nysalogs | ( CLOSED )

You agreed to it without knowing where you were going. You're just as bad as I am.

[ not as egregious an offense, but one she feels needs to be addressed in defense of herself, regardless. checkmate? ]

Anything even a little incriminating. Documents would be the safest bet.

[ and the obvious bet in her mind. her head is still swimming from having to use her abilities, but that isn't going to stop her from approaching the desk in the corner. her steps aren't graceful by most definitions, but she's managing on her own two feet for now. ]

It's probably just the ravings of a crazy old lady, but it's still worth checking everything out. No evidence is still evidence, even if it's evidence of innocence instead of guilt.

[He scoffs, shooting her a look, but there's no real heat or annoyance behind it. She's absolutely right about the fact that he's a hypocrite, which is why he watches her unsteady movements with a frown. Bellamy isn't going to nag her, but he's worried. They don't know how bad this sickness could get, and in the back of his mind, he's afraid she might go south too quickly for him to get her back to the Sanctuary in time. Paranoid? Maybe. He shoves that thought out of his mind and heads for a filing cabinet across the room, pulling the bottom drawer open.]

Who is she? You think she has a good reason to set off a biological weapon in the middle of the market?

I know appearances can be deceiving, but I don't think so. What reason would she have to set off a bomb and blame it on this Evras guy?

[ her musings are a little absent-minded as she jangles the desk drawer once, and then twice, to find it refuses to budge. as loathe as she is to drain herself even more, she's quick to apply an unlocking rune, letting the lock unlatch smoothly. ]

She looked sick. She might have just been looking for someone to blame the infection on. Isn't that what most people do when they're scared?

[ she would know, speaking from personal experience. the distrust toward her hadn't been warranted, but she had been an enigma to the clave, and anything that hadn't understood had been condemned or hated — sometimes both. ]

Everyone is pointing fingers right now.

[It's a fair point. Bellamy's not sure who to blame here, or who he should even suspect. He doesn't have enough background knowledge to make a decent guess, so he just keeps digging through the cabinets. So far, there's nothing particularly interesting.]

Doesn't mean her information is trustworthy.

[Which sounds pessimistic, of course.]

I don't even know who the hell would have a reason to do this.

It doesn't mean anyone's information is trustworthy.

[ and she's willing to bet finger-pointing won't be limited to old women placing the blame wherever they see fit. pessimistic on both counts, maybe, but either perspective is only realistic at this juncture, especially when most of the documents she's rifling through have her pulling faces. observations on flora, fauna, some questionable material for medicines — nothing interesting aside from that, and the exasperated huff she gives makes that fairly obvious. ]

Next thing you know, they're going to start pointing fingers at us, too. We're the outsiders here.

Edited (yes i had to edit this before bed bc tmw you realize you repeated something in a tag) 2017-10-07 08:58 (UTC)

I'm surprised they haven't yet.

[He closes the last drawer a bit harder than strictly necessary, then turns to face Clary.]

Nothing. You have any luck?

They will.

[ undoubtedly, but anything else she had to say on the matter is interrupted by the sound of the drawer slamming. her eyebrow arches momentarily, a little surprised and quietly chastising; inconspicuous, indeed. ]

Not unless you want information on the local flora and fauna.

[ the dryness of her tone expects otherwise, but it's an attempt at nervous humor to overshadow some of the disappointment and exasperation that bleeds through. ]

There's nothing here.

[Bellamy sighs, rubbing a hand over his face.]

Not really. We can check the other offices.

[Although from the tone of his voice it's clear he thinks that might be a wild goose chase.]

If we come back at another time.

[ they're in agreement there. it feels like a waste of time to search other offices, admittedly, when she isn't so certain the infection is only flu-like, but she doesn't have any desire to admit how terrifying that prospect is. she stands instead, slow to lift to keep her head from swimming too much. ]

I don't know how long I can keep my runes activated like this without it backfiring on me.

[ like running herself into the ground, as bellamy had worded it, but minimizing the drama of it is apparently the name of her game. ]

[It's instinctive for Bellamy to move closer, and just as natural for him to rest a hand between her shoulder blades, ready to steady her if she needs it.]

Backfire on you how?

[ the pressure between her shoulder blades is a steadying comfort, a touch she leans back into for just a moment while she rights herself. she might even find time to consider the gesture endearing if not for how weary she feels, but her focus is on pushing off of the edge of the desk, one hand still wrapped around the edge of it to stay completely balanced. ]

It's more draining than it usually is, honestly. I don't know what's wrong.

