply affected by guilt here, and actually cringes as if expecting a verbal blow. Still, he tries to explain a little better.]

A-Apparently she had never been able to do so b-before. And, I, er, had neglected to mention the fact I was involved with you before then... certainly, when she was incoherent it would have... not been a good time to try to explain it.

... I sh-should have stopped her from... from kissing me, but... b-but I... I d-didn't react in time, and then she had actually done so and I feared that if I were to push her too firmly she might have fallen over by that point, and I was c-concerned more about her health and...

... I-I'm sorry, Don. I... I

[semper_cogitans]

Ah... alright; if this is helpful to you, then I am only too glad to be of assistance.

[Robert gives Don a small - genuine, although it's weak and kind of frayed at the edges - smile.]

I will keep good care of it for you. [And research its potential applications... possibly.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Good. Moving off that subject.]

Was there something else you wanted to tell me?

[semper_cogitans]

W-Well... no. I, I m-mean... the part that I thought might be problematic was... well... I-Ingrid kissing me.

...

[Softly:] I, er, w-will inform her that I am... involved with you immediately. I... it was my f-fault for not making it clear.

[i_speak_softly]

[Oh. He's beginning to catch on.]

Wasn't she delirious when that happened?

[semper_cogitans]

Yes... otherwise I would have t-told her so right then.

... B-But... I... [Robert almost flails a bit.] You k-know how difficult it is for me to interpret feelings. I... I am n-not certain how much she... ... meant it.

... A-At any rate. It is... m-my responsibility. And so I will deal with the... repercussions.

[i_speak_softly]

[Repercussions?]

You like her?

[semper_cogitans]

[Bad wording to use, Don. It's too vague for Robert's poor mind.]

She is my friend. As her friend, I have an... ethical obligation to be honest with her.

[What this means is that Robert isn't romantically interested in her, but is quickly realizing that she might be interested in him, if that kiss wasn't entirely grounded in feverishness.]

[i_speak_softly]

[In the course of learning how you answer questions, Don has begun to recognize when you haven't quite understood what’s being asked. He thinks (hopes) that's happening now, so he'll try again.]

What are you going to tell her?

[semper_cogitans]

[Decidedly:] That I already have a partner, that I think there ought to be an immediate cessation of such activity as kissing me from her, and that I apologize for not telling her sooner and take responsibility for any problems that result from this gross failure on my part.

[He is going to fail miserably at communicating these things in practise.

Robert glances up at Don and puts a hand on his shoulder in what might be reassurance. For Don, or for himself... it could be either.]

... I do not even know if she truly desires me, anyway... it may have simply been due to the fever.

[He's gonna hope that, for now. Spoilers: He's wrong.]

[i_speak_softly]

[He crosses his arms, a nervous closing-off gesture.]

You don’t have to stay with me if you don’t want to.

[Because it sounds like your main reason for turning Ingrid down is the simple problem of a previous commitment.]

[semper_cogitans]

[This is completely not the impression Robert was trying to give, and he fixes Don with a look somewhere between disbelief and terror.]

... Did you honestly think that anything would ever make me leave you?

Yes, she is a good friend... but I love you, Don. I love you. There is nothing that would change that, and certainly nothing that could dislodge it so... so easily.

Gods, Don... if that was how it sounded...? [He shakes his head with frustration at himself.] ... I assure you. If nothing else - nothing else - I am not leaving you. That is not even up for negotiation.

[Unless you wanted to leave me, he thinks then, but doesn't say anything.]

[i_speak_softly]

[This is a reassuring answer, but it seems to Don there's still a disconnect in their understanding, and he won't be totally at ease until he ferrets it out.]

Then what am I supposed to be upset about?

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert softens here, kind of looking down at his hands.]

... I... I-I thought I had... committed a transgression by not acting against her expression of... well, whatever it is, though I... did not consent to the action s-so much as I... allowed it to occur.

This is exacerbated by the fact that you... did not know anything about her prior.

[Short version is that Robert is inordinately guilty about something that actually doesn't mean very much.]

[i_speak_softly]

[He hesitates, then ventures another recap.] She thought she was dying and you let her kiss you. She's - probably never touched another person before. [... This is sounding almost familiar.] Is that about right?

[semper_cogitans]

She explicitly said that she had never kissed anybody before, not even her own father.

... I can safely presume she was touched as little as possible during the course of her lifetime as well. And certainly not... like that.

... So yes, it is accurate. [Awkwardly familiar, yes. And of all people, Ingrid chose Robert.]