* [closed post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan cherishes her time in the lab with Galahad. She likes the care he takes, his attention to detail. It's lovely to know that they can work equally well in parallel, side-by-side with complimentary tasks, quiet and totally focused on their individual projects, and in collaboration. When they do speak, he's delightfully precise with his words and direct with his questions in a way that is, in turn, novel and refreshing. They've made great headway with their work, and now that the Mansion has settled into winter and there are fewer arthropods to easily discover and inventory, outside of the soil samples they continue to take and investigate under the microscope, they can settle into cataloguing and categorizing their notes from the spring, summer, and autumn. Sometimes Constance is present, too, and that's also lovely: they all get along well, and there's something ever so settling about three heads bent carefully over scientific pursuits. Typically, when Constance is there, Susan and Galahad work independently so as not to distract her, but sometimes the three of them break for tea and a brief chat. Outside of sex and archery practice, it's really one of the highlights of Susan's days.

Today's stint in the lab has been varied: Constance is elsewhere, and Susan and Galahad started with a discussion about adapting Earth-based classification systems to accommodate otherworldly species (this is a conversation that they have weekly, at the very least), and then fell into separate projects - Galahad has been drawing insects not captured in any books in the library to create a scientific field guide for their local environs, and Susan has been counting microscopic organisms in winter soil samples to compare with the measurements Lan Zhan took on the day Lan Wangji was switched out. But there's also something pressing on her conscience: the year is slipping more rapidly toward Dark, and she's been procrastinating on an essential task out of reluctance to speak to Magnus. It's high time she regain momentum.

She pushes back from the microscope, makes a careful note of the current tally of living organisms, and turns to Galahad. "When you've got a moment," she says, "I should like to show you something." Cognizant of the fact that he gets easily chilled, and to provide him with an out should he require one, she clarifies, "Outside."

Comments

[onthewillowsthere]

"I understand." He pauses, searching for a way to thank her without simply saying thank you again. Perhaps Emily Post will have advice on expressing gratitude when your scientific collaborator acts to protect your husband from his tormentor. In the end, after a period of silence, he asks, "Have you taken samples from inside the cave yet?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I've not!" Susan says, latching quickly onto the new topic. Galahad's neat acknowledgement without going on and on about what she's done suits her British sensibilities perfectly well. "We ought to whilst we're here, don't you think?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"It would be efficient," he agrees. "I have some sampling containers in my bag."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I do so value efficiency," Susan sighs, pleased. Galahad truly is a kindred spirit, and she cherishes his friendship as much as she does his scientific partnership. "Let's, then."

[onthewillowsthere]

He nods and follows her into the cave.

It's a different experience to explore this place with Susan instead of Magnus. His attention shifts from the cave formations and flutter of bat wings to the smaller things, cave crickets and the slow drip of water.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I've poked around a little with Lancelot as we've built the storage," Susan tells him, shining her electric torch through the darkness. "We ought to sample the crystals, too. Constance might find them interesting."

[onthewillowsthere]

At once he removes one of the collection tubes from his messenger bag. His first thought is to break one of the crystals off with his hand, but after everything Magnus has taught him about germs he thinks better of it. Instead, he takes a handkerchief from the bag as well and wraps it delicately around the crystal before he snaps it off.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan nods approvingly - how dreadful it would be if they were the sorts of crystals that would erode from the oils on a human's hand. "I shall collect one of the queer little slime creatures," she says, referring to what she will soon learn are glow-worms.

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad offers a tube, with which she should be able to scoop one up and cap it off. The specimens here are so different, and he's particularly interested in hearing what Constance has to say, since her readings tend towards the things that aren't alive per se.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Thank you," says Susan, and allows herself to lapse back into the restful quiet of companionable work, carefully capturing the insect and its long, shining slime-tail alike in the tube.