Participants:
| Scene Title | I'm Caviar, You're… |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Magnes calls to meet Yana somewhere on Christmas day to catch up. His attempt at pick up are met with less favorable results than he was probably expecting. |
| Date | December 25 |
There is just no peace for Dr. Blite this Christmas as she cannot seem to get a single thing right within the past few days. She only recently left the scene involving Koshka, Elijah and the supposed Federal agent, and planned to spend the rest of the holiday hiding out from Elijah and his drama, as well as the rest of the world. Heaven help her nephew should he want much more than a Merry Christmas from her. She got him everything he asked for, and a nice dinner is being prepared, so he can leave her alone for a bit.
Just as she had settled down to read an article of her latest work notes, pining for the lab and to get back to work, she got a call requesting to meet. On Christmas? How terribly gauche! Internal Yana is insulted that anyone would even entertain the idea that she wouldn't have anything to do on Christmas. She has family, she just chose not to deal with anyone this year. In fact, she would have told Magnes no, if not for the fact that she could escape the possibility of Eli coming down after having cooled off to apologize, or Keagan coming in and stressing her out with some kind of trouble he has been in.
Fine. If only just to get out. She gets herself ready, has her attendant bring about the car, and has the meeting set for a restaurant nearby, which of course is pretty empty, because it is Christmas. With a soft sigh, seeing the lack of business, Yana is shown to her seat.
Having no idea he'd be invited to such a high class place for a random meeting on Christmas, Magnes didn't exactly come prepared in his choice of dress. He's shown to the table with an unzipped long leather jacket, and a red shirt under it with lines of wide binary going down the middle that says Merry Christmas to anyone who could read such. He removes his jacket, draping it over the back of the chair, then takes a seat in front of her. "Sorry if I interrupted anything, I just… wanted to catch up, I guess." He looks a little uneasy, rubbing one arm as he clears his throat.
The truth of the matter is, she wasn't doing much of anything, so she cannot really chastise him for that. Although him going out in something like that period might be something she can't possibly overlook. He is how old now? Not 14, that is for sure. Yana has a bit of a pretentious view of people, and the one she comes up for Magnes is probably either true, or something he has heard someone say before. But Yana keeps it to herself. But she is of course dressed as one should be. Such a lovely dress she wears, expensive and the colors of the holidays. Though in more subtle tones, rather than bright and crisp. She sits with one leg crossed over the other at her table, and her fingers playing over a rather sizable diamond ring worn upon one of them. The gesture is just a little 'Dr. Evil rubbing his cat', in addition to the look she gives Magnes.
She doesn't rise, because that isn't what a lady does. It would be his job to rise, if she were arriving. He has other etiquette to follow, which… she is sure he is unaware of. A look given to his attire.
"Well, you might have possibly picked a better time, Magnes. Christmas isn't really the day for 'catching up'. You should be with your family, and friends. Have a seat." she gestures to the seat across from her, "And tell me why you're alone on Christmas." His desperation is rather obvious.
"Ah, uh…" Magnes' cheeks flush a bit when he's called out on his true intentions, looking around the restaurant before his eyes settle on her's. "My girlfriend left me a little over a month ago, a few days after the riots. My mother and father don't live in the same state, and I'm still working on getting out of failure status with them. I only have a few friends, and they're all busy, so, it's just me today. It's a step up from last Christmas, but…"
She listens to his story, taking mental notes, and makes her assessment of it by the end. The playing of her ring stops for a few moments for her eyes to squint thoughtfully, "A greater suggestion might be for you to have traveled home for Christmas to your parents, by yourself as a surprise. Show initiative that you want to get back into their good graces, and you're making an effort to do so." This atmosphere of this meeting is more like an interview than a chance to catch up. "You're lacking in that, aren't you Magnes?" Her drink is brought to her quietly by the waiter, who isn't spared a look, but a simple thank you, as she stirs the ice around with the little cocktail straw. "Double shot of vodka for my friend, please." she tells the waiter before returning to Magnes, "Initiative? Confidence? Because I'll be honest.. You don't speak, nor do you—" she raises a hand and waves it about his ensemble, "Dress like a man of much virtue. Not in charge of your own life much? I presume? Waiting for some type of guidance into what you should do next? Tell me.. what is it you think that you lack in this world? As far as self."
"I guess I try to dress to my personality. When I was Tracy Strauss' intern, my friend Abigail said I wasn't being myself when I started wearing suits all the time." Magnes' fingers lightly tap against the table, giving her question at least a minute of thought. "What do I lack? I guess… it's exactly what you said. I don't know what I want exactly, which is why I've decided to just do what interests me. I like science, which is why I made contact with you again, I want to pursue something meaningful. But in the end, like, in the pit of my stomach, I don't know what I want." There's a look to the waiter, then back to her. "I'm paying for all of this, since I'm the one who called you."
