Participants:
| Scene Title | Much Assembly Required |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Magnes makes an apology to Yana for past incidents. His effort is accepted, as is his resignation. |
| Date | December 29 |
Dorchester Tower Apartments - Yana's Apartment
After giving Yana a call to ask if they can talk, Magnes actually goes all the way up to her apartment this time. He's in his long zipped up leather jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers again, knocking lightly at her door. She'd know it was him, considering she'd have had to let him up to begin with.
This little matter has caused her more grief than she would normally put up with. All day yesterday, she asked herself why she even put up with it, a lesser person would have not been so lucky. Though it is quickly becoming a situation that she may have to come down with a heavier hand. If not for the way she was raised, Magnes wouldn't have so much made it through the front door. Though she supposes she is going to have to express her opinion and get it over with, so she allows him audience into her abode. Her dress does it's best to cover past her knees, and is one of her more casual pieces rather than fancy, but she still wears it with a great bit of elegance. Opening the door, she gives him an expression-less look, "Magnes. Please, come in." spoken pointedly.
"I need to say something, about last night." Magnes walks in, looking around briefly, then turns to face her with a soft sigh. "First, I'm sorry, I should have asked before I tried what I did yesterday. With younger girls that I like, those kind of crazy gestures work, but I should have considered that you're, well, refined. That said…" He pauses, taking a moment to form his next few words. "As intelligent as you are, as much as I'm oddly attracted to your refinement, I realize that you're completely out of my league. Normally this isn't something that could stop me, and it's definitely not a thing that even remotely discourages me, but I don't think there's any amount of growing up I could do that would ever bridge the gap I would need to cross to get to you. I'd try, I want to try, but…"
He slides his hands into his pockets, shaking his head. "What my father told me was right, it's sinking in more and more, especially with these attempts to impress you. THe reason everything goes wrong with me is for no reason other than that I'm me. I'm the primary variable in every mistake I make, and as long as I'm me, there's no way I can date any woman, let alone a woman as great as you."
If her home decor is anything of further indication of her refinement, then Magnes is right in what he says. It isn't often about the space of your apartment(which there are plenty in Dorchester's apartments) but how you utilize the space. Yana's place is decorated with style, and from the looks of it, there was clearly a professional's touch added. She was gracious enough to let him in, though given the events of the past few days, she doesn't have a smile ready for him. Silently, she listens to him go on, giving no indication as to how she is receiving his words in the least.
She likes to think that she is a reasonable woman, and she is giving him the decency to speak his case before she interjects with her own feelings. She even gives him a few extra seconds to consider what he just said, and make any additions or corrections before she opens her mouth. "Well, you are able to acknowledge where you went wrong. We'll mark that as an inch of personal growth, however… Having said that, I believe that you are right, Magnes. You are dealing with a whole nother class that hangs several stories above your own. It seemed to me that you had this foolish notion that you can treat all types of women the same way, and they'll just fall all over what you consider to be your more 'unique and endearing' qualities. The truth of the matter is.. You don't know how to treat a lady." Yana explains.
She crosses the foyer of her apartment, wandering over to her kitchen table where she pulls a book from it's surface. "Firstly, your biggest mistake was trying to mix business with pleasure. This whole thing was just supposed to be about you wanting to further your knowledge into science, which I was more than glad to help you achieve, but then you turned it into some bizarre attempt at living out some fantasy school boy crush that you thought your powers could magically win you out in the end." she makes her way back over to him with the book. "Your self image issues are also a factor in your failure, and my only advice to you is that you seek counseling as soon as you can, and stop playing the pathetic card, poking out your lip. It's unattractive." the book is held out to him, a book on basic etiquette and gentlemanly behavior. "Now I can't go and tell you this, without offering my guidance like I said I would do, so I also suggest that you start here. Compare everything that you think you know, and see if you can begin the process of actual development right rather than hitting and missing as you have been."
Magnes reaches out to take the book, looking down at it and running his hand over the cover. "I'm not trying to play any pathetic card, I'm…" Before he can finish, he simply shuts up and nods. "I don't have any self image issues, I'm happy with who I am. But my father said that as long as I am who I am, I'm going to fail. Science is all about repeating an experiment, well, I've lived my entire life being me, and the second I started deviating from the path my parents laid out from me is the second I started failing."
He begins to head to the door, placing his hand on the knob, though doesn't turn it yet. "I want to be a better person, but I don't want to change who I am, and stop being me. When I read this book, I'll still have the same personality, I won't magically turn into some sauve Italian guy. I will never get a woman like you, not even a woman who's half of what you are. That's not self image issues, that's realism, and something I have to accept instead of going through leaps and bounds to reach some change in myself that doesn't exist."
