maskormenace | 04 ⚜ Video

[Pristine is how Crane appears when he flicks on the video feed; it's a lovely display of smoke and mirrors that he's pulling off, after the events of the last three days. He has a clean, elegant, ascetic appearance - and enough calm professionalism to mask his excitement.]

You're all handling this outbreak remarkably well. It seems you're all keeping to the boundaries of the law, as the Major-General expects you to. That's a good thing, mind. It would be terrible news to hear people have been shot for breaking quarantine.

Anyway, I am here to help if this event has caused you psychological distress. I am a doctor, after all.

[A pause, and he tucks in his chin and folds his hands in his lap. He half-closes his eyes.]

Fears and phobias are my specialty, and there is much to fear in this situation.

[His head comes back up. He's staring at the lens.]

Be that as it may, fear is something everybody needs. It keeps you safe and keeps you on your toes. It will do you all well to remember that. That it's good to know we must always feel a little scared. It's good to see that most of you haven't submitted to bravado and dagger-tongued bragging.

[The corners of his lips lift in a boyish smile. He tilts his head slightly. His voice is disarmingly gentle. His soft inflection on 'most of you' is meant for one person in particular.]

And I wouldn't like to think that those with guts would put everyone in danger. I trust everyone to make the best decisions for each other in combating this disease.

It would be terrifying to think we couldn't trust each other. Wouldn't it?

[He crosses his right leg and rests his hands over his knee. His graceful fingers smooth his trousers, and he waits for his audience to speak.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm not a particularly picky woman when it comes to where I read. But what I read -- well, there is a certain criteria I look for in all of those books.

[ Her brows flicker and she smirks to indicate that Crane definitely fits her 'special book' profile. And then she taps her chin thoughtfully. ]

What say you to dinner? Thursday night? We can discuss this and more there.

[ So much more. ]

[Crane notices Raina's facial expressions; a flicker of her brows, that flirtatious smirk, and the way her fingers gently touch and stroke her jawline. He doesn't smile back. He doesn't shrug. He doesn't register the sexual nature of it at all. Perhaps he would only be interested if he could adopt it into his research. But the fact is he likes his solitude.

But he is perfectly capable of playing the game. Though he probably comes over as awkward to some.]

Are you asking me out? [When you're already taken? Oh dear, Raina.] I would be happy to meet you and... offer my opinion on these crucial issues.

[ Hey! She's not taken. She never agreed to those terms.

Raina lets out a soft laugh that neither confirms nor denies his question. Finally. Finally he's sitting down with her for a one-on-one meeting. And she's not about to do anything that would make him change his mind. ]

I look forward to it, Doctor Crane. I'll send you the name of the restaurant and address tomorrow. I hope you prefer the finer tastes in cuisine.

[ One can never be too careful about just who is watching these sorts of things. And Raina isn't even concerned about it being Chilton. It's Skye she wants to avoid. So she doesn't plan on giving the address out of where she'll be on the public network lest that little SHIELD brat decide she wants to interfere in what Raina's doing. ]

Edited 2015-05-01 00:01 (UTC)

[Crane doesn't seem to care that he's going to be sitting down with Raina, one way or the other. He's just going to attend this meal to investigate the results of his work from a different angle.]

I really don't see how my taste in cuisene matters. [Given, you know, the purpose of this meeting; for him and her.] Just contact me when you're ready.

04 ⚜ Video

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