xp_logs | Crystal and Nathan - Standing on the Dock of the Lake

Crystal finds Nathan near the boathouse, but her original purpose for the visit is never stated as it quickly becomes clear to her that something is not quite right with him.

There were many things one could look at while outside, many sights and sounds and scents to enjoy. Even in cold weather there was much to enjoy in nature. Crystal was not quite sure what it was about the great outdoors that Nathan was observing at the moment, however. She had come to the boathouse, seeking him, and now found him standing on the dock, appearing to stare straight ahead at, well, nothing. Crystal stepped foot onto the dock and stood there quietly, not wishing to disturb his reverie.

"What can I do for you, Crystal?" His tone was perfectly polite, but... distracted, somehow. Nor did he turn to look at her.

"Is this a bad time for you?" Crystal asked. "I wanted to check in on you, I suppose. I was away last week and could not do so then, and then of course we had our unexpected, uninvited visitor earlier this weekend."

"I'm not busy," Nathan said, glancing briefly around at her. The look in his eyes was no less remote than his voice. "Your average Sunday. I just needed some air."

"If there is one thing that I know about, it is air," Crystal said, a hint of a smile playing upon her lips.

Nathan's response wasn't quite a grunt, but it was close.

Crystal debated the pros and cons of mock-threatening to call any one of the numerous strong-willed, redheaded females who knew Nathan. "I believe that this is one of the times in which mansion residents would consider it proper for someone to find himself in the lake, yes?" Crystal queried. "I myself have never taken part in this sacred mansion tradition. Unfortunately, at the moment the lake in question appears to be quite frozen."

"Crystal... what can I do for you?" There was an edge to the question this time, and Nathan looked directly at her for the first time since she'd arrived. In the sharp winter sunlight, his pallor and the dark circles under his eyes were all too noticeable.

Crystal frowned. "Nathan, what is wrong?" She recalled his apparent negativity a few months earlier, remembering how changed he had seemed from the Nathan she had known before then. Was this a part of that, or was it new? Was this still due to the fact that he had been comatose for a month, or part of something else?

"What's wrong?" The edge sharpened into something closer to anger, and he turned towards her, gray eyes stony. "I'm minding my own business, and suddenly I'm being threatened with a dunking. Maybe I'm not keen on cold water these days, has that occurred to you? I was only in a coma for a month the last time someone tried to drown me in it."

Crystal bit back a response which would state that Nathan had orchestrated at least one lake dunking upon an unsuspecting person. "It was not a threat," Crystal replied in a neutral tone. "As I stated before, the lake is frozen. Therefore, even if I were to actually wish to make an attempt to cause you to find yourself in this lake, I would be unable to do so. Also, I apologize for bringing up this topic. I did not know that it would cause you distress."

Nathan just shook his head, looking away. Had he been in the mood to be fair, he would have apologized himself; since he wasn't, he didn't. "I'm tired, Crystal," he said brusquely, instead. "The usual conversational games don't really hold much appeal for me this month."

"I see. Well, perhaps I will check back with you in February, then," Crystal said. The new month was less than a week away, after all. Not that she intended to ignore what was going on for the next five days. A few of the redheads she'd thought a few minutes earlier just might be getting a notice of worry in their inboxes.

Nathan made a noise that might have been a laugh, had there been any suggestion of humor in it. "I have no great hopes for February," he muttered, turning back to the lake.

Crystal stood watching Nathan for a few minutes, allowing herself to feel the bitter chill of the winter air. Disturbed at what had just transpired, she turned and headed back to the mansion.