[ Lucian let out a soft, dry chuckle, a sound that didn't quite reach his ears but played across his lips in a faint, lopsided tilt. He shifted his weight, sliding one hand into his pocket while the other lingered near the edge of her workstation, his fingers twitching as if weighing the glass equipment. ]
" Well— you caught me," [ he admitted, his voice dropping into a smoother, lower register. He tilted his head, a stray lock of dark hair falling over his brow as his gaze swept from the microscope back to her. There was no embarrassment in his expression, only a sharpened glimmer of intrigue. ]
" I’m definitely a tourist in this world. I usually deal with... practical results, not the theory behind them. " [ He paused, his pupils dilating slightly as he took in the 'controlled chaos' of her setup, then looked back at her with a look of genuine, quiet appraisal. ] " But seeing you handle all this without flinching ? It’s a lot more captivating than the bubbling chemicals. "