Voicemail/IC Contact

[explosivecombat]

[VOICE/TEXT/VIDEO; OPEN TO ALL.]
(Carmen, you probably want this one.)

"State your name and whatever business you may have with me; I'll return your call once circumstances allow."

[Please state in the subject line if OOC planning is preferred and we can handwave like the wind, but otherwise IC will be assumed!]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

Not to my knowledge. Why do you ask?

[sadisticwarfare]

You seem... more closed-off than usual.

[He's not really sure how to explain it otherwise.]

[explosivecombat]

Ah, do I...?

[He just kind of tips his head a bit at that, though.]

I've been perfectly fine, and you were correct earlier; I was neither captured nor killed, and I escaped the region with no difficulty. I've been here ever since.

There's nothing to concern yourself with.

[sadisticwarfare]

That's not... No, I mean you seem emotionally closed-off; like you won't talk to me about something.

[He's not sure what that "something" is, but it certainly doesn't look good.]

[explosivecombat]

I'm not hiding anything, either.

[...]

You said you had something to ask me, regarding what happened in Olivine. Something that should be asked in person. Might I ask what it was...?

[sadisticwarfare]

You're avoiding the topic.

[But he sighs and relents, if only because maybe he can get it out of Kimblee with a different angle.]

Did you attack Olivine because you were upset that I had been sent home?

[explosivecombat]

That...!

[Damn it, Archer, you can't just do that and expect him to answer you on the spot; no one has asked him about his thoughts and feelings on the matter since it happened, and bluntly put, he's preferred it that way.

...

...Well, that's not entirely true, is it. One person has asked him, and surprisingly it's not been anyone that people might have assumed it was - Cobra managed to work it out of him surprisingly quickly, very bluntly and directly asking him if that was the reason for the declaration of war against the region. It was incredibly surreal, really.

He knows admitting to it is probably what he...should be doing, but...]

...You know I don't allow my personal thoughts to interfere with my work; I never have.

[Damn it.]

[sadisticwarfare]

...So you're telling me that it's just a coincidence?

[He knows he shouldn't take offense to it. If their positions had been reversed and Kimblee had asked him that question wouldn't he have come up with an answer like that? Of course he would have, but he would have done that thing he does where he makes it very obvious that he's lying through his teeth. Kimblee doesn't do that sort of thing. So while he understands that he shouldn't be upset by it, he is.]

[explosivecombat]

[The reason he's not giving away any tells is frankly because he's not lying; what he said was an entirely true statement when taken on its own, and it remained true even in context, if only technically so.

That question, however, isn't quite as easily turned around like that - at least not without making it very plain that he's dodging the question.]

...You're getting worked up over this.

[...So clearly he's just going to disregard the question entirely for the time being because excellent job, Kimblee, handshakes all around.]

[sadisticwarfare]

And you're avoiding the question.

[...]

You can be honest with me, you know.

[explosivecombat]

...I'm aware of that.

[sadisticwarfare]

Then why aren't you answering the question?

[explosivecombat]

What does my reasoning behind what happened in Olivine have to do with anything?

[sadisticwarfare]

Just answer the question! Quit trying to divert my attention elsewhere! It's not going to work!

[explosivecombat]

It's an irrelevant question designed only to satisfy your own ego. I see no need to answer.

[sadisticwarfare]

If I knew the answer I wouldn't be asking!

[explosivecombat]

[...]

...I'm...sorry, what?

[sadisticwarfare]

I don't know why you chose to attack Olivine. I have no idea if it was related to my disappearance or a coincidence. So could you kindly clear that up for me?

[He sounds like he's explaining this to a child, but at least he's trying?]

[explosivecombat]

[Oh, because being condescended to doesn't normally make Kimblee contrary at all, nice going.

As it stands, however, he just sort of seethes for a moment before saying anything.]

What other reason would I have had, if it were to have been a coincidence?

I'm going somewhere with this; humor me.

[sadisticwarfare]

I don't know. Perhaps you were just bored or maybe something else happened while I was gone.

[explosivecombat]

...Do my actions all seem that illogical and inexplicable to you?

[sadisticwarfare]

There are times when I really can't follow your train of logic.

[...That's not exactly what he wanted to say, hang on, let him try again.]

I... I don't want to be wrong about this, okay?

[explosivecombat]

[...You're really fortunate that he's hard to offend.]

I don't think I was upset.

[His words are calm when he speaks, his expression slipping back into that blank placidity again.]

I remember being angry for a while, and then not really feeling anything at all once I'd come to a conclusion; people in Olivine were going to die, if I had my way, and for the time being that was enough to sustain me. Since then...well, again, I haven't really felt much. But that's not too far a departure from what I usually experience.

"Upset" isn't exactly correct, but it wasn't a coincidence, either.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer listens to that silently, slowly relaxing once he realizes what Kimblee's getting at. For a moment he doesn't seem to know what to do with his expression before finally settling on a smirk.]

...Good. I'm pleased to know that.

[He's tempted to add on "was that really so difficult" but decides against it at the last moment.]

Well, I'm back now.

[Which clearly means that you'll be feeling things again. They'll most likely be frustration and anger, but at least it's better than nothing!]

[explosivecombat]

[...Archer, what the fuck is that logic even. Clearly, you are his feelings. What in the actual fuck.]

So you are. I imagine you won't want to stay here for very long?