[ speaking of other understatements. ]

[Yeah, right. He shakes his head, his voice low.]

You know exactly what's wrong.

[Doing this while she's sick with god knows what is a terrible idea.]

Let's get out of here.

[ unlike bellamy, she has more self-discipline when it comes to rolling her eyes. the hit to his chest has no force or violence driving it, more of an obvious reprimand than anything else. ]

You know that's not what I meant.

[ how and why it might be affecting her runes is a little more of a mystery, though he isn't wrong with the general gist of it. overexerting herself hadn't been wise, no, but it had felt necessary, and she still doesn't regret it even knowing there's nothing they have to show for it. ]

I'm not going back to the Sanctuary.

[ she throws that over her shoulder to remind him of that stubborn refusal before she does move (and ignores clumsily slamming her knee into the desk in the process of said moving) to make a beeline toward the door. that obstinance might be as terrible an idea, but never let it be said that she isn't unyielding when she feels the need to be. ]

[That lack of discipline is apparent again when Bellamy lets out an almost long-suffering sigh. It's the only real reaction to the hit she gets. Sometimes it's mind blowing how stubborn she is.]

Then don't.

[He follows, of course, fingers going for the pendant again.]

Go back home and get some rest.

[ well, at least his concession is earned easily. she blows out a breath she'd been holding, as if she'd been anticipating an argument. ]

I live alone. [ said — or whispered, more aptly — while she slowly peels open the door, poking her head around the corner before stepping out. the coast is clear — for the moment — and so she only keeps her fingers wrapped around her stele, ready to activate her rune if necessary. ] I'm surprised you don't think I'm going to run off after a few hours of staying there.

[ she's absolutely tempted to, for the record. ]

I'm not going to babysit you, Clary.

[That's only going to drive both of them nuts, but more than anything, he knows she can handle herself, even if he's a chronic worrier. He leads the way down the hallway and back towards the lobby, moving carefully but casually.]

I can stay with you if you want.

Thank god.

[ in the case of not blurting out what she's thinking, her self-discipline is a little less. still, her agreement is blatantly clear. babysitting her would result in one or both of them being strangled. ]

If you want to. [ that's softer, more sincere. it's an invitation, but she isn't going to make it a chore. ] It might actually stop me from going insane.

[He smiles a little at that.]

If it gets you to sit down for a minute.

[Getting her to rest is another matter entirely, but he'll cross that bridge when he gets to it.]

[ wryly, ] If you're lucky, I might even sit down for more than a minute.

[ making jokes at her own expense tends to be her expertise. walking generally is, too, but she has to pause — if only for a moment — in the hallway to regain her composure. after a handful of seconds, she starts up again, moving back into the lobby. ]

Maybe even five.

[ possibly an achievement to unlock. ]

[It's tempting to reach out for her again and make sure she's alright, but he holds back, just waiting patiently instead. When they set off again, he matches her pace.]

Lucky me. We can figure out a plan once we get back.

Define "plan".

[ she waits until they've exited, granting some illusion of privacy before she suggests any scheming. her steps are still a little slow, a little too measured to be normal or natural, but it's a start. ]

Hopefully it doesn't involve you doing something stupid.

[ because bellamy is evidently the foolhardy party here... clearly. (not). he might not be on par with her, but she still has reason to worry that his own concern will be his downfall. ]

Sounds like you don't trust me, Clary.

[Of course it probably involves him doing something stupid, like it always does.]

I trust you.

[ and the look she's giving him hints that she might think he's stupid for even suggesting as much. fortunately, she isn't reaching out to smack him in the chest again. her fingers only loop around his wrist, as if to emphasize the point and draw his complete attention. ]

But I also already have you figured out.

[ as in: someone she trusts who might get up to stupid, reckless things. ]

[It works—he slows down, looking down at her as he does. That statement throws him off a bit.]

Figured out how?

You followed me here even knowing what you were getting into.

[ see also: her own impulsive shenanigans and the stubbornness attached to it. it's telling that bellamy didn't question or object to it more than a time or two, even when it might have been simpler to leave her to her own devices. ]

And you haven't left my side since. I don't know about you, but I'd call that pretty persistent. [ which isn't a critique in the least, according to the tone she takes. ] Maybe I run myself into the ground, but being that concerned might run you in the ground.

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