"Why would you not want to be more curious? Then you would know more things! And that is the most important thing."

“I... don’t know that I think of that as the most important thing. Would you have, uh, agreed that this was the most important thing before you started working here?”

"........I got a doctorate. In psychology."

Weak smile. “......yeah okay that’s fair. That— really does make me feel better, about you and the statements. As long as there’s nothing the tests are missing, at least.”

"Come on, there has to be some trait where if you knew the mysterious probably evil mind control was mind controlling you to have it you'd at least be tempted."

“......Point taken.”

"Not going to ask. Might smile at you if you tell me. --I am under evil curiosity-inducing magic and not in control of my actions."

“That seems like a bad precedent to set if this is going to be a permanent change and especially if you are planning on reading more statements!” He pauses. “I think most of the things that are tempting would have to involve— mind controlling other people? Which is, um, way worse than just mind controlling myself, so.”

oh no oh no he wants to know

He will not pry any more than that. If being a professional boss is an absolutely lost cause he can at least be a good friend. 

"Man, I can't think of anything I want that I'd get through mind controlling other people. Maybe tenure."

Nervous laugh. “Really? I can think of so many things. I could just—make people like me, or make people go away, or make people happy?”

"Yeah, but if I made people like me it wouldn't count. Because they wouldn't like me because of anything I did, it would just be the mind control."

“...I guess? But you’d know it was unconditional, that it doesn’t matter what you do or how much you fail, they’ll still love you. And it’s still nice to have people like you, even if they really shouldn’t?”

".........no I think mostly I want to be a person who doesn't fail. And if they like me whatever I do then they couldn't really like me, because I behave like me and not like some other person. --Oh, I did think of one thing I would have used mind control for in the past."

“What would it be? ...If you. Want to share, I mean.”

He wiggles.

"Nope, it's my turn to be mysterious."

“Yeah, I guess turnabout’s fair play. ‘Specially when I’m not even supernaturally curious.” It is very cute and kind of distracting when Lev wiggles.

"You know what we should do. We should see a movie."

“Oh?” Martin is suddenly extremely red. “Did you... have something in mind?”

"I have heard legends of this concept of 'weekends' where you, like, do something other than work. I am considering exploring it."

AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

“The legends are true! What... movie... do you want to see...?” (with him, Lev wants to see a movie with him, aaaaaaaaaaaaa—)

"Not horror, we have too much of that at work. Probably not an action movie, same reason. Something totally unrelated to what we do all day. Trashy romantic comedy, maybe."

Martin’s blush is somehow managing to get even darker. Fuck. “That would. Be nice.” 

"We should figure out what's on. Or I guess we could go to my place and have all of Netflix to choose from."

“U-um, sure! Sure, I’m good with... with either of those, yeah.”

"I'm going to sit here patiently until you have a preference."