[He could argue with that, say that predictable against unpredictable could double back on itself, eventually. And while burying his head in the sand is not adapting, adapting also doesn't mean thinking about this shit constantly. Maybe he'd rather just take her offer (if it could be considered an offer) instead.]
Yeah? How are you doing that?
[Not that she wasn't doing it already. Just that she's made it sound like she's gonna do more.]
[ Adapting is funny word, varies with people. Lydia could argue that she's been too wrapped up in other things to really adapt to the ship. But she's also— managed to make a life here. So maybe she can say she's adapted. Sort of. ]
By making sure you don't die and are ready for when inevitably the ship goes from eerily calm to everyone running around. Seriously. Do you want a run down of all the stuff I've had to deal with in the eight jumps or months I've been here?
Because trust me, it makes your cute little alien theory seem like a piece of cake.
[And that covered more than eight months of what people had been through, even if it wasn't the specific first person account she might be able to give him.]
And the cute little aliens were tentacle freaks taking over my whole town, so I might've had a crash course in some of the not dying and running around already.
[Skipping over the uncomfortable bit where he's not actually sure he's alive, and he might not have mentioned the whole situation at all, except the piece of cake thing was a little annoying.]
Ianto is an idiot with it. And treats it like that experience he says is what everyone went through. Most people won't say anything so what you get is a sad and pathetic overview.
[ Which is to say, Lydia thinks that entire think is bullshit. ]
I live in a town where an asshole controlling my ex-boyfriend who had the misfortune of turning into an overgrown lizard killed pretty much the entire police force and several other people before drowning all because he was sad that no one tried to save him the first time he almost drowned. My opinion on your ability to not die and run is high up there. But don't act like it makes you special. I know, you think it does, but I killed one of those annoying mutated mutts with a high heeled shoe.
[ She'll choose to believe that he's alive if she ever tells him, because the alternative isn't one she likes to think about with anyone. ]
That doesn't make me special. Doesn't make anyone special. [He says it with raised eyebrows, his tone clearly indicating: even you, Lydia Martin. But that might just be because he doesn't really like being told what he thinks.] Survival instinct is the most basic biological urge we've got.
[Even if, Jesus fucking Christ, was there no one on this ship that didn't have some supreme fucked up lurking in their life story?]
Did you drown him?
[Because he might be starting to feel like this is some weird dick measuring contest, and she hadn't really explained any of her own involvement in the whole (dead, he's assumed) ex-boyfriend lizard thing aside from 'living near it'.]
Regardless, I'm special without it. [ It's said with a smile that could almost be mocking ( it's slightly mocking, technically ) but is more of a challenge for him to tell her different. ] Technically you're right, and yet people have been dying for eons and there's a reason the idea of survival of the fittest exists.
[ There's a moment where Lydia just stares almost disbelievingly at the device before she just laughs. ]
It was my birthday. I had better things to do with my time then drown some pathetic loser who was bitter enough to control my ex-boyfriend and use him as his own vengeance monster.
[ What she doesn't say is she was busy resurrecting another asshole from the dead, but minor detail in the grand scheme of this conversation that Zeke really really doesn't need to know. ]
The thing's text. How the hell am I supposed to look at him?
[Still with the 90's kid problems.]
Yeah, and there's a reason why the theory of survival of the fittest gets totally misused.
[He's going to take a wild guess that you haven't reproduced yet, Lydia. Especially with the ex-boyfriend lizard problems. But that also means she hasn't killed anyone, and Zeke looks away from the camera, voice falling into the flat kind of tone that isn't sad about what he's done, but isn't smug about it either.]
Then I might be a little better at it. [A beat.] No offence.
[ She can't even stop the way it almost sounds like duh coming from her. ]
Because people use it to suit their own needs like just about everything else in the world.
[ Please, Zeke, she only plans on doing that when she's got a fields medal under her belt. But regrettably he is wrong about her killing someone, technically. She's pretty sure Peter might actually count even if she didn't do the actual killing, she still did play a large part in it. Her eyes dart away from the camera for a moment before she focuses back on Zeke. ]
You do what you have to do. [ A shrug. ] Do you want me to make this easier for you? Because I don't actually have to. Which I'm assuming you know. And I think we took this conversation down disturbingly depressing roads.
