Simple Gifts

[ooeeooahah]

A: MacCready & Sons Law Office, Morning:

[ Switching from word processing to the typewriters at the office wasn’t that big of a stretch. The hardest part had been looking busy all day, until she started typing her research notes there. Considering she types the interviews of the long-time aware residents in the sme format as the depositions for

Comments

C.

[hotfrombehind]

[Leans against the kitchen doorway.]

Usually I feel at least a little bit better when I come in here, but it just seems off today.

[He pushes off the door frame and moves to stand by the table.] You alright?

[ooeeooahah]

Just... not doing well today.

[ Slowly slicing vegetables, she seems to need more concentration than usual to keep her cuts even. ]

I was snooping around at the office today, in the archives, and got caught. Nothing serious, I think, but still means I was careless.

[hotfrombehind]

[He's quiet for a moment, watching her cut her vegetables.]

Yeah, I getcha. Still, everyone makes mistakes. God knows even I've been back stabbed by the fucking frog at least once or twice. I'm sure it couldn't've been a huge deal or whatever.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She seems to be about to say something else, and then shakes her head. ]

Not stabbed in the back so far, but I do feel a bit kicked around from it, mentally, that is.

TAG FROM THE DEAD

[hotfrombehind]

Mmn. Yeah. That really sucks.

There anything I can do to help or anything?

TAG OF THE LIVING DEAD

[ooeeooahah]

[ She shakes her head, but is smiling this time. ]

I just have to work through this, get a thicker skin about the way the drones at the office treat me....

[ She pulls a subject change without signaling again. ]

I haven't heard anything from you lately... everything go all right after the birthday party?

GGRAAAGH /slowly plowing through this

[hotfrombehind]

[Blink blink hey Ilsa you should stop that. He clicks his jaw shut after opening it to reply so he can think about her question.]

Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. No one bugged me while I was, y'know, drunk and shit, just Red, but she already knows what I'm like when I'm drunk, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

I just-- y'know. Don't like drinking.

[ooeeooahah]

I know. It almost seems like she goes out of her way to get to you. [ She shakes her head, chuckling. ] I've tried to keep enough alternatives for you in the fridge.

[ She frowns a little. ]

It doesn't bother you that I serve wine to guests, does it?

[hotfrombehind]

I'm pretty fucking sure she does-- sometimes, at least. That last time might've been for the fucking hell of it, though. Party and all.

Oh, no. That's fine and all. Y'know, blood'a Christ and all that-- [He tenses, bites his lip, then drops his shoulders and looks to the side.] Uh. You know what I mean. It's tasteful or what the fuck ever, all that business.

[ooeeooahah]

Usually with dinner, and not to excess. [ That memory was pretty sharp, and she tries a thread of peace and calm to blunt the edge of it. ]

... what do you think of her?

[hotfrombehind]

Mmmhmm. Yeah. Don't take you as the alcoholic type, anyway. Too smart for that kinda thing.

O-Of Red? Uh. Uhhh-- [Desperately fighting the blush crawling up his neck.] Y'know. She's cool. For a RED. And she's a Pyro, too, so she gets me.

Uh. Why do you ask?

[ooeeooahah]

Just wondering if we ought to invite her to dinner sometime.

[ Ilsa smiles, just a little. ]

It would be good to have friends over once in a while.

[hotfrombehind]

Uh. Uuuhhh. Thought I already said I would ask? Haven't gotten around to it, though, 'cause you know-- weird and shit. Uh.

[He ducks his head and rubs his neck.] Jesus I'm like a fucking schoolboy, what the fuck is wrong with me--

[ooeeooahah]

Nothing wrong, hon. Nothing at all.

[ She concentrates on the vegetables. ]

[hotfrombehind]

[He grumbles and goes to sit at the table. And bury his face in his arms.]

If you say so, doc.

[ooeeooahah]

You two did work well together at the party. Have you tried fire-dancing? With two of you, it could be a spectacular show.