taxonomites | 8 | [ location: the jeffersonian institute ] / [ visual ]

The feed flickers to life as Brennan turns on the record function, giving Taxon a quick glimpse of her office couch that has clearly been slept on if the blanket and pillow combination is anything to go by, as well as a dog on the floor that's chewing halfheartedly on a toy. Brennan leans back a little as she straightens the tablet and regards the screen, her expression carefully neutral.

"For those of you who were acquainted with her and may not yet be aware of it... Angela Montenegro was sent back home yesterday."

Brennan looks like she's about to add something to this, but decides against it. Instead she presses her lips together into a tight line as if to keep from saying anything further and lowers her gaze, reaching out for the device and fumbling with it for a second before tossing it back on the coffee table in front of her. Brennan's attempt was to turn it off, but she doesn't quite manage it in her distracted state. Instead, the tablet keeps on recording, albeit now only showing a steady view of the ceiling. The audio is still clear as day, however.

The silence is punctuated only by the dog gnawing on her precious toy until Brennan speaks up a moment later.

"Looks like it's just you and me now, Tuesday."

There are no tears in her tone, but the words come out very softly and are followed by a forlorn sigh.

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[ damon stays quiet for a moment, then sighs. ]

I'd do the usual song and dance about better places and going home, but I don't really believe it so why bother.

But she undoubtedly is happier back home than stuck here. [ this is what brennan is determined to believe (if only to get over this herself) but realizes that this might have been too blunt. she hastens to tack on; ] Not that I meant that as undermining the relationship that you shared with her. The forming of sexual bonds is important in any society.

[ damon laughs at that, roughly. ]

Oh, don't worry. My feelings are iron-clad, you won't dent them. I just meant you've never struck me as a fan of people lying because they think it's what you'd want to hear.

Right. [ that comes out a little uncertainly because damon, you don't sound quite so unaffected. :| ] And you're correct, I'm not. I'll miss Angela, yes, but she belongs in DC and not here. Case closed.

Couldn't agree more.

[ brennan hems and haws for a moment, debating whether or not to say anything. emotional topics are so out of her comfort zone it's not even funny, and damon doesn't strike her as the kind of person who enjoys them either. she decides it's better to get it over with quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. ]

This may not be needed or wanted, but I'm still going to take a risk and say it anyway, this once. Thank you for being there for Angela. I don't care what type of relationship you two had since that isn't any of my concern, but I do know that it meant something to her and that she quite liked you. So. That's all.

[ for once, damon is actually something close to speechless. he swallows, and decides on playing to his cover; more like he's genuinely touched, but that requires emotional honesty to admit. ]

...Thanks.

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