[Because Zeke doesn't even remember the number that posted that stuff. Had only just started thinking he needed to keep track of them. But hers would obviously have to be the first.
He smiles a bit - it's thin, not really amused - rubs a hand against his forehead before looking back to the camera, shrugs something more like himself into place.]
How about we just go for making it less disturbing and depressing.
No, just go back and look at his number and maybe when a video post comes up with the same number, take note of the face. Do you always jump to the horrible conclusion?
[ She probably should sound more offended, but she just sounds really amused. Please, even if he did over the comms, that's barely considered stalking. It's keeping an eye out on things. Kind of like how maybe she reserves the right to keep an eye out on his number now.
She pauses and looks around the room for a moment, before she smiles. ]
Only if you come to the lab to talk. As fun as it is talking over these things, personal talking is slightly more entertaining.
[Jumping to the worst conclusion. Easy habit to pick up when your teachers acting weird turns out to be an alien invasion. But he still sounds pretty amused himself, even if what she's explained as what she actually thinks he should do sounds like way too much effort. He really doesn't care about this dude's face.
He might be interested in labs, though, and he leans closer again, eyebrows raised.]
And you want me to be your entertainment. In the lab.
[ She's just saying, except, let's be completely honest, at this point she can at least half sympathize with the idea. And Zeke, shame on you, don't you know it pays to know everyone?
Good job on being interested in the labs though, because that just gets an innocent little shrug and a nod. ]
You're making it sound like I want you to strip or something in the lab. But yes, I want you to be my entertainment in the lab.
[Like he'd had any impression that she wasn't at any point.]
Might disappoint you. [Following direction isn't exactly his strong suit, but he could be persuaded.] I can get obstinate, if the reward isn't evident enough.
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Yeah? How are you doing that?
[Not that she wasn't doing it already. Just that she's made it sound like she's gonna do more.]
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By making sure you don't die and are ready for when inevitably the ship goes from eerily calm to everyone running around. Seriously. Do you want a run down of all the stuff I've had to deal with in the eight jumps or months I've been here?
Because trust me, it makes your cute little alien theory seem like a piece of cake.
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[And that covered more than eight months of what people had been through, even if it wasn't the specific first person account she might be able to give him.]
And the cute little aliens were tentacle freaks taking over my whole town, so I might've had a crash course in some of the not dying and running around already.
[Skipping over the uncomfortable bit where he's not actually sure he's alive, and he might not have mentioned the whole situation at all, except the piece of cake thing was a little annoying.]
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[ Which is to say, Lydia thinks that entire think is bullshit. ]
I live in a town where an asshole controlling my ex-boyfriend who had the misfortune of turning into an overgrown lizard killed pretty much the entire police force and several other people before drowning all because he was sad that no one tried to save him the first time he almost drowned. My opinion on your ability to not die and run is high up there. But don't act like it makes you special. I know, you think it does, but I killed one of those annoying mutated mutts with a high heeled shoe.
[ She'll choose to believe that he's alive if she ever tells him, because the alternative isn't one she likes to think about with anyone. ]
So, I might be a little better at it. No offense.
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[Just saying. Space hell.]
That doesn't make me special. Doesn't make anyone special. [He says it with raised eyebrows, his tone clearly indicating: even you, Lydia Martin. But that might just be because he doesn't really like being told what he thinks.] Survival instinct is the most basic biological urge we've got.
[Even if, Jesus fucking Christ, was there no one on this ship that didn't have some supreme fucked up lurking in their life story?]
Did you drown him?
[Because he might be starting to feel like this is some weird dick measuring contest, and she hadn't really explained any of her own involvement in the whole (dead, he's assumed) ex-boyfriend lizard thing aside from 'living near it'.]
