Logs:Hubris

Hubris
Dramatis Personae Lucien, Ren	2024-06-13 "I’m starting to get what you mean by feeling small."
Location <NYC> Afterwords Books - Midtown
This cosy bookstore-cum-cafe has generally catered heavily to the theatre crowd, open late for post-show snacking and with particularly well curated selections of plays and theatre history. It's certainly not all it has, though, and with so much of Broadway and the surrounding businesses closed for rebuilding or renovations they have cheerfully adapted -- the sandwich board on the sidewalk outside is boasting not just of today's specials but of their sections (both sci-fi and actual science) on alien life and superpowers. Until recently Lucien has been across the street with an actual alien, of the non-insectoid variety. He and the cast of Thor together with Real Actual Thor have been helping (somewhat; the many reporters angling for shots occasionally get in the way) with an extensive cleanup effort in the nearby park, working hard on getting the playground back to Safe For Children status. It's been some while of this, though, and with a break for lunch, now, Luci (dressed comfortably practical for outdoor labor in quick-dry grey tee, lightweight but sturdy quick dry hiking pants, sensible hiking boots) is heading over to the bookstore. It's clear from the warm and exuberant greeting he gets that the woman behind the bookstore counter knows him well; possibly even clearer given that he doesn't bother to actually cross to the cafe and place his order. Just a small nod to the young woman working over there and she is getting started on, presumably, His Usual, as Lucien himself wanders over to peruse the offerings on alien life (science fact version) with a critical frown.) Ren had made his way to Afterwords Books for his lunch break after his usual cafe was a bit too crowded, only to be met with more crowdiness while attempting to navigate around the side walks surrounding the cafe—some event happening across the street that required copious amounts of reporters, drawing attention in a way that meant everyone forgot how to continue walking forwards. Ren had just focused on not getting his crutches kicked out from under him. Either way, Ren finally had found his way in, ordered a sandwich, played that balancing game of using crutches while holding a plate at the same time, and proceeded to skim through the books available, the ones about aliens specifically. He’s still a little sweaty from his trip over, with stray black hairs pushed out of place. He wears a long dark coat, one probably too warm for the weather, and a mask of similar color hangs off of one of his ears as he stands and eats, crutches leaning against the shelves in front of him. He looks over as Lucien enters, but doesn’t spare him much attention again until he’s standing next to him. He smiles a little in amusement as he notes Lucien’s critical frown, in a way that pulls on some of the scarring around his mouth, “Not happy with what you see?” He asks, nodding towards the books. Lucien glances up, his vivid green eyes sweeping up over Ren until reaching the other man's face. He doesn't quite smile, but there's a humor that warms his expression, crinkling slightly at his eyes. He doesn't spend long looking at Ren though he does spend longer looking, curious, at the books the other man is looking at. "In light of our evolving circumstances, some of the assumptions astrobiology have made in the past seem abruptly and woefully out of date. Books published only last year may have as little -- or as much -- to offer us now as any of those." He's tipping the book in his hand out toward the nearby science-fiction section indicatively. Ren does fully smile now, but it’s now a wry one, “Yeah, you’re telling me.” He takes another bite of his sandwich before putting it down on his plate, and depositing it randomly on a shelf. He then pulls one of the books at random and begins flipping through it, “I’ve been going through tons of these recently—I think if I read one more that talks about that bullshit on how ‘Aliens built the pyramids’ I think I might lose my mind.” He sighs when his brief skim doesn’t bring up anything he’s looking for, and closes it with one hand before re-shelving it. He picks out another one and begins flipping through again, “Works great as a filter though on what’s worth reading. Saves a whole lot of time.” He sends Lucien a quick glance as he flips through, “You see any of them in person?” He asks. "Mmm." One of Lucien's eyebrows has hitched. "I think that has very little to do with pool biology research. Or any research. That's just wilful racism, and if you find yourself regularly slipping into the white supremacist theory section it might be worth recalibrating your browsing habits." His voice is quiet, eyes lifting just quickly to inspect Ren a little more thoughtfully and then slip away. "They were rather hard to miss, that day, non?" Ren shakes his head distractedly, “Not regularly. But enough. One was too many in my opinion.” He says, and rubs at his eyes. “Got two new bookstores on my blacklist now.” He sighs and pauses, taking a moment too long to respond to Lucien’s question, “I almost did. Almost worked from home that day.” He says. “Seems neither of us were that lucky then.” "Mmm." This time the mmm is lighter, caught somewhere between thoughtful and amused. "We're both here, non?" There is a distinctly wry note in Lucien's soft francophone accent. He spares a very quick flick of eyes for Ren's crutches, before plucking up another book. "Luckier than quite a good many people. -- Do you still have work? So many places nearby will be quite a while getting back on their feet, if ever." Ren nods, but its reluctant. “That’s true. We are both here.” He says, then quieter, “Despite the universe’s best efforts.” He suddenly tugs upwards on the sleeve of his jacket, first by his wrist, then by his elbow, before