With him jumping to pay for the bill, Yana smirks to herself and wonders if he knows how much everything costs here. She half expects him to pull cash out of his pockets when it comes time to pay. Yes, it is one of those restaurants, where the waiter will look at you funny for even tipping with cash. "As you wish." she allows of him, bringing her drink to her lips to sip. After which, she wets her lips free of the taste of the beverage and looks at him. "You have to make the suit your own. Whatever you are wearing needs to become an extension of yourself." For instant, look at her dress, and see just how it accents her when she takes a deep breath like she is doing now. That dress belongs on her; to her.
"Now, about doing what interests you… It is a fine thing to do, as long as you are doing it for the right reasons. It almost sounds— Correct me if I'm wrong— But it sounds like you're doing it for acceptance? To impress someone? You mentioned your father's disappointment in you, the last time we spoke. Could that have something to do with it." the well manicured and dark painted nail on her index finger dances on the rim of her glass while she speaks. "You need self discovery. Get out of whatever transition you seem to be stuck in."
"My life is at this weird point, like multiple works in the road and I'm going down them all at the same time. I have my band, I like my band. We're actually going somewhere, going to be on the radio soon, we even have a studio. But I'm a scientist at heart, I was raised to be one, but my parents wanted a physicist, and that's something they're not going to get. But I feel like if I do something I want to do, something in the scientific fields that I like, my parents are happy, and I'm happy." Magnes motions to her, a subtle movement, knowing they're not in a place where flailing is the most acceptable gesture. "You made me like molecular biology, genetics. And it's one of the most relevant fields in the current climate of the world. You're my primary influence in all of this, and I thought you could be a guide for me."
Yana takes a breath in through her nostrils, while her eyes peer at the space just above Magnes' head with a narrow, "Mmm. A guide. Well, I can do my best. I'm still trying to figure out how to go about things myself. For right now, I'm going through the right channels and working my way to the top. Might take some time, but I am confident this is the way to go." she nods, "But I guess I was a bit like you, in the aspect that I had something to prove to my parents. Everyone did in my family. All I did was exceed my father's expectations by forging my own future. With the things I have accomplished, he has very little to complain about. Where you are running into a roadblock is that you are trying to make your parents happy." she shakes her head, shaking a finger back and forth at him, "Take what you want to do and stretch it way above their heads. That way, they can't touch you, nor can that have a valid reason to be disappointed." Her drink is lifted to her lips, taking a long sip as the vodka she ordered for him is brought to the table.
"I spoke to Elijah about your theory. He responded about how I believed he would, but he is willing to speak with you. I can assure you, Dr. Ruslan is very harsh when it comes to scientific ventures. And he has undergone some harsh events in the past couple of days, so don't be surprised if he is a little abrasive. He does know what he is talking about. Where I think you should maybe start in your research, Magnes, is at the beginning. Say.. I dunno.. Viruses. There are viruses that infect only certain animals, and viruses that infect only humans. Perhaps, maybe, starting with breaking down the reasoning, and going against the fact of nature, will lead to other areas of where you want your conclusion to go."
"Viruses… that actually makes a lot of sense. Viruses can be used like programmable liposomes, couldn't they? I still have a lot to learn, but…" Magnes smiles, lifting the vodka to his mouth for a light sip. There's a bit of an eyebrow furrow, but he otherwise does his best to hide how strong he finds it. "I've always been a good student, I think. I'm willing to learn anything you have to teach me."
"Mmm. They sure can." Yana replies to him with a wry smile on her face. Magnes might believe that this smile is simply because she is glad to see that he is thought producing, when really it is that, plus the notion that she is able to 'rewrite' the program contained within viruses. Sure, why not set him on the path to discovering how she can make viruses universal, rather than species specific. There are some nice symptoms in some animal viruses that she would love to transfer to humans. And so much the better if she can get someone else to do it for her. Imagine their horror when they discover what they have worked to accomplish, when she exacts her true plan. "Maybe, we could learn how to cure other viruses if we found out a way to completely change their programming. Unraveled the mystery of the virion particle. It could very well lead to the discovery of your changing state theory. Maybe even take steps into achieving breakthroughs in Evolved abilities?"
"I never thought of viruses in such a versatile way before. I'll have to pick up some books tonight, to refresh myself on everything you taught me." Magnes clears his throat, eyes shifting a bit as a jumble of thoughts cross his mind. "So, uh, what's your life like outside of your work?"
"Outside of work?" Yana's brows lift, "Very little. I tend to take my work home most times, and only get to go out on special occasions and events. I mean, I do go about the usual shopping and things, but generally there is very little time to myself." she flits her hand about in the air, "Which is fine by be. I am much happier when I am working." Just makes her closer to her ultimate goal.
"That's kind of sad, I mean, I always thought you were pretty and smart at the same time, even when I was too young to do anything about it." Magnes is clearing his throat again, even after trying to deliver that bit of dialogue smoothly, he's suddenly full of uneasiness.
Yana chuckles, "Don't get me wrong. I am pretty content with the pace of my life." her eyes lift to watch the waiter cross to a table behind them, "After Gregori died, I settled into a steady rhythm, and have been going it since. I'm not terribly lonely. I can buy affection, or an escort for the evening. There is nothing like a man that comes with their own return policy." she grins.
