Day 52 - I'm your only friend, I'm not your only friend, but....

[yesthatsmyname]

 Who: Mary Lightly, Alfred Ashford
When: Day 52, Afternoon, after  THIS MESS.
Where: 134 Bird of Paradise
What: Mary misplaced something...personal. Alfred has it.
Warnings: Probably some murder-chat. Hard PG-13.

Comments

[berceusedefou]

The first immediately noticeable thing when Alfred opened the door was probably the strong smell of cooking food; The thick smell of chicken broth and champagne made sure of that. The next would be how unusually casual Alfred was dressed. He was dressed similarly to how he appeared in the video feed, wearing just a simple white dress shirt and white slacks. If it weren't for the overly large, spindly lobster scuttling about behind him, he probably would have been barefoot as well.

"Afternoon, Lightly." His voice was soft, more relaxed than the taunting tone he'd used over the communicator. It was all a game. He would string him on as long as he could for that delightful little notepad, perhaps get him to confess to the meaning of it's contents. Make him work for it.

'Did-a-chick? Dum-a-chum?' The sound was sudden, a chittering, nonsense question. The query made Alfred turn around and gently shoo the lobstrocity away. "Quiet, Clackers."

[yesthatsmyname]

Unconsciously, Mary ran a hand down over his sweatervest to smooth it out. Even he was dressed so casually, something about Alfred made the smaller man feel a little...well...a little bit sloppy. Not that he noticed it particularly well - he just wasn't a neat person.

Some part of him was struck at how he was wearing largely black and Alfred was wearing largely white - but why this was striking, he really couldn't say. He smiled a little bit, his own voice back to its usual soft almost-monotone. Calmer than it had been the other night. But then...so was Alfred. He couldn't help but think it was rather nice to be meeting again on...at least marginally better circumstances.

"Hello, Mister Ashford."

His eyes dropped momentarily down to the lobster - and his eyes brightened a little bit. "...Is that your pet? He's...he's magnificent."

[berceusedefou]

Alfred would reserve vocal judgement about Mary's attire for the moment, unsure if the poor fellow was colour blind or just... Horrifically dense about it. Really, a maroon-and-pink argyle sweater vest on a black ensemble. That was all that needed saying.

Fashion concerns aside, the noble retreated inside a bit, half-heartedly inviting the profiler in without a word. The only acknowledgement he gave was to the question, which received a small nod and an answer of, "Yes, that's Clackers. Alexia had found him; He's really hers but that's a matter of semantics at this point." She couldn't really have a pet while she was absent either, but he didn't wish to dwell on that.

As if there weren't even a guest, Alfred suddenly scurries back to the kitchen to check on whatever it was he was cooking. "Do come in," he calls from behind a saucepan, vigorously stirring its contents.

[yesthatsmyname]

Obediently, he makes his way into the house - nodding a little at the explanation of the pet. He took a moment on his way in to look down at the lobster, smiling just a little more comfortably and greeting it in a soft tone. "Hello, Clackers." He always liked animals, especially those that weren't traditionally revered as great pets. His mother had had her hands full keeping strange animals out of the house when he was small.

For a moment, Mary forgot why he came here in the first place - being invited into someone's home so casually was something that...had never really happened before. He wandered into the kitchen after Alfred, watching him cook for a moment (impressed - he never really took the time, himself) before recalling his reasons for coming over. He fidgeted a little, hands awkwardly hanging at waist-height and flopping downward.

"...So," he finally began, his tone markedly uneasy, "I...dropped it up in the lighthouse?"