Participants:
| Scene Title | Don't Screw Us |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Quinn goes to see Magnes for a few reasons, and leaves feeling ill at ease. |
| Date | February 7, 2011 |
Siann Hall: Magnes' Apartment
It's early in the evening, and Magnes has a lot of biology papers laying all over his coffee table, with various numbers for grants sitting around. He's making calls on his cellphone, but when Quinn comes, he puts everything down, flips the battery out of his phone, and opens the door for her. "Oh, hey, come have a seat."
"Hey, Magnes," Quinn replies with a bit of a smile, hands in the pockets of her black coat. She peers into the apartment before she steps in slowly, shutting the door behind. "Meant t' call before I came by, but I've been a lot busier than I expected t' be t'day. Went an' saw Ygraine at the edge a' the dome, talked music with Eve Mas…" She clears her throat a moment, looking to the seat, then the papers on the coffee table. "You're… not busy, are you?"
"I'm fine. And sorry about the stuff with the comic and Elaine the other day, we made out- up, up, and it's all clear now." Magnes uneasily rubs the back of his neck, offering an awkward smile before heading back to the couch and taking a seat. "Ygraine is stuck in the dome?"
"Yeah. She- was on Roosevelt when everythin' went t' pot. Somehow, her phone's still got power, I've been talkin t' her, an' sound still gets through the Dome, so… I went an' saw her/ It's bizarre t' see up close. I just hope it's gone soon." The correction from make out to make up makes Quinn's nose wrinkles, and she sighs, taking a seat down next to Magnes. "I came by for two reasons, Magnes. I think we need t' hang out more. I know we- kinda end up on a bad note a lotta the time, an' I think that sucks." She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "But I also came t' talk about Elaine. She- told me about what happened."
"Yeah, it would be nice to hang out more." Magnes freezes when she says 'what happened', then looks over with a part surprised, part worried look. "I, uh, I mean, which what happened?"
Grimacing, Quinn tilts her head at Magnes. "Which? She- told me you guys ended up sleepin' t'gether the other day," Quinn relays with a bit of a frown. "Which is part a' why I wanted t' talk t' you. Just… you know, calm like an' with as little drama as we can manage, you know?" She gives a tentative smile at Magnes, hoping this can go as well as she wants it to. "Because I want t' make sure that things are really clear now."
"Oh, I was just, like, making sure you weren't talking about something else entirely, like I let her burn my costume." Magnes lets out a relieved sigh, then lifts a knee up on to the couch while turning to face her. "So, what exactly do you want to talk about?"
"You burned the costume?" Quinn sounds both distracted and surprised, offering a bit more of a smile. "I'm really glad t' hear that, Magnes." She rolls her shoulders a bit, nodding her head. "I just… when you say that things are clear now, I want to know what you mean. Because… I don't want t' sound like an ass, Magnes, but this… needs t' stop. The stuff with Elaine."
"What do you mean it needs to stop? And when I say it's clear now, I mean we're just… friends right now. If anything else happens, then it will, but she doesn't want me to push her because things are complicated with her life right now." Magnes explains rather calmly, then leans over to the table for a moment to cross out one of the business cards with a pen, something idle he forgot to do. "I can live with whatever makes her happy."
Quinn's tongue slides across her lips, quirking side to side as she considers her words. "That's… not how she made it sound t' me," she says quietly. "I want t' make it clear I'm here on my own. She didn't tell me t' be here. But… I don't know. She made it sound like she doesn't know how things really are behind you guys, but that- she's moving on." He rhands rub at her legs for amoment before she continues. "There was this whole- thing recently, where- Sable broke the shit out of her heart. She's still hurt. Probably will be for a while. But I… I came out an' told her I love her. An' she an' I are tryin' t' build somethin' with that, you know? Not official yet, but… soon, I hope. An' she wants t' move on, but I don't really think she always trusts herself. So when I mean it needs t' stop, I meant- the gestures. The gettin' her int' bed."
"So that's it, then? It's just over and there's nothing I can do?" Magnes hunches over the table again, turning so he's sitting straight and going through the grant papers. "Fine, it doesn't matter, I'm too busy to worry about this kind of thing anyway. I don't know why I bothered to listen to my father, I just need to focus on results and getting this funding."
