Spring cleaning.

[sarah_branigan]

It's a little early for spring cleaning, but Sarah has lugged all the throw rugs out of the house and has them hanging on her clothesline. It's a crisp, clear afternoon, but signs of life are appearing in the garden

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[call_me_rat]

Now that the weather's improving, construction work will be back into action soon, but today the ground is still just a little too hard and there's no work to be done. Unwilling to wear out his welcome, Rat wasn't exactly intending to visit today, but he is taking a day down by the beach to keep his connections open and check up on the guys he's worked with on the docks. The sight of Sarah abusing the hell out of a rug gives him pause, and she may notice him watching with a raised eyebrow from across the street.

[sarah_branigan]

*THWACK* *THWACK* *THWACK* Sarah doesn't notice Rat at first. She seems intent on beating every last molecule of dust out of the rug. She looks rather mad about it, too.

But eventually she needs to take a break. She pauses, wiping sweat from her brow and still looking rather pissed off. Only then does she see Markus. Her expression changes to chagrined, briefly, before she smiles and waves with the rugbeater.

[call_me_rat]

That wave isn't nearly as inviting when she's just been wielding that thing like a weapon, but he strolls over and leans on the fence with his usual friendly smile. "Uhh, hey. Spring cleaning? It's a nice day for it." He shifts his guitar a little to get more comfortable. It's poking him in the back since he's so tall he has to bend nearly double to lean on the fence...

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah's smile is friendly, but it's a little forced, like she has something unpleasant on her mind. She doesn't look as though she's planning to hit him with the rugbeater, at least. "Hi, Markus." She pats at her brow again, smearing a little dust on her forehead. At least she has a kerchief to keep her hair back. "The weather was nice, so I thought... yes, it's a good day for it." She looks a little embarrassed. "What brings you by Shell Beach?"

[call_me_rat]

"You know, I think you and the boss are the only people who use my first name." He pretends not to notice the dust or her embarrassment. "Just taking advantage of a nice day before work starts up again. If the construction boss backs out on hiring me more permanantly, I'd like to have some leads for work at the docks. How've you been?" His smile is friendly and casual, but his gaze searches her face because he knows something's bothering her deeply.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah laughs softly. "I'm not really good at calling people by their nicknames. Besides, Markus is such a nice name."

She listens silently, hopeful. She wants Rat to be gainfully employed. Her gaze drops at his question. "It's been good. Very good, actually... well, until this morning." She's not keen on talking about it, but she doesn't want to lie to him. And she's certainly not going to talk about what's been good lately, either.

She picks at a bit of lint on the rug before saying softly, "The man who shot me is alive and well again in the Nexus." It's not what has her so angry, but it's a good start.

[call_me_rat]

"I don't mind at all." He shrugs, and listens, giving a slow and sympathetic nod. "That's... unfair, to say the least. Did he talk to you or anything?" He stays where he is, listening but not infringing in case she really isn't ready to talk about it.

[sarah_branigan]

She lets out a bitter chuckle. "Believe me, nothing having to do with Keyser Soze is fair." She looks at the rug again. Even if she doesn't say anything, it's pretty obvious the answer is 'yes'.

"He... he could have killed me, when he shot me, but he didn't. He needed someone who would tell the Nexus that he was behind all the murders, so that people would be afraid. But he told me that he spared my life because he liked me. I was 'decent' to him."

Her hand grips the rugbeater so hard, her knuckles turn white. She looks furious. And ashamed.

[call_me_rat]

"Then you're a much better person than he is, although that goes without saying. It's also possible he just said it to see how you'd react. I... thought he'd been punished somehow? Why is he walking free again?" He frowns and pulls out a cigarette, still leaning on the fence. He's angry on her behalf, and needs some kind of quiet stress release.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah wipes at her brow again, angry at being angry and letting just a few texted words cut her so deeply. "I don't know what I was thinking. Even if he apologized, I couldn't believe him. He's a sociopath. All he does is lie."

She sighs softly. "It's a long story. He was shot and killed. There's no police in the Nexus, you understand. It's a no-man's land there. But people had had enough of him hurting others. But then... I don't know how, but he possessed a friend of mine and somehow got his body back." God, that sounds ridiculous. Not that she thinks Rat won't believe her, but still.

[call_me_rat]

He frowns at his cigarette, taking a long drag. "I... haven't gone yet, actually." There's a definite hint of guilt there. He can hardly say he doesn't have the time. "Is the friend okay? I'd... say he should be locked up, at least now he's got his body back he might not be able to do the posession... thing? And he's more easily imprisoned and punished? Death isn't punishment, captivity is."

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah smiles, faintly. "It takes a bit of nerve. It's worth it, though." Says the woman who got shot there.

"No. I mean, he isn't possessed anymore, but I'm worried about him, all the same." She shakes her head a little. "I wish it were as simple as that. But in most versions of earth, he's ridiculously powerful. He's a crimelord or something, he has connections everywhere... and if he were dumped on some godforsaken world, he'd probably find a way to escape and make trouble." She smiles again. "Kaa did something to him so that he can't commit an act of violence. And he can't leave the Nexus. He can't hurt anyone right now." Now if only she could believe her own words.

((I am super tired. Bedtime! I'll be around tomorrow, though. ^_^))

[call_me_rat]

"Maybe I'm a coward then, but I don't have much to lose." He's still frowning slightly, and it makes him look older. "I know you said there's no police, but that means people need to look out for each other. somebody ought to be able to contain him. He shouldn't be free to harrass previous victims, even if he can't physically harm them."

((It's all good!))

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah picks off another piece of lint, looking a little guilty. It's not like Verbal walked up to her in the Nexus and started talking to her. It was her decision to reply to him.

"I have friends looking out for me," She replies finally. She sounds more sure of this, at least. "He's about as contained as he can be, considering the circumstances."

"...did you want to come in, Markus? I mean, I don't want to keep you from your errands..." She doesn't really want to talk about Soze anymore, but she could use some company.

[call_me_rat]

((Clearly the LJ alerts are fail today...))

"I'm glad you do, but... it's still not right." He sighs and shakes his head. "But justice is something we make up ourselves. Nevermind..." There's a moment where he stares into space, thoughtful and melancholy, before her words register and he puts out the cigarette. "Sure. I'm not on a timetable." He gives her a smile, suddenly reassuring and friendly again. It's pretty obvious she needs some cheerful, calming conversation. The two she lives with are too shy and quiet to provide it sometimes.
He strolls up the path and pulls off his cap.

[sarah_branigan]

She really looks at him, probably for the first time since their conversation started. His expression jars her out of her unhappy thoughts. "No, it isn't, but life hasn't been fair for me so far. I'm not really expecting it to start playing by the rules any time soon." She smiles a little and keeps pace with him to the gate in the fence, then opens it for him. "Is everything okay with you?"

((For me, too!))