[IC] #M052006453

[handsomefoil]

Leave a message at the beep.


[BEEP]

Comments

backdated to after the May event

[ishotyouuu]

You're a hard man to get ahold of, y'know that? Well, I mean-- pretty sure we both knew that. [A chuckle.]

Just wanted to let you know I've still got your tie, in case you ever wanted to come on over and get it back. Or... y'know. If you ever needed an excuse.

[handsomefoil]

[Dry little laugh at the message. An excuse, eh? Perhaps there is one, even if Henry isn't ready to admit that out loud to the guy over an answering machine. If it had just been the tie, he would've made a little hard-to-get quip or the sort, but there is something else...]

You can keep it, since you're such a sentimental type. Anything else you manage to squirrel away without my knowing?

[1/2]

[ishotyouuu]

Nothin' but the tie.

[There is a pause, a sharp inhalation of breath through his nose. When he speaks again, his voice is more playful; more seductive.]

Still smells like you, did you know that? That warm musky smell of your sweat-- what kinda aftershave do you use, by the way? Not that I need it, but... maybe if I buy some it'll remind me of how it felt to have you tied to that tree... your hips bucking as I took you in my mouth... those unbelievably sexy sounds you were making when you were trying so, so hard to be quiet... mmn.

Is this turning you on? It's turning me on, a little.

[2/2]

[ishotyouuu]

[There's another pause; the sound of cloth rustling-- he's sat up in bed.]

Oh, almost forgot. There was this nifty little skull pin attached to the tie. Surprised it didn't fall off during our little... encounter there.

Why? You want it back?

[handsomefoil]

[It's like having his own personal, persistent as fuck call-girl. He has to admit, listening to Wade recall their little random encounter of the sexy kind in such a shameless way is very hot. At least, it reminds him of a certain blonde woman, anyway. Seems like his preferences still seem to transfer quite seamlessly from women to men.

He lets out a heavy sigh, shaking his head, but then that second part of the message has him sitting up. Long message, eh... seriously, the man's after his own heart here.]

[He clears his throat- finding his words catching in his throat. That little bit Wade recorded on here is effecting him more than he'd thought.] It's a bit of a keepsake, so I do want it back in one piece.

[ishotyouuu]

Look at you, bein' all protective of your baubles. Didn't really expect that from you.

[There's a slight pause-- he's flopped back down on the bed.]

Don't worry, it's as safe as the Cœur de la Mer right now. Well, before she threw it in the ocean, anyway. You can come by whenever you wanna pick it up. You're living in Eos Tower now, right? 'Cause of the switch, I mean.

[handsomefoil]

[You'd think a person who had committed the thievery should be the one coming over to bring it back to him, but he says nothing of it. He can play this game.]

That I am. Where do you reside, then?

[ishotyouuu]

[Oh, Henry. If he did that, it would put the victory more in your corner. Can't have that, can we?]

I'm on 534. Should I pencil you in for an appointment today, Mr. Cooldown?

[handsomefoil]

[Fortunately, this can also be seen as a win-win situation, if one tries hard enough.]

Sure. Just put me down for whenever. I'll be along shortly.

[ishotyouuu]

[Suuuuure it can, dude. Whatever gets you through the night.]

Can't wait. I'll put my pretty on for ya.

[click]

[ voice ]

[hasitsthorns]

[ Henry isn't someone who knows her history like her packmates do, but - He's still one of the people she felt the need to contact after disappearing out of thin air for two weeks. She won't actually answer the question of where she'd been, but he deserves to know she's not dead in a ditch somewhere at least. Even if he doesn't care. Because for as much as she hopes he would, she isn't about to let herself believe she actually means too much to him.

She's made that mistake too many times before. ]

Hey, dude. I know I went MIA there for a bit, but. I was kind of tied up with something. [ It isn't a lie. ] I'm back now though.

[ voice ]

[handsomefoil]

[He answers this a while later- finding the message a bit of an interesting surprise. He did see her in at the pet auction, being treated very poorly, humiliated- and he had also spotted some familiar faces among the crowd. He's been pretty careful about not letting himself be seen by his acquaintances, though, so he assumes nobody (outside the Scarta) knows he was there.

What would be the most common reaction from someone whom she'd decided was worth reaching out to like this after such an event? It's this reason that gives him some pause, wanting to come up with a plausible response.]

I'm glad to hear it. I was starting to think you'd run away. [He adds a slight inflection of concern at the end.]

