Day Two, post-trial;

[chiseler]

[The trial had been a shitshow. That was fact. His nose continued to throb even after he applied the cold compress to it. That was also fact. But curfew was coming soon and he didn't have an appetite for dinner so he departed from his previous location and made his way back to his room.

Perhaps he should be embarrassed that when he enters the apartment shirtless with a bloody and wet shirt balled up and pressed to his nose Elizabeth is already there. Perhaps he should have some decency. But instead all he does is linger in the doorway as he studies her carefully. He takes a breath before shutting the door behind him, leaning against it.]

Well...guess that's one less person to fight with over the bed. [Even if it's a joke, it's obvious he's uncomfortable by the events of the evening. But he needs to gauge her reactions first.]

Comments

[chiseler]

[Despite the fact he plays right into the dumb blonde trope sometimes, Luke is actually very smart in that regard. He's put thought into it himself, not used to being trapped like this either. On the other hand, he looks a little concerned when she immediately brings that up.]

I would really prefer you not being a test subject unless you can move fast enough to dodge. That sounds pretty risky. [Though...] You're right though, your ideas are blending both. Do you even know how to fire a gun?

[tearable]

[ There's a knot in her stomach when he asks something about her skill of firing a gun. She gives a shake of her head, bluffing fairly accurately. ]

Not much of a shot at all. I know more about them than how to fire one. If my target's the broad side of a barn? Then I'll be good.

[ There's an honest laugh there, truly trying to sell her downplay of her ability to defend herself. ]

But, can anyone dodge a bullet? They're pretty fast.

[chiseler]

Better than me. [He doesn't seem uncomfortable admitting that which alone might be dangerous.] I've never even seen a gun fired if you can believe that. They look a little too complicated for me to bother with. [Regardless, he laughs slightly.]

Some of us could probably figure it out. Have you studied the profiles at all? I don't even know what half of these skills mean.

[tearable]

Besides my own and a few others? I gave them some glances. [ "Some glances" means studied fairly accurately. ] They're really invasive but they're helping us out. Lets us know what advantages people may have.

[chiseler]

In most cases, anyway. I don't know if knowing that Alice? is good at complaining helps us out a lot. [He hums to himself.] Everything else though seems to accurate enough. [...] But wouldn't it just be easier to run in flats instead of heels?

[tearable]

[ There's a huff of air that escapes with a nice laugh. The Alice? kid sure does seem to cause a stink wherever he goes. But - the sly dig at her... ]

People from Rapture value style over comfort. They're too spliced out of their damn mind to give a rats ass. I'm just one girl, Luke, can't change fashion trends myself.

[chiseler]

Isn't that how anybody changes anything though? [Just hear him out for a sec.] One person revolution, whatever. You have a leader who comes up with a good idea, starts feeding that idea to other people and soon people latch onto it even if they know it's illogical? That's probably how the fashion in…Rapture? Wherever that is, that's probably how that happened. [He shifts to lay on his back, rolling onto his side to face her but also close his eyes.]

You always undersell yourself? Just curious. [Because that, he thinks, might be a little dangerous.]

[tearable]

I'm not too keen on being put on some pedestal to change the tides of fashion. [ It's petty, but it's definitely not where her interest lies. Leave that to the fashionistas, businessmen, and dreamers that inhabit Rapture. ] Women are meant to be what's befitting of a lady - prim, proper, elegant with a dash of sultry. It's just a man who decides that.

[ When he tries to talk about underselling, she scoffs a bit. ]

What angle are you fishing for? What's that suppose to mean?

[chiseler]

This wasn't entirely about fashion, you know. I was talking more in general? But no offense, the idea of what's befitting of a lady sounds pretty boring.

[Surprise, this is how a boy from the 2000s feels.] Why do you think I'm fishing for anything? I'm actually just wondering if that's a common thing or not. Maybe I'm not used to girls not being up-front about what they're capable of.

pictured here: ty ruining my life

[tearable]

What do you expect me to do, then?

[ This kills man. ]

I don't think I'm really underestimating myself. I guess I'm just trying to do what everyone else is - live another day. [ She doesn't want to draw attention to herself, but there are times she can't sit idly by and let things go unnoticed. ] That's all we can do when the answers are hidden and messy.

:*

[chiseler]

[He's not getting much further and yet he wants to keep pressing for answers. Still, the dull throbbing in his face is keeping him from being too obnoxious. That's a blessing, perhaps.]

I suppose that's one way to look at it, but I've never been that great at sitting around and leaving answers hidden. And anybody who has a crossbox brought into this place with her probably isn't either. [He shrugs though, stretching out on the bed.] But I'll take your word for it. We're both in the same boat here. Maybe something will change soon, huh?

[tearable]

That's called ambitious. You'd do well in Rapture.

[ He calls her out on her item and she smirks a bit. There's a confidence of knowing she is not the one to be messed with. She can use that. ]

The only change I want is to see the damn sun. It's been a while, it feels like. People will get all claustrophobic at this rate.

[chiseler]

…thanks. [It's a hesitant answer because he's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Still, he's more curious about Elizabeth's reactions and that's it, that's the smirk he wanted to see. It's enough to confirm his suspicions that Elizabeth is someone to monitor. That's good to know.]

It's only been a couple of days, but if you think people can't hack it. [A shrug.] You think more people will kill if they think it'll get them out of here faster?