039 x 930 // video/action

[dignity_misery]

[Hello, City, hello. Miss Carla is sitting inside a little cafe today, with a plate of cupcakes that look like this in front of her. One is peeled open and half-eaten. The rest of her little table is occupied by a sketch pad where something to this effect is slowly taking shape. If you're looking, you might notice this tattooed on the hand she's drawing with.]

How did you enjoy winding yourselves up yesterday?

[There's something a little wry to her voice in asking. She always feels like she has to wind herself up in the mornings, it was almost too funny seeing it acted out in reality.]

Comments

[intheblanks]

Some of your friends eat people.

[Speaking of... not exactly that... there's a rap on the window by her table.]

[dignity_misery]

[Oh. Hello, Chase. She looks over at him, eyebrows raised. Well. Come inside then, silly. She sits and waits for him for a moment, clearing aside her sketchbook.]

I'll ask them not to eat him.

[intheblanks]

[He's hanging up his device, sliding it into a pocket as he pushes through the door and makes an order at the counter before joining her, empty handed.]

Don't I count as a friend?

[dignity_misery]

You're not very likely to have sex with him.

[If you needed her to be more explicit.]

But if you'd like an introduction, I suppose I can take care of it.

[intheblanks]

[Well, then. as he opens his mouth to respond the waitress comes over with a tall coffee, pot of sugar on the side, an a grilled cheese. Heading up the tray sit two of those ubiquitous sesame street character cupcakes - google eyed cookie monsters with miniature chocolate chip cookies in their blue frosted mouths. When she's gone:]

So he's the nerd with the bad hair and glasses and you're planning a surprise makeover so all his friends realise he's been the hot one all along.

[Yes, the tone here is dry.]

Are you trying to matchmake or taking a cut?

[dignity_misery]

[She's smiling faintly at those cupcakes.]

No, he's been asking me about what I'm in to.

[She's been mentoring.]

But he's not in to women.

[intheblanks]

So you're taking him to a sex party?

[The cupcakes stay where they are for now while Chase blinks across at her. You get back on the wagon fast, Carla.]

[dignity_misery]

I'm taking him to a party where there are likely to be people interested in having sex.

[Tra. La. La. You don't know about Jimmy.]

[intheblanks]

[No, but he'd struggle to understand why it might bother him. Just like there's a little inner conflict just now over whether this is a good or bad thing.

Technically he'd be a hypocrite to call it bad. So he nods a little and leans over to hook something around her arm. Black velvet cat ears on a headband.]

[dignity_misery]

[Eh? She turns her head to stare at these ridiculous things.]

They told me costumes weren't required.

[But she picks them up anyway, fiddling the little ears between thumb and forefinger to take stock of the texture.]

[intheblanks]

[They're nice. There are some little boutiques on this side of the square and everyone's hoping to cash in on a holiday.]

Not for the party. You might be able to trick or treat despite being past the tweenage cut-off, you can't do it without a costume.

[dignity_misery]

You underestimate my ability to get what I want.

[But she might wear them.]

[intheblanks]

No I don't.

[Really.

He leans his elbows on the edge of the tray, taking a slice of grilled cheese.]

Would you do something for me?

[dignity_misery]

[Watch her stuff another cupcake in her mouth and eye him lazily. That depends on what you want, Dr. Chase.]

[intheblanks]

[He holds a hand out at, well, midget height but no one else is watching.]

Small, Irish, volatile? Give her a break.

[dignity_misery]

[Hrm? Carla chews for a moment, looking confused. She's... never met Eden in person.]

Who?

[intheblanks]

Her name's Eden. Works at the hospital.

[dignity_misery]

[...Nope. This isn't helping. She's never really bothered asking any of this.]

...Alright?

[intheblanks]

[Seriously Carla, how many irish girls make regular voice posts to the network.]

Maybe this was less deliberate than she thought.

[dignity_misery]

[Chew chew chew. Give her a minute, she will connect the dots in a moment. Not because of the Irish, or the tiny, or the hospital. But because it's Chase asking.]

The blood girl.

[intheblanks]

Phlebotomist.

[ding ding ding.]

[dignity_misery]

I didn't do anything to her.

[intheblanks]

[This is the sigh of someone who really doesn't want to get caught up in girl fights.]

Great. Then leaving her alone won't be an effort.

[dignity_misery]

I do leave her alone.

[Seriously, Chase, they've had half a conversation in what must be four months.]

[intheblanks]

You left her alone so much she called me to 'call you off'.

[Yes, he makes that sound as though he thought it was absurd. He did.]

I told her that wasn't my remit, but I'd ask you not to respond to her again. So can you do me the favour?