002: Video

[hulkbusted]

[It's Saturday morning and Bruce's NV is propped against something to show him seated with a cup of something (tea, considering the string and tag hanging over the cup's lip) in the foreground. People move behind him, some holding cups of coffee before they take seats out of the camera's view. Looks like he's at an outdoor cafe. It also looks like he's found a charity that offers clothes to the poor and/or new arrivals because he's wearing a slightly dingy pale green button-down shirt with the cuffs rolled up over his forearms and a couple of buttons left open at the collar.]

Hiring in Siren's Port doesn't go the way it does most other places, does it? I couldn't give the panel at Siren's Port University my CV and published papers for examples of my work, but a few days of filling white boards with equations seems to have done the trick. It's much faster than hiring back home, too, but I guess there's a lot of turnover around here.

In addition, I'm offering my services as an after hours tutor while the days are long and until I go home, whenever that may be. If you need help with math or science up to the post-graduate level in most disciplines, contact me [he leans forward and swipes his fingers over the display, and a link appears at the bottom of the video screen] and we can make arrangements.

In the meantime, I'm at Cafe Bijan, and there are a few people who have been helpful to me since I arrived that I would happily buy a coffee. [He smiles, and the humor is meant mostly for himself and maybe one other person.] Unless you don't drink... coffee.

Comments

[hulkbusted]

I try to keep my heart rate under 120. I used to jog when I was living in Brazil, but I let it lapse during my year in India.

I've seen you running, so I'm not going to suggest you could be a running partner.

[symmachy]

[Scatty pouts.]

I can run at a normal speed. I'm an excellent pacer, if I do say so myself.

[hulkbusted]

[Aw, pouty vampire. It's much cuter than it should be.]

You don't get bored?

[symmachy]

[It probably has something to do with the tiny face.]

No. Why would I?

[hulkbusted]

Because it's no challenge?

[symmachy]

It's not physically challenging, no. Few things are.

[hulkbusted]

Then let's consider my fragile male ego [it's not that fragile] when it comes to a running partner and stick with martial arts.

[symmachy]

[A snort.]

Martial arts it is, then. I'll be sure to keep an eye on your heart rate. Rather, an ear.

[hulkbusted]

[Bruce leans forward fractionally, scientific curiosity piqued] Is your hearing really that good?

[symmachy]

[She copies the lean.] If I listen hard enough, yes.

[hulkbusted]

[Bruce shakes his head in a combination of disbelief and maybe a faint tinge of envy.]

Are your other senses as keen? In comparison to... say... mine at least?

[symmachy]

[An impish grin.]

Certainly.

[hulkbusted]

[He nods while he absorbs the information.]

It's going to take me a while to wrap my mind around you and that's saying something.

[symmachy]

[The grin doesn't fade.]

Take all the time you need with your wrapping. I've plenty of it.

[hulkbusted]

[Yeah, that's not helping the wrapping.]

Where you're from, do you spend more time with immortals like you or are you stuck with us mayflies?

[symmachy]

[No regrets.]

I spend more time with humans, yes. Many immortals... don't like me.

[hulkbusted]

Why? Are your eating habits that unusual?

[symmachy]

[Another laugh.] No, just my personality.

[hulkbusted]

See, your personality wouldn't be my first or second or even third guess for why someone wouldn't like you.

[symmachy]

[She looks a bit amused.]

You've only known me for five days.

[hulkbusted]

As a scientist I must always be prepared to revise my hypotheses based on new data.

[symmachy]

Don't worry, they mostly disliked me for my... devotion towards your race.

[hulkbusted]

Devotion?

[symmachy]

Yes. For the past few thousand years, I suppose you could say I've been a protector.

[hulkbusted]

[Past few thousand years, Bruce. Maybe you should rethink this maybe-flirtation thing.]

Protecting humans? From what?