controlledvariable | exsilium; ic inbox

[Somehow it feels like turning around is letting him win, so she's just watching him over her shoulder.]

If you say so. [so very skeptical] I'd like my marques in cash, rather than on one of the debit cards. Just for when you're paying up.

[He doesn't have a monopoly on being smug.]

[Was he that close to her a few seconds ago?]

Cash, of course. Lawyers prefer being paid in cash, anyway, so that'll make Sonya happy.

[Legal fees, Steph.]

[help.]

What, you think I can't convince her to represent me for free?

[no really.

help.]

[Don't worry, Steph; he's not stupid enough to move any closer. Because.

No.

He's pretty sure there's a gravity/orbit metaphor hiding somewhere in here, but he doesn't care to look for it. He shrugs, then pushes his wet hair back. Why are they still out here?]

Maybe.

Definitely.

[Maybe if she keeps trying to be smug she'll stop being... unsettled by every Saul is doing.]

I'm good with lawyers.

[Wait no can take that back it's too close to actual flirting ABORT ABORT.]

[...he tried so hard and got so far...

Pop goes Steph's little bubble of personal space as Saul places a hand on her arm, still grinning. And also wanting to throw himself off the building a little.]

I dunno if you're her type.

[She might, possibly, maybe just a little, gulp at the touch, realizing just how terrible an idea this was. Pretending that they could just joke around like there wasn't... anything between them.]

I'm everyone's type.

[why]

Trying to make me jealous of a co-worker?

[What he wants to know is how.

How did they go from talking about feelings to a stupid fake argument to a stupid not-even-serious lawsuit threat to this? How does shit like this happen every time?]

You're bad for business, Stephanie.

Edited 2013-06-25 16:47 (UTC)

[If making him jealous was her actual aim, there are a lot of other things she could bring up other than a co-worker she's never met. She's not going to say that, though.]

How's that?

[She'll just focus on the rest of what he said. Surely that'll be safe.]

[He knows. That's why he specified co-worker.

His hand trails up to her shoulder, then drifts back down.]

This is tremendously unethical. You should probably fire me.

[This is really bad.

At least it's easier to not look at him when he's standing behind her.]

I don't think that'd help.

[Maybe they'll both just ignore how rough her voice suddenly sounds.]

[He probably shouldn't be standing out here in the wet cold like this with no jacket on after getting over an illness that almost killed him. This thought comes courtesy of the realization that he's shivering a little — not that he thinks the weather has anything to do with that, but it's good cover. It'll get him out of this situation, at least.

...except first he's going to bow his head, almost like he's about to kiss her shoulder. Again. It's too familiar a gesture, though, especially paired with the fact that he's still touching her arm like he was touching her arm back in his room that night, so he doesn't. Wants to, but doesn't.]

You should go back inside.

[Careful word choice: you, not we.]

[Even not looking at him, Steph is still hyperaware of her surroundings, which right now mostly just includes rain and Saul, so she... kind of just stops breathing, as he leans in. She's expecting another kiss, and isn't sure what to do when it doesn't come.

The words take a moment to register, but she manages to nod after a moment.]

You planning to stay up here on your own?

[Because he said you.]

[She should have taken that as her cue to move away, not just nod her head, because now he's — well, it's not quite a kiss, but his lips are definitely touching the fabric of what he suddenly remembers is his own coat. So when he speaks again, it's more of a mumble.]

For a little while, yeah. Might be a good idea...

[How does this keep happening?]

You nearly died a few days ago, you shouldn't be out in the rain at all.

[She's just going to let her medic instincts take over and actually force her to move, which mean she's stepping away from Saul and turning to face him.]

C'mon.

[With a nod towards the roof exit; she will drag him inside if she has to.]

[Because idiots.

He blinks at her when she turns as if slightly dazed, then shrugs his agreement and gestures: after you.

Now all he has to do is not try to get her back to his room. Not that he's planning to, but with the way things keep happening...

Luckily(?), he has enough presence of mind to acknowledge that that is the actual worst idea, that he shouldn't even tempt fate a little, so maybe he'll just avoid going back there entirely.]

[As soon as she's inside, she shrugs off his coat and holds it out for him, her other hand twisting in her hair to wring it out, keeping her hands and herself busy because she's not sure if it's a good idea to actually - look at him.

She really should've just run down the stairs as soon as she was sure he was coming inside, but that would've been rude.]

[They really need to learn to disregard social graces. Or Saul, at least, needs to remember how to be that kind of asshole again.

He takes his coat, makes a face when he realizes how wet it is, and gives it one good shake in a direction that won't spray either of them.

...except it does.]

Sorry.

[She looks up in surprise when she gets flicked with water, but just shrugs after a moment, fishing an elastic from her pocket so she can tie her hair up in the messiest bun ever.]

S'fine, I don't think I could get wetter if I tried.

[...yeah so he's just going to concentrate on fixing himself up now, from smoothing back his hair to straightening his shirt and frowning at his shoes. Good thing this pair isn't real leather, or they'd have been ruined months ago.

Priorities.]

So — you going back to your room?

[Being in the same space as Ellie seems like a terrible idea right now, and her apprehension about that probably shows on her face.]

Might head to the Hold and put a few hours in. I lost a lot of muscle thanks to the whole... dying thing.

[Yep. Going back to having casual conversations as if he wasn't all up in her space a few moments ago.]

Probably a good idea.

[Not a good idea: attempting to go with her. She just had to remind him of what happened, didn't she? And all that anxiety is stirred right back up, and —

It takes a moment, but Saul talks himself out of it.]

Keep me in the loop, okay?

[And then it hits him, that this might be the last time he has a chance to — do anything, really, without causing Stephanie too much guilt. Because he knows, as sure as he's ever known anything, how her conversation with Ellie is going to go. And that'll be it.

So he makes absolutely no movement to indicate that he's going anywhere, just yet.]

I'm not the one who forgets to call.

[As she wraps her arms around herself, suddenly feeling a lot more bedraggled than she did when they were actually standing in the rain.

What she should do is go back to her apartment, shower, and curl up with Ellie, but instead she's just - watching Saul, dragging her lower lip between her teeth and trying to tell herself to just go.

It's surprisingly difficult, especially when it doesn't seem like he's planning to go anywhere.]

[He's waiting for her to go. Why is she not going?

And is biting her lip like that really necessary I mean come on —

Saul takes a slow breath. He'd like to point out that he didn't forget because he was dying, but that thought is so far from his head right now it might as well be on another planet.

He fixates, sometimes, which means it's hard for him to change his mind once it's made up. This is why he can't not say what he's about to say even though he knows it's stupid as all hell:] C'mere.

[What?

She looks up at him, frowning, and nearly takes a step closer, but the actually functioning part of her brain kicks in and tells her to stay exactly where she is.]

Why?

[A little wary, a lot unsure.]

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