animus_network | 001

N-no, no. I-I mean, I was just at the medical place but I think something went wrong.

[ Without missing a beat, literally: ]

... Experiment or a failure on the Tower's part. There won't be any way to fix the effects until it's over, I'm afraid. What's happening to you? I can try to heal you, if you want; I'm not sure how much it will help, though.

Really? S-so this happens a lot?

[And okay, can't think about that too long]

I'm not hurt. I-I mean, it hurts but I don't think I'm hurt. I just can't move properly.

... That definitely sounds like the Tower. The only thing I know to tell you is that you can either kill yourself and see if it backs off, or wait it out and try not to panic.

[ He says this in a frighteningly nonchalant way, as if talking about the weather, or what's for lunch. ]

If you do decide to kill yourself, there may not be a guarantee you'd revive 'normally', anyway. Or that if it's the collars being replaced causing it they won't just do it again.

[The panic in her voice is pretty hard to miss]

Who are you? You think it's okay to go around telling people to kill themselves? How is that going to help?

... Please calm down. I don't really understand what you're getting worked up about, but...

[ He doesn't understand. Why is this person panicking? Regardless, his tone is peppered with slight confusion, but mostly concern. It's still fairly calm, though, in comparison. ]

I didn't say you had to. I said that it was an option.

Telling someone to kill themselves should never be an option.

[She'd believe that anyway but having seen her sister kill herself to save the world makes it even more of a sensitive topic]

... You'll just come back to life here. It's nearly instant.

[ Seriously. Why are you freaking out? ]

Besides, they'll try to murder you in some form here eventually, so it'd be better to get used to it.

That's not the point! Dying is a big deal, okay, coming back from it or not. What even is wrong with you that you would think that's just okay to throw out like that?

... Everyone dies, you know. I don't see why it's worth getting all worked up.

[ Pause. ]

If you want, I can still try to heal you. My offer isn't retracted.

Just because everyone dies doesn't make it hurt any less when it happens to someone you care about. And I won't do that to Willow and Xander, coming back ornot.

I'm fine. I have other people helping me, people who haven't told me to kill myself.

[ ... Okay, this is starting to get irritating. Normally, he's a fairly patient person, but this girl is reminding him more and more of the reasons he dislikes SEES. ]

... You're saying that like I just told you that you should go jump off a cliff or something. Which isn't what I said at all.

[ ... No, he's not going to let himself get angry over this. Instead, he just steadies his voice and tries to clear the irritation out of it, trying to make it sound as neutral as possible.

A short pause. How to word this... ]

... I'm sorry, but I don't even understand why you're upset. I don't know what you've been through. How am I supposed to guess, over a terminal, that a valid suggestion from my point of view would be wrong to you, or that it might upset you? I just want to help. I don't want to argue with you, I want to understand, and maybe help you, since obviously you don't feel well.

Honestly... if you're just going to ignore someone trying to help you and be indignant over a single suggestion, just because someone views death differently than you and doesn't understand why it bothers you and therefore refuse their help at all, is that really fair?

No, you said killing myself might help, though. And if this is the first time someone's reacted this badly to that sort of suggestion, I'd consider yourself lucky because I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one here who feels that way.

[ Face, meet palm. He's so glad she can't see the annoyed expression on his face. ]

... Whatever. If you have problems in the future or need help, then don't come crying to me when you inevitably have to deal with making that choice. Never mind that I tried to help, I guess that doesn't mean anything to people like you.

[ HANGING UP!!! ]

001 | voice

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lmao he is giving up OTL