It was dubious, and Near was right to be suspicious, but... Jude sighed internally. he wondered now how the family had been so clever, so patient. Everything had always come together by the time Jude arrived, and so it had seemed to him that there were a limited range of outcomes, as opposed to the myriad dead-ends and false starts that Near presented. There was no use in protesting, because whatever Near wanted - and what did Near want? - was going to trump whatever it was Jude wanted, until somehow the two could sync. Jude felt like he was trying to orchestrate an eclipse, only Near, the Earth, sped up or slowed down when Jude approached alignment.
"What kind of test?" he asked politely. How strange, that someone would have to pass a test to drink something. He smiled as he spoke, but it fell when Near reminded him of Courtland's death. He looked grim, maybe even a little lost, when he said, "Yes, I know." Courtland would not have needed everything explained to him.
"Well, are you going to show me or not?" He straightened from leaning on the couch, and looked towards one of the thresholds. He was going to tell Near why he was here, even though Near vacillated between wanting to know and wanting Jude to stop being weird. Unfortunately, in this case, knowledge and weirdness were mutually inclusive.
"What kind of test?" he asked politely. How strange, that someone would have to pass a test to drink something. He smiled as he spoke, but it fell when Near reminded him of Courtland's death. He looked grim, maybe even a little lost, when he said, "Yes, I know." Courtland would not have needed everything explained to him.
"Well, are you going to show me or not?" He straightened from leaning on the couch, and looked towards one of the thresholds. He was going to tell Near why he was here, even though Near vacillated between wanting to know and wanting Jude to stop being weird. Unfortunately, in this case, knowledge and weirdness were mutually inclusive.