[Alice] Job 009 :: The Camisado Job [Written/Action] {BACKDATED to late night on the 7th}

[shadedsunlight]

[For anyone in community house seven hoping to get some sleep... well, sorry for the commotion up on the third floor. No need to be alarmed, it's not a mallynapping, just two crazies with DID slugging it out. Things will quiet down after a few minutes. When it does, a message will come over the journal The handwriting is shaky and a little sloppy.

Comments

[consultmybooks]

[There will be about two minutes between Alice's transmission and Giles showing up at the kitchen door, panting as though he's just run a mile.

He quickly assesses the damage, and comes to one conclusion.]

...Alice?

[shadedsunlight]

[Alice glances over at him, briefly assession the situation before there's a flicker of near relief and a hint of relaxation slipping into her body. Then she looks away again, shifts the ice pack from her left hand over to her right, and resumes petting Orenji.

Kitties. Kitties do make things better.]

[consultmybooks]

[Alice, did you...

...did you seriously just get yourself half killed over a cat?]

Alice, what the hell just happened?

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia started it. Alice finished it.

Alice is quiet for a few seconds longer, watching Orenji as he nibbles lightly on her fingers, barely registering needle-like teeth nomming away. After awhile, the fact Giles spoke to her does register and she turns to look over at him.]

/He tried to kill them. Couldn't let that happen./

[Her signs are stilted and stiff, her expression blank.

She goes back to giving Orenji attention.]

[consultmybooks]

[...oh.

Okay, then.

Giles will hesitantly draw a little nearer to the table, finally taking a seat relatively near to Alice if she has no objections.]

...I never took you for a cat person.

[shadedsunlight]

[Tension races back into Alice's posture and her blankness snaps into protective wariness. Even if he's Giles and she knows he's safe, Alice protectively takes Orenji onto her arms and sets him on her lap.

There. If he can't be seen, he's safe.]

/We're like cats./

[consultmybooks]

[Orenji might not be visible to Giles at the moment. But Alice has just brought him into view of Edna, who stares up at Orenji curiously before stretching up just enough to bat at the cat's face.]

Fair enough. You're certainly as inscrutable as a cat.

[shadedsunlight]

[Orenji meows and reaches out to paw back, big green eyes staring.

For a moment, Alice is startled and shifts Orenji back, but at his protests and the realization it's only another cat, she settles slightly.]

/Do you like cats?/

[consultmybooks]

I've come to find that it depends on the cat.

For example? [He indicates Edna.] I was quite fond of her mother, and, um, I suppose the feeling must have been mutual for Foot to trust me with her.

[Although the answer in this specific case is "yes", given how he very slightly tensed when Alice looked down at the cat.]

[shadedsunlight]

[Alice glances back at Edna, then looks back at Giles.]

/I guess that explains why you like her and not me./

[consultmybooks]

No, it doesn't. I've explained my reasoning for that, and...it's entirely separate. From cats most of all.

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia snorts slightly, winces as it irritates her nose, and reaches for another napkin to gently dab at her nostrils.]

/Just going to sit there tonight?/

[consultmybooks]

I thought I'd offer my assistance.

[shadedsunlight]

/Nice of you to offer. Mind getting me another ice pack? This one is all melty./

[consultmybooks]

[Giles will take the melty ice pack, head to the refrigerator, and replenish it with ice that is not half melted. It is then returned to Alice.]

[shadedsunlight]

[Alice takes the new ice pack back and there's a flicker of appreciation behind all the anger, hurt, fear, and confusion in her eyes, before she looks away, keeping the ice pack pressed to her jaw.]

/Fucker hits like a freight train./