[ voice ]

[hasitsthorns]

[ Rose hadn't looked for familiar faces, hadn't wanted to. Seeing them would have only made the degrading things she was put through that much worse. So it's a small relief that Henry doesn't seem to know where she'd been held up. And an even bigger relief that she won't have to talk about it. ]

Pft. [ If this were home or even Haven, he wouldn't be wrong for thinking as such. Running away was kind of her thing. She wishes she could right now, actually, but that won't help. She isn't sure anything will. ]

I hate to break it to ya', but you're stuck with me. [ As if that's something horrible. To her, it is. ]

WHOA I TOTALLY DIDNT SEE THIS ONE

[handsomefoil]

You make it sound as if I'd mind.

[Of course, he has no idea what she's thinking, but a little friendly banter never hurts. It's surprisingly good at easing tension, he's noticed, if that was even a thing that he was feeling in this moment. Which he doesn't. For now.]

[hasitsthorns]

[ 'You should', is what her mind supplies but she doesn't actually say.

...It's probably for the best Henry doesn't have any idea what she's thinking. ]

Are you saying you like me enough to tolerate my company? Maybe even enjoy it? [ Teasing is fun, easy, and helps distract her from what she can't actually say. ]

[handsomefoil]

Naturally. Your energy is contagious, if you don't mind my saying.

[HONESTY CORNER ALL UP IN HERE]

[hasitsthorns]

[ Oh, no. Sincerity. Her one true weakness. ]

Of course I don't mind! I'm always happy to hear people are having fun around me.

[ Actually, this is going a lot better than most other compliments she's received. PROGRESS. ]

[handsomefoil]

[It helps that he's been with one of the most complex women ever for ten years. He knows what compliments to use when and how often, and when not to do it at all.]

Mm. I truly am glad you are back in one piece, though. [A beat. He suddenly thinks to change the subject to something a little more... small-talk.] Any plans today, then?

[hasitsthorns]

[ Thankfully, Rose isn't nearly as complex. She's just awkward and unsure when it comes to people being genuine.

He's glad. The woman tries not to read too much into that, tries not to make it anything it isn't but - Dammit, it's really difficult not to. ]

I didn't have anything in mind, really. Looking for work, later - [ anything to keep her thoughts occupied with something other than the PETCC ] - but even that's up in the air.

[handsomefoil]

[He'll take awkward and unsure over another complex megalomaniac in his book any day. He can only handle being emotional over one.]

Work, I see. What sort of work would you be interested in, just out of curiosity?

[hasitsthorns]

[ No take backs. ]

I'm trying to find something as a musician right now. But I'd take working in a music shop or music channel on the network here or... anything related.

[ What else, what else - Oh, right. ] I've been solicited for 'entertainment' work too - [ he can hear the emphasis for air quotes ] but I don't think I've got what it takes for that.

[handsomefoil]

[he can deal with it.]

A music shop sounds quite fitting. [And pauses a moment to let out a small huff of a laugh.] Though you being a singing star would be fantastic, as well. Imagine that, being friends with someone famous.

[hasitsthorns]

Psht, I'm not good enough to be famous. [ It says a lot that Rose is most confident in her musical aptitude, but still doesn't believe she's capable of fame. ] But it'd be fun to be known locally, at least.

I'm working on it. [ There's a split second of deliberation, always the uncertainty of if she should ask questions about the little things as well. Most people don't ask, so she doesn't. But most people don't know her for more than a few days. ]

Do you have a job? [ He doesn't have to, as an elite, but... several people she knows seem to be busybodies. Not working is too dull. ]

[handsomefoil]

It certainly would be. [He's not going to try and convince someone of something that he doesn't exactly know much about either.]

I do- that is... [He trails off, as if mulling something over.] I think I still do. My boss has been a bit M.I.A, lately, so I don't know if her absence will shake things up a bit. We'll see. Either way, currently, I do still have a job, as I am a free agent in a sense.

[hasitsthorns]

[ M.I.A. could mean a lot of things. Her Haven-wired mind immediately supplies 'storage,' but that's just something embedded. It's hard to say what happens to the citizens of Amoi when they disappear, yet Rose isn't about to be surprised if it's anything but pretty. Part of her wants to hope they actually do get shipped home. Unfortunately, realism will quickly crush that hope if given the opportunity. ]

Ooo, a free agent. Sounds exciting. Do you have a super cool code name? [ Rosie, you're confusing reality with James Bond again. ]