Upon closer inspection, Van found the parlor to be quite traditionally furnished if a little dark. Of course he preferred the brilliant white and smooth metallic trappings of a stark lab and this particular taste carried over into his more personal spaces as well but he enjoyed the rich and opulent coziness that the current room held. It felt appropriate for someone in Aedan’s predicament to enjoy plush and inviting surroundings as opposed to minimalist and structured design which while pretty to look at was usually rather uncomfortable in regards to lazing about. He was not so certain, however, that Aedan had actually selected all of the pieces in the space as his preferred chair stuck out like a sore thumb, though the image of him sitting in it felt completely appropriate.<br/><br/><br/>As Van spoke of his ordeal he noticed Aedan’s lack of compassion. It was a subtle detail that may have been lost on him without his level of training in recognizing sociological cues but it didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. In fact, he felt a certain sense of relief that normal empathetic responses did not seem to be something the man held a great regard for. Aedan would not be manipulated by meaningless and intangible expressions such as smiling or bashfulness, tools Van often used to overcome his rather cold expression at times. No, before him was a man who found value in results, a doer, not a talker.<br/><br/><br/>Govannon‘ s eyes shifted to the weapon as the ailing man dropped it on the polished wooden table next to his chair and he released a pent up sigh of relief he hadn’t realized he was holding in. His shoulders relaxed a bit, rounding into a somewhat more comfortable position. With the initial threat of death by firearm now removed for the time being the blonde could think more clearly. He was taken aback at Aedan’s sulfuric response to his words, the man had made him it seemed and for a moment his surprise reared in his expression, a quizzical raising of his thick blonde brows. As Aedan continued with his tirade Van’s expression changed. The corners of his lips were touched with the smallest hint of amusement and his head tilted ever so slightly to the side like some sort of curious animal. His eyes narrowed with the intensity of his growing curiosity. This was the look he retained when he was genuinely interested in something he had never come across before, one of his many unusual quirks. There was not a single person in his entire life who had ever talked to him like that, had questioned his words for the illusions that they usually were. It was clear to him that his carefully constructed persona would not do here. Aedan required the truth, and commanded enough respect to earn it. Even if he was a fucking tool.<br/><br/><br/>“You are surprisingly correct in all of your assumptions... I was acquitted of all charges, much to the chagrin of the families involved, that much is public knowledge. Many of them wanted to see me put to death for my dealings but I have skilled defense attorneys as does any physician worth their mettle and I pay them well to keep me safe. As for my money, it serves me very little now that I have lost my practice. All of it is tied up in family bonds that I cannot touch without eyes witnessing my every movement, not to mentioned the large sums settled upon as recompense for all of the ‘suffering’ involved.” He had always found it interesting that people were almost always willing to place monitory value on such abstract feelings like grief and mental anguish. “There are of course off shore accounts but even those require careful maneuvering. It would likely take me years before I am un-surveilled enough to utilize them and so I find myself unusually restricted in a way I had not thought possible before.” Van disliked that the world was so aware of him now that even the ailing man in this far flung location knew such personal details about him. He did feel that it would work in his favor, however. The imbalance of information would hopefully make the man more agreeable to allowing him stay and complete his work outside of the city, far removed from oppressively watchful eyes.<br/><br/><br/>“As far as the endless parade of the dead and dying are concerned, it’s not difficult to find some suffering individual who would wish to benefit from my work, but it’s not so simple... Wanting to live and fighting to live are vastly different concepts and unfortunately, quite a lot of people in dire health situations do not have the mental strength needed to bear the weight of such a burden. I require more than just a body... the nature of my research is in need of a capable mind as well.” In his past experience he had seen all manner of death and its many varied forms, his nemesis. An ominous feeling that raised the hair on the back of his neck. It was true that most people wanted to be strong when faced with it and for many different reasons. They would suffer and anguish, made comfortable through the consumption of drugs. They would jump from treatment to treatment, each worst than the last and for so little reward in most cases. Why? For a chance to enjoy a bit more time with their families? At what cost? Van’s gaze grew distant and cold, focused on nothing and no one in particular. “As humans we are driven by our instincts to survive no matter the cost and when we are faced with our own mortality our truest selves surface. All else is left behind. Some are persistent in their battles, most are simply not as capable. Some are taken too swiftly for anything to be done at all. My goal is to advance us beyond that fear. To guide humanity into its next phase.”<br/><br/><br/>Govannon barely noticed when Raff left the room for coffee even though the request registered in his mind. After a moment of quiet thought the former doctor snapped back to himself, refocusing his attention on Aedan. He smiled, a true smile, a knowing smile when he was ordered to sit. He obliged, moving to the soft inviting chair next to man and perched lightly on the edge of it. The scathing attitude did not bother him very much, but he did wish to test the boundaries of it a bit with a soft round of questions. A preemptive test before they got too far into obscure details. “You look at me and I sense envy because you think that I am more fortunate in some way... or maybe resentment because you feel that life is unfair. Well it is... an obvious truth learned by most at a young age. Were we on equal footing, health-wise, would you feel the same? What types of things would you have accomplished in your life had you not been fraught with illness? Would you still be here in this house?” He gave a soft sweeping gesture to the room. “I am not here to save you ... I can’t. You have to save yourself. I am only here to facilitate this. If you wish to see me to my compulsion, I will do everything within my power to see you with your body restored.”