The new roommate arrived in a state which made sizing him up a little more complicated than it might have been otherwise. L didn't set the fork down, but he did make it dormant, resting his hand alongside the dinner tray. He stared as the other man was dragged in and left on the bed.
There were some commonalities in their appearances: both were pale-skinned and dark-haired, with wiry frames. But L guessed--and it was only a guess--that the other man was taller than him by several inches, and, on a good day, probably at least a little bit stronger. At the moment, it was hard to make any judgments about his physicality based on his only partly voluntary movements, but it might be possible to take note of more genuine and characteristic ones at various points throughout the next day. L could recall having seen him around the Institute recently, without having taken special note of him; in those scant recollections, there had been nothing unusual about how he carried himself.
As to his current state... the man had most likely been sedated, which meant that he had either lost self-control and acted out, or he'd had some reason to want to be drugged. Someone who couldn't manage their own behavior might be annoying to share a room with, but someone who did something so ordinarily undesirable for their own purposes could be problematic indeed.
On the scale of things, it seemed more likely to be the former than the latter. Acting out was foolish, unimpressive, but it would also be normal for most people, under these circumstances.
Still... why was he laughing?
"You've had an interesting afternoon." Grave, inquisitive, not particularly sympathetic, and still more a statement than a question.
no subject
There were some commonalities in their appearances: both were pale-skinned and dark-haired, with wiry frames. But L guessed--and it was only a guess--that the other man was taller than him by several inches, and, on a good day, probably at least a little bit stronger. At the moment, it was hard to make any judgments about his physicality based on his only partly voluntary movements, but it might be possible to take note of more genuine and characteristic ones at various points throughout the next day. L could recall having seen him around the Institute recently, without having taken special note of him; in those scant recollections, there had been nothing unusual about how he carried himself.
As to his current state... the man had most likely been sedated, which meant that he had either lost self-control and acted out, or he'd had some reason to want to be drugged. Someone who couldn't manage their own behavior might be annoying to share a room with, but someone who did something so ordinarily undesirable for their own purposes could be problematic indeed.
On the scale of things, it seemed more likely to be the former than the latter. Acting out was foolish, unimpressive, but it would also be normal for most people, under these circumstances.
Still... why was he laughing?
"You've had an interesting afternoon." Grave, inquisitive, not particularly sympathetic, and still more a statement than a question.