[attr="class","illie i]right, no one watched the absolute ridiculous plan she had enacted down at those roots. it's almost less embarrassing to recount the tale the second time around even if she's certain her present company will have more to say than her fellow scientist did. but... with time comes memory and from memory comes that familiar regret that never actually leaves.

"yes," she murmurs. her eyes linger on the paper in his hands, avoidant tendencies she can't shake with failure pressing into the skin of her back. "human saliva. i don't suppose you've heard of how that came to be, correct?" this possible scolding might be a dozy.

[attr="class","illie i]"have you ever been poisoned, councilman?" she starts with a question, her eyes drifting toward the ceiling when he doesn't rip his attention away from white parchment. as if recalling a memory, her voice sounds a little distant when it returns, when it recounts a tale dipped in sap and spun with disgrace.

"it feels like your veins are burning until you're in an odd haze of pain and numbness with no control over your limbs. when that happened, i used the next best tool in my arsenal to finish what i started." her eyes stay glued to ceiling tiles a little longer. "they found human saliva because i collected the sap sample with my mouth."

and finally, she spares a glance at him, as if waiting for the inevitable sound of disappointment.

[attr="class","illie i]the lack of judgement leaves room for confusion. it etches itself into her features for a moment before it's a slate wiped clean, settling into recollection once more.

"in a sense," she supplies and while it's mostly accurate, she can't sort through the heavy doses of panic and poison that cling to each memory of the event to know for certain. a sigh escapes within seconds and she's stuck on half evidence, half haze. "although i'm not certain if it was more poison than that damn explosion that led to such a method." excuses, she realizes, seem to come naturally when she wants to shift the lack of awareness and preparation off of her back. deflect onto other circumstances, say it was out of her hands. except, it wasn't and she had made a decision that ended with a contaminated sample.

[attr="class","illie i]"yes," obedience lies in the quickness of which a single word leaves her mouth. a pause follows and she's clearing her throat, glancing down at her hands. it seems he knows her better than she understood. instead of allowing her the opportunity to provide her own assumptions, he supplies his own for her to either confirm or deny. and it's almost a kindness but the words he fed her in a hospital room still rise. he values truth above all else. and so, she provides nothing but the facts.

"it's logical to use your hands. they provide the most control over a task."

[attr="class","illie i]it's an odd thing to be praised by him. and yet, it brings a smile to her lips, a flush to her cheeks. somehow, it means more than praise from another. maybe it's the power behind his words or the fact that he doesn't give out such words often. "thank you," she murmurs, uncertain if she should say much more.

the paper is handed back and she shifts back over to her desk, finally taking a moment to shuffle papers into a somewhat neat stack. they're still not organized in a way that's efficient or to her liking but it'll do for now.

"i will," even though they might both know that's a lie she offers it anyway. "i think my body had enough toxins in that basement to last a lifetime."

she's moving back to her previous position in front of him with a few clicks of heels. and as she comes to a stop, the question he asks elicits an almost amused laugh from her throat. "i did. i don't know if this is surprising or not but," she pauses to flash a smile. "you took it better than he did." she doesn't know Lucas Lane well enough yet to decide where his reaction stands in conjunction.

[attr="class","illie i]conversation shifts into something more casual, more easygoing and she's lulled into a sense of comfort she'd expect from friends. fernando doesn't feel quite like a councilman in this light. more like something halfway between acquaintance and companion. it's nice, she decides with a soft laugh.

"i take it you have quite a bit of experience in the department of handling mister lane," if one looked close enough between lines and syllables, they could detect a hint of teasing. her smile widens at the sound of his laughter as if it's a new sound she should commit to memory. "there's more to him than meets the eye, then?" she muses. at first she believed him to be kind and welcoming and then the whole sap situation came into play and she was on the receiving end of a scolding she hadn't necessarily expected. of course, it was warranted but boy, it's embarrassing having to explain to your fellow scientist that you became a sap funnel... still, he's only ever meant well. "i'll have to be on my toes around him."

her head tilts slightly, dark hair falling to expose one side of her neck with the movement. confusion flickers at the concept but she's growing quicker with the skill of recognizing leverage when she sees it. and perhaps that's why prompts the next little shift in her demeanor. professional eases into an almost playful side she doesn't usually show and it's put on display in the way her smile turns mischievous. "is that how one would best lucas lane? maybe i should write that down."

[attr="class","illie i]"it's intimidating to think about how impressive he really is," she murmurs. to be on the same board as a piece like that? a class of his own based on intelligence alone. there are very few people she could even name that could come close to the talents a man like lucas lane has.

a hum escapes her because really, he's not wrong. each scientist has a set of quirks, so much so that she wonders if it might just come with the job.

"and your trusting me with knowledge of his kryptonite?" an eyebrow raises, mostly curious but with a hint of challenge. as if she expects him to provide some insight into why she, of all people, should be equipped with such.

and then he's pausing before slightly shifting the topic. the last head scientist. another member of the community with her own specific traits, ones that he's currently highlighting. a light laugh follows and while she knows she shouldn't find it amusing, she does if only because she almost imagine the look on fernando's face when presented with such information. "she should've given you the seconds, too," minutes work just as well, however, and the story almost makes those before her feel more human than just names on a list. "it seems as though intricacies are required for this job." although, it makes her wonder... what are hers?

the smile she flashes him, then, is halfway between amused and content. "i would hope so. otherwise, it might be dreadful to go to work each day."