"That's sad, Magnes." Yana states plainly while she watches him head toward the door. She is standing, with her arms crossed over her stomach, giving off a message with her body language while she regards him ruefully, "You're deplorable with very little chance of redemption. And for what? Honestly, what reason would you have to come all the way over there, just to tell me that you are a failure, and that you will never find a woman to date, let alone someone like me who you think, outshines many of the rest? Exactly what did you intend me to do with that information?" she shakes her head slowly, her eyelids lowering to almost squint at him, "Your apology would have been far more acceptable without adding in the little extra bit. I refuse to believe that you aren't playing pathetic when you say something like that."
A habit she has in the office is pushing her glasses upon her face with a finger when she becomes stressed or bothered, like she does now, but there are no glasses. "I don't expect you to magically change over night. I don't expect that you will turn into some extravagant gentleman after reading that book, and I don't expect that you will ever be the type of man that I can take an interest in romantically. You're still in pieces Magnes; unassembled, and I don't have the interest or the time to put you together. And quite frankly? There are just too many pieces for that to be a fair job to anyone, but yourself." She is just as forward and blunt as ever. Not making a move to stop him, but simply giving it to him straight.
"I'm sorry it has to be that way, but you need help that no one else can give you. If you like being you, and you like the way that you are, then perhaps you should stop putting your problems on others. Being secure in the fact that you are a failure is fine and dandy if that is what you want to do, but keep it to yourself. It's pointless to even mention it, if there is nothing that can be done about it."
"I'm telling you everything that I am so that you'll know that I won't bother you with these things anymore, so you'll know that I understand what my position is. I don't need help, someone who needed help wouldn't be coming to the realizations that I am, they'd continue to pointlessly pursue." Magnes still doesn't turn the knob, though seems rather tense from the whole situation, fingers rapidly tapping the knob. "And I'm not a failure, despite what my father thinks. As a person, yeah, maybe. But I'm still the kind of person who can learn to make super viruses, and that's the only kind of success that should matter to a person like me. I have intelligence, I don't need these things." He holds up the book, indicating, well, everything it represents. "And that's all I need to remember."
Super viruses. It is something that strikes Dr. Blite as silly. To her, there isn't really a classification of super. Any virus can be as effective as the first, with the right instruction. But those are just details. Just a little amusing note share between Yana and her inner self, completely separate from the subject at hand. "I see." She rejoins the conversation, "Well, at least you are resolved. That is saying something, I think. Either way, best of luck in your personal ventures. I hope that you get everything you deserve and need." It is sincere, but not filled with her usual stream of kindness. They are well past that point right now. "On the professional note, I don't think Dr. Ruslan will be as inclined to take your research into consideration, considering the altercation yesterday. He didn't seem to appreciate having an entree thrown at his head. My suggestion at this point would be to tell your idea to your father. Possibly get the backing and help you need there. I myself can offer you advice, but I can't just drop the research I am set on now to assist with yours."
"About that. While I'm still more than excited to try and prove my hypothesis, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'd rather assist you with any research that you have, and learn what I can until I'm ready to do something on my own. I think there's a lot I need to learn before I start trying to change the world on my own." Magnes closes his eyes for a brief few moments, taking deep breathes. "I intend to speak with my father about this. It'll be nice to bury myself in research, and embrace something I can excel at."
"Good." Yana nods solemnly, "Going forward with that, should at least start you on the right path of discovering what it is you want." A revisit to an earlier conversation. One of her hands lift, and she brushes her fingers back and forth in the air, waving the emotion off of her words dismissively. "I'll have a talk with Dr. Ruslan and see about calming him down into accepting your assistance." Yana keeps the distance in her voice, the woman's heart generally unavailable at this point. "Let me know what end you come to with your father, and we'll look at how to continue."
"Yeah, sure… and I'm really sorry about all of this, again. I feel really stupid for thinking…" Magnes doesn't finish his sentence, simply trailing off before finally turning the knob. The disappointment in his tone is clear, but he seems resolved on it all. "I'll keep you informed."
She is contemplating one or two things as he moves to step out of the door. Many of which doesn't even pertain to this situation at all. Magnes' mood somehow reminding her of shopping and returning to the office to pick up something she had left behind. Odd that it would spark that thought in her head, but it does. "Apology accepted. Have a good day, Magnes." Yana nods as she moves to see him out, so that she can latch her door and enjoy a little bit of time to herself. A proper bath before getting back to work sounds just wonderful.