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[ Just saying, look at him. ]
Regardless, I'm special without it. [ It's said with a smile that could almost be mocking ( it's slightly mocking, technically ) but is more of a challenge for him to tell her different. ] Technically you're right, and yet people have been dying for eons and there's a reason the idea of survival of the fittest exists.
[ There's a moment where Lydia just stares almost disbelievingly at the device before she just laughs. ]
It was my birthday. I had better things to do with my time then drown some pathetic loser who was bitter enough to control my ex-boyfriend and use him as his own vengeance monster.
[ What she doesn't say is she was busy resurrecting another asshole from the dead, but minor detail in the grand scheme of this conversation that Zeke really really doesn't need to know. ]
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[Still with the 90's kid problems.]
Yeah, and there's a reason why the theory of survival of the fittest gets totally misused.
[He's going to take a wild guess that you haven't reproduced yet, Lydia. Especially with the ex-boyfriend lizard problems. But that also means she hasn't killed anyone, and Zeke looks away from the camera, voice falling into the flat kind of tone that isn't sad about what he's done, but isn't smug about it either.]
Then I might be a little better at it. [A beat.] No offence.
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[ She can't even stop the way it almost sounds like duh coming from her. ]
Because people use it to suit their own needs like just about everything else in the world.
[ Please, Zeke, she only plans on doing that when she's got a fields medal under her belt. But regrettably he is wrong about her killing someone, technically. She's pretty sure Peter might actually count even if she didn't do the actual killing, she still did play a large part in it. Her eyes dart away from the camera for a moment before she focuses back on Zeke. ]
You do what you have to do. [ A shrug. ] Do you want me to make this easier for you? Because I don't actually have to. Which I'm assuming you know. And I think we took this conversation down disturbingly depressing roads.
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[Because Zeke doesn't even remember the number that posted that stuff. Had only just started thinking he needed to keep track of them. But hers would obviously have to be the first.
He smiles a bit - it's thin, not really amused - rubs a hand against his forehead before looking back to the camera, shrugs something more like himself into place.]
How about we just go for making it less disturbing and depressing.
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[ She probably should sound more offended, but she just sounds really amused. Please, even if he did over the comms, that's barely considered stalking. It's keeping an eye out on things. Kind of like how maybe she reserves the right to keep an eye out on his number now.
She pauses and looks around the room for a moment, before she smiles. ]
Only if you come to the lab to talk. As fun as it is talking over these things, personal talking is slightly more entertaining.
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[Jumping to the worst conclusion. Easy habit to pick up when your teachers acting weird turns out to be an alien invasion. But he still sounds pretty amused himself, even if what she's explained as what she actually thinks he should do sounds like way too much effort. He really doesn't care about this dude's face.
He might be interested in labs, though, and he leans closer again, eyebrows raised.]
And you want me to be your entertainment. In the lab.
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[ She's just saying, except, let's be completely honest, at this point she can at least half sympathize with the idea. And Zeke, shame on you, don't you know it pays to know everyone?
Good job on being interested in the labs though, because that just gets an innocent little shrug and a nod. ]
You're making it sound like I want you to strip or something in the lab. But yes, I want you to be my entertainment in the lab.
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[Is it pessimism if everything really does turn out worst case scenario? Is it paranoia if they really are all trying to kill you?]
Science and stripping. [Sounds like a bad porno. Or a good porno, depending on your tastes.] You gonna give me directions?
[Not completely clear on whether he means to the labs or stripping.]
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[ That is potentially not the best comeback, but it's arguably true in her mind. ]
That depends on if you're willing to take direction.
[ She's probably talking about the stripping, but clarification is so last week. ]
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[Like he'd had any impression that she wasn't at any point.]
Might disappoint you. [Following direction isn't exactly his strong suit, but he could be persuaded.] I can get obstinate, if the reward isn't evident enough.
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[ Like there's absolutely nothing wrong with being picky in the slightest. ]
You'll find I can be very persuasive when I want to be. And I'm sure the reward will be definitely evident.
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[ And end feed, suck on that Zeke.
While I flip them into the sun. ]