unbr8kable | meeting dr. cross

[She's met with Cross enough times that they are legitimate acquaintances now. There are only so many recruits, so they've ended up in some of the same training sessions, and she's fairly certain she's seen him in the dorms despite this mysterious Dr. Cross in the west wing. He's actually followed through on the promises to hang out, too, which was surprising enough that she hasn't prodded too much about his secrets. Cross himself hasn't been any less tight-lipped about the subject. He has instead shown her some cool nooks and crannies--they've found a closer entrance to the ceiling above the storage lockers in the maintenance closets near the courtyard--and while they haven't made it to Tokyo yet, he's shown her how to jimmy the lock to the roof, and otherwise just spent time with her he didn't have to, and that's been enough to effectively distract her from the topic.

That said, it hasn't made her any less curious, and today she's got a whole afternoon off--the tuning session for her arm ended early, and no one said she couldn't make any stops on the way back. Which is how Xia finds herself deep in the Tenno complex's west wing, in front of a door labeled 'Cross.' She stares at it for a while before giving it a quick rap.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Dr Cross' eyes don't turn back toward her again; she's already facing the workbench again, moving to pick up a pair of pliars.]

Dr. Wada's assistant.

[Luckily she hadn't actually been planning on helping because she doesn't have any idea who that is. Either way, her expression stays pretty placidly friendly.]

Okay. When I run into 'em, I'll send 'em your way. What's the treatise on?

[Dr. Cross' hand pauses briefly, and her eyes flicker back toward Xia again.]

Something that's vital for my current project.

[hooks her thumbs in her pockets, rocking back on her heels]

That's cool. Sounds like you're into some crazy stuff. I'm surprised Cross doesn't talk you up more.

[Her hands find the pliars. She leans forward to peer into the chestplate, reaching in with careful hands to begin adjusting the wiring.]

Mm.

[She watches with unfocused interest; it's cool, she guesses, but she knows far too little about electronics to know why. Anyway, that was as good an opening as any, so why not get this fact-finding mission started.]

We're in the same cohort, me and your, uh, kid, I guess. He's actually pretty decent, I guess, he'll probably hang in there for a while. You guys worried he'll get bullied for having family here, I guess?

[Dr. Cross frowns down at whatever she's seeing - hauls over a light on a flexible arm and turns it on, to add its harsh LED glare to already-bright lab lighting.]

[She glances up briefly at the question, expression momentarily blank as though the possibility had never ever occured - and then leans back in again, beginning to adjust the wiring again.]

Not especially.

Oh.

[Rocks back on her heels again, more of a nervous movement this time. Maybe there actually was something to it when Kuwahara said she wasn't cut out for Leader--she feels flat-footed, not having gotten anything to work with.]

Uh, just wondered, since he's in the dorm with us and all, even though you're here? Maybe it would've been weird, to send him mail, it's not like everybody gets some, I don't...

[Just kind of keeps babbling since she doesn't know where to go or how to stop]

[Dr. Cross sighs, the exhale slow and deliberate.]

[She sets the pliars down, and she turns to face Xia. Somehow, the weight of her stare, even and unfaltering, is far worse than the blatant dismissal from before. She cuts into the stream of chatter, so abrupt it seems jarring:]

What's your name?

[Immediately snaps to attention. It's not easy to meet that gaze, and her voice falters for a beat before she can reply]

Uh-- Igarashi from Eta cohort, ma'am.

And you say you know my son.

Yes, we-- Yes.

Then allow me to correct his oversight, as he apparently found it amusing to mention the location of my office and nothing else relevant.

I don't have the time or the patience for idle prattle, Miss Igarashi. Do you understand me?

No-- I mean, yes, but he didn't--

Team Alpha's support is currently out of commission. Would you like to venture a guess as to what will happen if the sirens in this building go off and I'm not finished with this chest plate?

[Opens her mouth and closes it, swallowing any comment]

Precisely.

[She turns back toward the workbench, reaching for the pliars again.]

Now see yourself out. And kindly tell my son to actually think before he speaks next time.

H-hey, he didn't say anything.

[There's a thin, worried edge to her tone; getting in trouble is one thing, getting other people in trouble (getting him in trouble) is another. She swallows and continues, voice stronger.]

Leave him out of this, this was my idea.

[She continues to work, not glancing back again. Now that her too-intense focus has been broken, it's as though there's a wall separating them.]

Was it?

[Licks her lips. She should probably just go.]

Yeah. He didn't want me to know about you, and I guess now I know why.

[No response. She adjusts a delicate bit of wiring. Her expression doesn't change at all.]

[Takes a tight little breath

And leaves the room, fists clenched and mouth pressed tight]

meeting dr. cross

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