continuing. “I do still have work. I work as an engineer, luckily I can do some things from home, but I try to leave when I can. Good for my health or whatever.” He says in a joking tone, “You still have anything lined up? What do you do?” "Oh, yes, I stay busy. My work is a bit all over the place, geographically, I am fine on that count as well." The tug pulls Lucien's attention reflexively to Ren's sleeve, quick and curious. "Sometimes when everything is going wrong it's helpful to me to remember how very, very large the universe is, and how terribly small we are within it. I'd need an immense hubris to think the fates or universe or whatever capricious gods are out there are meddling with me specifically."He is drifting just a few books down the row, fingers trailing lightly against their spines as he looks through the offerings. "What sort of engineer?" Ren takes a long, deep breath, “Feels nice to have something to blame though. At least for now. I need some more time to work things out before I’m forced to consider my hubris.” He reaches out and takes another bite of his sandwich before placing it back down, “For now, faceless fates of the universe are the reason my crutches keep getting caught on shit.” He looks over at Lucien and watches him trail along the books, “Mechanical engineer. Must be nice to travel though.” He pauses, again, eye twitching once as he stares off into a middle distance, before he continues, “What’s your favorite place you’ve ever been?” "If your mechanical engineering job does not pay you enough to travel you deserve a raise." There's a rueful sympathy in Lucien's voice. "Is it a cop-out to say I truly do love my home, here. The world is tremendously exciting, but every time I return I am very glad to be living in this corner of it." He is turning, now, shoulder hitching up against a support of the shelf as he studies Ren a little bit longer. "Where would you go, if you did travel?" Ren shrugs, “It’s hard to remind myself I can spend it. I found it hard to make time before…” his voice trails off, “I’ll make some time, soon.” He says, like a promise. “Just have a few more things to take care of. Some bills to pay. You know how it is.” He tugs at his sleeve by his wrist, then his elbow again. “Hmm… maybe it is a cop out, but I’m not a cop.” He shrugs a shoulder, “I imagine it must be reassuring though, that you’ve already found your favorite place.” His weight shifts briefly off his right, to his left, then very quickly returns to his right. “If I do ever travel? I think I’ll go see where my parents grew up in Japan.” "Well. The universe is very large," Lucien says again, more amused, this time. "I'm sure there are places out there I might like better, but I've yet to find them." His eyes once more track to Ren's sleeve, flicking there with a very slight furrow of his brows. The incipient frown smooths out at Ren's answer. "Oh! That sounds like a meaningful trip. I do hope you can make that time." Now his eyes are drifting towards the front windows, to the bustling clean-up in the half-destroyed neighborhood outside. "-- Soon, even. We keep getting reminders of how eminently unreliable the future is." He laughs, a tired, maybe delirious sounding one, but a laugh nonetheless, “Man it really is...Maybe we’ll be taking trips to wherever that Thor guy is from one day.” He turns to follow Lucien’s gaze outside, “Hell. I’m starting to get what you mean by feeling small.” When he turns his head back there’s a small, tiny amaryllis flower behind his ear, covered mostly by his hair, as if he had slipped it there. “I’m Ren, by the way. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. You come to this shop often?” "Asgard," Lucien offers absently. "Evidently only one of nine dimensions close to ours, and our nine just a small cluster of uncountable dimensions in our universe, which is in itself not the only universe. It's humbling." Though he doesn't answer his question, it does get answered readily enough, when the barista comes over to bring him a tall cup. "-- can I get you anything else, Mr. Tessier?" she's asking, and accepting his thanks (warmly) and $20 bill (even more warmly when he says to keep the change.) Lucien pops the tab on the travel lid and watches the steam start to escape. "That's new. You've got a --" He gestures to Ren's ear-flower the same way someone might indicate some spinach in his teeth. Ren stares, and blinks. He’s opening his mouth to ask a follow up question about the whole 9 dimensions thing, but stops when the barista comes over. He narrows his eyes, opening his mouth again to ask a question, but is quickly distracted by Lucien’s gesture. “I’ve got a what-oh“ his movements pause momentarily when his fingers brush over the flower, and he makes quick work of removing it, face carefully neutral. “Weird. I was gardening earlier, must’ve gotten caught in my hair or something.” He says carefully, clearly, as if practiced. He tilts his head, “By the way, are you the guy who’s been showing up on the news?” "Mmm." Lucien's thumb flicks lightly against the tab atop his lid. "I see." There is a very small twitch at the corner of his mouth, too quick and too small to really offer much meaning. "Oh -- well. Just somewhat tangentially to all the mess, it's been quite a month. My apologies, I've got to get back to things. I do hope you find that time, soon." His head inclines small and polite, and he's slipping back to the door before Ren can reply. Ren raises a hand, to wave goodbye or maybe attempt to catch his attention one last time, but either way the motion is forgotten and his hand very slowly lowers back down. He looks down at the tiny amaryllis flower, and his jaw clenches. “So close.” He crushes the flower in his hand, and tosses the destroyed petals into the garbage, before gathering his things and heading out, mask carefully looped back on, coat zipped back up, and face turned away from the sun.