"You mean, like, alright I think I get it without asking for you to elaborate. It's just, I don't know, not that I disapprove of how anyone spends their time as long as they're safe and no one's hurt, but…" Magnes has to clear his throat again. Whenever he says anything even remotely beneficial to himself in this situation, he seems to get very nervous. "If you're going to have an arrangement like that, wouldn't it be better to have someone who can really learn what you like over time, with personalized practice, and stimulate you on an intellectual level at the same time?"
Her head shakes, and a hand comes up, "Escort, meaning I pay for some man to take me out and be seen with me in public at special events. In my case, I normally send him home right after he drops me off at my door, with a sizeable tip for being an effective gentleman. It works for me." she explains to him. "My life is more complicated than I let on. To actually include someone else in that, that isn't precisely on the same level as me tends to have dire consequences." Like death. By her hand.
"Oh, I, uh, oh god." Magnes' hands just fly up and cover his face, groaning as if he's done the stupidest thing in the universe. "You can ignore all that stuff I just said, right? God, I'm such an idiot, I don't know why I even say words at all."
It comes with her territory, receiving suggestive and awkward comments from the opposite sex. Yana has simply learned to deal with it gracefully. "It happens, Magnes. More than you probably realize. I'm sure that once you resolve the 'you' issues that you are having, the right words to say to a woman will come to you, and you'll win her heart some day." Yana interlocks her fingers together, setting them calmly on the table before her. "Or perhaps you'll find a girl that thinks your shy and stuttering ways are adorable. There are women who know quite what they like and want. I'm one of them."
"I'm not shy, I mean, I'm not shy when it counts!" Magnes pauses on that, then just slumps. "God, even that was awkward, wasn't it? And actually I was attempting to proposition you, which I think would have worked a lot better if I didn't completely misunderstand what you meant by escort…" There's a helpless smile and a shrug of his shoulders, adding, "I'm guessing this is a case study in totally bombing, right?"
"Not quite." Yana begins, "And I'll have to elaborate on that." One hand is held up to steady him from speaking while she gathers her thoughts. "Let's go back to when you first found me. When I came from the elevator, how was I dressed? Where is it that I live? Dorchester. My attendant, also dressed impeccably. I took you into a limo, with a chauffeur. And you.. how were you dressed then?" Yana's brows raises, giving it a moment to sink in for him before she continues, "Let us consider right now. How am I dressed currently? How are you dressed at the time? Do you honestly believe, going by how you are now, that you could provide something that I don't already have? I'll be straight with you, Magnes.. It is a little insulting that you would consider making a move on me, without first having the decency to present yourself better." Her dark eyes raise and peer at him from across the table, "However, I can forgive it, passing it off with your age and inexperience. You have some growing up to do first."
"I used to live in Dorchester when I was Tracy Strauss' intern, the President's PR woman. I only lost the job because of, well, a telepath, but that's another story." Magnes frowns down at his shirt, then the rest of his clothes with a very critical look in his eyes. "I feel stupid… no, not stupid, embarassed I guess? I don't know what I was thinking, calling you out here just because I didn't want to be alone on Christmas, then having the nerve to make a pass at you. I didn't even bother to look the place up to see if I should wear a suit."
Her lips press firmly together, and Yana nods her head, agreeing with him, as he obviously sees how she is seeing it. "It sounds to me that you tend to not think things through, Magnes. Or you don't consider the consequences or how to ensure that things go the way you want. You said it at the beginning of your sentence, you don't know what you were thinking. And everything you said right after that, how can you be that unprepared? The fact that you thought so little of me, that I wouldn't have anything to do on Christmas? Is that something that I should find acceptable in someone to be with? I have plans later, yes. You caught me with a bit of time on my hands, so.. here I am."
"It won't happen again, Doctor Blite. And I'm sorry for insulting you. I'll… be more mindful, I'll try to consider these things more carefully. I hope it at least makes up for things a little that I'm going to cover the bill." Magnes pauses briefly while he reaches into his pocket to check for his wallet, and adds, "Could we try this again? I mean, give me a second chance to not screw up, maybe dinner?"
Yana just lets her calm smile continue, mulling over thoughts in her head, "You have some growing up to do, Magnes." the woman repeats to him. "The first thing I would like for you to do, is to take into consideration the type of lifestyle I lead. Think about everything that I seem to have, and where I am with my career. Then you will need to ask yourself a question. One that I don't need to tell you, because once you consider the other stuff first, the question will come rather naturally. Once you figure out the answer to that question, I'll take your application into consideration." It wasn't a direct answer, but that is life sometimes. Yana pulls herself to her feet, "Have a Merry Christmas, Magnes. I should really be getting back, Keagan is probably worrying about dinner." she pauses to look at him, "You'll get it together, one of these days." she says, before excusing herself.
Magnes almost lets her leave without a word, taking another sip of his vodka. But as she's walking away, he turns around to say, "Immature clothes don't necessarily betray an inability to spoil a woman with money."
Yana pauses, near the door, "I have money." she tells him, "Gregori saw to that. That close to the question you need to think about, it is good that you are thinking. It's a step. Just keep in mind what I said, about being someone who knows what they want? You'll understand." she smiles and heads on.