controlledvariable | exsilium; ic inbox

Just because I'm not your boss doesn't mean I can't have a say in how involved you are with another client of mine, and you're already in way too deep for my comfort.

[BUT WHOSE FAULT IS THAT, JERK?]

You'd show me how, right?

it means you don't get to decide who i do and don't consider a threat.

[God Saul that question barely even deserves a response. As if it's anywhere near as simple as showing him how to do it.]

have you heard of the school of seven bells?

[She's going somewhere with this.]

[Whatever; he's not in the mood to argue, especially not when the argument involves Walter, so he'll let that go. For now.]

No. What is it?

it's an urban legend, a school for thieves, based off the idea that to learn how to pick-pocket, you tie seven bells to specific points on a jacket and learn to take someone's wallet without the bells making a sound.

i learned on a jacket with fifty bells.

you can't just show someone how to plant a tracking device.

[Welp.]

Point taken.

[She thought so.]

now are you going to ask nicely if i'll put the tracking info into your laptop so you can keep an eye on walter, too?

[Saul's totally exasperated sigh might be audible to Steph, wherever she is.

Like.

Maybe even if she's five miles away.]

Pretty please?

[She totally heard it.]

better.

i can come over in a couple of days and set it up?

[She could do it right now, theoretically. but.]

[Theoretically...]

Why not now? Since it's obviously already on him. And we're both awake.

[There's a slightly delay, before:]

you sure?

[Considering. everything.]

[Now there's a question. It'd be stupid to say yes, but Saul's pretty sure it'd be even stupider to say no. "No" would be an admission.

So:]

You're right — it's late.

[Is it bad that response makes her want to show up anyway?

So. Another delay, because she just needs to throw herself off a building to feel the rush of wind and to see the ground coming to meet her before she catches herself with her grapple line. She may still be hanging upside down off the side of the Housing building as she sends the next text.]

saul.

should we talk?

Edited 2013-06-10 12:47 (UTC)

[Another excellent question!

There is not enough liquor in the world for this.]

About what?

you want me to spell it out?

[Don't make her do that, Saul. No one wants that.]

Not really.

[Please let him get away with avoiding this conversation, Steph.]

Edited 2013-06-10 13:06 (UTC)

then you should've just said no.

[To whether they should talk about things, instead of acting like nothing happened.]

Do you think we should talk?

Edited 2013-06-10 13:53 (UTC)

i don't know.

[and only a few seconds later:]

i love ellie.

[As if that... solves anythin]

I know.

[Mr. Talkative is suddenly not so talkative.]

[There's no reply to the text, because Steph is just - trying to work out why everything is so complicated and what she wants to say. When nothing comes and she's starts thinking about dropping the tablet from ten storeys, she decides to go another route.

Which means about eight minutes after the last text, there's a light knock on Saul's window.

Steph is balanced precariously on the sill, dressed in civvies, but all black, since she doesn't want to draw too much attention to herself while she's swinging around the Housing building.]

[Saul thought — and hoped — that was the end of it. No discussion, no more feelings, just two factual statements and a sealing of the envelope. That's all Saul needed to know, really. And wasn't that exactly what he'd said to Jesse yesterday? I don't wanna complicate things.

Steph doesn't need that.

And the fact that he considers that at all is how he knows he's in big trouble.

The knock at the window launches his heart into his throat and for a few very long seconds, he's tempted not to acknowledge it.

But then there's the part of him that forgets she's Batgirl and freaks out a little with the realization that she is hanging off of the building, so over he goes to make a face at her like, Are you crazy?

Skeptically:] Hi.

[She seems very confident balancing on the windowsill, at least; this isn't even the most difficult thing she's perched on.

Although the confidence is really only in her posture, in the fact her balance doesn't waver at all. Her expression is significantly less confident, her lower lip caught between her teeth before she realizes she's doing that and forces her expression to something more neutral.]

Hi.

[...

She didn't think what to do from this point.]

Can I have a drink?

[Well. It's a start.]

[The smart thing to do would be to say no, you wouldn't even be legal to drink back home, and send her on her way. But judging from past experiences, Saul isn't exactly smart when it comes this sort of thing. He's actually phenomenally stupid.

Which is why he steps aside and gestures for her to come in.]

I'll get you a glass.

[A convenient excuse to get the hell out of there and breathe for a moment.

And also to try to smooth down the mess that is his slept-in suit. He really shouldn't have drugged himself.]

text; :|

text; well it worked, didn't it?

text; MAYBE...

text; I rest my case

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action; whoops

action; yeah okay

permaction; you started this

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