(Untitled)

[bass_line_blues]

There was this.

And now Preston is sitting at a table in the Wasteland, looking mildly stunned.

Buying a round for everyone is probably premature. Nothing has happened yet. An idea has been broached, and not rejected out of hand; that's all.

But it feels like something.

Comments

[vamp_therapist]

Marisela walks by, notices the look, and doubles back then walks over.

"Hey there. Preston, right?"

She's wearing an ankle bracelet with bells. She is very jingly tonight.

[bass_line_blues]

Preston's already looking in her direction; werewolf senses pick up jingles really well.

"- hey," he says, with an easy smile. "Maria- no. Marisela, yeah?"

[vamp_therapist]

"You got it. Very good. It's not a common name. Way cooler than Maria."

[bass_line_blues]

"I was gonna guess Mariana, actually," Preston admits, "but that's because I used to know, like, six Marianas. Marisela definitely much cooler."

[k_gabriel]

"...Hey."

Karla looks a little uncertain, which has more to do with the mildly stunned look than their last conversation.

"You okay?"

[bass_line_blues]

"Oh," Preston says, and looks up.

"Yeah - yeah. Definitely okay."

He sounds - not uncertain, exactly; more disbelieving than anything else.

"I think," he adds, and then stops, and then says, more coherently, "Better than okay, I think, maybe, if it all doesn't just flatten out. Which it might be. That's . . . making no fucking sense, and do you want to sit down?"

[k_gabriel]

Karla quirks an eyebrow at him, and drags out a chair.

"Okay...want to give me that again, with sense-making?"

[bass_line_blues]

"'ll do my best."

Preston takes a gulp of his drink.

"Okay, so I - if everything works out. Which it may not. Russ and Claire are maybe half-convinced at best so far. But. If it does."

A deep breath.

"Murder trial. By jury. Or at least by panel of judges - Karla, if this pans out murder is going to be fucking illegal in this city. For everyone."

[wither_wilt]

Salla is plopped down next to Preston.

He speaks out of the corner of his mouth and attempts (he tries to so hard) to throw his voice. In a easy to identify, if still horrible and no one would ever really fall for it, Preston impression, Salla says: "Hey, Salla, man! I gotta tell you! Karla totally kissed me and said I was her favorite fluffy wuffy wolf man!"

Salla beams and claps Preston on the back. "Great, man! That's so great!"

[bass_line_blues]

". . . she did?" Preston says, blinking mildly at Salla. "Man, you know I'm happy for you, but, uh - shouldn't you tell her you're not a fluffy wolf man one of these days?"

[wither_wilt]

"I hate you," he says with good humor. "Now, what's with that dazed look in your eye? Do you have pot? Are you holding out on me? You're breaking my heart, man!"

[bass_line_blues]

"Dude, you love me."

Preston grins, suddenly. "And, not to reuse a cliche, but - I am so fucking high on life right now, man, it is just a little tiny bit scary."

[bitingmybullet]

Gwen waves a hand in front of his face.

"Preston?"

[bass_line_blues]

"- hey, Gwen."

Preston looks up, and then grins at her.

It's a real grin, even if he looks kind of surprised to have it on his face.

[bitingmybullet]

Her eyebrows arch.

"Hey. What's up?"

[bass_line_blues]

"- couple of things," Preston says, a little slowly.

"Uh. Consider this a totally hypothetical question, 'cause it really, really is right now, but . . . Gwen? Think you'd make a good judge?"