He's... a construct. Alan's solution to the possibility of Bill possessing
me and using my power to murder people on board. I'm not sure Zeph
can feel pain, and even if he could, I don't think you could hurt
him. [If Laura knows anything about the extent of Alan's power,
Tris hopes it comes as a reassurance.]
You're welcome. I do know a little bit about worrying about losing
control and hurting people.
You do? [It isn't asked with surprise or doubt; she has no reason
not to believe her. It does to be an ongoing theme among people with power.
Laura's fear feels different to her, though; larger, and less in her own
hands to overcome.] No - you do.
Tris knocks on Laura's door at the arranged time with a picnic basket on
one arm, a tray of pizza balanced on that hand, and Zeph perched on her
head. She's left the dog behind, which isn't surprising, but she left her
dragon behind too, which is. Tris hardly ever goes anywhere without Chime.
"Hello, Laura. I brought plenty, and I'm happy to make another delivery
later if necessary."
Laura can smell the food coming down the hall before Tris even knocks, so
she's ready to open the door quickly, and shut it behind her just as fast.
She glances to the basket, and the tray, and while she does breathe a sigh
of relief, there's still worry in her eyes when she looks at Tris. She
still believes that she shouldn't have come here, not in person and not to
stay - but she knows better than to argue when Tris provides compelling
logic for her own case.
"Thank you." She steps aside to let her in, gesturing broadly to the
cabin's interior - the one-bedroom apartment is small enough that it
doesn't have a dedicated kitchen table, but there's a coffee table in front
of the couch that they can eat at. Laura's had enough time to clean up the
dirty dishes that have piled up there, and replaced them with two
mismatched but clean plates and a stack of paper napkins. "I will remember
that, if I need anything else before all the boggarts are gone."
"Here, we should eat this while it's hot. Melted cheese never tastes as
good once you let it cool." She sets down the pizza and the basket,
settles onto the couch, then addresses the monkey with her. "Zeph, go sit
by Laura. If anything happens and she tries to attack me, wrap her in a
bubble the same way you do for me."
The monkey hops off of Tris and approaches Laura, as ordered. Tris knows
that the other woman was leery about allowing this even with an added layer
of protection. She offers, "If you want, we could make sure you can't hurt
him, and that he can stop you, now rather than later."
Laura's eyes widen and she shakes her head. "No," she says. "I don't want to try." She can't imagine doing that intentionally, now, even if there's a chance that nothing will happen. Instead, she looks to Tris with steady eyes and lets out a slow, stabilizing breath. "I trust you."
She has no reason not to, for one thing, and for another, she can't stay in here forever. Letting people visit her is step one to allowing herself back out.
And the pizza smells good - so, so good after Laura's been rationing what she's been able to take from the dining hall, or experimenting with what few ingredients she actually has in her cabin. "Let's just eat," she says, and pops one claw to cut the pizza into slices, careful not to go too deep, or she'll also cut the plate and the table it's on.
"You're welcome," Tris tells her warmly, reaching for a slice of pizza and
sliding it onto one of the plates Laura had set out. She takes a few bites
before saying anything else.
Finally, thoughtfully, she speaks up.
"Nothing made me feel better, or as if it wasn't my fault, when I killed
someone during a flood. I won't waste my breath on that. But you have a
strong sense of guilt and responsibility, same as I do. What did
help me was planning safeguards that might help contain me next time
around. Maybe other people on board can help you think of some. For now,
we eat. Later, if you want to, we can plan."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He's... a construct. Alan's solution to the possibility of Bill possessing me and using my power to murder people on board. I'm not sure Zeph can feel pain, and even if he could, I don't think you could hurt him. [If Laura knows anything about the extent of Alan's power, Tris hopes it comes as a reassurance.]
You're welcome. I do know a little bit about worrying about losing control and hurting people.
no subject
You do? [It isn't asked with surprise or doubt; she has no reason not to believe her. It does to be an ongoing theme among people with power. Laura's fear feels different to her, though; larger, and less in her own hands to overcome.] No - you do.
I will see you soon.
no subject
Tris knocks on Laura's door at the arranged time with a picnic basket on one arm, a tray of pizza balanced on that hand, and Zeph perched on her head. She's left the dog behind, which isn't surprising, but she left her dragon behind too, which is. Tris hardly ever goes anywhere without Chime.
"Hello, Laura. I brought plenty, and I'm happy to make another delivery later if necessary."
no subject
Laura can smell the food coming down the hall before Tris even knocks, so she's ready to open the door quickly, and shut it behind her just as fast. She glances to the basket, and the tray, and while she does breathe a sigh of relief, there's still worry in her eyes when she looks at Tris. She still believes that she shouldn't have come here, not in person and not to stay - but she knows better than to argue when Tris provides compelling logic for her own case.
"Thank you." She steps aside to let her in, gesturing broadly to the cabin's interior - the one-bedroom apartment is small enough that it doesn't have a dedicated kitchen table, but there's a coffee table in front of the couch that they can eat at. Laura's had enough time to clean up the dirty dishes that have piled up there, and replaced them with two mismatched but clean plates and a stack of paper napkins. "I will remember that, if I need anything else before all the boggarts are gone."
no subject
"Here, we should eat this while it's hot. Melted cheese never tastes as good once you let it cool." She sets down the pizza and the basket, settles onto the couch, then addresses the monkey with her. "Zeph, go sit by Laura. If anything happens and she tries to attack me, wrap her in a bubble the same way you do for me."
The monkey hops off of Tris and approaches Laura, as ordered. Tris knows that the other woman was leery about allowing this even with an added layer of protection. She offers, "If you want, we could make sure you can't hurt him, and that he can stop you, now rather than later."
no subject
She has no reason not to, for one thing, and for another, she can't stay in here forever. Letting people visit her is step one to allowing herself back out.
And the pizza smells good - so, so good after Laura's been rationing what she's been able to take from the dining hall, or experimenting with what few ingredients she actually has in her cabin. "Let's just eat," she says, and pops one claw to cut the pizza into slices, careful not to go too deep, or she'll also cut the plate and the table it's on.
"Thank you. Again."
no subject
"You're welcome," Tris tells her warmly, reaching for a slice of pizza and sliding it onto one of the plates Laura had set out. She takes a few bites before saying anything else.
Finally, thoughtfully, she speaks up.
"Nothing made me feel better, or as if it wasn't my fault, when I killed someone during a flood. I won't waste my breath on that. But you have a strong sense of guilt and responsibility, same as I do. What did help me was planning safeguards that might help contain me next time around. Maybe other people on board can help you think of some. For now, we eat. Later, if you want to, we can plan."