That makes him flush even deeper. "Oh stop," he mutters, secretly pleased. He's doing something goddamn right with both of them and that seems to make the difference.
"Not one of your better diversions," she murmurs, but goes on to list off the various things she got for Christmas, ending with, "...and currently the vase has some beautiful calla lilies in it, so thank you for that."
It's not at all one of his best, but she's caught him off balance as he keeps glancing to the desk drawer where the book is stashed.
It's not as if he wasn't curious about it. But it's also not as if he - knows what the hell he wants.
The mention of the vase makes him smile. "You're welcome," he tells her with all the playful confidence he can muster. "That was one of my better ideas, I have to say."
He's all too happy to report on the less awful haul. "A pen! And ties!" he says with unbridled delight. "Records, a strange garment, and - oh, a machine I don't understand."
He stands up. "I meant to show it to you in the hopes that you might help. Shaun would be my next step." He comes back with a white noise machine.
She has to look it over for a moment before she finally realises what it is.
"Oh! It's a noise machine. Like a little fan, but all it's meant to do is make white noise. Some people like them when they sleep—they mask sounds. Probably good for masking conversations in ... well, in places like the counseling office."
"Fascinating." He leans over to inspect it. "I could certainly use something like that. Clever man, that Francis Crozier." He shakes his head. "Mm, and your inmate gave me a copy of a book he wrote."
She rolls her eyes and laughs. "Of course he did. His ego knows no bounds. On the other hand, his world is genuinely fascinating. Like fairy tales intruding on the novels of Jane Austen. And not the cute fairy tales either—the old ones full of blood and nasty bargains."
"Oh, well then I certainly will have plenty to look forward to. I think I actually have a publication that I wrote for someone once. I could give that to him. Bore him to sleep, which I think would do him a world of good," he laughs.
"As much as he drove me spare at first—and still does—I find I like him," she says. "It was something like that with O'Brien, though it took a hell of a lot longer to get there. At least I don't have to worry about Strange trying to murder me."
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That only makes her grin more. "You two. It's adorable, honestly."
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"What did you get for this Christmas?" he wonders.
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"Not one of your better diversions," she murmurs, but goes on to list off the various things she got for Christmas, ending with, "...and currently the vase has some beautiful calla lilies in it, so thank you for that."
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It's not as if he wasn't curious about it. But it's also not as if he - knows what the hell he wants.
The mention of the vase makes him smile. "You're welcome," he tells her with all the playful confidence he can muster. "That was one of my better ideas, I have to say."
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"It's delightful. And ingenious. What about you? I mean, apart from Norton's little ... joke?"
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He stands up. "I meant to show it to you in the hopes that you might help. Shaun would be my next step." He comes back with a white noise machine.
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She has to look it over for a moment before she finally realises what it is.
"Oh! It's a noise machine. Like a little fan, but all it's meant to do is make white noise. Some people like them when they sleep—they mask sounds. Probably good for masking conversations in ... well, in places like the counseling office."
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She rolls her eyes and laughs. "Of course he did. His ego knows no bounds. On the other hand, his world is genuinely fascinating. Like fairy tales intruding on the novels of Jane Austen. And not the cute fairy tales either—the old ones full of blood and nasty bargains."
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"Even odds whether it'd bore him to sleep, or whether you'd find him pounding on your door to ask you about the details," she points out.
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"As much as he drove me spare at first—and still does—I find I like him," she says. "It was something like that with O'Brien, though it took a hell of a lot longer to get there. At least I don't have to worry about Strange trying to murder me."
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"There's restrictions in place. But around here ... well. Anything can happen."
She sets down her coffee cup and leans back with a sigh.
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"No more or less than is normal in this place," she says. "I'll be all right."