Frowning, Quinn reaches over and places a hand on his back. "I'm sorry, Magnes. I just… I thought if things kept going like they were, it was only a matter of time before things got too awkward an' someone got really hurt." She pats gently, rubbing. "But I hope we're still good? I was serious about hangin' out more, you know. That wasn't just a pretence t' come over. I don't think either of really knows each other as well as we should."
"I appreciate this and everything, but you've already got your music career all set, you're in a position to bring Sable with you. I realize it more than any of you that I won't be a part of the band much longer." Magnes turns to face her again, frowning seriously. "As fun as it is, as much as I love being with all of you, when we show my father results, I'll probably have a job, and when you all find out what that job is, you won't want anything to do with me anymore, no matter what the context is."
His gaze is back on to the papers, tone gone dry. "Let's just skip it all and rush to the inevitable conclusion. I lose you all and my friends are narrowed down to nothing but my research partners."
"Magnes, stooooop~," Quinn starts, shaking her head. "Sable's just playing guitar for me live a few times. Mad Muse is still it's own different thing, and we're both still in it. You too. I really don't think-" And then she pauses, tilting her head as she looks at him. "What job offer are you going t' get that makes you so sure we're not going t' be friends, Magnes? I mean, as long as it's not somethin' that keeps you from that band, I don't… really see the issue. But I don't see the need t' jump to a conclusion like that."
"My father is an important Institute official. He said that if my team shows results, which I'm mostly an assistant on, then I can get a job and we'll get funding and resources to do our work. I decided to try and work at the Institute to see if my father was telling the truth, about Staten Island being a bad apple. I want to see from the inside. It's my father, I have to see what the organization that he works for is about." Magnes lays back against the couch cushion, both hands coming up to cover his face. "I don't care anymore, this is the only way I can save the world, through science. My friendships are shaky at best, burning my bridges just gives me more focus on my work…"
Quinn eyes narrow, her expression darkening as she studies Magnes carefully. "You know they took Tamara on the 8th, right? From what I heard from Tasha, hurt her and dragged her off t' God knows where." Her posture straightens a bit, peering at him. "I'm not going t' lie t' you, Magnes, I don't like this at all. Particularly considerin' what the rest of the band does, an' Adel isn't registered." She wrinkles her nose again, hands moving on to her lap. "The fuckin'- Institute. You really always find ways t' surprise me, Magnes," she breathes out, shaking her head. "But you know what? If you can find somethin' out about Tamara an' the other shit they're doin'? I'm going t' give you the benefit of the doubt on this. Against my better judgement." She looks back up at him, looking Magnes in the eyes. "Don't screw us with this."
"I asked Eileen before outright deciding to do this. We have rules established to keep the Ferry safe." Magnes is staring off at something away from her, his mood apparently not any better than before. "Just… I don't really want to talk right now. And I never said the Institute were good people, just… I want to know why they're doing anything." He stands up, walking to the door, then grabs the knob and opens it for her. "Listen, Quinn. I can't be the thing that breaks the band apart. It means too much to Sable. I'm the squeeky wheel."
"Then don't do somethin' stupid an' quit, Magnes. Sable wants you there. Adel wants you. Shit, one of Adel's friends made a comment about you bein' in the band the other day." But he doesn't want to talk, which gets another long sigh out of Quinn. Slowly, she rises up to her feet, looking down at him. "Think this over before yuo do anything silly, okay? I'd rather you stay in the band an', if you're really serious about this research thing with the Insitite, bein' able t' tell me what's up with people than quit an' make everyone even more unhappy. The band'll be getin' t'gether sometime right after Valentines, if we can manage it." QUinn just decided this, but Magnes doesn't need to know. "We can talk about it, as a band, then. Okay? THe whole point a' talkin' t'day was do things smart for the long run. Let's not mess that up."
"Alright, Quinn. I won't decide anything until the meeting." Magnes doesn't sound any calmer, but he's at least agreeing, still holding the door as his gaze turns down to his feet. "Good night, Quinn."
SHe purses her lips and nods. That's at least somewhat of a victory. "Alright. I'll see you later, Magnes. I was serious about hangin' out more, though. Give me a call sometime. An' I hope you make it out to the show…" She rolls her shoulders for a moment, unsure before she gives a wave, turning towards the door to leave.
"Yeah, I'll be there." Magnes lowly answers, and closes the door once she's out.