exsiliumlogs | lights out!

[ Doing paperwork by candlelight. It's like a workaholic's dream date except workaholics don't date. There's a small pile of paperwork on the coffee table, next to a lit candle. Franziska's sitting on the floor to get the optimum amount of light so not to ruin her eyes.

She's squinting really hard and is obviously annoyed. Anyone who runs into her, trips on her or talks to her will most likely earn her wrath. There's a 50-50 chance of getting whipped. (Just as long as you're okay with it.) ]

Important case?

[Just who she wanted to see, right? Jesse Pinkman comes creeping out of the darkness, face just barely illuminated by the tip of his lit cigarette. He keeps a good distance, leaning up against the wall, and tilts his head curiously to catch a glimpse of her papers.]

[ She ends up crumpling that one sheet she was reading when she hears his voice. Ugh. Not only is she breathing the same air as he is, he's also polluting that very air with his presence... and cigarette smoke. ]

There's more than just cases in this pile, Jesse Pinkman. Put that cigarette down.

[Strangely, he doesn't argue. The cigarette's tossed to the floor and crushed under his sneaker. Little light extinguished. Of course, the smell lingers on him... and gets stronger as he takes a few steps closer to her.]

Like what?

[ Suddenly feeling very protective of her work, she pushes the pile of paperwork closer to her. ]

Nothing your puny intellect can ever hope to understand.

[Now that's just asking for trouble. Jesse's lips twitch into a little smirk and he moves closer still, looming over her shoulder to get a peek at something he wasn't even that interested in to begin with.]

[ Grimacing, she does not turn to face him. She does not want to touch him, even if it's to push him away. He is that disgusting to her. She just scoots closer to the table. ]

Go away. Don't you have an innocent man to murder?

[That stings. No, seriously, it does. Which is why he goes from playfully annoying to nasty in a split second.]

You talk to murderers like that when you're in a dark room with nobody else around?

[ She sits up straight. Oddly enough, him acting like that makes her feel more at ease. ]

Should I take that as a confession?

I didn't kill that guy and I think you know I didn't kill that guy, 'cause if you thought I did, you wouldn't be pushing me. You see what I'm saying? 'cause that would literally be the dumbest thing to do right now.

No, the dumbest thing to do right now would be homicide. [ She believes he won't do it anyway. ]

Don't bet your life on it. There's better ways to prove a point.

[Of course he won't do it. If he ever intended to kill her, he certainly wouldn't stand around talking about it first. But there's no way he'd do it anyway. She's a little kid. A kid with a law degree, but still a kid.]

[ A shrug. Risking her life would be foolish, even if she always unknowingly ends up doing so. ]

I don't need to. You know I'm right.

No, look - What if I really was some psycho killer? You can't just pull this shit around here. Someday you're gonna piss off the wrong guy and get hurt or killed or god knows what else. Do you get what I'm saying? You weigh maybe five pounds, you got no one to protect you, and nobody's scared of you or whatever the hell you call that shit excuse for a justice system. There wouldn't even be any witnesses.

[It's only hours into the blackout that Nanami has decided to leave, at great risk to herself with only sparse light and her tablet to guide her. One exceptionally humiliating fall down the hall later, complete with very loud and very noticeable shrieking, she's more or less entered the lobby through a series of pathetic stumbling. So worn out by her journey, Nanami takes the opportunity to sit down in the nearest available seat. Partially illuminated by the candles, she throws an arm over her face, glancing disdainfully over out of the corner of her eye.

For someone who's supposed to be a child prodigy, Franziska looks like an idiot right now.]

Why don't you go somewhere else? Doesn't that hurt your eyes? You'll go blind, and nobody wants to take care of a shriveled up blind crone!

[ And what did Franziska do when she heard the falling and shrieking? She snickered. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for Nanami, that made Franziska look down on her, which made her insults hurt less.

And it's back to work for her. She's not even going to look up. ]

It's too hot in my room. I won't turn into a crone for another seventy years, but if I do go blind, do find my little brother and slap him on the face for me.

Why not just go outside, then?

[Nanami's banking a place in the city with power still on that she is also able to tolerate. A tall order, for sure, but something that hopefully isn't impossible to fulfill.

She stops reclining in her woeful position to sit up, leaning forward on her elbows until she's just slightly edging into Franziska's light.] That's not my job, either! What a cruel big sister; no wonder I haven't seen him around!

[He must not like her very much. Not that Nanami can blame him.]

[ It feels like her mind had a little black out its own when she hears those words. She doesn't know exactly how long that lasted, but she judges from the dull pain on her hand and the loudness of that slap sound that brought her back to her senses that it happened very fast. She knows that she should apologize for that ugly outburst, but instead-- ]

Take that back.

[Nanami would never admit to doing anything that provoked a slap, but this one takes her so completely by surprise that she can hardly process it.

She holds one hand to her cheek, reddened and stinging, feeling hot an embarrassed..]

What's your problem...? [She says it very quietly.]

[ First of all, Franziska has no problems ever because that would imply that she's maladjusted and perfect people can't be maladjusted. And she's perfect because someone in this family has to. So no, she can't have a deep and personal reason that would provoke her to hit someone else.

It's all Nanami's fault. ]

You were blocking my light. [ Said less forcefully than she wanted it to sound. She tries to ignore that by busying herself with more papers. ]

Just for that? You should have just moved! [What a freak.] I can stand where I want.

[Though she's surly and stinging, the biggest bruise is rising on Nanami's pride, now that the shock of being slapped is wearing off. She clambers to her feet with little grace.]

Someone's just going to hit you back, you know! Do you think it's just your light that can be blocked?

[What a good threat.]

[ An effective threat, actually. She clambers to her feet with a bit more grace... if it's possible to be graceful and seething with rage at the same time. ]

Do you think I'd let you? Do you think you're the first one to try? I refuse to walk under someone's shadow ever again!

[ And it escalated quickly. ]

[As always, she's a better instigator than she is a finisher, too quick to act without thinking. Franziska isn't making a lot of sense, to her, so Nanami puts one hand on her hip and brandishes a figure, imperious in her retaliation.]

What are you even talking about? My shadow? Not many people even get the privilege! Maybe you don't deserve it!

All this because your brother let you down?

[Implied: Maybe you don't deserve that, either.

It's possible that she isn't really talking about Franziska anymore.]

lights out!

lobby, open

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i hit 'post comment' with my face buried in my hands....why