#hamartiah

" a downright shame, ain't it? " atticus breathes out, plumes of smoke bellow from scarred lips as he looks up towards the sky : dark, glittering, simple - simple, yet beautiful all the same. he wonders, though, if the sky here looks the same as it does back home. life and death - they were concepts atticus honored in his culture, all traditions cherished every aspect. to give thanks for taking what they need and honoring the dead when it was their time to pass. death was never a terrifying thing for the ranger, he came to the realization that there was so much more terrifying aspects living than in death.

❝ thank you for always keeping me on my toes. ❞

❝ lucky for you, i’ve no pride like many others here. ❞

"oh briiii~ar! my dearest interim cinematographer, what a pleasure it is to see upon my stage," a flourish of one hand, theatrical in all he does, as he lays his hand over his heart. he bends, just enough, to flash a simper - gone as soon as it arrives, replaced with a dull look.

     ❝     so     [   . . .   ]     what exactly does,     'supernatural beings'     entail?     ❞     genuine inquisitiveness,     the raised quirk of brow,     the idle placing of chin 'pon palm,     propped up by the elbow placed 'gainst table's surface.     miniscule narrowing of eyes     &     just like that facial expression bounces back to trademark tranquility,     the beginnings of a smile in @hamartiah's direction.     ❝     youkai clearly count,     right?     ❞     //     ♡     :     jin.

turquoise gaze remains fixed on the screen, assessing data from the most recent run of the simulated universe. to most, this would seem to be an inconclusive run- an unclear result. but where herta values the limitless probabilities, she finds value in the apparent sentience these simulated aeons have. what path led to them appearing as they did? what choices attracted their focus? it is the closest they will ever be to observing an aeon. they must dig deeper. the must know what led to the birth of these cosmic titans. how... why? " let's break for tea. " tapping once on the screen to pause for now. she makes a mental note to return to a specific point... later. they can discuss it together; herta's input was quite valuable more often than not. for now, she's begun to crave something sweet. strawberries perhaps, or maybe lemon... hm. // rm for herta :)

                      how dreadfully dull it would be if all answers simply unveiled themselves without struggle.  if understanding came as effortlessly as breathing.  no  —  there must always be a challenge.  for what else was intellect without something to test its mettle?  even if it meant running the same simulation an exasperating number of times.   

                      at present, her attention  —  keen,  sharp,  and utterly consuming when she deigned to focus it  —  was fixed 'pon the droidhead in this particular simulation.  and yet,  as ever,  the simulated aha had other ideas.  a nuisance,  a distraction.  a shame.  how more thrilling it would have been if idrila had appeared instead.  now that would have been something worthy of her interest.  something that might have held her attention for longer than the usual fleeting moments before boredom crept in.  

                      her fingers hovered over the button,  the temptation to restart flickering through her mind.  she could have easily lost herself in the loops of endless experimentation.  but then,  the presence of ruan mei served as a reminder that even geniuses require their moments of reprieve.  with an almost theatrical grace,  she rose from her chair.  her voice filled with effortless certainty of one who expected the universe itself to accommodate her whims.   ❝   tea should be done by now.   ❞  

@hamartiah &&. said... briar vc: can i get a raise

the  request  is  met  with  a  pointedly  arched  brow  —  though  the  halovian's  ever-tranquil  expression  sees  little  change  otherwise.   ❝  oh?  ❞  his  hands  are  folded  neatly  before  him,  fingers  delicately  intertwined.  shoulders  high,  back  straight  —  never  hair  nor  feather  out  of  place.  (  a  perfectly  palatable  exterior.  )  ordinarily  most  would  hesitate  to  ask  him  for  favors  so  brazenly;  often,  it  feels  more  akin  to  a  dance.  a  careful  step  here,  a  calculated  move  there  —  never  quite  extending  oneself  beyond  the  constraints  of  the  preestablished  melody.  although,  most  social  interactions  following  a  modicum  of  propriety  could  be  described  in  similar  metaphor.

❝  traditionally,  a  raise  is  given  to  employees  who  demonstrate  exemplary  job  performance.  ❞   sunday  tells  him,  speaking  in  a  smooth  and  pleasant  cadence.  ❝  this  manifests  in  many  forms.  shouldering  additional  responsibilities,  for  instance,  may  come  with  equivalent  monetary  rewards.  however,  even  something  as  humble  as  keeping  a  positive  and  consistent  work  ethic  can  be  deemed  beneficial  enough  to  the  collective  to  warrant  compensation.  ❞  he  pauses  for  a  moment,  allowing  the  words  an  opportunity  to  sink  in.  ❝  the  important  part  is  that  it  is  fundamentally  a  transaction  —  a  raise  is  given  when  one  has  earned  it.  ❞